A favorite from 'High School Musicals'

Everybody's always talkin' at me
Everybody's tryin' to get in my head
I wanna listen to my own heart talkin'
I need to count on myself instead
Did you ever
Lose yourself to get what you want
Did you ever
Get on a ride and wanna get off
Did you ever
Push away the ones you should've held close
Did you ever let go
Did you ever not know
I'm not gonna stop
That's who I am
I'll give it all I got
That is my plan
Will I find what I lost
You know you can
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it (Bet on me)
I wanna make it right
That is the way
To turn my life around
Today is the day
Am I the type of guy who means what I say
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it
How will I know if there's a path worth takin'
Should I question every move I make
With all I've lost, my heart is breakin'
I don't wanna make the same mistakes
Did you ever
Doubt your dream will ever come true
Did you ever
Blame the world but never blame you
I will never
Try to live a lie again
I don't wanna win this game if I can't play it my way
I'm not gonna stop
That's who I am (Who I am)
I'll give it all I got
That is my plan (That's my plan)
Will I find what I lost
You know you can (You know you can)
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it (Bet on me)
I wanna make it right
That is the way
To turn my life around
Today is the day
Am I the type of guy who means what I say
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it
Oh, hold up
Give me room to think
Bring it on down
Gotta work on my swing
Gotta do my own thing
Hold up
It's no good at all
To see yourself and not recognize your face
Out on my own
It's such a scary place
Ooh
The answers are all inside of me
All I gotta do
Is believe
I'm not gonna stop
Not gonna stop till I get my zshot
That's who I am
That is my plan
Will I end up on top again
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, you can
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it (Bet on me)
I wanna make it right
That is the way
To turn my life around
Today is the day
Am I the type of guy who means what I say
Bet on it, bet on it, bet on it, bet on it
yeah you can bet on me

My lesson of the day...

We exclaim, wonder, even feel jealous sometimes when we see examples of people who go through, combat with many odds in life but still excel and become successful. Handicaps doing paintings, someone combating cancer successfully, why to go so far; remember the student in class who always stood first in class whatever may the condition be... we very convenienty brand them as exceptions... but the truth is, not they but we are the exception who do not follow simple laws of life and fail as its consequence...it's success and not the failure that is natural.

आभास भास

आजूबाजूचे जग वेगाने बदलत असल्याचे दिसते. आपण मात्र तसेच आणि तिथेच असतो..तीच दिनचर्या तोच रोजचा व्यवहार.. आपल्यासाठी घडाळ्याचे काटे फिरत राहतात आणि आपण फक्त त्याकडे पाहात राहतो. बरोबरीच्या मुसाफिरांची गाडी प्रवासातली अर्धी स्टेशन्स पार करत भरधाव धावत असते, आपली गाडी मात्र अजून जिथून सुटणार त्या फलाटावरच विसावलेली असते! वाट पहात...धीर धरत..स्वतःचे सांत्वन करता करता, वेळ येण्याची वेळ कधी येणारच नाही अशी कुणकुण वाटायला लागते. आपण चुकीच्या गाडीत बसलोय का अशी शंकाही वाटायला लागते. इतरांची त्यांच्या वेगवान आयुष्याशी जुळवून घेता घेता दमछाक होत असते. आपल्या आयुष्याची गाडी तर अजून वेगच घेत नसते! संभ्रमाचे आणि निराशेचे काळे ढग मनात दाटून येतात...तरी फरक मात्र काहीच पडत नाही...सारे तसेच ..स्तब्ध...साचलेल्या पाण्यासारखे...हळू हळू भावनाही गोठायला लागतात...हे सारे दु:स्वप्न असल्याचा भास मनाला होतो आणि ह्या भासाचा आभास हुळहुळणाऱ्या मनावर आशेची फुंकर घालतो.

out of the blue!

bye bye Mom...bye dear, when will you be back today?...nothing special scheduled for today, a normal office day, so will be back soon after the office.....

Hey Trupti, did you see the mail from the client? We are supposed to visit the site in the evening! You have to come. It's in Chembur.....OK, I will be there....


Hello Trupti, we have decided that we are going to attend our college friends' wedding today evening. You have to come. It's in Thane......WHAT! I am not at all prepared! I am dressed as if I am a site-worker! Why did you tell me 3 days back that we are not attending it because you are busy?! How come suddenly you are calling me and asking to attend it! You should have told me at least yesterday, I would have come prepared to attend it after the office and on top of it I accepted to attend a site meeting as well! .... I know it's a very short notice for you but you have to make it. All our friends will be there, and I am sure you don't want to miss the opportunity to meet all our college friends....Hello Mom! I am going to attend a wedding, will be coming late.


....office...site....oops...I m late...tussle in the train...alas in Thane...thanx to the age of malls and credit cards...oof I am confused which one should I pick up......Mam can I help you?.....listen friend, I am going for a wedding NOW and confused about which among these two should I purchase for the day! Can you help me to decide?...ummm this one Mam, it suits your personality and the bead-work done makes it look good as a traditional wear, blah blah blah...OK I am going with your choice.....one part is done but what about my make up!!!...I wish I had enough skill and time to linger around those cosmetic counters and agree to the offer from those chirpy salesgirls to try a free trial make-up! The offer that I always reject, I am wishing for it today badly!....Hello Trupti, where are you, we are about to reach the marriage hall....yes I will be there in a short while....let me get into the washroom dedicated for senior citizens, the rush will be less there and I can spend little extra time to change and get myself decked –up…123456…yes I am done, ready to attend the wedding-party!...

Hi Trupti! How r u?...Hi!...so nice to see you after so long!...hello guys how are you doing?..meet my husband..meet my wife…do you remember that incidence in college?.. where is he these days? hehe..haha..blah..blah...hola…. ah feeling so nice to meet all friends after so long! Good I made it here.

