The Shapes In The Clouds

Dragon, alien, crocodile, fox, alligator, and a whole bunch of them you'll see if you choose to. But do you even look up? I don't. Or to be accurate, I'd forgotten till my daughter reminded me to!

This little exercise started in our household when my daughter read a lesson in her English book about how a little boy finds new shapes in the clouds. Their homework for that day was to go look out the window and find shapes in the sky. And how we do that everyday. Even when we are out riding in a car.

Boy! How we have really missed out on those carefree things! Those little things that made up our childhood. That finger crossing that we did when we saw a red mail van, those pencil shavings that we kept in water overnight hoping that they would turn into erasers (duh!), the small designs that we cut and preserved from the wedding invitations that we received in the hope of using them for making greetings and then not using them because we liked them too much!

Innocent things that didn't matter to anyone but to yourself. A little ghungroo that you found on the road that you've still kept, an ice-cream shaped eraser that you got as a birthday present, that peacock feather that your dad got for you on a rainy day, a keychain that your best friend gave you. So many things, now lost to antiquity, boxed up in a long-forgotten drawer of an old table.

As my girl grows, I find my own childhood in her. Some of the things that she does or says remind me of how we grew up, what our aspirations were, how our playmates were! Our childhood is far behind us, but our kids bring back those memories that help us relive them.

I don't regret growing up. But I do love it when my girl reminds me of what we did when we were kids. And it does make my heart carefree to do some of those things again.

I found an octopus today in the sky. What did you find?

... कभी ना बीते ये चमकीले दिन

I had been on vacation with my parents, Sanjeev, and Mahika. And it was a great time. It was a short vacation but really good.

We drove down to the place and for once, I was in the front seat without Mahika. She was with my parents in the back seat. We were a bit cramped with a lot of luggage. But despite that, we weren't too tired when we reached our destination.

Mahika behaved really well in the trip. No tantrums, no irritating behaviour! Possibly because she had her grandparents with her with whom she doesn't get enough time to spend. She didn't complain about the food and ate whatever we gave her.

She had a gala time in the hotel and enjoyed the lavish breakfasts in the hotel. Although she did insist on certain set of her favourite clothes, she wasn't very unmanageable.

And what she really enjoyed was being at the sea. It was her first trip to the sea and she just loved it. She wasn't afraid of the water at all and was bold enough to venture out on her own in the water. She also had fun on the beach collecting sea shells, playing in the sand, and being overall very dirty. It was great to watch her at sea.

I had a minor stomach upset and had to take rest. This trip will most probably be the only time when I could rest when I was really unwell and not worry about Mahika, because my mother was there to look after her. I dozed off to sleep while Mahika played with my parents and could get the much needed rest.

While returning, although I drove for some time, I also sat with Mahika in the back seat, enjoying the breeze, greenery, nature, and the drive. It really reminded me of the song from Dil Chahta Hain..."Dil chahta hain, Kabhi na beete ye chamkile din..." as I looked outside the window. I could see the sun streaming in from the high trees and felt really good.

As the song aptly says, this trip has given me a lifetime of memories that I'll always cherish. I only wish the vacation wasn't over so soon!

रात्रीचे भजन

काल जन्माष्टमी. मुरली मनोहराचा आगमनाचा दिवस. खरं तर रात्र. रात्री झालेला जन्म आपल्या कृष्णाचा.
ह्या शुभ रात्री शेजारच्या मारुतीच्या देवळात रात्री साधारण दहाच्या सुमारास भजन सुरु झाले. रात्री श्रीकृष्णाचा जन्म होई पर्यंत चालू असावे.

असावे म्हणाले कारण मला भजन संपायच्या आधीच झोप लागली. खूप शांत झोप. कित्येक वर्षांत भजन ऐकता-ऐकता झोपण्याचे भाग्य लाभले नव्हते. ते काल रात्री जमले.

खरे तर भजन म्हणणाऱ्या लोकांचे आवाज काही खूप खास नव्हते. पण तरीही खूप तन्मयतेने भजन चालू होते. टाळ-मृदुंग, आणि हरी नामाचा जप ह्याने आसमंत दुमदुमून गेला होता. हवेतील कुंद गारवा भजनाचे आवाज दश-दिशांना घुमवत होता.

मला आठवण झाली काही वर्षांपूर्वीची. आमच्या घराजवळच्या मारुतीच्या मंदिरात दररोज रात्री भजन होत असे. तेव्हा रात्री झोपताना भजनाचे हलके स्वर आणि टाळ. खूप आल्हादायक वातावरण व्हायचे. तेच काल रात्री अनुभवायला मिळाले.

