Peeves Prattles

On Watching Agneepath

2012-02-08T00:50:00.001+05:30

...the new Agneepath, starring Hrithik Roshan.

It affected me in many different ways. We were around 10-12 minutes late for the movie. We missed the start. But I don't think that mattered much. I have not seen Amitabh Bachchan's movie and so this version was totally new for me.

The first thing that stuck me was the tremendous violence in the movie. It is downright nerve-wracking. I was on the edge of my seat and was not sure I had done the right thing by coming to watch the movie. The movie starts with violence where Vijay's father is murdered by Kancha, the main antagonist. It is an incident that drives the movie. It drives each and every move that Vijay makes. It sets a grim tone to the whole movie. There are almost no light moments; emotional, yes; but lighter moments...I really cannot remember.

Vijay's father, a school master had tried to oppose Kancha's dream of turning the village in a drug center by renting the lands of all villagers. Kancha successfully removes the thorn (Vijay's father) from his way, while the whole village celebrates that they can now freely help Kancha. Kancha lures them that their lands would be used for a salt factory and they would get money out of it. This grim victory is actually the downfall of the villagers. They win the battle of doing away with the schoolmaster and in turn lose the war of having a happy and prosperous village. They literally walk towards their downfall.

When Vijay's father is murdered, his heavily pregnant mother is shown being trampled at the feet of the angry village people. I was hoping that they wouldn't show her bleeding to death, and thank God, they didn't! Eventually, the mother and son escape to the big city and arrive in a basti. The mother goes into labour pains and a daughter is born.

Soon enough, Vijay-a boy of 12 years, witnesses a murder by Rauf Lala, and lies to the police about the murderer. Vijay also murders the police officer who tries to get him tell the truth. His mother severs all her ties with the son and moves out of his life to lead a life of her own with her daughter. We now see a Vijay that's all grown up handsome and all with a girlfriend, who works as a mafia leader for Rauf Lala. Rauf is not just a drug mafia, but also a human trafficker.

As Hrithik Roshan entered as the older Vijay, I found it very similar to Fiza, a movie directed by Khalid Mohammed. Fiza is the story of how a sister seeks out to find her brother-a troubled boy who goes on to become a terrorist. Vijay in Agneepath too has had a disturbed childhood that has made him a violent mafia leader. I think I made that comparison more because Hrithik Roshan has played the troubled boy in both the movies.

I won't give away the whole story here. But what with songs in between, more murders, mass killings, double dealings, we are finally led to a climax, that's again a replication of what we saw in the beginning.

The once happy and prosperous village that Vijay and Kancha hailed from, has now turned into a barren land. Death, disease, poverty, unhappiness, and distress is what you see and it makes you feel all the more horrified and hollow.

At every violent, illegal, unhealthy event in the film, I was more and more engrossed with feelings of futility, hopelessness, dread, and loss.

What also aided these feelings was the tremendous background music given by Ajay-Atul, the Marathi composers, who have done a fantastic job. The tension, the evilness, the futility, the murderous villains, the dark atmosphere is all enhanced by the background score. It increases your heartbeats, it gives you the chills, it makes you all nervous. Salute to the two.

The duo have also provided the music to the songs in the movie. One particular song affected me in a totally different way. The song is "Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin" and shows how Vijay enjoys his time with his sister and girlfriend together. The lyrics are really nice and the song made me cry. The emotions of Vijay meeting his sister after 15 years, and how he had lived each unhappy day to enjoy this one happy day in his life resonated with me and brought out completely different feelings. I don't know why that happened. But I cried remembering my parents, how sometimes I miss them very much, how they miss me, how we are unable to be with each other in our moments of distress and happiness too. I thought how each day I hope to have them with me and meet them. I cannot describe all that I felt as I cried dearly. It was a very, very distressful moment for me. I miss my parents a lot. A lot.

My life has been so very different since my marriage. The song brought it all out. I was quite disturbed for that evening and night. The violence and this song of the movie have made a major impact on me.

Agneepath has really been a different experience for me. Unforgettable!

Diveagar and Srivardhan

2012-02-05T23:45:00.002+05:30

If you want to enjoy the beach, head to Diveagar. The beach is safe, beautiful, and vast. The waters are comparatively cleaner.

Map

Routes to Diveagar

1. Via Tamhini Ghat
This is the commonest and probably shortest route to go to the Kokan area from Pune. From Chandani Chowk, take the road towards Paud, Mulshi, and follow it up to the Tamhini ghat. After crossing the ghat, you have to join the National Highway 17, the Mumbai-Goa Road at Kolad.

2. Via Khopoli-Pali Road
From Pune, you take the Mumbai Expressway. Take the Khopoli exit. From Khopoli, take the Khopoli-Pali road. I don't know much about this route. We did not take this route. With this route, you get out on the NH 17 somewhere near Kolad.

3. Via Khopoli-Pen Road

From Pune, you take the Mumbai Expressway. Take the Khalapur exit (go past the Khopoli exit), and take the Khalapur-Pen road. This is a beautiful drive, though a bit lonely. It's a stretch of 25 kms and takes approximately half an hour. There aren't any shops or garages on this road. So, make sure you have an extra tyre with you, and also get to know how to change a punctured tyre, just in case. This route goes directly in the Pen city right through the market. Cross the town and join the Pen-Alibaug road at the other end of the town. After around 5 kms, take a left at the Wadkhal naka. That's where you join NH 17.

Eventually, all roads lead to NH 17. :)

On NH 17, you will pass all small and large villages and towns. The important towns on the way are Nagothane, Kolad, Indapur, and Mangaon.

To go to Diveagar, you must take a right at Mangaon. Just after crossing the ST stand on the right hand, a small road is seen on the right. It can easily be missed, so keep a watch on it. Interestingly, the road points to only Morba, the next village on that route. But that really is the turn that you need to take to go to Diveagar, Harihareshwar, and further down south.

From the Morba road, you must cross the Morba-Sai ghat. After Sai (a village), comes Mhasla. At Mhasla, you need to take the right turn to go to Diveagar and Srivardhan.

4. From Harihareshwar

Marine Drive: Harihareshwar-Diveagar

If you have visited Harihareshwar first and are coming to Diveagar, the route that you take is through Srivardhan. This road is called the Marine Drive. It's no comparison to Mumbai's Marine Drive. Initially, you might just feel that why the hell is it called Marine Drive. But patience and you are appropriately rewarded. The road at one point goes on to become parallel to the coastline and it definitely deserves to be called Marine Drive.

Srivardhan

Shreemant Balaji Vishwanath Peshwe

Srivardhan has a great historical background. Unfortunately, nothing of this great history is now visible in Srivardhan. It's the birthplace of Shreemant Balaji Vishwanath Peshwe, the Prime Minister of Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj. But what remains now of the house in which he was born is nothing but a statue.

We had hoped for at least some sort of museum or some relics that would help relive history. But nothing at all.

Srivardhan beach

I guess, Srivardhan is now more known because it is a Taluka place. It was bustling with activity even in the afternoon when we reached there. The traffic was pretty heavy and had to be monitored by traffic police.

Again, the beach at Srivardhan is beautiful and quite long. We were there in the afternoon and did not find anyone else on the beach. Perhaps it's busy in the morning and evenings. But, it's better to check with the locals about how safe it is.

We did not stay at Srivardhan. So, I cannot provide much information about the places to stay and eat at Srivardhan. However, I am sure you will be able to find homemade food and rooms that are let for staying.

Diveagar

Diveagar main road

Diveagar has recently, rather, since 1997 suddenly appeared on the tourist map. Earlier, it must have been the same old sleepy coastal town, that not many knew about. In fact, Borli-a town around a kilometer away from Diveagar has been the market center.

What has made Diveagar famous is a golden idol of Lord Ganesha that was found buried in a trunk in a field. The story goes that in 1997, a peasant was digging in a field and he stuck gold. Literally! He found the buried trunk containing the idol of Shree Ganesh. The trunk also contained some ornaments for the idol. Diveagar suddenly warmed up to the blessings of the Lord, and lo behold, it is now a much sought after place!

The gold idol is placed in a Ganesh temple not far from the site it was found. The temple is very much in the center of the town and there's a parking lot just opposite the temple, where all tourist buses are parked.

Diveagar Beach

The beach in Diveagar is beautiful. It is long, calm, and clean. In the evenings, a vehicle is available that aids you para-sailing. I cannot give it a name. You are tied to the para-sailing equipment and a jeep takes you till a certain point, with you are in the sky around 35 feet above the ground. People assist you with the equipment and also help when you touch down. It might be fun. I didn't try it out.

Diveagar beach

In the mornings too, the beach is beautiful. You can take long walks on the beach and enjoy the cool waters. Of course, be it in the morning or evening, do keep a watch on the tides. As always, the high tide waters rise drastically and might be dangerous.

You can have nice coconut water, bhel, kadak chai, or also buy a few toys at a couple of hathgadis available there. You can also enjoy a water ride in the boats available. Do make sure that they provide you with life jackets before you go for the ride.

Where to eat at Diveagar?

Two places really...Bapat Khanawal and Paarkar Khanawal.

For vegetarians, you just cannot miss Bapat Khanawal. The food is awesome. And the most important part is that you get to have modaks that you just cannot miss.

To go to Bapat Khanawal, you have to cross the Ganesh temple, and keep going straight ahead. The lane is full of Bapats. There you will see a small board explaining that the Bapat Khanawal is the 5th gate on the right. It's damn easy to miss the gate. So, better count them correctly! Because, if you miss that, you are going to miss an awesome food offering.

Mind you, you need to tell at the Bapat Khanawal in advance before you go for lunch or dinner. You cannot just barge in and sit down to eat. Also, when you are asked to come before a certain time, do make sure you go before that time. The Bapat Khanawal can take only around 100-150 people to eat at a time and you should not miss it. They close down at the decided time. Don't miss the right time.

If you want to have modaks, you must also place an order for that. Place an order of how many per head you will have. They make it in that much quantity and you cannot have more than that. But, seriously, do NOT miss the modaks.

For non-vegetarians, Paarkar Khanawal is the best place we thought. Awesome fish you get there. Pompfret, surmai, chicken is all available there. At Paarkar Khanawal too, if you are going in a large group, it's better to inform them in advance. Otherwise, it really gets crowded and there's a big waiting list then. Vegetarian thali is also available here. So, for groups that have people who are vegetarians and non-vegetarians, this is a really good place.

All in all, other than eating and visiting the beach, there's not much to do in Diveagar. So, relaxing is best done here.

Staying at Diveagar

Innumerable bed-and-breakfast places are available. You should find a place to stay easily. However, if you are going for a weekend that is kind of a long weekend, it is better to book rooms before you go. After noon on a weekend, you might find it difficult to find a place.

Tips for Visiting Diveagar

Keep first aid, sunscreen lotion, caps, old newspapers handy. All these are useful at times.
Keep a torch handy as night falls.
Depending on how much time you want to spend on the beach, a day and half is more than enough for Diveagar.

Happy vacation!

Harihareshwar

2011-12-28T16:31:00.002+05:30

Harihareshwar is located on the western coast in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. It is known for the Shiva temple known as Hareshwar. That's why the name: Harihareshwar.

Harihareshwar lies about 220 kms from Pune. There are multiple ways to reach Harihareshwar. The one we took was probably the longest route.

Routes to Harihareshwar

1. Via Tamhini ghat

Map

This is the commonest and probably shortest route to go to the Kokan area from Pune. From Chandani Chowk, take the road towards Paud, Mulshi, and follow it up to the Tamhini ghat. After crossing the ghat, you have to join the National Highway 17, the Mumbai-Goa Road at Kolad.

2. Via Khopoli-Pali Road
From Pune, you take the Mumbai Expressway. Take the Khopoli exit. From Khopoli, take the Khopoli-Pali road. I don't know much about this route. We did not take this route. With this route, you get out on the NH 17 somewhere near Kolad.

3. Via Khopoli-Pen Road
From Pune, you take the Mumbai Expressway. Take the Khalapur exit (go past the Khopoli exit), and take the Khalapur-Pen road. This is a beautiful drive, though a bit lonely. It's a stretch of 25 kms and takes approximately half an hour. There aren't any shops or garages on this road. So, make sure you have an extra tyre with you, and also get to know how to change a punctured tyre, just in case. This route goes directly in the Pen city right through the market. Cross the town and join the Pen-Alibaug road at the other end of the town. After around 5 kms, take a left at the Wadkhal naka. That's where you join NH 17.

Eventually, all roads lead to NH 17. :)

On NH 17, you will pass all small and large villages and towns. The important towns on the way are Nagothane, Kolad, Indapur, and Mangaon.

To go to Harihareshwar, you must take a right at Mangaon. Just after crossing the ST stand on the right hand, a small road is seen on the right. It can easily be missed, so keep a watch on it. Interestingly, the road points to only Morba, the next village on that route. But that really is the turn that you need to take to go to Diveagar, Harihareshwar, and further down south.

From the Morba road, you must cross the Morba-Sai ghat. After Sai (a village), comes Mhasla. At Mhasla, there are two ways to reach Harihareshwar. One is a direct route to Harihareshwar through several ghats. The other route is via Diveagar and Srivardhan.

We took the direct route to Harihareshwar. This route is a bit lonely. I would recommend taking the other route via Diveagar and Srivardhan. Not only is it scenic, but also easier to drive and not very lonely. The distance is also lesser. Or may be the scenic road makes it seem lesser.

Staying at Harihareshwar

Tents at Harihareshwar MTDC Resort

We stayed at the MTDC beach resort. It is good, clean, and peaceful. In fact, it has it's own beach, though small. You can go for boating at the MTDC resort. The rates are around 1500-2500 per night based on the type of room you choose.

We stayed in the special room and then upgraded to a tent for a day. If you plan to stay at the MTDC resort, go for the tent. The experience is amazing. All the tents are situated amidst tall trees and have a view of the open sea. It's beautiful to get up in the morning to the view of the vast sea in front of you. Also, at night, it becomes a bit creepy to feel all alone in the tent and the quietness around. You might hear a bird perching on the roof top of the tent and get the jitters. It's great fun.

Other than MTDC, there is also a good resort very near the Harihareshwar temple called the Hari-Hareshwar Beach Resort. This too is priced at around the same price. The tents are bigger here and it's very close to the beach.

Where to eat at Harihareshwar?

There are several places where you can get decent food in Harihareshwar. One such place is Prachiti Bhojanalay. It is very close to the temple and you get only vegetarian food there. Priced at Rs. 50/- per thali, you get unlimited food here. Just opposite Prachiti is the Hari-Hareshwar Beach Resort that also offers veg and non-veg thalis. Priced at Rs. 120/- and above for non-veg thalis, it's bit costly. However the food is good.

The MTDC resort has its own restaurant called The Grasshopper Inn. Don't know why it has such a weird name. We thought it was exorbitantly priced and the food was also only just okay, average.

On the way to MTDC is another small khanaval (forgot the name) that serves vegetarian food for Rs. 70/- per thali. Even this is affordable and pretty good food.

A few meters ahead, there is a turning at which are several tapris that serve wada-paav, bhaji, bhurji. At that junction, there's a nice joint aptly called Turning Point that serves batate wade, anda bhurji, kanda bhaji, chai. It's really nice and a good breakfast stop.

Apart from these, there are many places where you can tell in advance if you want to have food there. These are mostly arranged at the homes of the locals there, who serve home-made food.

Harihareshwar Beach

MTDC beach at low tide

This is one thing that you need to be damn careful about. The beach at Harihareshwar is not good for swimming and fun and frolicking. It is full of rocks that go under water when it is high tide. If your first look at the Harihareshwar beach is at the time of high tide, you might be misled thinking that the beach is pretty good and safe. But it really is not. The sand at the beach is quicksand and pulls you inside. The rocks are dangerous, jutting out in the open. In fact, at the beach near the temple, there is a low-lying area which is covered by 5-8 feet of water during high tide. Boats are anchored there when high tide. So, you can imagine how deep it becomes.

MTDC beach at high tide

Even at the MTDC beach, at the boating area, there is small stretch of beach that is covered with water at high tide. If you are at this beach at the time of high tide, you can experience for yourself how the water rises slowly and covers all the rocks. Be really careful with the rocks. They have sharp edges that easily cut your feet if you step on them by mistake.

So in all, I would advice that the Harihareshwar beach is best to be seen from far and enjoyed. Don't venture too much in the waters. If you want to enjoy the beach, Diveagar is the place for you.

Harihareshwar Temple

Going down to the sea on the Pradakshina Marg

The Shiva temple is famous for its Pradakshina. It takes around 30 mins to complete the Pradakshina. The temple itself is also beautiful just like other Shiva temples. What makes it unique is that it is situated right at the sea, and has a Pradakshina that actually is a complete one unlike the one we usually take in a Shiva temple. Inside the temple, you can take the half Pradakshina. Outside, the Pradakshina is a full one involving climbing up the mountain and then climbing down and walking along the sea-cut rocks. It's actually spooky.

When you reach the top, you get to see a notice that warns that the sea near the Pradakshina Marg is dangerous, you should take care not to venture near the lashing waves during high tide, and that you should first get information about the high and low tide timings. You might feel like overlooking the notice (feeling you are at the top of the mountain, and there's no sea there.) But you are mistaken. As soon as you turn left, you will see the deep gorge that you need to climb down that goes directly to the sea. And you certainly are frightened.