Congratulations and best wishes over your marriage! ..food..friends..clicks..updates..contact exchanges..get-together invitations..promises…

Oh O! It’s 11 pm….bye bye everyone…

Trupti it’s too late for you to go home alone. You can come-over my place for the night’s stay and can go to your office directly in the morning… Not a bad idea..hello mom, is it okay if I am staying at Mrudula’s place?...What! You were about to come home early today, then you said late and now you are not coming at all!...what to do? Do you really want me to travel alone at this hour of time?...helplessness in tone and winking eye…Well what can I say now, take care..okay mom, see you tomorrow, take care, good night, don’t worry about me…..

Hello aunty, uncle! How are you? Nice to see you after long!...Hey kid how are you doing? Last time we met during Mrudula’s wedding but the day was very busy…memories of the wedding…photo album…chit-chat…good-night…

Ah what a day out of the blue!

welcome back

d air is pink n blue cause u gonna b back...elation in the mood cause u gonna b back...ticking clock wid my heart cause u gonna b back...days n nights are so long till u gonna b back...memories filled wid fun facts cause u gonna b back...planner getting filled wid vacation plans cause u gonna b back...revisions of 'to be shared thoughts' as u gonna b back...after long we will be along...hush hush d real thought that d merry time will rush

PS: dedicated to my dear bro

जाणीव

बऱ्याचदा जाणीव होते की दुसऱ्यांच्या चांगुलपणाच्या जोरावर आपल्या अस्तित्वाच्या गाडीची चलती आहे. त्यांच्या उफराटी वाटणाऱ्या परोपकाराची रसाळ फळे आपणच चाखत असतो! डोळे मिटून दूध पिणाऱ्या मांजराप्रमाणे... आणि वर ती फळे माझ्याच कर्माने मला मिळाली आहेत असा निस्संशय विश्वासही!

The sunny visit to INS Vikrant

I decided to fulfill my wish to visit the famous Indian warship INS Vikrant during this year’s naval week with one friend.

“INS Vikrant, the first aircraft carrier of Indian Navy, was decommissioned on January 31, 1997. The ship which played a key role during 1971 Indo-Pak war has now been converted into a maritime museum and anchored off the Gateway of India in Mumbai.”- This was the only information I had before the visit. I everyday pass by the naval dockyard area and always wonder what the world must be at the back of that high compound wall! The glimpses of handsome and stout navy-men dressed in speckles white, top to bottom, moving in and out from the gates, is the only seen evidence for outsiders like us of what the life inside may be. Yes and how can I forget my memories of the favorite school-days TV series ‘Sea Hawks’! With all this back up in mind I was very curious to visit the ship and to know more about it.

Crowd of visitors was obvious as it was the last Sunday to visit the ship. We reached the Tiger gate which was the entrance. We had to stand in a long queue but one good part was that the queue was moving at good pace. The volunteers in white uniform were making the public’s movement easy. For no reason we were happy to read the notice that ‘foreigners are not allowed to visit the ship’. We crossed the Tiger gate, entered in, exposed to the harsh afternoon sun overhead and gloomy Arabic sea in front. We could see the ship still at a distance and the queue of people was connecting us to the ship like a string. Majority of the crowd was parents with their kids.

At last the string got short enough to make us enter the Ship. The entrance was displaying glorious past of INS Vikrant…photos…facts..medals…gadgets, equipments used etc. Then we entered an interesting section, the aircraft hangers, where the aircrafts are parked with their wings folded. It was nice to see the system by which they can be brought to the deck and then can take their flight. Further we came across the deck, canteen, engine, sick-bay, workshop, bedding area, etc.

There was a lot of information spread along the entire stroll within the ship but we were not very happy about the way it was displayed. Everything was old and at some places even dusty! Among the visitors, all who were well aware about the glorious past of this giant could enjoy and feel themselves mesmerized with the visit. But the kids who were supposed to feel inspired to join the navy after the visit or at least feel the apt respect for navy were looking kind of lost in the dense crowd of the visitors and bit bored due to the not so glorious presentation! We felt sorry for the situation.

It took us about 1.5 hrs to finish our tour inside. We rushed through some areas because of the suffocation felt due to the heat and dense crowd of visitors. Still we could sense that the life on a warship and of a warship is much different and difficult beyond our imagination. We all should visit the ship at least once, if not for anything else but to pay our respect to the service it has catered to us and the navy is catering to us.

creativity!

If you follow the attached link, you will have an opportunity to get mesmerised by the innovative creation of simple idea brought in reality with amazing designing!

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/12094/benjamin-garcia-saxe-a-forest-for-a-moon-dazzler-best-private-house-at-waf-2010.html

वेडा पाऊस..

त्याला बहुदा कळले की मी त्याची आठवण काढली! म्हणून कदाचित तो आज अवेळी अकाळी जरासा शिंतडून गेला...अरे पण असा जग-रीत सोडून वागलास तर सगळे हसतील की रे तुला....आणि कदाचित मीसुद्धा..

आत-बाहेर

बाहेर एक जग आणि आतमध्ये एक... बाहेरच्या कोलाहलाचा, तक्रारींचा, गोंधळ- गडबडीचा कंटाळा आला की मी फक्त आतल्या जगामध्ये गुंतून जाते, स्वतः भोवती एक अदृश्य कोश गुंफून...बाहेरच्या जगापासून अलिप्त. कोशातल्या अळीप्रमाणे काही वेळ कोशात घालविल्यावर माझेसुद्धा स्वच्छंदी आणि रंगीबेरंगी फुलपाखरू होईल ह्या आशेने... आतल्या जगात असते केवळ मनाची सत्ता! एव्हड्या जवळून मनाला पाहिल्यावर त्याचेही रंग दिसू लागतात. कधी आनंदी तर कधी नाराज.. कधी भावूक तर कधी पाषाणहृदयी... कधी शांत तर कधी वाऱ्याहूनही लहरी... कधी मायेची हळुवार फुंकर घालणारे तर कधी शत्रूही देणार नाही इतके शिव्या-शाप देणारे! हे पाहून वाटते बाहेरचा गोंधळ ह्या आतल्या गोंधळापेक्षा काही वेगळा थोडाच आहे?!  मग हा कोशाचा अट्टाहास फोलच ठरला तर!  समष्टी आणि व्यष्टीचे एकमेकांत असलेले प्रतिबिंब हा असा कुठलाही कोश मिटवू शकणार नाही... आपण फक्त त्यांची सांगड घालायचा प्रयत्नच करू शकतो.