आज-काल भजन पण ओघानेच ऐकायला मिळते. गावा-पाड्यात अजून होत असतील रात्रीची. पण शहरात अभावानेच.

भजनाकरिता काही सुरेख आवाज असण्याची गरज नाही. मनात भाव असला की ते थेट अंतःकरणात भिडते. म्हणूनच भजन म्हणायला कोणी "Indian Idols" लागत नाहीत. भोळे-भाबडे, कष्टकरी लोक जमवले की झाले.

थोड्याच वर्षांमध्ये आपले म्हातारे-कोतारे लोके पण नाहीशी होतील, तेव्हा भजन म्हणजे काय हे सुद्धा
सांगणारे उरणार नाहीत. तोवर आपण भजनाच्या रंगी रंगून जाऊयात. 

Growing Up

What does it take to have a better life? Love, friends, family, work, peace of mind, happiness, safety and security, togetherness, understanding partner, overall stability, people who treat you well and never let your down?

I think all this together. Man is a rather selfish animal. Apart from food, water, sleep, and physical well-being, there are so many more things that man requires to survive. We need love and acceptance from our partner, friends, colleagues, relatives, acquaintances. That's one of the most important requirements apart from the basic needs. If that's not fulfilled, if you are not accepted as you are, as the person that you are, you will always be dissatisfied, frustrated, and driven to craziness.

As you move upwards in life, you grow. People around you grow and change. You metamorphose into someone that you never thought of as you started your journey. A simple example is how you are at the start of your career. Ten years down the line, when you sit back and look back at the time that's gone past, would you say you had foreseen yourself there where you are? Very few can. Very few have such chalked out careers. But all will certainly have matured over those years. Each one would have learnt so much and experienced so much that you would definitely agree that you are someone who was not so ten years before.

Today when I was chatting with a very good friend, I was talking about what I was when I started my career. I was so naive, so untamed, so untrained. I was so coarse. Today, after eight years, I know I have grown. I have experienced different types of people and learnt to deal with them. I have learnt so much technically, something that I never could have thought of eight years back. And I am so much more confident today.

I always remember Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth remains unfazed by the pomposity and grandeur of Lady Catherine's home and person. A few years back, I used to feel diminished even thinking of facing and interacting with highly technical people, developers, and engineers. I used to feel that I would never be able to face them because of my lack of technical knowledge. But today, like Elizabeth, I feel unfazed. I can meet them with an equanimity which has come with experience and learning. And I am happy about it.

Growing up also includes an important aspect of knowing what you don't know. Realising what you are not good at and striving to achieve an acceptable level of knowledge in that.

I had attended a training in April in which I learnt to eat the ugliest frog first. In simple terms, it means that if there's something that you find the hardest to do, you should always do that first. Get that out of the door and the work will become much lighter. In some ways, I've started using that in my work as well as personal life. It's working too. :)

That's how things are currently. I am growing and I am happy.

समाधी साधन…

हे भक्तीगीत ऐकले की मी एकदम वेगळ्याच जगात जाते. जुने दिवस आठवतात. घरातले त्या वेळेला घडलेल्या घटना जशाच्या तशा डोळ्यांपुढे राहतात. खरं तर त्या घटना काही एकदम वेगळ्या अशा नाहीत. पण कसे कोण जाणे, पण ह्या गाण्याचे आणि त्या गोष्टींचे एक association झाले आहे माझ्या मनात.

कालंच ऑफिस मधून परतत असताना हे गाणं कारमध्ये ऐकलं. डोळ्यांसमोर पहिली गोष्ट उभी राहिली ती म्हणजे पाठमोरी आई ओट्याजवळ, चपात्या करताना. वेळ आहे सकाळी पावणे आठची.

आणि मग पूर्ण दृश्य उभे रहिले. शाळेचे आणि कॉलेजचे दिवस आठवले. आई सकाळी उठून आमचा डबा बनवायची. त्या वेळेस आमच्याकडे चपात्या करायला बाई नव्हती. आईच करायची. तिच्या चपात्यापण किती मस्त व्हायच्या. एकदम खुसखुशीत, माऊ, आणि ताज्या. तव्यावरची एक गरम-गरम चपाती घ्यावी, आणि नुसती खावी. काय स्वाद असायचा! मला 'समाधी साधन' हे बाबूजींचे गाणे ऐकले की तो चपात्यांचा घमघमाट पण येतो.

आम्ही कायम उशीरा उठायचो शिकत होतो तेव्हा. आई दररोज ओरडायची. चपात्या करत असताना स्वयंपाक घरातून आवाज द्यायची. सकाळी सात पासून. आम्ही कसे-बसे आठ-सव्वा आठला उठायचो. तो पर्यंत आईची भाजी टाकून झालेली असायची आणि चपात्या सुरु झालेल्या असायच्या. 