Pradakshina Marg

As you climb down, you can see yourself literally climbing down into the sea. There is a small pathway carved in the rocks that's the Pradakshina Marg. On the rocks you can feel the power of the sea. You are at the mercy of the Elements and know in your heart that you are a mere midget in the vastness of this universe. The wet rocks are a proof of how far the waves come in. And you thank yourself that it's low tide at the moment.

So, if you want to do the Pradakshina, make sure it is low tide. Don't leave the hands of your kids as you complete the Pradakshina.

Tips for Visiting Harihareshwar

If you are visiting Harihareshwar directly, take the route that comes via Diveagar. It's more enjoyable.
Keep a watch on the high and low tide timings. If you have internet on your smartphones, all the better. We used this site to check the timings: http://wap.swellwatch.com/tideStation.php?dataPoint=5890&region=1456&regionName=Arabian+Sea&trace=region:1092:The%20World%7Cregion:1647:Indian%20Ocean%7Cregion:1456:Arabian%20Sea. After the high tide time shown on this site, we observed that bigger and more powerful waves kept on coming to the shore for the next hour or so. So, to start with, this is a good site. But you would want to consult other resources too as well as consult the locals about the tide timings (In Marathi, high tide is called bharti and low tide is called ohoti.) Moreover, the site shows the timings of the Arabian Sea. The timings at individual beaches may differ based on the water level and coastline. So, do consult other resources for accurate information.
Keep first aid, sunscreen lotion, caps, old newspapers handy. All these are useful at times.
Keep a torch handy as night falls. The electricity at Harihareshwar cannot be relied on.
One and a half day is more than enough for Harihareshwar. To enjoy the beach, proceed to Diveagar.

Have fun!

The Start

2011-12-27T00:08:00.000+05:30

It's really the distance. It's always told merely 200 kms. But it turns out to be really 250 kms. And you just keep on driving and driving. Mile after mile you cover hoping that the next turn will be the last turn, but it turns out to be just another turn.

Perhaps, it happens only with me. But it never turns out that I leave for a journey at a pre-decided time. More often than not, I tend travelling for a longer period of time than required.

As I traverse the known roads, the destination seems to be close by. I travel those roads with a feeling that four-five hours is nothing and I'll reach the destination soon. Every turn is familiar and I am happy that the journey has finally started.

As miles pass after miles, lunch hour approaches. I get down to stretch myself and to have lunch. If it's a pre-decided lunch stop, you the taste and food. It it's not, I am in anticipation of what I'll finally get before me. After the sumptuous, or not-so-good food, you are back on road.

As the journey progresses, I start losing patience. The journey seems to be never-ending. Turn after turn and mile after mile is crossed. I keep looking at the odometer counting the kilometers that I have covered.

At last after being completely tired and woebegone, huts and small houses are visible. The town that we have decided to stay finally arrives. My fears that the town may not actually exist are thankfully not realised. I get down and stretch myself.

Finally, one part of the journey is over. In fact, the Start has finally ended.

An Year Is Already Gone...

2011-12-12T16:09:00.001+05:30

... I can't believe it.

What started as a casual acquaintance has turned into a deeper relation.

It's been a whole year of learning to understand each other, adjust for and with each other, learn and discover newer things about the other, caring for and fighting for each other, and of course fighting with each other.

And in spite of the whole year gone by, it seems just yesterday that we had met.

There are so many things that I have learnt...whether be it new roads, new avenues, new places. I have learnt to share things, be there for someone, keep away selfishness, be caring, supportive, helpful, useful.

But I have also at times expected a lot, fought a lot, misbehaved, mistook things, demanded unnecessary things. I have also been fidgety, unhappy, unreasonable, stern, moody, abrupt, unclear of things, angry, adamant, and lots of nasty things. But in all this, Sanjeev has been by my side, supportive, and helpful. Thanks for everything.

Today, after one year, I wish for a wonderful, beautiful life together. Hoping that all our dreams and wishes are fulfilled. Hoping that I help you realise your goals just as you would help me realise mine. I know that in years to come, we will have a good life together, supporting each other through thick and thin. Hope you have a great First Anniversary! Take care!

Desperately Needing A Break

2011-11-29T19:50:00.001+05:30

Working harder than ever for the release on December 15...Getting tired of closed environments...Sick of unhealthy surroundings...Frustrated at the inertia...Wishing to create my own space...Bugged up with unasked for scenes...Desperately needing a break!

At times, life really sucks!

The Slap Rules

2011-11-24T23:22:00.001+05:30

Really! What repercussions a slap can make! What sound! And yet another way for the media to make an issue of something. Anyway, the media always needs some or the other thing to talk about and to make a big deal about!

But, seriously...one slap Mr. Sharad Pawar got (which I think he certainly deserved!) and the whole country is in a uproar. Panic is everywhere as it is rumoured of riots in Pune and outskirts. I mean, c'mon people! Is it worth it? And in reality, nothing had really happened. No riots, no fights, nothing. It was pretty calm and quiet. Only a sudden rush of people to reach back home.

Ever wondered how much of time might have been wasted? How many man hours wasted because people had to leave their jobs midway? How many more hours were lost because of the traffic jams that occurred because all people had left work at the same time, creating a chaos? How many more hours wasted in front of the idiot box listening to all the crap and hue and cry of the overblown issue?

And what was the media talking about...breach of security, how Mr. Pawar was indeed wronged, how the man who slapped must have been a mad man, how he was taken into custody. Is that all? Ever wondered why he took such a step? In fact, I would like to shake the young man's hand for the daring he has shown. He has done a most worthy job that no one else could have done. He most certainly deserves a Bharat Ratna as someone mentioned!

If people did not as much blink an eye at the incidence, shouldn't we say that most felt that Mr. Pawar got what he deserved? Perhaps people really are happy about what has happened! No wonder its video became such a big hit on You Tube!

What I would like to say in all this is that let not such minor incidences ruin our routines. Such incidences will happen (more I hope so!) We can't stop living as much as we can't when our brethren are killed in bomb blasts. And certainly, this issue does not deserve the magnitude of a bomb blast. It is not at all that serious. After all, it's just a slap! And to make it such a big issue itself is more embarrassing for the receiver.

The least we can do is forget about the whole incidence and not respond to any "Bandh." Moreover, we can only pray for more such brave men, who dare to act!

Responsible

2011-11-21T23:27:00.001+05:30

When things do not work, I realise I am responsible for them. When I screw up things, I know I am responsible.

But when people don't behave well with me for no apparent reason, but just that I exist...even then am I responsible?

My one action can bring about so many changes. It has changed so many people, it has perhaps broken so many hearts...severed so many relations. Is it after all worth it? More than that...I shall always have this constant gnawing at my heart that it's all my doing.

But what really is the issue? I don't know. I cannot fathom. I cannot understand why it is so difficult to make the other person feel comfortable and loved in a group. I cannot understand why some have not bothered to include me in. Why do some people still prefer a ghetto? What's so disgusting, so bad about me that I get alienated?

Why do I not get enough power, recognition, freedom to do things? Why is everything so unhealthy? What have I done after all? I cannot understand. I cannot make head or tail of some situations.

But in all this, I do feel responsible for making a mess. Or perhaps starting a mess. It's going to be one scar, one guilty feeling that won't be ridden off.

Two Days Full Of Surprises

2011-11-08T19:03:00.000+05:30

November 7-8, 2011

What memorable days!!

Yesterday, I had a double surprise of getting two awards in office: Pat-on-the-Back and Team-of-the-Quarter. It was awesome. Though, I really didn't do a lot of work in this. But it was good to be recognised and appreciated.

And today, what can I say!! The day started at 00.00 hours with Sanjeev wishing me. The wishes just kept coming. It's such a great feeling to feel loved and remembered!

My BMC gals turned up at the office and surprised me with a cake and flowers and showered me with love and affection! It was just too good. I was so touched to see them all by my side, celebrating with me, and being there with me. Love you all gals for your support! Thank you Zainab, Revathi, Aparna, Pallavi, Deepa, and Pooja!! Thanks for making my day memorable. I won't ever forget your love and support!

And there's still some more...heading for a quiet dinner with Sanjeev. I am looking forward to the evening!! Thanks for the wonderful evening, Sanjeev. This day is not complete without you!

Thanks everyone!

Bird In The Car

2011-10-17T13:52:00.000+05:30

Today, there were feathers all over in my car. There was fluttering of feathers and frantic attempts to escape. And how it all started, we have absolutely no idea.

It was actually a bird that got into the car as we drove. We were on the highway, going to office. Suddenly, I heard some noise in the rear just like a plastic bag makes when it flutters in the wind. And then, there were feathers all over. My first thought was that some chicken feathers had got in from the tempo that carries chickens and hens.

But then I saw in the rear mirror and and was amazed to see a red-vented bulbul trying to escape through the closed windows. I stopped the car. Sanjeev got down and opened the boot and the left rear door. The poor birdie had panicked and was sitting near the left rear door. Sanjeev shooed it off and it took flight out of the door, glad to be ridden of the closed cage.

We were laughing for so long at the amazing and rare incident. The only way the little bird could have got in was through my open window. It probably wanted to fly across the road before my car passed. But with its mistaken timing and the speed of my car, it zoomed into my car instead of across. Poor soul! What fearful moments it must have had before it could escape! But, it could escape and be free!

I can only say this: पक्ष्यांचे पण अंदाज चुकू शकतात!

Crappy Day With A Wet End

2011-10-12T01:00:00.000+05:30

Started my day today with a fight. Went to office in a rage. Got late. Was stuck in traffic. Got late. Attended a stupid presentation. Did some work. Was irritated the whole day for unnecessary reasons. Got irritated with a colleague and did not even apologise. Started back from work. Found car was not working. Took rickshaw. Reached destination. Heavy downpour had started. Travelled back to office in the rains. Car still not working. Waited at office for some time for rains to stop. They didn't (of course!) Took a rickshaw till the bus stop. No bus was stopping at the right place. Had to walk to get a bus. Finally got the bus. Got down and walked back home.

End result: Dead tired and feeling all the more crappy!

That's life!

Bygone Words

2011-09-27T16:35:00.000+05:30

Here's a nice article on words that are no longer used, words that were in vogue before, but now forgotten...

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/08/29/robert-fulford-when-words-die/

Do read it.

I'm Changing

2011-09-24T15:15:00.000+05:30

I know I'm changing.

Earlier, things affected me in a different way. Now too they affect me. But my reactions are different.

Earlier, I used to get very, very angry. Now too, I do get angry. But I do not explode as much as I did before.

Earlier, I used to feel each and every small thing was wrong. Now too I feel that. But I have stopped worrying too much about it.

Earlier, I used to be sad about people's wrong behaviour towards me. Now, I know people behave wrongly towards me. But I have stopped caring. I just say...whatever, shrug my shoulders and move on. Now I say, whatever you want, you can do. I don't care. I know what I am doing is right.

Earlier, it was difficult for me to keep quiet when people behaved wrongly, took disadvantage of me, spoke wrong things about me, never cared for me. Now I know people do all those things. But now I have stopped caring. I ignore them. I just don't say out all things. I keep quiet to avoid controversies.

It's been difficult. Damn difficult. I still get those bouts of extreme anger, unhappiness, frustration, loneliness. But I have started learning to handle it.

I guess, I am really growing up.

Things Won't Change

2011-09-23T13:12:00.000+05:30

How much ever I try, how much ever I myself change, things won't change.

People won't change. They'll expect the same things over and over from me. They'll expect that I do whatever they feel is correct. Yet, they won't see my point of view. Moreover, in spite of me doing things that are supposed to be done, I am blamed for not doing them. Forgive the ambiguity, but I cannot be clearer than this in this post.

When it's time to work, time for efforts, I am remembered. But when it is time for fun, for exchanging information, I am conveniently forgotten. I am accused of not interacting well with others. I am accused of not consulting others when taking decisions! Ohh thank you very much! It's as if I do not have an existence of my own and that I should be asking permissions forever about each and every small thing. Am I a kid?

I am never consulted when things are decided directly! Then why now? Ohhh...of course! I don't do my duty towards them. When you expect me to do something, do you realise that I do not get the opportunity to do that? I won't be able to do anything if people don't want me to. What's the point in blaming me then?

Self-centered, hypocrites all are. Double-standard folks. They'll behave in one way when it's convenient, and another way when that's convenient. Then of course, blame me for every thing wrong in the world.

It's so easy to just dishonour me before everyone. Really good for their image. It helps to show how good they are, and how useless and inconsiderate I am.

I am really tired of exerting myself to make things better. Things will never be better because others will never take the efforts, nor will they appreciate my efforts.

What's the solution to this? Nothing that I have found. Just keep on saying Fine! Life is absolutely fine!!!

Typing An Ode

2011-09-15T15:59:00.000+05:30

Here's a wonderful article that I read about typewriters: Typewriter lives on in India.

As I read it, I was transported back to my days, not too long ago, when I was learning typing. I was just out of school and my mom wanted me to learn typing. Even then it was considered one of the things that girls ought to know. I had readily signed up for the typing class, not because it was a girl's thing. But because it was something exciting, something new, something that connected me to the outside "office" world.

For so long, typewriters, typewriting, and the typewritten word have been associated with the "official" world. A world that included so many memos, proposals, calculation sheets, orders, accounts, receipts, and bills. It also included legal notices, affidavits, lawyers, laws, and bureaucratic work. It was a representation of governmental procedures, and rules and regulations.

I remember going to the class early morning to start hammering away on the typewriter. It was only then did I realise the importance of the little finger on my left hand that's used to type the "A." And it pained so much! I started with the middle line on the keyboard. A, S, D, E, F, G had to be typed with the left hand using the little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger, and index finger again respectively. And then, ', ;, L, K, J, H had to be typed with the right hand using the little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger, and index finger again respectively. It was so damn hard.

Once I had fairly grasped typing the much-harder-than-computer keys, I proceeded to learn the upper and lower lines. Till then all my fingers had gained the power and strength to type all those keys. As I continued individual letters, I was waiting to move on to the next level of typing words, then sentences, paragraphs, followed by those letters, memos, notices, and what not.

I progressed on to type smaller 3-letter, 4-letter words. In between, there were those dreaded how-many-words-can-you-do-per-minute exams. I never fared well in those exams. Perhaps it was the teacher. She looked so sinister, and so old-worldly. So much like those typewriters whose prime time was gone. Or I think it was the machine, it was so old, it took time to print the word on the paper after I had typed it.

Whatever it was, once I had grasped the complete keyboard, I didn't take too many efforts to attend the class regularly. I ended up using my typing knowledge to type less harder keys: the computer keys.

Today we talk about the QWERTY keyboard for mobile phones. But we must remember that it was the typewriter that gave us that keyboard and made life easier for us.

In its own time, the typewriter had its glory. It was a status symbol to have a typewriter. A status symbol to let your neighbours hear you hammering it on those keys, and showing off the immense important work that you were doing. And rightly so. It was one of those machines that made life easier, creating multiple copies of your writing using a carbon paper, providing a standard of fonts, types, and stationery that made your work look so very "official."

Typerwriters have had their claim to fame in Bollywood movies too. Movies of the 1960s and 1970s showed the film heroines as typists for a multi-millionaire, whose spoilt sons would ultimately win the heroines. Or it would be an office romance, where the girl is a typist and the boy working on some post in the office.

One such movie of office romance is Choti Si Baat. It is a wonderful light, heart-warming comedy. The opening credentials are actually shown as being typewritten. The story talks about large financial firms in Mumbai in which the girl and boy work. And as the narrator talks, we can hear the background of hundreds of typists typing away gaily on their machines.

But not all the times were typewriters used for love (letters). There were incidences when typewriters were used to obscure the identity of the perpetrators of crimes. Notes of abductions, ransom, murders, unnamed posts, all were typed rather than hand-written. Of course, people from the investigative departments also were specialised to recognise the make of the typewriter, and find out the individual characteristics of each typewriter. The method of obscuring the identity is in fact now easier. You just need to create a fake e-mail address and send out terror e-mails out to the world. Power in the wrong hammering hands!

Typewriters are now replaced with computers. Life moves on. But in between, things do remind us of our glorious past, making us nostalgic, happy, and content.

Salaam to the typerwriters!

Letting Go Is Difficult

2011-09-12T15:57:00.000+05:30

Of many things that I find difficult, letting go contends for the top three positions. For me, it has always been hard to forget and even harder to forgive. I have always been proud of taking care of others' feelings, not hurting them. I always think, how would I feel if I behave in a certain (incorrect) way with others. That guides me to not do something that might be hurtful for the other.

I haven't always been successful in this. But whenever I have gone wrong, I have been quick to accept my mistakes and learn from them. Learn, not to repeat them. And accept my mistakes before the person against whom I committed it. That's probably when a catharsis occurs. Helps me purge myself of the guilt. Helps me become a better person.

But when such mistakes, such callous behaviour occurs from the other side towards me, I cannot vouch for my scorpionic anger. It flares up and starts lashing out in whatever way possible, be it through speech or action. When I am hurt because of no fault of mine, I cannot comprehend the fact that I need to be balanced in my reaction. It's more because most of the times, I wouldn't have done such a thing myself. I would have taken care to behave appropriately in that situation.