Victory of ants over human

As an admirer of plants I bring in various potted plants at home. Eventually they are left to Mom's mercy for their daily watering; but once in a while I attend them for changing damaged pots, change of soil etc and it was the day for the job.
I finished with most of them and it was the last one waiting for my attention. The plant in this one unfortunately had died long back. It remained filled with soil only, without a drop of water. It got covered with another abandoned ceramic pot. I removed the ceramic pot and to my surprise, a long queue of black ants was marching towards the center where they had dug a hole, the entrance to their abode! Their pace increased as they were exposed to the daylight suddenly. I observed closely and noticed the ant-eggs in their mouths! I fumbled about what to do next…tried to dig around the hole, banged around as to announce to them that they should shift their location. The message was conveyed finely. They changed their journey in reverse direction. I decided to give them some time to shift their camp. I returned after half an hour…most of them had vanished from there…1 or 2 still frantically moving around confused about where to go. I dug the hole little more…oh no…they were still there, with their eggs..they again started moving in attempt to save their unborn generation. How much fast they can move compared to my moves? Did they have any idea about the scale and capacity of their trouble? Did they actually think they can make it? I don’t know if ants can think about such things but I was definitely impressed by their act of determination and endless hope with maximum effort. It was nothing but display of the basic law of life, of how it sustains itself with in-born natural tendancies in all living beings.
If it would have been only ants I wouldn’t have given much thought to digging up the rest of the soil, because as per my previous observations ants are very clever to relocate themselves. But the thought of the eggs getting damaged stopped me from doing so. I left the pot as it was. And now I wonder at the power of life force! How miniscule the ants were in front of me! Their new generation was still unborn! Still the ants and the tiny would-be-born in the eggs actually stopped me from destroying them! They marked their victory of the day!

विरह...

त्याच्यावर मी कधी प्रेम करायला लागले माहित नाही. जेंव्हा पासून स्मृती आहे तेंव्हापासूनच्या त्याच्या प्रीतीच्या आठवणी आहेत! कदाचित हि ओढ स्मृतींच्या जन्माच्या आधीपासूनची आहे! त्याच्या नुसत्या स्मरणाने चैतन्याची लहर सळसळते! त्याच्या येण्याने जीवाच्या दाहावर चंदनाचा लेप चढतो. साऱ्या चराचराची क्षुधा शमविण्याचे ज्याचे सामर्थ्य त्याच्या त्या बरसणाऱ्या प्रेमाच्या वर्षावात मी मंत्रमुग्ध झाले नाही तरच नवल! चातका इतकी निस्सीम भक्ती आणि निष्टा माझी नाही, पृथे एवढी अजोड प्रेमिका तर मी मुळीच नाही. तरीही जेंव्हा तो येतो तेंव्हा वाटते, हा माझ्यासाठीच आला आहे! सगळ्या ज्ञानेंद्रियांच्या जाणिवांना कवेत घेऊन झुलवणारा, सुखावणारा 'पाऊस' ...आता परत येईपर्यंत हा विरह असाच त्याच्या आठवणींत चिंब भिजलेला राहाणार...

शराफ़त एक आफ़त!

निगले जो लब्ज तो खुदहिपे सितम है.
उगले जो वो लब्ज तो किसी और को दुखानेका शक है!
हाए यह शराफ़त बहुत बड़ी आफ़त है!
कोई बताए क्या इस लतपे असरदार कोई दुवा या मलम है?

all the best !

She: Do u think it is possible?
He:  I don't know, (!!!!!- reaction of her mind) though I won't mind it to be possible.
She: I may help you if you want to make it possible. But have you thought about should it be possible  and why should it be made possible. If not possible are you convinced about why not possible? The problem of making it possible or not possible depends upon answers of these questions and solution for the problem is further away.
He: __________________________________________________
(she takes it as he is thinking...but that may not be the reality....)
She: I don't know where have you reached in ur thinking process or if you can ever reach the end of this process....but if you ask me my opinion about the situation, my answer may be " इस मामले में तुम्हारा कुछ नहीं हो सकता"... all the best!

ऐसाभी एक दिन ...

कुछ लिखने की ख्वाइश में पहुचे यहाँ तक... जो पहुंचे यहां पर तो नम हो गए.
जो सोचा था दिल ने जुबांको न भाया. तमन्नाए दिल की  दफ़न कर चले....

नवरात्री निमित्ते...