बरोब्बर त्याच वेळेस सकाळी रेडिओवर भक्तीसंगीत लागायचे. अजूनही लागते म्हणा. बरोब्बर त्या वेळेस उठणं व्हायचं. बाबा काम करत असायचे, सकाळच्या आवरा-आवरीचे. आणि आम्ही निवांत कशा-बशा उठणार. "किती हाका मारतेस!" असे म्हणतच उठायचो. 

मग आमची हळू-हळू गाडी सरकणार पुढे आवरायला. आरामात तयार होवून, मग शाळा अथवा कॉलेजला स्वारी निघणार. तो पर्यंत आई-बाबा, दोघांचे आवरायचे, आणि ते पण त्यांच्या कामांना बाहेर पडायचे. 

सगळ्यांचाच नवा दिवस सुरु व्हायचा, भक्ती संगीताने आणि खमंग चपात्यामुळे!

Chai Time Musings

It's 5 PM and a weekday. In office, after a long-drawn meeting, you decide to take a cup of tea. Because your friends had already been earlier for tea, you are left alone. A cup tea all by yourself is always welcome. Gives you time to relax and contemplate.

And so I walked into the canteen, got a cup of tea and some snacks. I tried getting a good spot at the "balcony," but the best ones were occupied. After around 5 minutes, one of the tables became vacant and I quickly moved on to sit at the balcony.

My office canteen is an open area on the first floor overlooking a road. Across the road as I had mentioned in an earlier post, the Yerwada Jail fields are spread out. There are around four-five two seater tables arranged just at the canteen railing. These are really good for a quick chai and a quick dekko.

The road has been newly constructed. Earlier it was a dusty road, bumpy all over the place. Now it's transformed into a tar road and got a character of its own.

As I sat having my tea, I could see so many things happening around me. People in the canteen were enjoying their break from work. The food caterers were busying serving. A few people were having "chai-time meetings."

What intrigued me most was the road below. Earlier when it was a dusty road, hardly anyone walked by. But now, although not a main thoroughfare, there were a lot of people walking by, going for their work, teenagers talking loudly, gossiping, and laughing away to glory. Some bikers zoomed past on the smooth road. And I watched it all.

It felt as if I was standing still in the vast ocean of activity and life was happening and passing by. I felt as if I was the only stationary object for whom time had stopped. It was a kind of strange feeling. I suppose it's exactly how old ajobas and ajjis feel when they sit at their windows watching people walk by.

My own ajji had her house in one of the busiest places in Pune, right in the centre of the city. We all cousins used to fight for the coveted place in the small window that opened out to the main road. I remember  looking at the people working, talking, walking past, loitering, fighting, travelling. People going on with their lives and we mute spectators. It was like a bird's eye view. It was how God would look at the going-ons in this world, except that it was not at all our creation. Things just happened and we were the by-standers watching and observing. Never playing a part in it.

All ajjis and ajobas would be feeling the same I guess. They must be contemplating on how life has been for them, what future they have in store, what problems they faced, and how they overcame them. What life really was for them. Waiting and watching!

That's what perhaps I will be doing 30 more years down the line. Who knows! I will be one of those ajjis in the window up there, looking down at the fast world around me, thinking of my own life gone by. While everybody then would be in the fast lane, going at a speed of 80 km/h, I would be ruminating at my life in the slowest and farthest lane, going at a constant speed of 30 km/h.

The destination would be in my sight, but no deadline of reaching it!

Fights

Yeah, that's what you'll experience when you visit the Sinhagad Fort. That's what we experienced too.

Sinhagad is located around 30 kms west of Pune and reaching there is pretty easy. You can either take a bus from Swargate, Deccan, or Shaniwar Wada bus stands. These buses go till the foot of the fort. You need to climb up from the foot. Otherwise, and the better option if you do not want to be tired from the climbing, you should hire a car, or even better, take your own car.

The fort lies around 10-12 kms from the village that's at the foot, called Donje. You must pay a toll of Rs. 20 or 50 for a two or four wheeler respectively as you start climbing. If you have got your own food, you also need to pay a nuisance fee of Rs. 100.

The first five or so kms are smooth and enjoyable. The middle patch is excruciatingly painful. It is completely neglected and the road has been washed out. It's full of potholes and worse than a village road. the last 5 kms are again very good, and you heave a sigh of relief as you see the smooth road.