I don't have double standards of behaviour. I hardly ever behave in one way with a person and in another with a person of the same level. But when I get such an imbalanced treatment, when I am considered a mere midget even when I have taken all efforts, I get doubly angry.

I hardly forget such episodes and they get etched in my memory. I perhaps give them air by revisiting them and chaffing them.

That's where I am changing. I have slowly started ignoring such things. I have started letting go of the feeling of misuse, abuse, or whatever you call it, the feeling of being left out, the feeling of no importance. It has been hard, very hard indeed. It has required tremendous self-restrain and patience. But I am learning it surely.

It's helped me overcome some of the anger in me. It has helped me calm down. It has helped me realise the futility of it all. And most important of all, it has helped me regain my righteousness. Others may behave in whatever way they want. I won't stoop to that low. But yes, don't expect me to come back to you and be friends with you.

I won't forget, I won't forgive. But I won't let such things disturb me too.

Lessons from Life!

Information Mapping

2011-09-09T15:07:00.000+05:30

This is the new mantra in my workplace. We all are currently moving towards creating documentation that is not only easy to understand, up-to-date, and useful, but also that is info-mapped.

What is Information Mapping?

Information Mapping is a research-based approach for creating structured documents that are clear, concise, and user-specific.

Complex information is broken down into information blocks. These blocks put forth a single idea or point, making it easy to understand.

Each block is an information chunk that is labeled. Labeling and chunking are the two main aspects of information mapping.

Who Started it All?

It was a technique developed by Robert E. Horn.

Information Types

In this method, Robert Horn uses six information types: Procedure, Process, Principle, Concept, Fact, and Structure. These types are used to segregate your content to make it easier for users to use, reuse, and understand the content.

How Have We Implemented it?

We are overhauling our existing documents to adhere to the Information Mapping principles.

Following are the tasks we are doing to implement Information Mapping:

Remove information that is no longer required or redundant.
Remove information from one chunk and place it into another chunk making it more relevant and useful.
Give labels to each chunk.
Labels help in understanding the crux of the chunk. Labels allow for a quick glance through the document to understand the main points.
Segregate information into the different information types.
So, conceptual information is documented as Concepts. Actual procedures that list steps to perform tasks are documented as Procedures.

How Has it Helped Me?

Information Mapping has given me a new perspective to writing. It has given me an opening and understanding to write concisely. As I write new features, new procedures, create new graphics, I have started thinking from the user's perspective. I try to understand how the user would like to know about the new feature. What labels should be given to the chunks to make them useful for the end users. I am taking efforts to sort out information into the different info types so that while reading, one single point is dealt with in a chunk of information. It has helped me ask the how, why, what questions that are essential to creating information that is relevant, complete, accurate, and to-the-point.

I am glad that we have started using Information Mapping for documentation. I know I can improve my writing using this technique.

Recommended?
Definitely.

I Know...

2011-09-08T15:00:00.000+05:30

That's what I learnt from The Everywhereist.

And that's what I want to say to all those things that bother me at times, to those people that irritate me, but who still love me the way I am, seeing the good in me, helping me, loving me, being with me, supporting me, and most importantly, overlooking my flaws.

Those things and those people might have their flaws. I know. But I still love them! Thanks Almighty for each of them!

Cheers!

Has This Happened To You...

2011-09-08T14:33:00.000+05:30

...that at a wedding lunch, you looked up from your food and saw a man sitting opposite you drop food on his shirt, and the man realises it and looks up to see if anyone noticed it only to look at you watching him, making him feel totally embarrassed?

...that you are in a meeting room waiting for someone, and you withdraw the curtain of the glass window to look at what the man sitting just outside the room is doing, only to look straight in his eyes as he too looks up at you at the same time?

...that you mistakenly spoke an incorrect word during a conversation, hoping that no one would have heard it, and hear someone silently telling you in your ear that they heard what you actually said?

...that you are riding on you are pillion riding a bike and see another biker's cap go flying away, and just as you start laughing at the funny episode, you feel your cap too blown away by the wind?

...that when you are out in your best clothes, or hurrying to an important appointment, that's when birds from above are at their most giving attitude and target you for their charity?

Hardships

2011-07-20T18:00:00.000+05:30

A few incidents I came across that showed the hardships faced by people around us and how they survive. In fact, it's these hardships that make us stronger. We learn so much and grow so much.

The first one was a month back when we visited a restaurant. The boy who took our order could speak English. But you could tell that he had just learnt it. But I liked his confidence. He was speaking grammatically correct English. The best part was that he was not throwing any accent, nor was he stammering while talking. I can imagine what efforts he must have taken to learn English and communicate in proper English. It was his determination that helped him overcome his shortcomings. I liked his attitude and salute his will to succeed despite hardships.

The next incident that I vividly remember is of two boys carrying a cooking gas cylinder on a bicycle. That scene is representative of so many things: it shows how the middle class survives, how children are willingly (or perhaps, unwillingly) ready to help and do household chores for a better life, how children have to manage these chores with parents busy earning the daily bread, how ably children can handle these tasks. Moreover, it's a lesson in life for those two boys. Those two boys are already learning to be independent, and understanding, that life is after all sharing and helping. After growing up, I am sure they will reminisce how they used to get the cooking gas cylinder home on a bicycle, and will narrate this incidence to their kids, who will be in awe of the extraordinary life their parents led as kids.

Two other incidences are of two ladies who are on the brink of changes in life. The similarities are uncanny. Both are looking for a better job, both are trying to pursue higher education, and both are new candidates for matrimony. As I hear each one's experience, I realise that both are going through similar experiences, frustrations, heartaches, disappointments, and rekindled hopes. These are hardships that most girls go through. And each one learns numerous lessons. Each one grows up and matures through these trying times and emerges a better person.

The worst and probably the best part about hardships is that no one, absolutely no one can bypass this journey. If you feel that you did not have to face certain kinds of hardships, think before you feel or decide that way. Because just as you are taking the next turn in your Life, the Hardships Family has already boarded your Life train. And unless you drop the Family at the next stop, you can't shake them off. You must bear with them and emerge winners.

That's what life is about...hardships cultivate winners.

Let’s just “call a cat a cat”

2011-07-12T17:34:00.001+05:30

Let’s just “call a cat a cat” | OxfordWords blog

Nice post on idioms based on cats from several languages.

Saturday Is Here...

2011-07-08T11:13:00.000+05:30

...and I am downright sad. I am no longer looking forward to it. I really wish I had an Invisibility Cloak, or perhaps a spell to befuddle people. I am tired of obligations!

Pre- And Post-20.12.2010

2011-07-05T17:59:00.000+05:30

Just like six months back. Feels like I am in a different world now. In fact, it seems the world is divided into two parts. Pre-20.12.2010 and Post-20.12.2010.

I have come over to stay for a few days at my parents's home which included a weekend too. It was absolutely just like the frenzy that was going on before 20.12.2010. Weekend shopping sprees, evening meetings with SP after office, and then coming home, spending time at home, doing all kinds of tasks like cleaning up every nook and corner, completing pending bank work, getting things ready for moving out, filling up bags...the list is endless.

And in the morning on weekdays, just like old times...get up, go for a walk or a bicycle ride, come back all sweaty, plunge into the bath, have a quick breakfast, fill mom's and my tiffins, and then go off to office for the day's work. Just like pre-20.12.2010. It's strange how a few days bring in a complete different perspective to life.

Seemingly, nothing has changed here at my parents' place. Baba gets up at the same time for the milkman. He does his share of chores. Aai gets up and does the cooking, cleaning. Baba goes on doing rest of the tasks and then steps out of the house to complete other outdoor tasks. He will manage to teach a student or two in the meanwhile. Aai will step out to go to office and be back in the evening. The routine is not changed.

But there is a big change. I am not there now. They have learnt to live without me. They have accepted that I won't be there with them forever. And I am crying as I write this...not because I am not included in their lives, but because I cannot be there to support them as they live alone without their children. It's sad that they made me and my sister all independent and capable to lead our own lives so that ultimately we lived happily and they alone.

And come Saturday and I will go back to my post-20.12.2010 life. Leaving back the pre-20.12.2010 life again, but taking with me all memories of the time I spent with Aai-Baba and at Shaniwar Peth. I will miss them.

(Wo)Man Is (Wo)Man's Own Enemy

2011-06-27T12:25:00.000+05:30

Today, I am thoroughly ashamed of this woman called Pauline Nyiramasuhuko. She has been convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crime against humanity, including rape. And to top it all, she was Rwanda's former Minister for Family Welfare and the Advancement of Women! Disgusting!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/rwanda/8597001/Genocide-court-jails-female-Rwandan-former-minister-for-life.html

She has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment and is not eligible to apply for parole for the next 25 years. Pauline, who is 65, was also found guilty of inciting rape at the UN-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which is prosecuting those accused of orchestrating the killings of more than 8,00,000 people in Rwanda in 1994. Her son, Arsene Ntahobali, a former militia leader, is also found to be guilty. He has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole.

I am shocked that a woman was involved in the genocide and extermination of the Tutsi minority in Rwanda, and of rape. What had got into her? She has behaved like a modern Hitler.

I am not sure if the punishment meted out to her is justified, enough, or even less. But I would like to go from this world without seeing any more such Paulines!

Pottermore

2011-06-24T14:30:00.000+05:30

For all Harry Potter fans, here's something that J.K. Rowling is coming up...Pottermore. Apparently, it's going to have a lot of reader interaction, and she herself will be sharing a lot of trivia that she has not added in the books. Available on the Pottermore website will be e-books and audio books.

Here's what J.K. Rowling has to say about Pottermore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYs1d3jAdG0&feature=player_embedded

Don't know if I am excited enough, but it is definitely something worth looking forward to. Till then we have to be satisfied with the HP books and look forward to the second movie part of the 7th book that will be released soon.

Cheerio!

Half Yearly Celebrations

2011-06-20T12:05:00.000+05:30

Hee hee hee! Cheers!

Ajanta

2011-06-18T00:42:00.000+05:30

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta, another World Heritage site, is something that cannot be missed. Situated at around 100 kms away from Aurangabad, you need the whole day to travel to Ajanta, visit the caves, and return to base camp.

The village near the caves is called Ajintha (अजिंठा) and in Marathi the caves are called अजिंठा लेणी. Ajanta caves are 30 rock-cut cave monuments dating from 2nd century BCE.

Ajanta caves include paintings depicting the Jataka tales. The paintings and a few sculptures are considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.

History

The Ajanta caves were carved out of a horseshoe-shaped cliff along the Waghora river. They were used by Buddhist monks as chaityagrihas (prayer halls) and viharas (monasteries) for about nine centuries, and then were abruptly abandoned. The walls of the caves are covered with beautiful paintings and sculptures of Buddhist origin. They fell into oblivion until they were rediscovered in 1819.

(Re)Discovery

Ajanta caves were discovered by John Smith, an army officer in the Madras Regiment of the British Army in 1819 during one of his hunting expeditions.

Number of Caves

There are 30 caves, with mostly been completed. A few caves are unfinished. A pathway is scooped out from stone and runs as a crescent by the caves. From this, one can have a glorious view of the ravine below.

What can you see in the caves?

The wall paintings illustrate the events in the life of Gautam Buddha. Stories and scenes from the Jataka Tales are brought to life on the walls.

Waghora River Valley

Why Ajanta?

Ajanta lies on the ancient trade route from the Arabian sea to the Deccan plateau. The Buddhist monks found the peace and seclusion they were looking for in the cool ravine of the Waghora river. With trade centers of Jalgaon and Aurangabad close by, the monks could go to these places to collect alms and return to the quiet of the caves.

Moreover, the texture of the granite rock in layers made it easy for the sculptors to cut the rocks with their instruments and for painters to paint.

How were the Paintings done in such Dark Caves?

Painters used stick torches to light up the caves. Mirrors were used to reflect sunlight into the dark caves. Skills were passed down from father to son. New techniques, tools, and new ways of handling paint and chisel were also invented.

Colours Used

Local colors available from mountain rocks and soil were used. The main colours used were yellow ochre, brown ochre, lamp black, white, and lapis lazuli (blue). Lapis lazuli was imported from Northern India, Central Asia, and Persia. Green was created from lapis lazuli using Indian yellow ochre.

Techniques of Painting

The paintings were executed after elaborate preparation of the rock surface. The rock surface was chiselled and grooves were made so that the layer applied over it could be held in an effective manner. The ground layer consisted of a rough layer of clay, cow dung, mixed with rock-grit or sand, vegetable fibers, paddy husk, grass, and other fibrous material of organic origin on the rough surface of walls and ceilings, thoroughly pressed into the rock.

A second coat of mud and ferruginous earth mixed with fine rock-powder or sand and fine fibrous vegetable material was applied over the ground surface. Finally, the surface was finished with a thin coat of lime wash. Over this surface, outlines are drawn boldly. The spaces were filled with requisite colours in different shades and tones to achieve the effect of rounded and plastic volumes.

The colours and shades utilised also varied from red and yellow ochre, terra verte, to lime, kaolin, gypsum, lamp black and lapis lazuli. The chief binding material used here was glue. The paintings at Ajanta are not frescoes, because they are painted with the aid of a binding agent. In frescoes, the paintings are executed while the lime wash is still wet which, thereby acts as an intrinsic binding agent.

Not-to-be-Missed-Caves

Caves 1, 2, 10, 16, 17, and 26 should not be missed.

We visited the caves starting from cave number 1. But I read it recently, which I found really sensible, that you should start with the last cave first. Thereby, you end at cave 1, which is also the exit point.

But let me caution you for this route. Make sure that you leave enough time in hand for the caves 1 and 2. Usually, as we start, we spend more time in the beginning. As time flies by, we tend to skip caves, or hurry across the numerous paintings and sculptures. That would mean that you have very little time for caves 1 and 2. Make sure you avoid that mistake.

I am still going to describe the caves as we visited them.

Cave 1

Padmapani

This is the most important cave of Ajanta and has elaborate carvings on its facade. There are scenes carved from Buddha's life and also decorative motifs. There are three doors, central, and two side-doors. Two square windows are carved between the doors.

The walls of the hall are nearly 40 feet (12 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) high. Twelve pillars make a square colonnade inside supporting the ceiling, and creating spacious aisles along the walls. A shrine is carved at the rear end of an impressive, seated image of the Buddha, his hands being in the dharmachakrapravartana mudra. A group of the master's first five disciples is also shown.

The walls are covered with scenes that are mostly didactic, devotional, and ornamental. The themes are from the Jataka stories (the stories of the Buddha's former existences as Bodhisattva), the life of the Gautama Buddha, and those of his veneration. One pillar in the central right row has a remarkable carving of four deer in different positions sharing the same head that seems to belong to each one of them.

Vajrapani

The doorway of the antechamber of the shrine is flanked by two Bodhisatvas: Vajrapani, holding the thunderbolt on the right, and Padmapani, holding the lotus on the left. Vajrapani is richly bejewelled and leans gracefully against an attendant. Padmapani's eyes are lowered in meditation, his face showing depths of spiritual calm born of compassion for all living forms.

The sidewalls of the antechamber show two scenes from Buddha's life: his temptation by Mara just before his enlightenment, and the miracle of Sravasti, where the Buddha multiplied himself into thousand images.

Above the left porch is the scene of Three Signs (a sick man, an old man, and a corpse) that Buddha saw outside the palace that led him to become a monk. Other tales of the life of Buddha from the Jataka Tales are depicted on the walls.

Cave 2

Paintings in Cave 2

Cave 2, very similar to cave 1 has robust pillars, supported by ornamental designs. The facade of this Mahayana monastery cave shows the kings of Naga and their entourage.

The hall is supported by four pillars making colonnades parallel to the walls. A glorious mandala dominates the ceiling and is decorated with humans, animals, birds, flowers, fruits, semi-divine forms, and abstract designs. The ceiling gives the effect of a cloth canopy, right down to the sag in the middle.

Jataka tales are abundant in the wall paintings. These tales inform us of of Buddha's teachings and life through successive births. The narrative episodes are not depicted in a linear order on the walls.

One of the paintings dramatizes the legend of the Buddha's birth in vivid details. It depicts how Queen Maya dreams about an elephant with six tusks. It also describes how Buddha is born and how he takes six steps as Lord Indra holds an umbrella over him.

Cave 10

Cave 10 is a chaityagriha-prayer hall of the monks. It is 28.5 X 12.3 m with a height of 11 m. It has a stupa at the end of the cave. The cave boasts of an imitation of wooden construction to the extent that the rafters and beams are also sculpted even though they are non-functional.

The paintings in this cave resemble the relief carvings at Sanchi in the 2nd century B.C. The painting on the left wall shows a King with his Retinue, worshiping the Buddha tree. The royal party stops at the stupa and then passes through a gateway. On the right wall are a series of large wall paintings. One painting shows the Shada-danta jataka-the Buddha in his elephant incarnation. The whole crowd is in movement.

One scene shows a six-tusked elephant that was the Buddha in one of his earlier birth. The animals are beautifully drawn and the large space of the forests is shown with its thick foliage and trees. In the second scene, the princess, seated on a stool, is shown fainting, because the six tusks of the elephant are brought to the king. The queen has wished that the elephant be killed. Now that his tusks are brought before the court, she faints at their sight.