    नवरात्रीतील अष्टमी हा वर्षातल्या त्या काही मोजक्या दिवसांमधला एक, ज्या दिवशी मी घरच्यांबरोबर ठरलेल्या देवळांत जाते. ह्या वर्षीसुद्धा पायंड्याप्रमाणे office नंतर अंबामातेच्या देवळात यायचे फर्मान मातोश्रींकडून आले. मी आई-बाबांपेक्षा लवकर पोहोचले. मंडपात एका बाजूला बसून आजूबाजूची गर्दी न्याहाळू लागले. अष्टमीच्या मुहूर्तावर देवळात अलोट गर्दी होती..ती म्हणा मुंबईत हल्ली सगळीकडेच असते, कारणाशिवायाही. ओटी भरणार्यांची रांग वेटोळे घेत घेत पार बाहेरच्या रस्त्यापर्यंत पोहोचली होती. मंडपात येणार्या प्रत्येकाची थोड्या फार फरकाने एकच पद्धत ... पायरीला नमस्कार, घंटा, देवीला नमस्कार, कपाळी कुंकू, साष्टांग नमस्कार, इत्यादी...सर्व काही दरवर्षीच्या नियमाने आणि सरावाने अंगवळणी पडलेले सोपस्कार. कितीजण आपण काय करतो आहोत, का करतो आहोत ह्याचा जागरूकपणे विचार करत असतील याची शंका यावी असेच बरेचसे वातावरण.
    परकर-पोलके घातलेली एक गोड चिमुरडी आई आणि आजी बरोबर देवळात आली होती. आजी जे जे काही करेल ते नि:शंकपणे आणि आनंदाने copy करत होती. तिच्या ह्या copy भक्तिभावाने खूष झालेल्या एका आजोबांनी तिची पाठ थोपटली आणि त्यामुळे तिच्या चेहर्यावर निरागस आनंद उमटला. अशाच काहीश्या संस्कारांतून आणि प्रोत्साहनातून कदाचित आंधळेपणाने प्रथा पाळणारी आजूबाजूची गर्दी लहानाची मोठी झालेली असेल!
    ह्या गर्दीपैकी फक्त लहान मुलांच्याच चेहर्यावर आनंद दिसत होता. जो वास्तविक देवीच्या दर्शनाने सगळ्यांच्याच चेहर्यावर दिसायला हवा होता! मात्र बरेचसे चेहरे गर्दीत उभे राहून त्रासलेले, आपल्या आयुष्यातल्या गार्हाण्यांचे ओझे कधी एकदा देवीसमोर मांडून मोकळा होतो याची घाई असलेले असेच होते. आनंद असलाच तर तो आजच्या दिवसासाठी ठरलेले हे दर्शनाचे काम एकदाचे पूर्ण झाले ह्याचाच असावा बहुदा. आईच्या दर्शनाने होणारी निर्विकार प्रसन्नता कुठेच दिसली नाही! असे हे गर्दीतले लहान-मोठे, विविधरंगी चेहेरे-मोहोरे बघण्यात माझा छान विरंगुळा झाला. काही ओळखीची मंडळीसुद्धा भेटली. त्यानंतर आम्ही आरे कॉलोनीतल्या देवळात गेलो. ह्या देवळात आम्ही लहानपणी ऐन परीक्षा असतानाही न चुकता गरबा आणि दांडिया खेळायला जायचो. तेंव्हा बहुतेक दांडिया आणि stick-war यांत गल्लत होत असावी. त्याचा परिणाम म्हणून प्रतिपक्षाची टिपरी जोरदार आघात करून मोडून टाकणे किंवा ती हातातून सुटून खाली पाडणे, नेम चुकून टिपरी समोरच्याच्या हातावर किंवा डोक्यावर बसणे इत्यादी छोट्या-मोठ्या उचापती होत आम्ही जवळ जवळ ३ ते ४ तास घामाने डबडबून जाईपर्यंत मनसोक्त उद्या मारत असू; म्हणजेच आमचा दांडिया खेळत असू. त्या सगळ्या आठवणी गरब्याच्या तालावर जाग्या झाल्या. देवळासमोरच्या अंगणात मध्यभागी देवीची प्रतिष्ठापना केलेली होती आणि तिच्यासमोर होमकुंड धगधगत होता. त्याभोवती फेर धरून गरबा चालू होता. कुंडावर जवळ जवळ एका माणसाच्या उंची एवढा नारळांचा ढीग झाला होता. तसाच धगधगणारा होमकुंड आणि नारळातून उठणाऱ्या धुराचा तोच सगळीकडे पसरलेला वास... इतक्या सगळ्या वर्षांत ह्या सगळ्यांत काहीच फरक झालेला नाही. कदाचित मी बघायच्या आधीही कित्येक वर्षांपासून तो दरवर्षी तसाच आहे. तो तसाच राहील आणि रहावा यात दुमत नाही. मात्र ह्या प्रथा केवळ आंधळ्या प्रथा न रहाता त्यांकडे डोळसपणे आणि जाणीवपूर्वक बघण्याची सवयही आपण अंगवळणी पाडायला सुरुवात करायला हवी.

ON FIELD

Several times I have to visit site to supervise the execution work and to guide the contractors, as an architect. In a construction project, architect is considered as the project head and the supreme authority to take decisions, of course next to the client. Yesterday when I visited the site, the situation was as usual, I was accompanied by 2 of my office juniors. We inspected the work in progress, discussed problem areas with the contractors and other workers, absolutely engrossed in work, 2 hrs passed by. When all the issues were discussed and my mind about to get itself free from the thoughts of work; I realized I was the only female present on the entire site and supposed to be the authority giving decisions to the group of 10-15 men present there. This situation is very common on construction sites. Most of the workers, supervisors, contractors in civil field are men. This also reminded me of some of my previous project’s meetings which used to be very huge in scale and at times I used to be the only lady in the site office’s meeting-hall full of 50-60 people. This doesn’t matter as far as work is concerned but small-small incidences especially with workers make me feel the difference. Most of the times these workers get fumbled at what to call me. Some, who are little smart get their way through with ‘madam’…but I have also come across ‘memsahib’ and once I was also called as ‘saheb’, as the poor fellow was used to call all the authority members by the same and was unaware of what to call a lady rather a girl with the same position! Another aspect making the difference is the various types of gazes. In most of the UP eyes there is struggle most of the times to adjust to the situation that they have to take orders and show respect to a female authority, than their usual habit of considering women dumb and of lower level. Some eyes display appreciation and a dream that someday even daughters from their homes may acquire similar position. Some gazes are better if shun, but of course with right message to warn them to behave. I wonder in my lifetime if I will ever come across a site where the situation is reverse, all the women executing a site! I think the work on such a site will be having less menace than what I see on most of the sites at present…or it won’t really make a difference….every system comes with its own set of pros and cons.