As you park your vehicle in the parking lot, lots of ladies with "dahi" and "taak" will literally follow you up till the fort. They just won't let you go. As you visit the different points, they'll keep on asking you if you'd like to have curd or buttermilk. Even if you keep saying no, they'll persist. When you finally decide to have some, there'll be a fight between a couple of them about who "caught" the customer first.

Their loud discussions are enough to distract you and make you wonder why you ever selected that lady. But don't bother, it's nothing to do with your selecting her. It's the other way round. They select the customers they want right from the parking lot, and follow you till you have to have the curd and buttermilk from them. If you don't, there will be a big fight.

Obviously, the price seems too much, especially after the fight. After this first haggling, you'll again have to face various other food providers who are trying to catch you. You'll get a simple meal of pithla-bhakri there. But even that is enough to start the whole fight all over again.

Thankfully, the food is decent wherever you have it. Remember to order the kanda-bhaji first and then pithla-bhakri. And lastly, have the dahi and enjoy the meal.

If you can ignore all the petty fights, it's a good half-a-day outing that you can enjoy. Especially when the heat is mild and there's a gentle breeze flowing all the while, making the sun all the more bearable. Despite all the troubles reaching there or the fights at the top, you'll certainly enjoy the outing.

आठवणी लहानपणीच्या गणेशोत्सवाच्या

आज हरतालिका! आणि उद्या गणेश चतुर्थी. सकाळी उशीरच झाला उठायला. पूजा-अर्चा नाही झाली सकाळी. फक्त देवीला हळद-कुंकू वाहिले. दररोज सारखी office ला पण आले. कामामध्ये थोडा विरंगुळा, म्हणून office cafeteria मध्ये उभी होते, तेव्हा एकदम लहानपणीच्या गणपतीच्या आठवणी आल्या.

आम्ही लहान होतो तेव्हा आई हरतालिकेच्या दिवशी उठवून नाहायला लावायची. माळ्यावर कुठे तरी जपून ठेवलेली, जी फक्त तिलाच माहित असायची कशाची आहे ते, ती plastic ची पिशवी काढायला लावायची. उघडून बघावे आत तर काय! वाळू! मग आई आम्हाला त्या वाळूने पाटावर हरतालिका देवीच्या दोन बाहुल्या शेजारी-शेजारी, आणि त्यांच्या पुढ्यात महादेवाची पिंडी, असे तयार करायला लावायची. (उजवीकडे काढून दाखवले आहे.)

मग त्या पाटावर साग्रसंगीत पूजा व्हायची. हळद-कुंकू, गंध, अक्षता, फुले, पत्री, हे सगळे वाहायचे, दूध-साखरेचा नैवेद्य दाखवायचा. एखादे फळ असेल तर ते देखील ठेवायचे देवापुढे. त्या नंतरच खायला मिळायचे. भूक लागलेली असायची. पण "आजच्या दिवस तरी जरा दम धर" असे सकाळीच ऐकवलेले असायचे. मग गपचूप पूजा व्हायची वाट बघायची.

आम्ही खरी वाट बघायचो ते हरतालिकेच्या संध्याकाळची. आई ऑफिस मधून कधी येते त्याची आतुरतेने वाट  बघत असायचो. कारण संध्याकाळचे मुख्य आकर्षण असायचे...शनिवार वाड्यावर जाऊन गणपती बघायचे.

आमच्या घरी गणपती नसतो. म्हणून आई-बाबा आम्हाला घेऊन जायचे सगळे वेगवेगळे गणपती बघायला. काय मज्जा यायची! सर्व प्रकारचे गणपती असायचे...मोरावर बसलेला, हत्तीवर बसलेला, सिंहासनावर शिवाजी महाराजांसारखा, साई बाबांच्या वेषात, मुषकावर, वीणावादन करणारा, कृष्णासारखा डोक्याला मोराचे पीस असलेला, आणि किती तरी विविध रूपे.

खूप सारे काका-काकी आजू-बाजूला असायचे गणपती बाप्पाला घरी न्यायला आलेले असायचे. किती तरी मुले बाप्पांना घेऊन जात असायचे. एखादी हातगाडी दिसायची. त्यावर आठ-दहा छोटे-मोठे गणपती असायचे. सगळ्यांची तोंडं झाकलेली. एखाद्या चाळीतील सगळी मुले गोळा झालेली असायची, जोरजोरात ठरवा-ठरवी चालायची त्यांच्या मुलांच्या मंडळाचा गणपती कुठला ठरवायचा ते.