On one of the pillars, a gracious figure in a pink and buff cloak surrounded by green aureole is emerging to cast blessings on mankind. Two monks kneel by his feet and the flying angels above his black head indicate that they are going to lift him to heaven. The umbrella on the top is symbolic of the protection he offers to all.

The painting of Buddha and the one-eyed-monk show the devotion of the followers of the Enlightened one. The face and figure of the Buddha and the monk seem to be echoes of the heavy physical types of Gandhara art of northwest India. Only the flowing draperies have softened their contours. The aureole on the Buddha's head and the closed eyes show a dreamy calm. The Shyama-Jataka on a wall in this cave relates the story of where the Bodhisatava was born as son of two blind parents, a hunter and his wife.

Cave 16

Cave 16 has a seated, more than life size Buddha shrine. Lions and other active animals support the throne. Bodhisattvas stand behind him.

Sundari fainting, with an attendant and nurse (in spot light) in Cave 16

It has a beautiful painting of the princess Sundari fainting after learning that her husband (the Buddha's half-brother, Nanda) was going to become a monk. The sad drama is depicted by the bent head of the the princess and the tense female attendants.

Another painting shows Buddha with the begging bowl.

In yet another painting, Prince Siddhartha is shown stretching the bow. Another master painting is the descent of Buddha from the Tushita heaven.

The Dying Princess is one of the famous paintings from Ajanta in this cave. There is agony in the drooping, sightless eyes, the helpless abandon of fingers, and the farewell gestures. The emotions of the attendants are also expressed beautifully.

Prince Gautam practising archery

The Sutasama Jataka painting narrates the story of the previous incarnation of the Bodhisattva and the son of the king of Indraprastha named Sutasama. The prince is trained in all the arts and sciences by a guru at Taxilla. One day, Sutasama was seized by a man-eating dacoit. The prince promised him he would come back and be eaten after he had offered flowers to the Enlightened one. And he did as he promised. The cannibal was surprised to see Sutasama. He, who had once been a fellow student of the Bodhisattva at Taxilla and then king of Benares was converted, and he became the king of Benares again.

Cave 17

The Wheel of Life

Cave 17 is covered with maidens, celestial musicians, celestial guardians, goddesses, and lotus petals. One mural shows Prince Simhala's encounter with the man-eating ogresses of Sri Lanka, where he'd been shipwrecked. Another shows the king of gods flying amidst clouds with his entourage of celestial nymphs (apsaras) and musicians.

On the portico's left wall, the Wheel of Life shows life in its different phases.

The love of happiness radiates through the pictures in Cave 17. The earth has become heaven. The Apsaras and the Flying Spirits float across the sky. Lovers sit in the air houses. All paintings seem to illustrate the beauty of nature and human love and happiness. There is a magnificent painting showing a king and queen with their attendants going in a royal procession. There are colorful umbrellas over their heads and trees in the background. Some women are looking at them through the window.

The Sleeping Buddha

Cave 26

Cave 26 is a chaityagriha. It houses the famous Sleeping Buddha statue. It's Buddha in the Parinirvana state in a horizontal position with all his followers mourning his death. The wall also depicts the scene of the Temptation of Buddha.

So Much to See and So Little Time

That's what you feel when you are in the caves, looking at the paintings, and taking in their beauty and art. I have been able to describe almost only a few of the important paintings and sculptures in the caves. But what each wall and each painting shows, is something that needs to be experienced by oneself.

Lifetime Experience

I shall recommend that we all should see these caves and paintings at least once in our lifetime. We take time out to visit places of natural beauty, fun and frolic, and even religious places. But we should really visit these caves to acknowledge and appreciate our glorious, rich heritage.

लाईट गेले की असं होऊ शकतं

2011-06-14T17:42:00.000+05:30

Eagerly Awaited

2011-06-09T13:46:00.000+05:30

The eagerly-awaited, ever-soothing, greenery-giving, splashy, beautiful, life-giving, romantic rains are here. Out with your raincoats, umbrellas and all your wet gear.

I can't wait for the weekend!

I love rains!

Ellora

2011-06-03T14:10:00.000+05:30

Known as Velur (वेरूळ) in Marathi, Ellora caves are listed in the World Heritage Site list. Ellora is situated around 30 kms from the city of Aurangabad. There are 34 caves that are divided into Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain rock-cut temples and monasteries.

Understanding the Caves

Ellora Caves

Caves 1-12 are Buddhist caves, which include monasteries and chaityagrihas. Caves 13-29 are Hindu caves, with the famous cave 16, which is the largest single monolithic excavation in the world. Caves 30-34 are Jain caves, depicting Jain philosophy and tradition.

The caves are dated back to the time period of around 6th-7th century A.D. to 11th-12th century A.D. These caves are a classic example of the coexistence of multiple religions. These religious establishments could have had royal patronage, though not enough and complete information is available.

Inscriptional Evidence

Sculpture in cave 29

The only definite inscriptional evidence is that of Rashtrakuta Dantidurga (c. 753-57 A.D.) on the back wall of the front mandapa of Cave 15. The Great Kailasa (Cave 16) is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757-83 A.D.), the successor and uncle of Dantidurga. A copper plate grant from Baroda of the period of Karka II (c. 812-13 A.D.) speaks about the greatness of this edifice (cave 16). The inscription tells us that this great edifice was built on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora). Apart from these two inscriptions, the cave complexes lack any other inscriptions.

The entrance to the caves from the car parking opens at cave 16. Also known as the Kailasa cave, it is a remarkable example of rock-cut temples. Its striking proportion, elaborate workmanship, architectural content, and sculptural ornamentation is marvelous. This cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva and named after His mountain home in the Himalayas, the snow-peak Kailasa.

Not-to-be-Missed Caves

Although it's right at the entrance, I am going to start from the beginning to describe the caves. We visited caves 6, 10, 12, 15, 16, 21, 25, and 29. We did not have enough time to visit the Jain caves. Caves 10, 12, 15, 16, 21, 25, 29, and 32 are not to be missed.

Chaityagriha-Cave 10

Cave 6

Cave 6 is a Buddhist cave with two fine sculptures. On the left is goddess Tara, and on the right is Mahamayuri, the Buddhist goddess of learning. A diligent student sits at his desk below.

Row of seated Buddhas in Cave 12

Cave 10

Cave 10 is a magnificent chaityagriha, a place of worship and meditation for the Buddhists. It has a beautiful, ornamental facade. Also known as Visvakarma, it is a typical chaityagriha with stone beams across the ceiling. A seated Buddha is enthroned in front of a large stone stupa in the cave.

Cave 12

Buddha giving his first sermon

Cave 12 is known as Teen Tal, literally meaning three floors. It is three storied, each with a hall with pillars. The walls of the shrine room are lined with five large bodhisattvas, and is flanked by seven Buddhas, representing each of his previous incarnations. It also has a sculpture of Buddha, giving his first sermon depicted by a pair of deer at his feet. The historical value of this cave lies in the fact that human hands built a three-storeyed building from rock with such painstaking efforts and skills that even the floors and ceiling are smooth and levelled. Teen Tala is a monastry-cum-chapel with cells.

Cave 15

Narasimha Avataar coming out of the pillar

Cave 15 is called the Cave of Ten Avatars or Dashavatar. It is a two-storeyed temple having large sculptural panels between the wall columns on the upper floor illustrating a wide range of themes, which include the ten avatars of Vishnu. A panel to the right of the antechamber also depicts the superiority of Shaivism in the region at the time - Shiva emerges from a lingam while his rivals Brahma and Vishnu stand in humility and supplication. One of the sculptures is Shiva as Nataraja.

Cave 15 is the only cave for which you have to ascend a great many steps, because it is situated at a height. And that's the reason that it is not as frequently visited as other caves. So, if you want to visit cave 15, make sure that there are a few more people with you when you climb in. Going in there all alone is quite spooky. Unlike other caves, it smells of disuse. It's a strange feeling to be all alone with those sculptures all staring at you. And yet, the carvings in this cave are as beautiful as in others. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, some of the sculptures are really magnificent.

Cave 16

Cave 16, Kailasa cave, is the best of the 34 caves. It is a temple worshiping Lord Shiva and depicts various poses, scenes, and stories of Shiva.

Dhwajastambha

Kailasa has been carved out of a single rock. Kailasa is believed to have been started by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna I. The construction was a feat of human genius – it entailed removal of 250,000 tons of rock, took 100 years to complete and covers an area double the size of Parthenon in Athens.

A two-storeyed gateway resembling a South Indian gopuram opens to reveal a U-shaped courtyard. The courtyard is edged by columned galleries three storeys high. The galleries contain enormous sculptures of various deities.

Gajalakshmi

The first huge sculpture is the Gajalakshmi that you see as soon as you enter the cave. Two life-size elephants cut in rock on each side in the courtyard magnificently guard the cave. The pillars, Dhwajastambhas in the courtyard are intricately carved.

The whole temple consists of a shrine with lingam at the rear of the hall with Dravidian sikhara, a flat-roofed mandapa supported by 16 pillars, and a separate porch for Nandi surrounded by an open court entered through a low gopura. The Nandi Mandap stands on 16 pillars and is 29.3 m high. The base of the Nandi Mandap has been carved to suggest that life-sized elephants are holding the structure aloft.

Mahabharat and Krishna Leela scenes

The temple is a tall pyramidal structure reminiscent of a South Indian temple. The shrine is complete with pillars, windows, inner and outer rooms, gathering halls, and an enormous lingam at its heart – carved from living stone. The temple is carved with niches, pilasters, windows as well as images of deities, mithunas (erotic male and female figures) and other figures. Most of the deities at the left of the entrance are Shaivaite (followers of Shiva) while on the right hand side the deities are Vaishnavaites (followers of Vishnu).

Narasimha Avataar

One of the most remarkable sculptures is the grand sculpture of Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva, with his full might. Some other sculptures include Ravana offering his nine heads to Shiva, Shiva as Nataraj, scene of Shiva-Parvati wedding, Mahishasur Mardini, Mahabharat, Krishna Leela, and Ramayana carvings, Narsimha avataar, Vishnu resting, Tripurantak Shiva, and some other splendid carvings.

Ravana shaking Kailasa

You need at least two hours to see Kailasa. And it definitely is awe-inspiring.

Cave 21

Ramayana scenes

Cave 21 is also known as Ramesvara. It has figurines of goddesses Ganga and Yamuna at the entrance. Cave 21 is thought to be the oldest Hindu cave.

Cave 25

Cave 25 features Surya driving his chariot towards the dawn.

Cave 29

Nataraj in Cave 16

Cave 29 has sculptures of Ravana shaking Kailasa and the wedding scene of Shiva-Parvati. Pairs of lions guard its three staircases. Inside, the walls are covered in large friezes. To the left of the entrance, Shiva slays the Andhaka demon, then defeats the many-armed Ravana's attempt to shake him and Parvati off the top of Mount Kailash. There's also a dwarf baring his bottom to taunt the demon! On the south side, Shiva teases Parvati by holding her arm back as she prepares to throw dice in a game.

Cave 32

Shiva-Parvati wedding

Cave 32 from the Jain caves is known as Indra Sabha. The upper floor has elaborate carvings, including a fine lotus flower on the ceiling. Two tirthankaras guard the entrance to the central shrine. On the right is the naked Gomatesvara, who is meditating deeply in the forest - so much so that vines have grown up his legs and animals, snakes and scorpions crawl around his feet. On the upper level is also seen an imposing image of Ambika, the Yakshi (dedicated attendant deity) of Neminatha found seated on her lion under a mango tree, laden with fruits. We did not have enough time to visit this cave.

Overall, it is a great experience to behold the confluence and spiritual tolerance of three religions. The magnificent structures stand proof to the glorious culture, architecture, art, and painstaking efforts taken by the sculptors in those bygone days.

Grhishneshwar Temple

It is with a heart full of admiration, and the head full of the different sculptures that we come out of the Ellora caves site. It is easy to then visit Grhishneshwar and pay respects to Lord Shiva at one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.

Grhisheshwar is still a small temple, yet well-known, and very jagrut. The temple was constructed by Ahilyabai Holkar. It is believed that an ardent devotee named Kusuma offered prayers to Lord Shiva at Grhishneshwar by dipping the Shivalinga in a water tank. Eventually Lord Shiva appeared in front of her and her prayers for the restoration of her son's life were answered.

Back to Aurangabad

With a heart full of devotion to Lord Shiva, you return to Aurangabad for relaxation. Another big day awaits you: a visit to Ajanta.

Ennui

2011-06-01T13:00:00.000+05:30

It happens once a while. Extreme boredom. Nothing helps. Rather, nothing you do seems to drive away your boredom. Visiting friends does not help. Visiting relatives is doubly taxing. Routine tasks and jobs are tedious and shackling.

It's an overall feeling of dullness and low esteem. And obviously, the reason is unknown.

I am trying to think of some remedies: shopping, movies, pizza party, (re)newed exercise regime, two-days trip, or best, going underground. Let me see if any (or all) might work.

Visiting Daulatabad

2011-06-01T12:45:00.000+05:30

The first stop that you can take when you visit Aurangabad is the Daulatabad fort. This fort is around 15 kms from Aurangabad on the Ellora road.

Courtyard of the Daulatabad Fort

A massive land fort, it served as the capital of the Yadav dynasty. Daulatabad is also known as Deogiri and was once considered as invincible. Devgiri is a 12th century fort that was built by the Yadava king Bhillama V. He established the Yadava stronghold in Deccan by making Deogiri as his capital.

Deogiri is a strong land fort and has seven lines of defence. The fort has never seen battles and has seen a change of power only once, and that too through treachery.

High fortified walls with watch towers

On the road to Ellora, when you see the massive Daulatabad fort on your left, you can immediately feel the strength and power of the fort. As you enter the first darwaza, you come across a courtyard

You cross the courtyard and the second darwaza, and you are met with high fortified walls.


Victory Pillar

As you start walking in towards the fort, you can see the Victory Pillar on your right, also known as Chand Minar. This pillar was raised in 1445 by Ala-ud-din Bahamani to mark his capture of the fort. Chand Minar is 210 ft. (64 m.) high and 70 ft. (21 m.) in circumference at the base, and was originally covered with beautiful Persian glazed tiles.

Opposite the Minar is the Jumma masjid, whose pillars originally belonged to a temple. Now it has a Devi's mandir. Close by is a large masonry tank, the common bath. The Chini Mahal lies in ruins and was the place where Abdul Hasan Tana Shah, the last king of Golconda, was confined by Aurangzeb in 1687 AD.

Beyond the main entrance, lie the wet and dry moats, a narrow bridge to cross the wet moat, and the famous Andheri.

The wet moat has small openings from the Andheri, the dark passages. Enemies were thrown directly into the water 30 feet below from the Andheri. It was sheer impossible to cross the wet moat from the narrow bridge and then cross the Andheri.

Andheri

After you cross the narrow bridge, you are led to the dark, dangerous passages that are designed to befuddle, entrap, and finally kill the enemy. The Andheri is a series of secret, quizzical, subterranean passages coiled like a python amidst the fort. In these passages, flaring torches were thrust upon an unwary enemy. Or hot oil poured down his path, as he deliberated in the labyrinth. Heat from a brazier was blown into the passage by a process of suction suffocating the entire garrison within.

Once you are successful in crossing the Andheri with the help of a local guide, you reach the first level of the fort. I suggest that you take the help of the local to cross the Andheri. Not only is it really dark and scary, and you might get lost, but it is also worth listening to the story he tells you as you cross the Andheri. It's chilling and exciting to listen and see the places in the Andheri where the soldiers would be hiding, waiting for the enemy, and the means they would use to destroy the enemy.

In the Andheri, at some places, stone hedges are built so that the enemy walks in the darkness and gets hurt on the knees. The enemy would logically turn to a side with hurt knees only to be banged upon solid stone wall and breaking their heads.

View after coming out of the Andheri

Even with these injuries, if some brave ones are able to move ahead in the labrynth, the hidden soldiers do their work of pouring hot oil on the enemy, or shooting arrows from hidden crevices.

At one point, you can feel the blast of cool air coming and are automatically attracted to it, thinking it's an opening out of the Andheri. But you are mistaken, because that outlet opens directly to the wet moat outside. One step through the opening and you are down the drain, in the water. Fortunately, it is all closed and barricaded now. Can you imagine how many men must have lost their lives in hope of cool, fresh air?

Victory Pillar and the way out seen after coming out of Andheri

After the Andheri, you can keep climbing right up till the top of the fort. We skipped that and returned to the base, because we wanted to cover Ellora too. But the fort was absolutely mesmerizing. It is a standing example of the power, cunning, intelligence, architechtural elegance and excellence that the great Yadav rulers had.

If you plan to visit Aurangabad, do keep time to visit this formidable fort.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara

2011-05-12T00:12:00.000+05:30

Built in the late 17th century, known as the Taj of Deccan, this mausoleum is a tribute to Aurangazeb's (loving?) wife, Rabia Duram alias Dilras Banu Begum. It was built by her son Prince Azam Shah.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara in Aurangabad, the Taj of Deccan

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara now stands in the Begumpura area of the Aurangabad city. The area resembles a lot like the Ravivar Peth area in Pune.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is another example of the typical muslim architecture. Truly speaking, if you have seen one Muslim architectural building, there's nothing new to see in any of the others. They are just the same...similar outlines, structures, all with minarets, and towers.

With Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, you can start your tour of Aurangabad. Make sure that you reach before sunset. Although the place is open till ten in the night, it is rather dull to look at the huge sturcture in the night because of the lack of proper lightning. With good lights around, the structure should have dazzled and looked beautiful. But with minimum lights, it could be a disappointment in the night.

And after having a look at this, you might decide that after all, it's really not necessary to visit the Taj.

Visiting Aurangabad

2011-04-30T00:30:00.005+05:30

After thinking and researching, and then thinking and discussing, and then again thinking and planning, Sanjeev and I finally decided to visit Aurangabad for our short four-day trip. While researching and discussing, one thing was certain, it was going to be hot, perhaps hotter than Pune. We had chosen such a characteristic hot month to travel to an arid area, that it was bound to be intensely hot and unbearable. Yet, I, more than Sanjeev steeled myself against the harsh heat and set forth to Aurangabad.

Aurangabad lies around 245 kms from Pune in the north-east. On the way to Aurangabad lies Ahmednagar, more popularly called as Nagar. The road through Nagar to Aurangabad is a really very good and is well-maintained. Mostly arid, the landscape is dry and looks parched.

Aurangabad boasts of a rich past. It was ruled by Satvahanas, Yadavas, Tughluqs, Nizams, and Mughals. The amalgamation of all rulers has led to a curious culture in Aurangabad, but it seems predominantly Muslim. Muslim rulers have left their imprints on the city and it is still apparent in the architecture. You will find the famous Taj of Deccan, Bibi-Ka-Maqbara right in the middle of the city.

Aurangabad also has several "Gates" in various parts of the city. You can find the Delhi Gate, Bhadkal Gate, Paithan Gate, and a few others. No wonder it is called the City of Gates.

Daulatabad fort, which should rightly be called the Deogiri fort lies around 17 kms from Aurangabad. And what an awesome fort it is! It was considered impregnable. It was won over by besieging it and not by fighting. That's the greatness of the fort.

Around 10-12 kms ahead of Daulatabad lies Ellora, the world heritage site of Buddhist-Hindu-Jain caves. Beautiful, huge, awe-inspiring sculptures carved out of rocks! Inspite of their hugeness, every minute detail is captured on the sculptures. Each sculpture has a story to tell. Each shows a different emotion.

After Ellora, there's still one place to visit-one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India-Shri Grhishneshwar. It is a small temple that has a confusing entrance to the main "gabhara." But all in all, it's worth a visit.

Ajanta, another world heritage site lies around 106 kms away from Aurangabad. It's more famous for the paintings in the Buddhist caves than the sculptures. But it is really a wonder of the world that is now slowly fading in the wheel of time.

With Daulatabad, Grhishneshwar, Ellora, and Ajanta, Aurangabad offers sites that can be covered in a three-day visit. But otherwise, the city itself has nothing else to offer. It is a rather poorly-lit city. We were staying in a hotel on the Station Road. After dusk, the city seemed to be lost in darkness. Although pretty crowded, there were no bright street lamps to light the roads. It felt like being in a small town that had nothing much to do.

If you are planning to visit Aurangabad, you can plan your trip for three days. The day you reach, you can cover Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, Panchakki, and local sights in Aurangabad. Use the entire next day for Daulatabad, followed by Ellora, ending with Grishneshwar. Keep at least 5 hours for Ellora and make sure you complete all 34 caves before 5.30 p.m. The third day should be all for Ajanta. You need at least 2.5 hours to reach Ajanta. From the bus base, you are taken to the caves 4 kms inside the mountainous terrain by CNG buses. Again, for the caves, keep aside at least 4-5 hours.

Otherwise, Aurangabad is a pretty sleepy city. Nothing much happening around. Make sure that you take a really good, bright torch with you. Keep enough cash as ATMs might be few. Keep some indoor games like playing cards or board games with you. You can also think of taking your laptop and movies along with you for entertainment in the evening after you have returned from sight-seeng. If you have these tools handy, you should have a pleasant stay in Aurangabad.

Happy Visiting!

See also:

Peths And Sectors

2011-04-08T19:41:00.000+05:30

Quite a difference. Seriously!

There I was moving through different gallis and emerging in different peths. And now here I am lost in sectors and numbers.

I am going to try if I can find my way by referring to a sector as Shaniwar Peth and then referring to another sector, say sector number 27 as Sadashiv Peth.

Really muddled!

Candy Desk In US Senate

2011-04-01T10:50:00.000+05:30

This piece of "Did You Know" on Wikipedia set me laughing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_desk

The article says that there's a tradition in the United States Senate to keep a desk full of candies!

Isn't that awesome? I would love to keep such sweets in my office desk and have a go whenever I want.

Imagine having that in our Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Firstly, free candies would not last more than a minute. If we do assume that they would...there would be a huge hulla-bulla about it from the Opposition Party. They would claim that such candies were kept to defame the MPs, that the government was responsible for answering why such candies were kept there, and why only a particular kind of candies were kept.

For the TV reporters, it would be a field day with "breaking news" about candies in the desk...Who Dunnit? Why? What is the motive? And the news report would be full of pictures of the desk with candies, how those candies are devoured by the MPs, how it's a kind of bribery. There would be late-night or even prime-time shows that discuss the candies in the desk!

I can't stop laughing. Bless the soul who came up with such an idea!

Interestingly, I read this news on the April Fool's Day! More reason to enjoy the candies, I mean the news article.

Nights 20 Kms Apart

2011-03-24T00:09:00.000+05:30

It's night time and I just peeked out of our window. It's calm and quiet outside. Not everyday do I find it like this here.

Nights at Shaniwar Peth are so different than the nights at Nigdi, in all aspects.

At Shaniwar Peth, I always experience some things that are totally absent here. Being in the rear wing of a building really does a make a huge difference. It's calmer, more sooothing there. Only occassionally will you hear a car zoom past on the road with a loud, blaring horn. Sometimes you'll hear an ambulance or police van siren and you wonder who's ill or who's being chased. If you are lucky, on a silent winter night, you'll hear the chugging of a train and enjoy the rhythmic passage of the carrier-on-wheels.

There's a cowshed just below my house and you can't miss the bells tinkling in the necks of the cows. Whenever I hear that, I imagine those cows chewing their cud, nodding away silently. It's funny how I then remember the chapter from my second or third standard science book about how and why cows chew cud, and the four parts of their stomach (can't remember now what those are, though.) Science as a subject has given me quite a few nightmares. But it also provides some lighter moments.

As I write, I can visualise the Shaniwar Peth square with all its happenings. There must be a few young men from the Mutheshwar Mandal chatting round the corner. Night walkers, people who like their night walk before they go off to bed, would be taking their night strolls. A lone dog-walker would be making his dog move over, while the dog adamantly keeps on sniffing at a car and refuses to budge.

In Nigdi, I have rearely come across dog-walkers. But night walkers, there are a-plenty. You will also find a bunch of youngsters gathered for their nightly gupshup.

The one difference here is that my home is directly on the road, which is a huge disadvantage, at least at night. All sorts of vehicles go past making a big noise, magnified by the silence of the night. Trucks, lorries, cars, bikers with their hideous horns, all go past. It's not that there's a continuous flow. But that one truck is more than enough to wake you up from your slumber.

Nothwithstanding this minor disturbance, I can enjoy the coolness of the night when I go up to the terrace. And if it's a full-moon, the beauty of the night is incomparable.

If you go up on the terrace and look around, you'll see all bungalows around you, interspersed with trees, swaying gently in the night breeze. Some of the households would still have a light or two on and you wonder what's happenening there so late at night. Suddenly a light is switched off somewhere reminding you of the lateness of the hour.

The Modern High School behind my house looms large at night. Standing dark and quiet in the night, it's hard to imagine that in another ten hours, it will be overflowing with chattering children livening up the building.

As is always the case, it's taken time for me to adjust to my new environment. But it is my new home now.

And when I miss being in Shaniwar Peth, I recall that there is at least one similarity between the two places: invisible dogs barking their heads off as if the world's about to end. And I feel at home again!

What Will Happen If...

2011-03-19T23:30:00.000+05:30

...I absolutely and resolutely refuse to get up in the morning and do the household chores?

...I refuse to grow up and take responsibilities?

...I just deny someone's existence or someone's death and pretend that that person is still there with me, or not there at all?

...the world just stops bothering me with things to do?

...I refuse to behave properly with others and always answer back with whatever answer that comes first to my mind?

...I refuse to come out of one stage of life, such as youth, or childhood and determine to stay put?

...I refuse to be not jealous of some people.

...I decide to be totally selfish and careless about people.

...I stop the cleaning I do at home.

...I decide never to meet some relatives.

...I decide never to do things as other people expect me to.

A Perfect Scrabble Game

2011-03-05T20:36:00.000+05:30

Last week, I and Mukta played Scrabble after a very, very long time. We were at home and alone (read without Anay, who otherwise wouldn't have allowed us to play.)

And what a game it was...a perfect one. We finished off all the tiles and made some really cool words on the board.

Here's the picture of the board.

Mukta won with a flare and we enjoyed playing the wonderful game after a long time! Cheers!

Falling Leaves

2011-02-23T21:31:00.000+05:30

Have you seen them? Lazily falling to the ground, swinging gaily in the wind, and falling with a hush.

I love the seasons that have these falling leaves: autumn and just before spring. In autumn, there is a beautiful tinge to the air, anticipating the winter months. It reminds me of cold, foggy mornings, with the feeble winter sun striving to peep through the still-remaining leaves, trying to warm you up. Somehow it also reminds me of me cycling early in the morning, sweating all over, and feeling the wonderful biting wind on my cheeks.

Before spring, the falling leaves bring with them a hope of the upcoming spring and summer. But it also brings the warning that it's going to be hotter by the day. When I see these leaves falling, I always wonder the change in the temperatures that we always experience. It's pretty amazing that one day in an year we have a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius, while another day in an year after a gap of six months, we have a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. What a difference!

These falling leaves really leave me nostalgic. They remind me of होळी, गुळपोळ्या, शेकोटी, mangoes, hot coffee, and carom competitions at home when we were kids during summer holidays. And then they make me remind of the amazing power of nature!

What beauty is to be found even in these dying leaves! Can we ever surpass nature in terms of beauty? I think not!

Hazards Of Being Married

2011-02-07T14:55:00.000+05:30

Your status (finally?) changes. You are now supposed to appear in all Haldi-Kumkum functions.
If your husband works in your office, your colleagues will suddenly be too much interested in him, as if he is an item on display. If he is a calm and quiet guy, your frustration and irritation with your colleagues won't rise to alarming levels.
Every new relative, neighbour, acquaintance wants to know "Amchya kade kadhi yenaar??" It's as if we have got married to do just that...visit them.
The time between a Friday and the following Monday contracts drastically. When you do realise it was a weekend, you are practically staring at 11 p.m. in the clock on Sunday.
You learn all rules of room sharing, right from finding clothes all over the place, to books, papers, and trash too.
Your relatives are easily ignored. Now your "family" means your in-laws and other relatives on your husband's side.
You gain new immunity to things. You are now supposed to like things that you might have hated before being married, because your in-laws and husband likes them.
You suddenly find yourself having no time for yourself. Most of it is gone in office, with your man, or then with the in-laws. Only at 11.30 at night will you then realise that another day is gone again without you even touching your favourite book, forget about reading it.
TV, TV remote, and your favourite programmes might become alien things for you. You might even forget how to use the TV and its remote.
You might also forget what hobbies are and what you did in your pastime. Because after all, you won't get time to pursue your hobbies.

The Table Tennis Guy

2011-02-02T18:38:00.000+05:30

It is kind of exhilarating to have a star as your husband. Overwhelming too. And you get to share the glory even when you have done nothing yourself. And there's great joy in it.

This time, even after great persistence (read nagging) from me asking SP to participate in the TT competition, he flatly denied to participate. As is always the case, he had to participate because there was no one else to take part. So there he was playing doubles.

I watched him play for the first time. That too, I watched only two of the four matches he played. I think he is really a very good player. Perhaps, I am quite partial here. Probably I think so because he is after all my husband. But then, what really stuck me was the sheer number of people who had come to watch him. And I am not being partial here. I did find people who had come to watch him play. I have also heard him being mentioned as "the table tennis guy."

It was very nice to see him in action. It was wonderful to see him as a team player learning from earlier mistakes, taking quick decisions, co-ordinating with his partner, discussing quickly the strategy to play the next move, and above all, to watch his cool attitude while playing. It was great fun.

SP has forbidden me to consider him as some sports hero. I guess I am guilty of portraying him just that in this post. Forgive me for that. Also, forgive me for sounding too much of a husband's-trumpet-blower. But I did want to write about him this time.

Ohh...and just for the records, he did win the doubles title!

Old Books, Past Times, and Great Friends

2011-02-01T15:11:00.000+05:30

I got three big piles of my old study books at my new home and it was time to go down the memory lane. All those old University days came back to my mind with extraordinary ease and quickness.

I remembered how we used to appear for exams, prepare for the exams, read plays together, attend lectures, discuss essays, poems, plays, novels, apply different literary theories to the works of literature that we studied, search through books in the library for some particular essay, get the books photocopied...aaah! What days!

And in all this, two friends were there all the time. They were there as we had fun, studied, and enjoyed being students. Thanks S and R for being there. Remembered our time together when we studied Shakespeare and Satyajit Ray! Cheers to our friendship!

Gossiping

2011-01-18T11:50:00.000+05:30

The other day in office, a couple of my friends came over to my desk and the inevitable happened. Being girls, we couldn't resist gossiping. And what were the subjects. For a change, it was not mas-in-law. It was sisters.

It was nice to hear the gals talk about their sisters: their whims and fancies, their nakhras, their attitude towards life, how different they were from their sisters, what all they did or still do for their sisters. It was really touching to hear all that.

And yet, I did not talk about my sister. I don't know why. I preferred listening to them. And I preferred keeping everything about my sister to myself...she is just my sister. I did not want to share her with anyone else. Or perhaps I was just not in the mood to gossip.

I could not match their enthusiasm to talk about my sister. Nor could I enjoy their talks. Somehow I was looking at the watch every two minutes and wondering when I would be able to break free.

Is it weird that I did not enjoy gossiping?

> 20

2011-01-10T14:32:00.000+05:30

How does Time manage to flee so soon? So many days have already gone past the D-Day.

Now routine starts. But there's still the anticipation of new happenings, looking forward to beautiful days, getting used to a different life, adjusting to a new environment, new people, new lifestyle. I still think of the past still-cherished lifestyle, of the people left behind, of the times wrapped up in a small, faintly-scented muslin cloth. The memories come back suddenly when least expected and you are lost in the thoughts of those bygone days.

Life is strange. It always moves on!

< 20

2010-12-01T19:49:00.001+05:30

OMG!

Excitement, nervousness, what's-happening-to-me-ness, where-did-those-days-go-by-ness, how-is-all-going-to-work-out-ness, why-is-not-the-whole-world-happy-like-me feeling, do-i-deserve-so-much-of-happiness feeling, and finally, I-think-I-have-gone-crazy-as-in-"gandliye" feeling.

Diwali Is Here

2010-11-01T23:37:00.002+05:30

Do you know what I did today? I took my Scooty, took my camera, and just went for a ride in the city. Just went on all those roads that are now glittering with lights and lanterns, and akashkandils and roshnai. It was such good fun.

When I was driving from Narayan Peth, I could smell besan peeth being fried for besan laddu. It was so tempting. Yummy! Just the Diwali flavour and festivities round the corner. I am so glad I could take a round clicking away to glory all the beautiful lanterns.

Here are some pictures that I took...

Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography - Language

2010-10-28T17:23:00.000+05:30

This is awesome!!! Do listen to it!

Nice Photo

2010-10-02T00:20:00.000+05:30

I loved this photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:British_Columbia_Regiment_1940.jpg

It's so poignant. I loved the depth it showed...the long line of soldiers on the road...the mother and the son...the son leaving his mother's hand and running to hold his father's hand...all other soldiers looking serious and determined...the father alone looking back at his son...beautiful.

Look how the road is divided by the long line of soldiers. On one side, only two-three ladies, on the other all other ladies bidding farewell to the soldiers...looking at a grim future. The black-and-white photograph shows one whole generation of people men towards the unknown.

What a classic photograph!

Who Does?

2010-09-26T23:57:00.000+05:30

Who sells saris to the wives of the salesmen who sell saris? Do those salesmen sell saris to their own wives?

Do waiters serve food to their families that may come to the restaurant?

Does a restaurant cook prepare the dishes himself when his wife and kids visit the restaurant?

Do the gajrewallahs sell gajras to their wives?

Do painters ever paint their own homes?

Who arranges the wedding for the mandapwallahs?

Who delivers letters at a postman's home?

Do rickshawwallahs make their wives and kids pay when they give them a ride?

Do theatre doorkeepers ever get to show the seats in the dark to their wives and kids?

Do washing machine engineers repair their own washing machines and charge themselves?

Do the Electricity company folks ever need to call up their call center to ask when the electricity will be restored in their area?

Do doctors ever treat themselves and then ignore to take the medicines?

And finally...

Do writers ever read their own books (as I would read this blog)?