The Colour Code

Navratri has brought special energy in the atmosphere; especially in the female folks. The colour code for clothes to be worn during the nine days were declared…a different colour for a different day. We can observe that almost 80% ladies and to some extent even gents follow this colour code religiously and enthusiastically. It began with the colour green on the first day. In the train the entire compartment was washed in all the possible hues of green. Beautiful and wonderful ladies, girls chic in their saaries and traditional dresses; some who were in western formals also had taken care that they are incorporating the ‘green’ in some or another form in their outfits. The festive atmosphere had enveloped the surroundings. The green also had spread on the roads and in the office as well.  The same story continued on consecutive days with pink, grey, white, red, blue, yellow, purple and finally peacock green. Actually these colours are the ones which are draped on the Goddess on the particular day. I found these ladies in the colour code beaming with divine happiness and energy. The glory of enjoying their distinct still close to heart relation with the Mother, through this colour gave them a unique charm. In our culture there is a cult which follows Shakti puja in the form of Goddess worship….a goddess can be directly related to females. I generally believe that the almighty resides in all the objects around us; though my Mom thinks this is just an excuse I give for not doing pooja everyday! When I see these ladies around me beaming with the colour code I realize my belief very strongly. I feel as if I am seeing goddess in various forms around me and wonder how do I miss this factor in them on a usual day! Such a nice feeling, such a pleasing discovery of existence of the Shakti around me…especially when I am also following the colour code J.

Shift in an opinion

Though I rarely keep track of filmy stars, as an ordinary and rare audience I also share my own, not so important opinions about our bollywood stars. During my second year in college, John Abraham had visited our annual function as a celebrity guest. That time I saw him just 3-4 feet away in front of me and didn't understand why people are crazy about him. Yes with his amazing physic he is a good model..but models are often dumb..a turn off aspect for me and on top of that I am not really impressed with his on screen acting skills. As time passed, information like he is an engineer with a topper in MBA made me rethink over my preconceived notion. Today I watched his interview in ‘Aap ki adalat’ by Rajat Kapur and now I must say I was absolutely wrong. The way he mentioned about his principles in life, the way he loves Bipaasha and more than that the way he respects her, his simple way of living and obsession toward being very strong in all aspects but yet very simple at the same time was very impressive. On top of that he is absolutely serious about his acting, his work. Undoubtedly he is adorable! A hunk with brain and heart as well- a rare combination!

हिंदू- जगण्याची समृद्ध अडगळ

भालचंद्र नेमाडेंचे लेखन फक्त पाठ्यपुस्तकातून वाचनात आले होते. त्यांच्या 'कोसला' मधील एक उतारा अंधुकसा माहित होता. एका रविवारी tv वर channel surfing करत असताना अचानक नेमाडेंची मुलाखत दिसली आणि त्यांची नवीन कादंबरी 'हिंदू- जगण्याची समृद्ध अडगळ' प्रसिद्ध होणार असल्याची माहिती मिळाली. ह्या कादंबरीसाठी नेमाडेंनी ३७ वर्षे काम केले! हे ऐकून आणि एकंदरीतच सांस्कृतिक बाबतींत रुची असल्याने, सवलतीच्या दारात प्रकाशनपूर्व प्रत नोंदवूनही टाकली. थोड्याच दिवसांत खुद्द नेमाडेंची स्वाक्षरी असलेली प्रत हातात पडली आणि कादंबरीचा नायक खंडेराव याच्याबरोबर माझा समृद्ध, व्यापक हिंदू संस्कृतीचा मोहेंजोदाडो ते नायकाचे मराठवाड्यातील गाव मोरगाव इथपर्यंतचा प्रवास सुरु झाला. नाव जरी हिंदू असले तरी त्याचा संबंध धर्माशी नसून संस्कृतीशी जोडलेला आहे. खंडेराव पुरातत्व संशोधक आहे आणि त्या निमित्ताने ह्या एवढ्या व्यापक संस्कृतीचा पसारा एका धाग्याने बांधून जवळ आणणे त्याला शक्य झाले. सामान्य माणसांच्या जगण्यातल्या, गटांतल्या, समाजातल्या छोट्या छोट्या बाबी संस्कृतीला किती मोठे आणि गहिरे रंग आणि आकार देतात, एक व्यापक स्वरूप देतात हे जाणवण्याचे सुंदर साधन म्हणजे हे पुस्तक. आज कादंबरीचे शेवटचे पान उलटताना...अजून काही बाकी आहे ह्याची तीव्र जाणीव झाली...आणि ह्या कादंबरीचे अजून दोन खंड येणार आहेत ह्याची आठवण झाली....आशा आहे खंडेराव लवकरच भेटेल...संस्कृती विशेषतः हिंदू संस्कृती सारखी, अगदीच योग्यरीतीने बोलायचे झाले तर हिंदुस्थानाच्या संस्कृतीसारखी क्लिष्ट, गुंतागुंतीची गोष्ट उलगडण्याची कामगिरी नेमाडेंनी किती कौशल्याने पेलली आहे!

नवा सूर

समोर अफाट पसरलेला समुद्र खुणावणारा;


नुकतीच पोहायला शिकलेली मी.

नव्याने शिकलेले आणि घरच्या कुंडात आजमावलेले पोहण्याचे तंत्र समुद्राची ओढ वाढवणारे.

मनात विचारांची उचनीच आणि आकाशाला भिडणाऱ्या आकांक्षा घेऊन मी काठावर उभी आहे;

समोरच्या अथांगाच्या थांगाचा अंदाज घेत.

डोळ्यांत स्वप्न आहे एखाद्या मत्स्यकन्येप्रमाणे दूरवर सूर मारून लाटांवर राज्य करण्याचे.

त्याचबरोबर पायांत अदृश्य बेडी आहे ह्या समुद्री जगाविषयी ऐकलेल्या उलट-सुलट दंतकथांची.