शनिवार वाड्याच्या त्या पटांगणावर पूर्ण फेरफटका मारायचो आम्ही. रात्री उशीरा पर्यंत. इतके सारे सुंदर गणपती बघून डोळे दिपायचे. मग आमच्या comments असायच्या...हा गणपती एकदम बेरकी दिसतोय, तो फारच cute आहे, हा छोटा फारच मिश्कील आहे. तो मोठावाला कॉमेडी दिसतोय. एकाचा डोळा जरा तिरका आहे, तर दुसऱ्याचे पोट जरा जास्तच बाहेर. काही गणपती "कृष्ण-धवल" असायचे, म्हणजे एक पूर्ण पांढरा, तर दुसरा एकदम कृष्ण सारखा काळा. काही ugly वाटायचे, तर काही जात्याचे सुंदर.

असे करत-करत कधी रात्रीचे दहा वाजायचे कळायचे नाही. मग दर वर्षी सारखे आम्ही विचारायचो: "एक छोटी मूर्ती न्यायची का?" मग नेहेमीचा संवाद व्हायचा.

"नाही न्यायची!"
"पण का??"
"आपल्याकडे गणपती नाही आणत."
"पण का म्हणून? सगळ्यांकडे असतो. आपल्याकडेच का नाही?"
"नाही."
"पण काय होता नेला तर? वाटल्यास पूजा नको करायला त्याची."
"अगं असे नाही चालत. मूर्ती आणली की पूजा-अर्चा सगळी करावी लागते."
"मग करूयात ना."
"आपल्यात नाही करत."

शेवटी मग compromise म्हणून दोन कमळं घ्यायचो. त्या कमळांचा काही उपयोग नसायचा, तरी घ्यायचो. आणि ते गणपतीमागे लावतात चक्र, ते देखील घ्यायचो.  just मज्जा म्हणून. त्यातच आनंद मानून घरी परतायचो.

मग दुसऱ्या दिवशी गणपती बसायचे. ज्यांच्याकडे दीड दिवसाचा गणपती असायचे, त्या सगळ्यांकडे संध्याकाळी जाऊन यायचे. गौरी-गणपती असतील, त्यांच्याकडे जाऊन यायचे. बिबवेवाडी, धनकवडी, मार्केट यार्ड, असे पुणे दर्शन करून घरी परतायचे.

विसर्जन ज्या दिवशी असेल, दीड दिवस, पाच दिवस, गौर-गणपती जातील तेव्हा, त्या सगळ्या दिवशी घाटावर जायचे. विसर्जनाची मज्जा बघायची, आणि मुख्य म्हणजे वाटली डाल, खिरापत, आणि पेढे, असे वेगवेगळ्या, अनोळखी लोकांच्याकडून पण प्रसाद मिळायचे. काय मौज वाटायची! आणि सगळे लोक अनोळखी लोकांना पण प्रसाद वाटतात. अतिशय उत्साही आणि मंगल वातावरण असायचे.

एव्हड्यात दहा दिवस कधी संपायचे कळायचे नाही. आदल्या-मधल्या दिवशी रात्री आई-बाबा गणपती दाखवून आणायचे. दगडूशेठ हलवाई, मंडई, तुळशीबाग, बाबू गेनू, जिलब्या मारुती, हिराबाग, खडकमाळ, जोगेश्वरी, कसबा गणपती, नातूबाग, गुरुजी तालीम, हत्ती गणपती, असे किती तरी. सगळे चालत-चालत बघायचे. कधी कधी थोडा पाऊस असायचा. पण तरी सगळे गणपती cover करायचे. कणीस खायचे आणि चालत-चालत फिरायचे. खूप धम्माल केली.

अनंत चातुदशी च्या दिवशी आमच्या काकांकडे अनंताची पूजा असते. मग आम्ही त्या दिवशी सकाळी अकरा पर्यंत जायचो त्यांच्याकडे. आई प्रसादाला कायम बोटव्याची खीर करून न्यायची. येत-जाता किती तरी मिरवणुका दिसायच्या.

रात्री लक्ष्मी रस्त्यावर मिरवणूक बघायला जायचो. शेवटचा दगडूशेठ हलवाईचा गणपती गेला, की एकदम खाली-खाली वाटायचे. आता गणपतीची भेट एकदम पुढल्या वर्षीच, असे मनात म्हणत घरी परतायचे.

आज इतक्या वर्षांनी सगळ्या गोष्टी जश्याच्या तश्या डोळ्यां पुढे उभ्या राहिल्या. खूप nostalgic वाटले. आठवणी पण साठवून ठेवाव्यात, असे वाटून गेले, म्हणून पटकन लिहून काढले. या पुढे पण गणपती उत्सव होईलच, ढंग नक्कीच वेगळा असेल!

Typing An Ode

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!