Committed And In Heaven

2010-09-21T21:32:00.000+05:30

So, it's finally happening! I am engaged and soon to be married...sounds so filmy. But true it is.

Preparations have started for the wedding and it is getting crazier by the minute. Right from the date, the time, office leaves, shopping...it's bizarre!

But in all this, I am the luckiest! Sanjeev Pradhan, my fiance is not only handsome and cool, but is also the most understanding, loving, and caring person that I have met. I am indeed lucky. I guess the mutual understanding and respect that I have seen in the two of us is indeed rare. Touch wood!

Life will move on. But I know that I will have the solid support of one person who right now dominates my thought, hopes, and dreams. Unbelievably, life has given me much more than I deserved, much more than I wanted, much more and wonderful than I had hoped. And I thank Him for that!

Here's to our new journey ahead, Sanjeev! Cheers!

To Sweetie Pie!

2010-09-09T12:18:00.000+05:30

To the naughty, bubbly, talkative, kind, smart, a-little-bit-manipulative-in-a-very-sweet-manner, darling of his parents' eyes, and extremely well-behaved Nanu! Happy Birthday!

Bless you!

To A Sister!

2010-08-26T11:31:00.000+05:30

Two years elder, two times better, and two times worthier. That's my sister-Mukta.

A voracious reader, a confident lady, a learned and intelligent person, yet open, brave, strong-minded with a ready-to-take-on-the-world attitude. That's her! There are only few girls that I know who have been brave enough to lead life as they want, and without support. She's from that elite group.

Her never-say-die and no-nonsense attitude are something that I always wonder at. In spite of the hectic schedule she has every day, I see her full of energy even at the end of the day when she is with her son, playing with him, entertaining him, making him have his dinner, and putting him to bed. It's amazing.

You should see her face when someone gives her gift, or when things happen as per her wishes. It's that one look that assures you that the world is a good place, indeed.

Her support and well-wishes are some things that I treasure a lot. I know she will always be there for me. And I'll be there for her, supporting her and relying on her.

It's her birthday today and I wish her immense joy, happiness, and serenity. I wish that she gets all she wants out of life. I wish her a healthy, glorious life. I wish that may all her dreams and wishes come true.

Here's a big hug from me! Happy Birthday!

Crossing Bridges

2010-08-19T16:56:00.000+05:30

Stand on the Balgandharva Bridge and on both sides you'll see a couple more bridges.

Early in the morning face east on the Balgandharva bridge and you will see two bridges, one below the other. On a cloudy day, from the Balgandharva Bridge, it's pretty picturesque to see those two bridges over the river. Their reflection in the (dirty) water below, sparse vehicles running on the bridges, a few people too all looks nice. Stay there on the bridge a few minutes and just soak into the morning atmosphere. If you are lucky, you'll be able to see two vehicles on the two bridges one below the other at the same speed running simultaneously in the same direction. It's fun to see those two vehicles running one below the other as if competing with each other.

But if you face the west on a morning from the Balgandharva bridge, you'll see a different scene. You'll see three bridges, Bhide Pul, Z Bridge, and Lakdi Pul. Each has a different story to tell. Bhide Pul, closest to the water dips down from the main road to cross the river. This is the bridge that has to be emersed in water at least once every rainy season. It's a pretty good shortcut to reach the Deccan Bus Stop. Early in the morning, you'll see a few commuters, and if you are lucky, even a doodhwala on bike. The Z Bridge is peculiar with its winding structure. This bridge is meant only for two-wheelers. Early morning, you'll see only few bikers and cyclists. Lakdi Pul even that early is thriving with buses, rickshaws, early morning car commuters. It's one of those bridges that is never empty.

Mhatre Pul is another such one that's always crowded. Believe me, there can be a major traffic jam on Mhatre Pul even at eight in the morning. It's one of the connecting lines to Kothrud, Karve Road, Karve Nagar, and that side of the town. Traffic signals at both ends of Mhatre Pul add to the traffic jam and you'll hardly ever find it deserted.
One such bridge that I remember used to be pretty deserted and lonely, but now has gained prominence is the Koregaon Park bridge that joins the North Main Road to Kalyani Nagar. Some 7-8 years back, it really was not much known. But as the IT industry developed in Kalyani Nagar, this bridge gained importance as a route to avoid the Nagar Road traffic, in turn making it one of the busiest routes. But if you take into consideration the bridges in the eastern side of the city, all of them are crucial and as much crowded, be it the Bund Garden bridge, the St. Mira's College Bridge, or even the Sangam bridge.

Each bridge has its own personality, and its own kind of commuters. Some will have heavy traffic, while others will mostly be used by pedestrians. Some have a kind of leisure around them, like the Z Bridge. Perhaps it's the structure of the bridge that goes winding from one end to the other. But if you walk on the Z Bridge, you almost always believe that you have come for a leisurely walk round the city and are in danger of forgetting the work at hand. In the evening especially, you'll see couples sitting at every nook and corner, college groups having fun, elderly folks enjoying their evening walk. Even dogs on this bridge will have the time of their life and you'll find them either sleeping or loitering around doing nothing of importance, just nosing around pretending to be busy.

But Mhatre Pul or Koregaon Park bridge are quite the opposite. Both are overflowing with office-going folks. Koregaon Park bridge will carry mostly upper, affluent class commuters, mostly working in IT companies, seemingly always busy to get to work (never in time to go back home), not bothering to even glance around and see the water flowing under the bridge, or the dhobis at work at the dhobi ghaat. But Mhatre Pul connects mostly middle class office-goers, a lot of them also workers in small companies, making ends meet. They too might not have the time to look at the bridge at work or the water below the bridge. But their minds are perhaps full of day-to-day problems of buying new dresses for their daughters or getting new toys for their sons.

Balgandharva Bridge has its own story to tell. Early mornings it will usually see the morning "walkers" eager to stay fit. Around ten in the morning, you'll see rickshaws carrying school kids. While some kids go by rickshaw, some others prefer their cyles, while some others are dropped by their parents. As the day progresses, it might have got a deserted look, had it not connected the peth and old city area to the new JM Road, Shivaji Nagar area. Evenings you will find a lot of people sitting on the pavement blocks, enjoying the sunset and the calm and cool breeze. I have always noticed that the west side of the bridge is always more crowded in the evening than the east side. And I really haven't understood why.

These bridges make a great skyline for Pune. Apart from connecting the different parts of the cities, they are an integral part of our day-to-day lives. It's on these bridges that you'll find bhel and ice cream stalls, chane-dane gadis, bhutta-walas, kulfi-walas, even fishmongers. It's on these different bridges we might have loitered around in the evenings with our college groups. It's from these bridges that we see the swelling waters of Mula-Mutha in rains and curse the dirty waters the rest of the year. It's from these bridges that we witness the yearly Ganpati emersion procession. It's from these bridges that we enjoy the Diwali fireworks. It's from these bridges that we have connected to the world.

The next time you cross them, don't forget to stop for a moment, and look down to see how much water has passed under the bridges.

Walls

2010-08-19T10:51:00.000+05:30

Have you ever been to a jewellery shop at its closing time? The usually-adorned walls are stripped off their shine and lusture, literally. All jewellery on-show is removed from the showcases and put away for the night. It's actually a sad sight. The glitter and shine of the whole day, the gold, silver, pearls all on display vanish in the cupboard for the night. If you are used to those shiny walls and gleaming showcases, it's kind of a shock to see those bare walls. That's when you realise that at night, those jewellery shops are so different. Not to mention the work the salesmen and saleswomen have to do to store the jewellery in safes and then displaying them again the next day.

Still these shops get back their sparkle every day in the morning. But that isn't the case with a house that you have just moved away from. When you book a new house, you are in anticipation of getting the new house and moving into your new surroundings. As the day approaches, you move your furniture, bags, clothes, utensils. Brick by brick you strip off the house of its things and amenities and the house starts becoming empty. On the final day when you are leaving, if you glance back, you see the desolate walls, the empty space in the rooms, all witness of the time you spent in that house, the things you kept there, the cupboard in the corner, the table near the window, the spot on the wall where you had hit yourself when you were young. All those memories of those wonderful times come back. And then comes back that feeling of emptiness, the feeling you get when you leave back a person after a long association. It's like you are leaving a part of you behind as you move. It's the place that has sheltered you, the place where you were at home with friends and families, and shared many a laughs and tears. The shine is all gone. What is left are bleak, lack-lusture walls!

What all stories those jewellery shop walls and our old house walls would tell!

Tribute To Babuji

2010-08-04T00:07:00.000+05:30

29th July 2002 was when we lost this great man: Sudhir Phadke. His heavenly voice, his music, his compositions are incomparable. I am too small a midget to describe or comment on his music. Here's my tribute to Babuji: listing some of my favourite songs by Babuji.

अशी पाखरे येती
तुझे गीत गाण्यासाठी
स्वयंवर झाले सीतेचे
तोच चंद्रमा नभात
का रे दुरावा
मज सांग लक्ष्मणा जाऊ कुठे
राजहंस सांगतो प्रीतीच्या तुझ्या खुणा
आज कुणीतरी यावे
एकाच या जन्मी जणू
बोलले इतुके मज श्रीराम
चंद्र आहे साक्षीला
फिटे अंधाराचे जाळे
जीवलगा कधी रे येशील तू
पराधीन आहे जगती
स्वये श्री रामप्रभू ऐकती
लाडकी शकुंतला
एक वार पंखावरूनी
स्वर आले दुरुनी
सखी मंद झाल्या तारका
शेवटचा करी विचार फिरून एकदा

The list is endless!

Scampering Around

2010-08-03T00:21:00.000+05:30

Day: Saturday
Time: 7.30 a.m.
Place: Parvati top

After steeling ourselves to climb Parvati, my sister and I finally made it to the top. This was after at least 7 years of total absence of Parvati-climbing practise. It was so tiring. We did not climb at one go. We stopped every few steps to catch our breath. But eventually me made it. It felt glorious. It felt awesome to feel our red faces, hot with the exercise. As we sat down to rest, we saw the regular Parvati-climbing members sitting and enjoying their morning chat. We saw enthusiasts climbing Parvati multiple times. We were in awe of those who had climbed several times and left to scorn at ourselves for being so tired even after a single climb.

In spite of the lack of exercise and practise, it was a fun. It was fun to be there at that moment, feeling the fresh morning air. It was great to be on our own, without my little nephew firing away his "How-What-Who-Which-When-Why" questions. It was good to be together just as two sisters and enjoy the time with each other.

Then we went to sit behind the main temple. It was wonderful there. A calm, cool breeze was blowing. A few drops of rain here and there, and it really felt like being in Alice in Wonderland. The regulars on Parvati were on their way to the Parvati mandir and we were just sitting there in the cool breeze.

A little girl with her father were on their way back. Their camaraderie was a wonderful thing to see. Both were happy with each other. And suddenly, in a light moment, the father scampered with his little daughter just as she did, as if they were coming out of their last day at school before summer vacations. It was such a cute sight. Not only did the little girl enjoy, but I suspect that the father enjoyed this childishness more than anything else.

It's so much fun to be kids once more.

Replaying the kid and her dad in our mind, we remembered that there was another kid-Anay, waiting for us at my sister's place. We scampered down Parvati and went home with a mental promise of returning the next weekend again.

Disadvantages Of A House In Town

2010-08-02T22:48:00.000+05:30

...are many. The worst is, you'll have enough guests to last for a lifetime.

If your house is located in the heart of a city, I empathise with you. I know the pain. In spite of finding every other place in the city close to your place, you would still wish that your place was in the middle of a nice lake full of sharks or crocodiles who wouldn't allow anyone else to pass through the lake.

Why can't people just stay put at their own place? Why do they have to visit us every month, with every spell being of fifteen days. Why can't they mind their own business and not bother us?

With guests almost every weekend, I really wish I was staying away from where I stay right now. And I wish people would stop considering our place as a come-and-go-whenever-you-want abode.

We need peace. We need privacy. We want to be left alone! Wishful thinking, I know!

Settling Down

2010-07-28T22:26:00.000+05:30

My colleague has recently got married. She was working till before her wedding and now, she has settled down to become a nice "wife."

I met her today and found that it's a complete different world that she is living in. Her life before her wedding was so unlike to what she is living now. Then she was working, now she is at home. Then she lived alone and worked. Now she stays at her in-laws, a joint family of parents-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and children, and doesn't work. Then she wore jeans and dresses. Now she wears saris and is decked up with jewellery.

Is that what settling down after being married is? It's quite unsettling and spooky!

कोट, टोपी, आणि धोतर घातलेले आजोबा

2010-07-16T22:30:00.000+05:30

काल मी सकाळी साधारण साडे आठ वाजता झेड पुलावरून जात होते. तेव्हा बघितलं अश्या एका आजोबाना. स्वच्छ, पांढरे धोतर, छानसा फिकट पिवळा कोट, आणि डोक्यावर काळी टोपी. पुलावरून खाली पाण्यात बघत होते. इतके छान होते ते.
असले आजोबा आता दुर्मिळच.

खरंच, आजचे आजोबा सगळे hi-tech झाले आहेत. धोतर-टोपी तर सोडाच, साधा सदरा घातलेले आजोबा पण दिसत नाहीत. हल्लीचे आजोबा directly T-Shirt, Jeans, कॅप, आणि काय-काय नवीन fashionable कपडे घालतात.

तसं बघायला गेला तर आजकालच्या आज्ज्या तरी कुठे नऊवारी साड्या घालतात? त्या देखील पंजाबी ड्रेस घालतात, काही आज्ज्या तर अगदी Jeans, T-Shirt देखील घालतात. हा आहे आजच्या एकविसाव्या शतकातील "change."

म्हणजे हा बदल चांगला नाही असा मी नाही म्हणत. पण असले आजोबा किंवा नऊवारी घातलेल्या आज्ज्या दिसल्या की एकदम भूतकाळात जातो आपण आपसूक. आपले स्वतःचे आजी-आजोबा आठवतात. आणि मग त्यांनी आपले केलेले सगळे लाड पण.

आज्जी बरोबर दुपारची कामं केलेली आठवतात. दुपारची कामं म्हणजे सांडगे करणे, पापड करणे, कसले-कसले मसाले करणे. काय-काय असायचं. आणि दुपारी कपडे धुणाऱ्या बाई आल्या की आज्जीची साडी वाळत घालायच्या. तेव्हा आणि अजूनही असं वाटतं की केवढी मोठ्ठी ती आज्जीची साडी! हाल्ली साधी पाचवारी साडी घालायला पण कंटाळा येतो.

आजोबा आमच्या करता संध्याकाळी काय-काय आणायचे: गोळ्या, कणसं, बोरं, गरम-गरम खरी, चण्या-मन्या बोरं...फार मज्जा यायची.

आज्जीने एक मोडक्या घड्याळ घेऊन आम्हाला घड्याळ बघायला शिकवल होता. पण आता परत कशी आणू शकू आपण ती वेळ???

He Is Out Of Danger

2010-07-09T00:06:00.000+05:30

The Lieutenant is now out of danger. Thank God!

But it's not just God that we must thank! It's his own willpower too! He has come out of grave danger and giving a hard fight.

His story is just the story of every bahaddur hero that we know our armed forces have! And that itself increases his bravery hundred times.

He's still recouperating, but I know that soon he will be up and running.

Salute to every armed force member!

We are proud of you Lieutenant!

Prayers For A Brave Hero

2010-07-06T23:30:00.000+05:30

He has got a bullet in his stomach, and he needs several operations to get back to normal. It's already some days now and the bullet is still inside him.

This brave hero was hit in the stomach with a bullet by the "you-know-whos." He was found after 12 hours with a bullet inside him. It's a wonder that he is still alive! His stomach, small intestine, large intestine are all affected and are in dangerous conditions. The liver is damaged! But not his spirit!!

He is still fighting for his life, living each day bravely. Every new operation is going to be a new test.

I want him to recover from this ordeal. I want him to be hale and hearty like he always was.

I don't want him to succumb to his injuries like other soldiers have.

I am praying constantly for his recovery! Lieutenant, we are there for you! Wishing you a speedy recovery, Brave Hero! We salute your bravery! Don't leave us!

Here They Come With टाळ And चिपळ्या!

2010-07-01T00:15:00.000+05:30

The पालखी will be here next week. With the chant of "Gyanba Tukaram!" they will usher in the festival season.

Palkhis remind me of those long processions, those वारकरी, all swaying to the rhythmic sound of टाळ and चिपळ्या crossing miles and miles on foot, having that one goal in sight, of reaching Pandharpur, the abode of Vithu Mauli. Palkhis are something that make me awe-struck. This परंपरा as we call it in Marathi, the yearly यात्रा has continued for the past thousand years. Isn't it wonderful that so many warkaris walk this walk every year? Can we do it even once in our lifetime?

In Pune, some years back, Palkhis used to take a different route. They used to pass through the Appa Balwant Chowk (ABC.) My Babai (Aai's Aai) used to stay right in that chowk, next to Prabhat talkies. Now that house is pulled down for road-widening. But I remember when we were kids, all us cousins together would wait eagerly for the Palkhis. We would crowd ourselves in the small windows on the first floor to see the processions, the warkaris; wait eagerly, craning our necks to get दर्शन of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhis. It was always an exciting time.