समुद्रातल्या राजांची अचाट सत्ता, स्वच्छंदी विहरणाऱ्या मत्स्यकन्यांच्या लीला आणि दैत्यासम शार्क मास्यांचे हल्लेसुद्धा!

तरीही मनातली आशा आत्मविश्वास देते..समोरच्या प्रवाहात स्वतःला झोकून देण्याचा;

साम्राज्य नाही पण राज्य प्रस्थापित करण्याचा.

देवमासा बनण्याची इच्छा नाही पण कुशलतेने मार्गक्रमण करणाऱ्या छोट्या मास्यांच्या एखाद्या गटाचे नेतृत्व करण्याची हौस आहे!

विचारांची सांगड घालत चारच पावले पुढे पाण्यात गेले, मात्र लाटांनी पायाखालची वाळूसुद्धा टिकू दिली नाही!

दबकत दबकत सूर मारत आहे. लाटांशी मैत्री करण्याचा प्रयत्न करत.

आजूबाजूला नव्या जगातल्या नियमांचा उलगडा करणाऱ्या घडामोडी दिसत आहेत. त्यातल्या काही प्रेरणादायक तर काही धक्कादायक!

देवाण-घेवाण हीच गरज, हाच कायदा; प्रत्येक क्रियेमागे.

ह्या कायद्याच्या गणिताने मित्र, शत्रू, हितचिंतक आणि इतरहि सगळ्या गोतावळ्याची समीकरणे आपणच मांडायचीही आणि सोडवायचीही!

नवा खेळ आहे, खेळण्याची इच्छा आहे ...ज्याने इच्छा दिली त्याच्या विश्वासावर जिंकण्याची खात्री आहे.

My precious...

I am glad to inform that I added 3 new precious possesions to my collection through the fascinating event of Strand mid-year book exhibition; I am happy that Prasad was the company and witness for the same. They are:

1. LAURIE BAKER- life, works & writings; by Gautam Bhatia
2. OUR FAVOURITE INDIAN STORIES; by Khushwant Singh & Neelam Kumar
3. WATERLOG- a swimmer's journey through Britain; by Roger Deakin

Surrrp...yummy!

कॉफी आणि मी

        चहा हे जगात सर्वाधिक प्यायले जाणारे पेय. मला मात्र नेहमीच कॉफी भुरळ घालते. उकळत असतानाच दरवळणारा तिचा मृद्मयी सुगंध धुंद करतो. ओठी लागण्याच्या कितीतरी आधीच हा दरवळणारा सुगंध मंदावलेल्या चेतापेशींना चेतवू लागतो! कॉफी हाउसच्या बाजूने जातानाही काहीसा असाच अनुभव. तिथे तर कॉफी प्रेमींसाठी पर्वणीच! जसा मूड तसा फ्लेवर चाखायची मजा... ' meeting over a coffee ' हा जणू काही एक सोहळा! एक आनंदमयी सामाजिक अनुभव.

        ' एक पेय' ह्या साध्या संकल्पनेच्या कितीतरी पुढे जाऊन कॉफी मनाला भिडते, वेड लावते. perfumes खरेदी करत असताना दोन tasters च्या दरम्यान कॉफीच्या बिया हुंगायला देतात जेणेकरून कॉफीच्या earthy , nutty सुगंधामुळे दोन अत्तरांच्या सुगंधामधील फरक नीट ओळखता यावा. अशावेळी माझी मात्र गोची होते. कॉफीच्या त्या वेडावणाऱ्या वासानंतर मला कुठलाच सुगंध खूप छान वाटत नाही!

         आतासुद्धा इटलीहून आणलेल्या expresso -maker मध्ये बनवलेल्या कॉफीचे घुटके घेत घेत हा कॉफीनामा लिहिण्याची मजा काही औरच! कॉफी आणि माझ्यामधील ऋणानुबंध दृढ करणारी ही खरेदी केल्याबद्दल मला माझा आणि मंदारचा अभिमान वाटतो!

        असा हा कॉफीचा महिमा..संपणे थोडे कठीणच..भरच घालायची झाली तर कॉफीचा औषधी गुण वगैरे वगैरे दुय्यम बाबी....

        आह! माझा कॉफी कप आता रिता झाला आहे..माझ्या साऱ्या जाणीवा तरतरीत करून गेला आहे!
 
I  love  coffee !

कुंपणाबाहेरचे कुरण नेहमी जरा जास्तच हिरवे दिसते.

जीवाच्या सरळपणाला मनाचा खोडकरपणा नेहमीच डिवचत असतो.

सरळ वाटेचा तोचतोचपणा आणि आज्ञाधारकता मरगळ आणणारी होते; तर नागमोड्या वळणांवरून धावण्याची हौस जीव मुठीत घ्यायला लावते.

मयाचा बुद्धीवरचा पडदा, खात्रीने न मिळणाऱ्या गोष्टी अधिक आकर्षक करून दाखवतो आणि त्याच्या भूलथापांना व्यवहारीसुद्धा भुलतो.
 कधीतरी हा पडदा सरणार, किंबहुना तो दूर करावाच लागणार हे माहित असूनही मनाची रुंजी त्याभोवती चालूच राहते.


ह्या घालमेलीत काही घुटमळत राहतात, काही वज्राच्या काठीण्याने तो पडदा चिरून बाजूला करतात; तर काही बिलंदर मयावरही कुरघोडी करून त्याने रचलेले चित्र प्रत्यक्षात साकारतात!
 
स्वतःच निर्मिलेल्या नाट्यातील पात्रांच्या ह्या अदा निर्मिकाची छान करमणूक करतात!

HE

I am sure he is there. Where I don’t know; But I can feel him in my mind and in my senses. The breeze through the cool rain reminds me of his presence in this world and the sweet bond between us, which is yet to be formed but already very strong. I feel his warm hug when I am in dismay, can imagine the completeness when he might be besides me. I find my emotions melting and mind searching with the sheer thought of his existence. Who is he? Where is he?
HE IS.