I agree that when these palkhis come to our cities and towns and villages, we face a lot of issues. We face traffic jams, overcrowding, unclean places when they move to their next destination. But no one can doubt their spirit, their perseverance, their भक्ति. I know one of my friend, will disagree with all I have said here about Palkhis. But I still believe that Palkhis are one of the wonders in Maharashtrian culture.

When Palkhis passed our town, we knew that Ashadhi Ekadashi was coming soon. Ashadhi Ekadashi means साबुदाणा खिचडी. Most Maharashtrians fast on this day to pay obeisance to Vithu Mauli. We kids were just interested in the sabudana khichadi that we used to get then. Even now, I savour the test of that khichadi that's made on Ashadhi Ekadashi.

So with Palkhis the festival season begins. Shortly after Palkhis we have the month of श्रावण. Shravan means rains. Shravan means mehendi. Shravan means awesome delicacies such as ukdichya shenga on Naagpanchami, kothimbir vadya, tandalachi sandani on Shil Saptami, narali bhaat on Narali Pournima, purnachya karanjya, puranpolya, chavachya karanjya. Shravan means Shravani Somvar, Shukrawar-cha vaan. Shravan means raksha bhandhan. Shravan means Janmashtami. Shravan also means listening to those कहाणी which invariable start with "आट-पाट नगर होतं," and end with "ही साठा उत्तराची कहाणी, पाचा उत्तराची सुफळ संपूर्ण." Shravan means fun.

Right after, come Gauri-Ganpati. I don't need to tell how important this festival is for us. Every household celebrates it. Everyone eagerly welcomes Lord Ganesh at home and is equally unhappy to bid them goodbye. Ganpati means pandals on roads and music on loudspeakers. It's the time to check how many aaratis you have by-hearted. It's time to check how good can you dance the "Ganpati Dance" on the visarjan day. Ganpati means celebrations.

After a hiatus of 15 days when we pay our respects to our ancestors, we are back to celebration time.

After worshipping Shri Ganesh, it's time to worship Durga Mata. नवरात्री is celebrated with great enthusiasm. There are yatras at almost all Devi mandirs, be it Mahalaxmi, Tuljabhavani, Ekaveera Devi, and various other forms of Adi Shakti! Not just that, this is the time to worship the स्त्री शक्ति through haldi-kunku ceremonies. And how can you forget the garba and Bengali Durga Pooja that mark the Navratri celebrations! The festival ends on दसरा! Dushera means distributing gold in the form of आपटा leaves. (Thank God! I can't imagine everyone distributing real gold, what with gold prices reaching sky-high.) Dushera also means sweets and a sumptuous meal of पूरी-श्रीखंड. It's the traditional sweet that has to be made on Dushera in a Maharashtrian household. Ask Chitale Bandhu!

Then comes दिवाळी! Lights, firecrackers, sweets, new clothes, new plans, new purchases, the list is never-ending. Getting up early to bathe with uttna, to light the first fataka, wearing brand new clothes and visiting temples early morning, visiting Sarasbaug, Parvati, or even Omkareshwar for Deepotsavs, visiting relatives, posting cards wishing Diwali greetings, all make Diwali what it is. Diwali brings in sweets, all kinds of them, karanjya, ladus, shankarpalya, anarase, chiwada, chirote, shev, chakli, and what not! Rangoli, diyas, akaashkandil, kille, and Diwali holidays for schools...I just can't wait for Diwali!

And then it ends like all good things. Intense four months of festivities end abruptly when Diwali is over and there's a definite lull in the feel-good quotient. Of course, as months go by, we have Tulsi Vivaah, Kojagiri Pournima, Datta Jayanti, Holi Pournima, Ranga Panchami to celebrate. But nothing can surpass the excitement of those four months of Shravan to Kartik.

Let the feast begin! (Dumbledore-style!)

The Unknown

2010-06-29T22:50:00.000+05:30

Fear of the unknown...that's what we fear the most!

And it starts from very small things. It starts right from our first day in school or college, we know nothing what to expect and that's why we are terrified. We are nervous on our first day on our first job, every job for that matter.

We are afraid of meeting new people because we don't know what will happen when we do. We are frightened to try out new things because they are unknown to us.

And we are afraid of every new phase of our life because we are just clueless of what lies ahead of us.

Life is full of unknown things! That's really spooky, you know!

Something's Wrong With My Face

2010-06-14T23:28:00.000+05:30

"I have seen you somewhere." That's what a lot of people say when they meet me or see me for the first time. I wonder how can everyone feel that they have seen me before.

I have heard people say that there are at least 7 people in this whole world who look similar. I have a doubt that all the other six are here in Pune. That's a very dangerous condition. I think, I now know what Lord Voldemort felt when he knew that there were 6 more of himself hidden somewhere. But at least he knew where they all were. I don't know where my other duplicates are. That's spooky!

Let me get my hands on at least one of the other 6! Then see what all I do! I'll maker her attend ever family function for me. I'll make her drive me everywhere. I'll make her work for me and I'll go on a long vacation. Then she'll know what it is to be me.

One other thing that I always hear when my family folks meet me is that I look like my Aunt, my father's sister. If not her, then I am generally told that I look like one of her daughters, my cousin Shilpa or Sapna. My family also tells me that I talk like my cousins, my style is just like the other Pradhans.

Could someone please say that I look exactly like myself and that I talk just like myself?

Morning Ride

2010-06-13T22:48:00.000+05:30

A soft, rainy, Sunday morning...a nice chilled atmosphere...the perfect setting for a good exercise. And nothing better than a twenty-minutes cycle ride.

Sunday morning started with getting up late. But the rains in the night made sure that it was a wet morning. No sun burning down the neck. Awesome!

I started late, but being a Sunday, the traffic was low. So even when I went right on the high-traffic roads, I could ride easily without much hassle. And it was fun, absolute fun. The wind rushing past me as I rode faster, the cold morning, the strain I felt on my body as I rode...it was all exhilarating.

The only catch is, that I should not get back to my earlier lazy self, but continue this regime!

Mala jamel?

Rains...I'm Loving It!

2010-06-11T23:50:00.001+05:30

It's raining hard! The rains slash, the clouds are ringing with thunders sending out flashes of lightenings, and the pitter-patter of rain drops is a music onto itself.

There's a serenity that quietens one and all.

I am ready to endure those four months of intense heat for these beautiful, peace-bringing, happy monsoon days.

Touching Our Feet

2010-06-10T23:50:00.000+05:30

What they make and repair touch our feet and that's what makes their day.

My chappal was broken yesterday and I had to go to a cobbler. He was a real old Ajoba, with a bleak eye, wearing thick glasses, yet, in spotless white cotton clothes. He was old, but not out. He had the strength of running the whole shop single-handedly. And such a tidy shop it was.

When I was waiting for the dear Ajoba to repair my chappal, I thought how difficult his life must be. We buy new chappals and shoes immediately if the old one is torn, broken, or even simply old. But their life depends on these old shoes and chappals. They mend it for us and make them reusable for such a meager amount. Do you know what he charged me? Just Rupees 10. If that is all he got that day, can you imagine how he survives?

And here we are, garnering hundreds and lakhs of rupees, in fact a hundred times more per day than what the Ajoba might be getting daily. And we are still unhappy, we are still hungry for more.

I know one thing, I am damn lucky to get what I have. Thank Thee!

Hukum Mere Aka!

2010-06-09T23:50:00.000+05:30

I really, really wish I had a Genie who would say this every time I wanted something! Seriously!

I am now even fed up of being fed up and disgruntled when things don't just happen as per my wish. I am now tired of expecting something as per my wish everyday. I am exhausted of wishing to have carefree and guest-free weekends. I have lost hope of not having folks around who are not selfish and who care for their happiness alone. I am done with waiting forever for things to happen. I have had enough of entertaining people just because it's my "duty." I am sick of having my life ordained for me where I have no say at all.

Basically, at the moment, I am just sick to death of everything and everyone. Don't tell I didn't warn you! I won't be responsible if I misbehave with anyone.

Cheers To My Chariot!

2010-05-29T01:25:00.000+05:30

She completed 1 year on May 26. My 2010 has given me immense pleasure on crowded Pune roads and in long distance travel. She has protected me from the sun, the traffic, and the hazards of two-wheeler driving. I owe her one!

Her elegant colour and shape add to her other advantages: smooth drive, powerful AC, comfortable interiors. I have spent some of my memorable times with her and my friends, enjoying her ownership and taking pride in guiding her.

Driving through rains and listening to my favourite songs: that's what I love to do with her. I remember how I had been to Lonavla with friends, had opened the boot, and had ice cream sitting in the boot watching the beautiful rains. It was awesome. I remember my first long drive to Mumbai with her. I remember how one night I had pizza with Mukta and Aditya in Bavdhan, enjoying the night stillness around.

I also remember how she has got all the different scratches and dents. I am so sorry dear! A big hug to you from me for that.

My heartfelt thanks to my Chariot, my Estilo, who has run for more than 8800 kms in this year and has allowed me to control her and bend her to my wishes on all roads! Love you Lady!

To A Couple!

2010-05-27T00:06:00.001+05:30

Here's wishing Mukta and Aditya a very Happy Anniversary!

This made-for-each-other couple makes my life brighter and this world a better place to live in.

May you have comfort and sunshine, love and togetherness, happiness and support forever in your life.

I Love...

2010-05-26T21:47:00.007+05:30

...the smell of first rains.

...freshly made beds, especially if someone else has made them for me.

...to look at my closet full of ironed clothes waiting for me to wear them.

...to wear bright, ironed clothes or my most comfortable blue top on my favourite jeans.

...to look at my home that I have just cleaned prim and prop which looks very welcoming.

...to drive in my dear Estilo when it's raining hard outside listening to my favourite "Jab We Met" songs.

...it when someone drops me back from work or a nice outing or party, especially coming out of way to do it. (Schade! that it has never happened yet. It's mostly me who does the dropping off for people.)

...to feel the blast of the AC in my Estilo when driving to office.

...it when people say that I am a good driver. (Believe me, I am!)

...it when someone remembers me and buys something especially for me when they are on a trip or outing. (That too has happened only very, very seldom.)

...it when sometimes people leave me alone to myself.

...to watch a movie alone sometimes.

...to buy gifts for my dear ones. (Sometimes I feel I overdo it.)

...it when a friend of mine gives me a flower every time we meet.

...to see myself sweat it out after I go for a walk or exercise rigorously.

...to see not just the sweat on my face after my exercise but also my rosy cheeks bright with exercise.(So Elizabeth-Darcy-like!)

...to sit under that one tree in our local park after my usual rounds enjoying the cool breeze and looking at the evening sky and the birds around.

...it when friends ping me to chat, especially those who are so dear to me.

...it when there is absolutely no work, no relatives, no visits on weekends and I get to do whatever and how much ever I want.

...to take that blessed afternoon siesta after a sumptuous meal on a Saturday.

...to have dinner ready for my parents when they return from Mumbai.

...it when I switch on the TV and find my favourite movie on.

...to hear my favourite old songs on the radio.

...to watch movies in the night when everyone else is asleep in the house.

...to read an exciting, nerve-wrecking novel right into the night and finish it off with a relish.

...to write long letters describing all kinds of things to my friends.

...it when I receive a letter from my friends as a reply to my earlier letter.

...to buy beautiful, unique key chains, treasure them all up, and then open this treasure some days later to take a stock.

and of course,

...it when people leave comments on blog posts. ;)

I-Want-To-Stay-Away-From-All-Relatives Fever

2010-05-24T23:00:00.001+05:30

These days, I am suffering from this terrible fever. It's going on for the past one month. And I know it's going to stay for another couple of months at least.

It's acute symptoms are listlessness, getting bored when with relatives, finding reasons to avoid meeting relatives, staying out of home when relatives are expected home, staying back in office even when you have no work just to avoid relatives.

This fever is unfortunately not contagious. How much ever you wish that your relatives would catch this disease, they never do so. In fact, it has a curious reaction on your relatives. When you are suffering from this fever acutely, that's the exact time when they suffer from "We-Are-Coming-To-Stay-At-Your-Place" illness or the "You-Have-Not-Visited-Us-In-A-Long-Time" sickness, or even the "Why-Don't-You-Drop-By-Today-At-Our-Place?" malady.

Mind you, these are bound to increase your fever and I suggest you take precautions to avoid suffering the effects of these different diseases when you are already suffering from the fever.

Some options you can consider to ward off kinsmen are:

Going underground and untraceable for quite some time.
Spreading the word that you are suffering from swine flu.
Showing off that you are so busy in office that you don't have time even for yourself.
Going off on vacation and never informing when you are returning or when you have returned.

Note: Please let me know if you have tested and tried any other options with success.

Birds Of All Feathers

2010-05-17T00:36:00.001+05:30

Some soaring high in the sky, some singing in the trees, some hidden in the foliage, some twittering around flying, some hopping trees, and some returning to nests as the night falls.

You will see them all if you spare some time in the evening and visit your local park. If you just take efforts and listen carefully, you will be able to decipher the cuckoos singing, crows croaking, sparrows chirping, parrots screeching, and various other birds twittering.

As you sit and watch them all, you wonder at the lives of these feathered friends. What difficulties they must be facing every day to get food, water, and shelter. You wonder how they survive the scorching heat. How do they protect themselves from predators? How do they manage to get up so early in the morning?

How do they know that you need "a blessing from above" especially when you are wearing your best clothes? Just as we talk of a "bird's eye view," do they also twitter about a "man's eye view?" Do their necks ever pain with their constanting twisting and looking around? Do they get tired of spreading their wings and flying? Do their beaks ever itch?

As you get all these questions in your mind, you suddenly realise that it has become dark and that the birds have settled down for the night. But instantly, you are proven wrong. Owls hoot loudly announcing that the night is all alive.

You bless those charming, delightful, avian friends and get back to your flightless routine.

Krishna-maya!

2010-05-05T00:55:00.005+05:30

The Rapid Questions Round

2010-05-04T00:06:00.002+05:30

It is a truth universally accepted in the Indian society that a single girl, who is working, and is from a well-to-do family must be in want of a husband. Then that would-be husband and his family have all rights to ask whatever uncensored questions they want, in front of everyone. Questions could be as follows:

What are your hobbies?
Can you cook?
Do you like non-vegetarian food?
Do you like to listen to music?
Would you mind if you have to move out of your city? (Nobody bothers to ask what she would do about her job then.)
Do you wear saris? Do you like wearing saris? Do you have a collection of saris?

Did I tell you that these are standard questions? A recently introduced question, that will make your heads turn is:

Have you put on weight recently?

And they might sometimes forget to ask these questions:

Can you walk?
Can you talk?
Are you human?

But don't worry. Every girl eventually gets used to being asked all these questions. She also learns to answer them tactfully. Of course, when they are asked for the first time, the girl will be angry, flustered, irritated, and not to say flabbergasted. She will then learn that the greatest "virtues" of being a girl are patience and self-control. She will learn that she has to control herself so that she does not walk out on the folks who ask these questions, or worse, slap them hard.

This experience is very necessary to learn the role of being a good "wife." Unless she passes in this test, she is not accepted as "marriage" stuff.

So gals out there thinking of getting married soon, remember, be patient and practise self-control. Because those virtues are your ticket to wifeydom, nothing short of martyrdom.

At The Traffic Signal

2010-04-30T23:43:00.000+05:30

This other day, I was at the University signal returning home. It was around 6.20 in the evening. As I waited in the car for the signal to turn green, I observed a salesman making the rounds of the vehicles at the signal. I have seen him there many times. He sells cloths, those yellow and brown ones that you use to clean your car or bike.

I was waiting very close to a truck. The space between the truck and my right hand mirror was not enough for a person to pass. And as the salesman approached, I saw him trying to squeeze himself through the small space. And just while doing that, he inadvertently brushed against my mirror and moved it. However, my instant reaction was that he should not get hurt as he squeezed through. I hoped that he had not hurt his back against the truck.

I slid down my window to ask him that. But the first thing he said was, "I am sorry Madam. Galti se ho gaya!" I was left speechless for a minute. Then I asked him, "Aapko laga nahi na?" He was taken aback that I had not scolded him, smiled, and answered that he was not. He apologized once again and went away.

I kept on thinking...how meanly do we deal with these salesmen. My car's mirror might have moved even if a vehicle had dashed against it. Although I didn't get angry with him, he had expected me to take him to task. His supplicant reaction made me think if we behave too harshly with them.

We ought not to forget that these salesmen are at the traffic signal the whole day, in the harsh sun, in the soaking wet rains, and cold winters, tiring away to earn a few rupees a day.

I know that we can't always entertain them. But we might just try and be a bit patient, understanding, and graceful. It might just make our lives easier and this world a better place to live.

Lights Off

2010-04-15T21:36:00.000+05:30

For 10 whole hours! The reason: Unknown! How do you survive in the heat? Just exist!!

This is really ridiculous! Can you even imagine how difficult it is stay without a fan for hours together in this sweltering heat? This has happened twice now.

This is the scene in our city. Imagine the state of rural India where there are no lights for almost 12-14 hours a day every day!

"Sarkar cha doka thikanyavar ahe ka?"

To Dear Papa

2010-04-15T00:31:00.000+05:30

Happy Birthday!

It's my dad's birthday today according to the Hindu calendar. Interestingly, no one, not even he himself knows his real birthdate. No one knows neither his birthdate, nor the year. We just know his birthday according to the Hindu calender. It's the last day of the first Hindu month of Chaitra, and this year, it is today.