THE BLANK MOMENT

So much behind yet so much ahead, in between these two I am here in this blank moment. Wondering, why there was so much, what and how will there be so much!...even then there is nothing much in this moment! I know I am his toy- the jockey on the life’s pony- is he betting on me? Don’t know but I am sure he can bet on me…because I am his, the master’s, favorite child.
I never remember him when I am on move and conveniently think he doesn’t remember me during such a blank moment. He smiles at my very thought and blows a compassionate kiss to me… and I long that this empty moment should get prolonged…..yeah this blank moment, killing and filling simultaneously…can’t live with or without it.

SHOPPING

It was a general day in a shopping mall. I was on the mission to buy some household goods. One unusual thing among the list was the traveler’s shaving kit for dad. I reached the zone. One salesman was trying to promote a shaving razor to a middle age customer. I was overlooked as an ‘unfit’ consumer of the zone. When I continued gazing the displayed products, I was attended. The ready kit wasn’t there and I had to choose its contents individually. By this time I received surprised, confused looks from the present customer and two new ones. The variety available in a simple razor confused me to its apex and I asked the salesman to help me to choose a standard one…to this opportunity he naturally put forward the brand he was promoting…trying not to look like an easy catch, I asked for its comparison with other products based on my common sense and observations of dad’s daily ritual and also thanks to the basic information source of our generation, the advertisements….but contradicting to my intention it made me look all the more foolish and proved strongly that I am at a wrong place trying to buy a wrong thing! I had to ignore the suppressed smile of the salesman when I asked him ‘Have I picked up all the things required for shaving?!’….finally I was done with it… for the first time I realized the meaning of territorial activities!

Ladies are considered and they are of course masters in the activity of shopping. Clothes, accessories, household goods, ornaments, blah blah blah…the list and enthusiasm for shopping is never ending, especially when it’s the BIG SALE. I have seen ladies advancing exploring all the counters in a shopping mall followed by their male counterparts who are supposed to agree to the opinions of the shopping master and are responsible for babysitting during this highly important activity of shopping. The scenario is the same, may that be the Decathlon in Italy or Inorbit in India! I highly appreciate the patience and support of these males. Especially for one reason- in general or ladies sections you see ladies followed by their boyfriends, husbands carrying heavy bags, kids whereas in gents section we find them alone making their ways through the choices….they are like a scanty community in the world of shopping! But the experience I had made me realize even in shopping, men have their own territories though small ones.

Winners

This was a nice week end. 2 consecutive days I met 2 very interesting personalities. They are entrepreneurs. Both of them are doing with flying colors in their respective businesses. Both of them; well educated but not in the sphere of their business. They have different types of business, different backgrounds, different age and different gender. One is successfully running the business since last 30 yrs and another from last 3 years.The common factor they share is; they didn’t have expertise in the field in which they started their own business. It was faith in oneself, hard work of well organized mind, pursuance with patience and last but not the least it was strong desire to stand out from general crowd, to have their own organization; which has made them successful. The meetings were very inspiring. It’s so nice to meet winners who also like to see people in their contact win- may be that’s what makes them all time winners.

First rainy day of the season

The parching summer is cooled off in Mumbai with the advent of first shower of monsoon. Everyone felt relieved…umbrellas, raincoats came back in action. As it is said and well experienced- nothing can stop the pace of life in this city. It was first day of it pouring down… morning rush hour; road was full of vehicles as usual, the traffic not paying too much attention to the thin layer of rain water sheet passing under it. I noticed few stretched umbrellas in the middle of the road. They were moving in a certain pattern… as my vehicle reached nearer I realized they were the municipal workers; clearing clogged drainage chambers..some of them had rain-shield, some didn’t but their work was on… ‘remove the sludge from the chamber and move it away’ . I was shocked to see some of them carrying the sludge in their bare hands! We all are well acquainted with our system’s late realizations regarding management of their responsibilities. If the cleaning job is done before advent of the rain then such critical situations could have been avoided. Even if it is too much of a responsibility to keep our over loaded public services out of menace; can’t the authorities equip their employees with basic accessories of gloves and umbrella or rain coat! Isn’t it a shame for all of us who call ourselves proud residents of the democratic India? Or it is best example of our negligent, reluctant nature! Workers whom we describe as fourth grade workers, who clear the dirt we all pass out from our homes to the public areas, are denied basic care for a living being! The sight was very moving…. I felt ashamed.. but what did I do… I only drove my car ahead.

The best design of the best designer

          Mandarin fish

 

Sip of freshness

Writing here is like taking my head out of a heap of work load and stretch myself wide in the open, pure air. It feels like breaking the unseen bondage chains whose burden I feel again n again. In here when I hear the sound of those heavy chains getting crushed, I feel my lightness again , I can feel myself floating with the refreshing breeze, waving my wings just to keep me gliding n sailing in this beautiful shimmer of golden sunrays..here I drink the morning dew, here I touch the freshness of life...please don't wake me up if this is a dream.

entertainment

Evening time after returning home and weekends of course are meant for entertainment. TV, movies and other similar modes, which we consider our entertainers, have complete hold on us during the entertainment hours. After all, entertainment is a necessity for slogging souls of ours and when we don’t need to slog then entertainment is our right.


I returned home… switched on the TV, immersing myself into the couch. Turned on the all time favorite Animal Planet. Cute cubs were following their mom on the trail to food...the catch was successful..stomachs got full…resting time for tired mom n play-time i.e. the entertainment time for the cubs…how nice it was to see them play, entertaining themselves…the commentary was on, “ this play, fake fights are nothing but training for future serious fights!” I called it playtime for the cubs but it was training actually. My mind started to search in its pool of memory if it can fix what is called as ‘entertainment’ for any kind of animal… dance of a peacock- hell no, it’s not entertainment for the dancer, it’s an effort with best foot forward to win heart of a female… flight of a kite? ..it’s not flight for leisure- it is a hunt for food….butterflies on scented flowers?...they are definitely not there merely to dance n enjoy the brilliant colors n to smell the sweet scent… does all this means animals don’t need entertainment? Or is it also applicable to us? We need rest for sure but do we really need entertainment? Are we mistaking entertainment as our rest? Entertainment, which does not train our minds or bodies… which has no purpose to serve but only helps us to kill some time with making our minds blind to the surroundings, can’t be a part of a human’s natural life. I think it’s time I should take my modes of entertainment seriously. Having right type of entertainment will open the path of successful life to me like to the cubs.