But we know one thing certainly, and that is that he was born. Because he is.

Today, I wish him many more such wonderful birthdays. I wish him health and happiness. I wish him peace of mind.

On this day, I want to salute the person that he is. His wealth of knowledge, his calm and quiet nature, his adherence to values, his punctuality, his constant and quiet support to what he feels is correct and right, and yet his stubbornness, his at-times whimsical nature, all make him what he is.

He is an English professor primarily. But he is also proficient in Sanskrit and Marathi. He has taught Sanskrit to junior college students. He has taught Marathi to German, American, and Indian students. It's amazing to see him literally play with these languages.

You will notice his mastery over all these languages when you hear him play with words as if juggling knives. He is apt to make you laugh with a few words spoken with a very straight face and a plain tone. His repartee is just unconquerable.

Obviously, if he is angry with you, the way he will show his displeasure is unique too. He'll seldom raise his voice. But what he will say will be such that you won't understand what has hit you until it's too late. And then too, he will have made you speechless. Beware, it could at times be quite nasty and possibly a below-the-belt attack. But you probably earned it.

Very recently, he did the MS-CIT course. His tremendous will power to learn about the world of computers is very admirable. And he passed that exam in flying colours. Hats off to you, Baba!

Moreover, like all men of his age, he is so much aware of his surroundings. He is up-to-date with the latest political happenings. He is also aware of the latest Bollywood gupshup. It's amazing how he finds time to know all that!

But there is one thing that he doesn't like much. He generally doesn't like watching movies. Especially if it is at home. If I make him go for a movie in a theatre, he will do that. But if you ask him to watch a movie at home, he will make some excuses. In fact, he will suggest a good movie that's on TV. He will watch it till the first advertisement break and then quietly slip off to read his books.

Yet, he has a few favourite movies: Sarfarosh, A Wednesday, Hum Aapke Hain Koun! And he never misses a single episode of the daily Marathi soap Agnihotra. He generally never stays up late after 11 in the night, but if he misses watching Agnihotra at prime time, he stays up to watch it at 11 p.m. That's his solidarity for his only favourite serial.

There's one another thing that he is amazing at. Baba loves to search for books on the footpath. He loves visiting the footpath-vendors who sell books; I call them that for a better name. His favourite one is the one who sells books on the Lakdi Pul. He has bought a wonderful collection of Perry Mason books, religious books, P. G. Wodehouse books, and other interesting books from him. And he will buy them at a meagre Rs. 20-30. It's such excitement when he comes home with a new Perry Mason book!

Baba loves listening to classical music. He is a fan of Pt. Vasantarao Deshpande, Pt. Kumar Gandharva, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. But he also appreciates film songs-Hindi and Marathi as well as newer songs that are really worth it. His favourite song from the new generation music is the Kajra Re song. He simply loves it!

Today, on his birthday, I wish him lots of love! Love you, Papa!

310 Tick Tock

2010-04-13T00:15:00.000+05:30

That's the new song Nanu has composed.

You are supposed to sing it with the right rhythm and correct hand gestures. Your left hand should be high above your head in the air. The thumb and index fingers should be closed as if you are holding a pinch of salt. You should say aloud the song in the rhythm "310, Tick, Tock." 310 must be said in Marathi. And "Tick" "Tock" are sounds that you must make like that of a clock ticking. The song is incomplete if you do not sing it while you go round and round looking at your left hand in air. You have the freedom to move your right hand as you want.

If you are bored with this song, here's the first song that Nanu composed: "Digbun, digbun, aulay!" You have full freedom to use whatever actions that suit you. But the rhythm should be "Dig-a-bun dig-a-bun, au-lay."

When you sing these songs, don't forget to tell everyone that they have been composed by Nanu.

Three cheers to Nanu!

Masks May Bring Fame

2010-04-08T21:09:00.000+05:30

I generally cannot boast of having any similarities with film stars or high-profile leaders. But this one time, I have my claim to fame. I can claim to have two things that I share with Rupert Grint, the actor playing Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies. We both share arachnophobia. And the more recent one is, I can boast of being an H1N1 swine flu patient, just like him. :D

Yes, I had swine flu for a week since March 25. I was isolated, under medication, and now almost out of it. I completed my medication course on Wednesday, March 31. But I am still suffering from an unprecedented bout of weakness and fatigue. Never before have I felt that frail. But it's all in the game.

What is funny is not that I had swine flu, but how people reacted to the news. The first reaction I heard from people was of shock. Of utter disbelief! It was as if I had caught a dreadful disease, something out of this world! Most thought that it was a dreadful condition to be in, how could I ever contract it, what did I do, and how was I ever to get out of it. I assure you all that swine flu is completely curable. I am a living example. If you can understand the symptoms early enough, take proper precautions, and take regular medicines, you will be out of it in a trice. Well, not literally, but certainly!

When I had the symptoms, and when another of my friend tested positive with H1N1 (with whom I had spent some time together), I had my doubts that I might have contracted H1N1. But the result of the test that I underwent, when out as positive, made the difference. I went into a self-imposed (and rightly so) isolation. I could not meet friends or relatives. Fortunately, my parents weren't affected! Touch wood!

So, I was at home, taking medicines, resting, and also wearing the N95 mask. It is only now that I appreciate people who have to wear masks at their work. It is so inconvenient to wear that damn irritating thing all day. Believe me, it is hard enough not to meet folks when you are ill (and not get yourself pampered by visiting folks.) And it is worse to sit there all alone in a corner, wearing a mask, feeling all the more tired and dejected. And this is how I also appreciate all my canine friends who are muzzled so that they can't open their mouths. Poor dogs! Here's my "Tails-Up" salute to all of them!

The next time you see such a dog with its mouth all bound up, bless yourself that you haven't been affected by H1N1. And don't forget to bless those little souls too!

So, anyway, here I am, recouperating! I shall soon be in action. Till then, here are some tips that you might want to have a look at:

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1024/90/30681/how-take-swine-flu-precautions.html
http://www.swineflu-india.org/Prevention-and-Precautions-for-Swine-Flu-India.html

Ohh, and one more thing! This is not applicable just to H1N1. It's true of all illnesses. But it's more valid for swine flu, because it is such a contagious disease. Be prepared to recite your story over and over again. Be prepared to retell your story of how and when you got the symptoms, how you dealt with them, how and when you got the test positive, what medicines you are taking, what other precautions you need to take, and the whole history and geography of your illness as many times as you have friends and relatives. No one will be satisfied till they hear it all. Remember, there is no shortcut to fame!

Cheers fellas!

Photos Galore

2010-03-18T11:04:00.000+05:30

A visit to the Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru obviously asked for a ready camera and patience. My friend and I also visited the Butterfly Park inside the National Park.

Here's a link to the pics that I took: http://picasaweb.google.com/prajaktacpradhan/BannerghattaNationalParkAndButterflyPark?feat=directlink

I enjoyed taking the pics. Hope you like the pics!

"Begging With An Attitude" In Japanese

2010-03-12T17:46:00.000+05:30

A very good friend of mine, Prajwal Channagiri honoured me by translating my Begging With An Attitude post in Japanese. I want to thank him for his efforts and the generous compassion that induced him to translate my post.

Here's the Japanese post: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/cprajwal85/e/fe462f2fd439b86d2f2561adbcb7be8c.

Thanks, Prajwal!

Rains Rains Come Again!

2010-03-12T17:05:00.000+05:30

First rains of the season!!! Wonderful!!! Awesome! Always an out-of-this-world experience!

I simply love rains!

Free Haircut

2010-03-11T00:34:00.000+05:30

I had a free haircut today. It was done at home, in a very cosy, friendly environment.

The only difference was that I could not see in the mirror. But I could see the excitement in the eyes of my little hairdresser. He was so excited to have his first customer. And I behaved in a very apt first-customer-like manner. I gave him all freedom to bring out his creativity by turning and twisting my head just as he wanted while he gave me a new style.

He was so happy to see that when he was styling my hair, they fell all over my eyes and he could exclaim that nothing (my eyes) could be seen through the curtain of my hair. And because I was his first customer, he also invented a new vocabulory: when my hair fell all over my eyes, he called them "Kes sandlet!" which means my hair was spilling over.

And the best part of the haircut was that it was done using a playing card by my dear Nanu! All inspired from his own "cutting" that he had on Monday! What luck!

Would you like to have one?

What Went Wrong?

2010-03-08T22:08:00.000+05:30

How often do you ask that question to yourself? Once in a lifetime? Several times? Often? Always?

And what do you do when you do not get the answer? Just let it be? Just forget about it? Just believe that you are untouched, unalloyed, completely happy, and ready to take on the world again?

You tend to console yourself that what happened, or is happening is for the best. You feel exhilarated for half an hour; get back your self-confidence, your self-worth for one glorious half-hour. After forgetting about all that happened, at a sudden, unguarded moment you suddenly find yourself asking...

What went wrong?

Quotable Quotes

2010-03-06T23:12:00.001+05:30

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence. -Robert Frost

The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided. -Casey Stengel

I do not want people to be agreaable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. -Jane Austen

When I was born, I was so surprised, I didn't talk for a year and half. -Gracie Allen

I never think of the future-it comes soon enough. -Albert Einstein

When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him "Whose?" -Dorothy L. Sayers

Can one desire too much of a good thing? -William Shakespeare

Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet. -Bob Dylan

What happens when the future has come and gone? -Robert Half

Never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut. -Robert Newton Peck

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.

Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. -Jerry Garcia

Interestingly, according to modern astonomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things. -Woody Allen.

One meets destiny often on the road one takes to avoid it. -Unkonwn.

I've been on a diet for two weeks and all I've lost is two weeks. -Totie Fields

No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one. -Elbert Hubbard

Fear is like that. Like cigarettes or opium. You must have more of it. -Henry Cecil

Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth. -J. K. Rowling

Washing Powder Nirma

2010-03-06T22:55:00.001+05:30

Washing powder Nirma
Doodh si safedi
Nirma se aayi
Rangeen kapde bhi
Khil-khil jaye
Sabki pasand Nirma
Washing powder Nirma

The very old and famous Nirma detergent powder advertisement has now a new face. But no one can ever forget the song that has made the advertisement famous.

Nanu loves this advertisement. He loves listening to the song on radio, loves to hear the "washing powder" words again and again. And believe me, he actually gets unhappy and bawls out if it the advertisement gets over. What kids will like!!

Old is gold, I suppose!

Zoobi Doobi

2010-02-27T00:31:00.001+05:30

I just love this beautiful song...it's cute!

...paagal stupid man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebmxoxlQXQc

Patronuses

2010-02-22T00:01:00.000+05:30

I know for sure that I have got a Patronus. Two in fact. They are those cheerful forces that are helping me survive the gloomy, confusing, hostile, frightened life that I sometimes have.

They have helped me ascertain that my instints are intact. That my gut feelings are usually correct and that I should stick to them. They have appeared at my bleakest hour and signaled that I am on the right track and that they are there to protect me. Their appearance has fortified me, given me a warmth, a strength to endure difficulties and surpass them.

They have given me the self confidence that I was losing. Ultimately I would have succumbed to the darkest of fears, self-pity, and unhappiness, but for them! Now I know, they are there to guide me, to protect me from the blackest and darkest forces.

Thank you dear Patronuses! I need you every hour, every minute, every second. Stay by me!

To A Beautiful Lady

2010-02-18T22:46:00.000+05:30

Beautiful, strong, helpful, and strong-willed. That's how I see her. She is master of herself, always doing what she thinks is best. And always, she has been right. She has always been a stong support for me. We share a lot of things in common. Yet, we both are distinctive, she more so. She completes our trio. Without her, it would not have started. When we had met first, we had fought. But over years, we have become true friends. Her steady nature, brave heart, and no-nonsense attitude make her unique.

It was her birthday yesterday! I am sorry I missed putting up this blog by a day! But here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday and a beautiful life ahead!

Foul February

2010-02-10T01:07:00.000+05:30

I hate February! Really! Since past few years, I have consistently had the worst days of the year in February. All bad things happen in February. Deaths, illnesses, losses, heartbreaks, unhappy relations, sly, selfish relationships, all, all happen in February.

I want this month to get over soon, really soon!

Till then I pray nothing worse happens any more! Hoping that the rest of the year is better!

Wishful thinking...!

"Sirius"ly Yours

2010-02-07T23:23:00.001+05:30

This wonderful friend finally succumbed to the inevitable.

He had wandered into Wadia Stud Farm as a small pup where he was adopted unconditionally.

He lived life giving love to everyone. He was especially attached my mother who works there. He waited for her on guard when she worked overtime and accompanied her till the gate. He was truly noble.

All at Wadia Stud Farm will truly miss you, Sirius!

The Better Half

2010-02-04T00:37:00.000+05:30

One woman who lives the life of hundreds like her. Yet, she stands out from others. She is my Kavita Vahini. She has been a pillar of strength for my cousin Dada and his entire family. Theirs is a love marriage. Both were really young when they got married. But through all these years, she has stood by him through thick and thin.

She lives the usual life of an office-going woman in Mumbai. She gets up early, cooks, makes tiffins for her husband and daughter, cares for her father-in-law, travels through the over-crowded local trains, goes to office, works, comes back in the evening, washes clothes and utensils, helps her daughter in her studies, has dinner with family and ends her day with an early nap. Not once in all these years have I ever, ever heard her complain about this awfully busy and difficult schedule. Not once has she shirked her responsibility. And all this she has done whole heartedly, happily.

My Dada isn't well since a couple of weeks and I have seen her toil harder than ever. I have seen her stay by Dada day and night, literally. I can visit her only in the evening after office hours. But not once, and I am not exaggerating, not once have I seen her tired, forlorn, sad, and irritated. It's been hardest for her. Her daughter is left alone with her grandpa at home and she has to take care of Dada here. And yet, everyday I see her full of life, helping Dada to recover, supporting him, cheering him up.

Vahini's mother and sister are far away from her. They have their own set of problems. But she is brave and lives life blessing and caring for everyone that she meets. She is truly one of the strongest women I have ever met.

Her simplicity and strength, her values and her caring nature, her understanding nature and love for everyone are worth learning.

I dedicate this post to Kavita Vahini, who makes my world a better place to live!

Debts And Daggers

2010-02-02T00:43:00.000+05:30

I can't believe that my last two blogs have created such a stir in my "followers." I had never dreamt that people would be discussing my blogs. It's quite phenomenal! And believe me, very humbling too!

Thanks for keeping up with my writings, folks!

When I wrote that last post, I believed myself perfectly calm and cool; but after listening to everyone's reactions, I wonder if I did not write it in a dreadful spirit of bitterness and anger. And for those who cannot figure out from where I have picked up those lines, you can search for them here.

Keep reading guys!

Swellheads

2010-01-28T22:39:00.000+05:30

People are hypocrites. Seriously! What all they will do to maintain their (pretentious) standards. They feel that what they behave, do, or say is the best. What others behave is wrong. Their ego is, as I have said before, bigger than Canis Majoris. When they react to people's behaviour towards them, do they ever consider the other person's point of view? Will they ever think that may be, may be they could be wrong? Will they ever think that perhaps someone other than them may be correct and that what they did was wrong?? No, indeed! Worthless people!

I wish they get a bigger dose of their own medicines and then their big, fat, inflated heads deflate faster than balloons.

Balancing Acts

2010-01-25T20:23:00.000+05:30

When you are good with everyone, you are always in a problem. It's always like being between the devil and the deep sea. The issue is, each person, especially those that are always on the opposite side of each other try to pull you to their side.

It is especially irritating to find yourself in such a situation and try hard to not take sides. I always find myself in such a spot. Of course, if I am in trouble, I stand up for myself. I mean, if any of the two parties tries to use me against the other, I won't tolerate it.

I just hope that I am able to stay neutral.

Celebrating "Chaitanya"

2010-01-19T00:18:00.000+05:30

Here's a beautiful song that celebrates चैतन्य in nature:

Life is good!

Dosa And Civic Sense

2010-01-17T23:43:00.004+05:30

"Dosa!" Those were the only words Anay (Nanu) said to me today on phone. My sister called up to say that my nephew wanted to talk to me. And when he came on the line, he just said that one word and hung up. So cute of him. I think he just wanted to tell that he had dosa that day. He is such a cherubic boy. Full of life, full of masti.

On Saturday, Aai, Baba, and I visited Nanu at home. He was overjoyed to see us all together. For the entire time that we were there, he kept on repeating and dancing on "Sagle aale, sagle aale!" Usually, I go alone to my sister's place. So, he was over-excited to see us all together. He kept playing with his gadi. He zoomed in and out and used to stop abruptly saying "Red signal lagla, ata thambaycha." Then in a few seconds he would start again saying, "Ata green signal. Ata jaycha."

I just hope he maintains this civic sense when he grows up and starts driving a vehicle on the roads.

Can We Get Smaller Than This?

2010-01-13T20:20:00.000+05:30

Where do we figure in this?

If you want to know more about this picture, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Star-sizes.jpg.

Seriously, we're just teeny-weeny, tiny-miny, itsy-bitsy midgets in this universe. But we consider ourselves, our wants and wishes, our egos bigger than even Canis Majoris. Time we resized it all, I guess!