The catalyst...winner or loser

Substances come together. They act, they react, they fight, they attack...an action takes place, a result comes out...some are winners, some are losers but there is someone else who is called as a catalyst...neither a an active participant nor a part of the result....it thinks to himself " Will I never have any destination? Aloof from the surroundings, only an onlooker. Yes it is said I help to accelerate the speed of the happenings which are anyways going to happen without my existance! After the action I am back where I was. I don't see myself moving ahead, moving to the next step of life; but wherever I go I see life around me accelerated because of me! Oh creator what kinda strange player you have made me in this fabulous game of life; packed with ambition to move ahead, with the lust to be a winner but destined to perform the best when I am not participating. How ...how am I going to win this battle within and outside!"

Act tact

Injustice…something whose sheer thought sets me on fire. How much I despise it I understand when even a scene of injustice in movies or plays or novels set off that burning sensation. Is this the result of childhood upbringing with standard principals of so called middle class or it is just another aspect of an individual’s nature! When the fire cools off I wonder that ‘justice’ is a relative term..relativity the most supreme principal of life…. 'just’ for one may not be the same for another. Rules which mankind created, rules which we approve by the logic of our heart and mind are nothing but responses to our experiences in the past. When it is viewed in the open air, exposed in the full light of the world, in the context of the entire universe; it may not be a piercing painful act of injustice but a routine performance in the circle of life; something similar to a tiger hunting a weak, helpless calf. When we give deep thought to this and also as per the sayings of great sages in this world; isn’t it absolutely convincing that everything is just so perfect in this universe? By this logic I hold no difference in just and unjust! Does this mean I should not raise voice when I see injustice happening around me? Here is the hitch. We all are performers and need to perform our roles. Fight against when we see injustice, thank and cheer when we experience justice but very clear at our heart that either of it is nothing but only an act in ‘the great skit’.

Victory story 2

A great Japanese warrior named Nobunaga decided to attack the enemy although he had only one-tenth the number of men the opposition commanded. He knew that he would win, but his soldiers were in doubt.

On the way he stopped at a Shinto shrine and told his men: "After I visit the shrine I will toss a coin. If heads comes, we will win; if tails, we will lose. Destiny holds us in her hand."
Nobunaga entered the shrine and offered a silent prayer. He came forth and tossed a coin. Heads appeared. His soldiers were so eager to fight that they won their battle easily.
"No one can change the hand of destiny," his attendant told him after the battle.
"Indeed not," said Nobunaga, showing a coin which had been doubled, with heads facing either way.

Along the way ...1

    A usual crowded evening in mumbai..i was aproaching to Andheri station to return home. Crowds rushing by, making their way through hawkers. I spoted a pirated book seller. Books! an easy bate for me. Couldn't stop falling for it this time as well. Didn't intend to buy really..but why not just shuffle few pages..quench the thirst for printed words. The shuffle ended up in me selecting 3 books to buy. He stated the cost for it which I found bit high for roadside pirated stuff. I was about to make up words to initiate bargain. I like to try my hand at this bargaining skill every time though I don’t remember a single time when it was successful.
    Suddenly the surrounding changed…as if an approaching storm was spotted. The expression of terror in his eyes exhibited his thumping heart. Suddenly I was invisible for him. Other hawker stalls around disappeared within fraction of seconds! A number of policemen appeared all around. With their advent the hawkers disappeared in the manner which reminded me the way other animals drinking at common water, desert the place at arrival of predators! When I realized what was happening I was left all alone with the 3 books in my hand and the heap of books in front of me vanished! I stepped aside, also spotted the book seller winding up things as being on a war front. He had zero intentions to keep an eye on me. “Is this a signal for me to walk away with what I have got without paying? Is this the time when I am going to get return for all the extra money which I have paid before due to the bad bargaining skill?” Finally I approached him, tucked in the amount which I thought was right for the books and just walked away. He still didn’t care to acknowledge my existence!
    I had moved 10 steps away when the voice from behind stopped me, “ Madam, the amount is not full”… “It is the right amount” I was trying to pull in myself back to the preparation of bargaining. “ No madam, please, I can’t accept this less amount..the remaining will be deducted from my salary…” during all this conversation his eyes were still judging the conditions beyond me. Finally I dug into my valet for the remaining change. “ I could have easily gone away without giving you a single rupee. You know that well. I followed you to give you the money. You should consider that and take only the fair amount from me” I said handing over the money to him. “ ऐसा नहीं होता मैडम ...किताब का पैसा लेके कभी कोई जाता नहीं" The deal was over, leaving a deep impression on my mind. I found myself smiling all the way back home. What was that smile for?…for a strange incidence, for the repeated experience of a failed bargaining attempt? Who was the hero of this story? The seller who obtained what he wanted even in a tough condition or me who returned home with the pseudo satisfaction of not taking disadvantage of his critical condition? None of us may be. May be the real winner was the generalised character of book worms portrayed in the society…

celebration time!

celebration in the air...
celebration of art,
celebration of love...celebration of pioneer work,
celebration of readers' thirst...

It's nice to see the world around showered with the reasons to celebrate...at least this time it won't smirk at my mind which celebrates its existance for the sake of celebration.

The first victory story

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him.


One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move.

Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.

Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"
 "If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it," the master replied, "to whom does the gift belong?"

Victory and defeat are each of the same price.