A whirlpool of sorts...by Sneha Gaud.

2010-12-03T00:26:00.000-08:00

The goodness triumphs again - TOI Indore Plus October, 2010

Discover your style quotient - TOI Indore Plus October, 2010

City on the development path

A few of my articles published in the past month with Times of India's Indore Plus.

IT'S BIG BOSS ALL THE WAY!

2010-10-11T02:07:00.001-07:00

Imagine yourself in a wild run through murderous jungles, leading a deadly gang of 14 dacoits, hiding from the eyes continuously chasing you and you’re still moving on. I guess you are already gritting your teeth!

And now switch to another gang of 14, not dacoits but our own celebrities in a jungle of conversations and unexpected state of affairs, only the jungle is more beautiful, posh and urbane!

Seema Parihar, the new contestant for BIG BOSS Season 4, must have been going through the same transformation as several murders and trials later (she is still under trial for certain cases though) she walks on the red carpet of the house of Big Boss.

To add to the sparks and flashes of the starry house, we had 13 other known faces, some for their talent and praise and others for being the bad boys of bolly and telly-world both…well, the Big-Boss never skips this balancing act in his ‘adda’.

But one thing is good for sure. Like the previous ones, this time too, the cynosure of all eyes is the host, none other than the Bollywood hunk Salman Khan, who opened the season by welcoming all the fourteen guests or ‘housemates’ as they would call it.

But would the contestants this time, combining actors, advocate, thieves and dacoits, be able to sustain the audience’s attention like the previous seasons did? Or this time it is going to be a li’l different with a different combination of participants or lesser known faces?

We did a small survey to find out what Indorians thought about it.

“Why not? People have always liked the show. Earlier too the participants were a combination of good and bad. And that is how it must be. We would be too bored if there are all good people in the house. I think this time too the show would rock as always.” Opined 36 year old Shilpa Mehta, Insurance agent by profession and a TV buff too.

Well, that taken but what is it this time that would keep the ball rolling for the audience?

“It’s the format itself. Reality TV has become so popular in India that people hardly prefer watching other formats. It is a blend of emotions, drama, and suspense. You get served everything in one plate and that too LIVE! As for Big Boss, it’s something like the feeling I get when I go out with my colleagues on a business trip. You are living, though temporarily, with strangers day and night accommodating their good and bad habits and behavior under one roof. So it’s a real-life situation to which you connect better.” Says 29 year old Sanskar Sharma, Director, Indore Indira Institute of Management Studies.

So it’s not only women but men too who are ardent followers of the show. But let’s find out what do the most loyal telly-watchers, the housewives think about it.

“Though I don’t follow the show hard and fast, but it’s the fact that the whole family watches it together, gives more pleasure to me.” Confesses Mrs. Meenakshi Gaud, homemaker. Sweet that was!

But some replies were not so sweet:

"It's weird how these kinds of shows turn dacoits and hooligans into celebrities. I mean how could they deserve to get so much of publicity and attention as participants of a National TV game show? And to top it all, they make big bucks in the process! What impact would this have on the younger members of the society?" Regrets Siddharth Kumar, Director- Marketing, 9 n 10 Productions.

“As for the TRPs, every show, every format has had its ups and downs. There’s always a saturation point with the audience. And though this show has clicked well all this while with the people, it might take quite some time to reach that level of saturation, maybe another 2-3 seasons. After all, people like to live into the real world but they even like to fantasise.” Concludes Dr. R. A. Sharma, businessman.

Well, let’s see how soon the saturation point arrives, but till then it’s just Big Boss all the way!

2010-04-16T04:06:00.000-07:00

9 n 10 goes webby!!! Digitus invites all!!!!

http://www.9n10.com

There's a monkey in each one of us..Boman Irani

2010-03-15T00:48:00.001-07:00

It was a jam-packed conference hall with various eminent personalities of Madhya Pradesh; prestigious educationists, social-workers, industrialists and film critics, all waiting impatiently to see, listen to and relish the celebrity radiations so close to them. The radiations of the the fair-haired boy of the filmy set, the face of versatility in the new era of cinema with a message - our very own Virus from 3 Idiots. And we never thought viruses can be so sweet, did we?

Be it Rancho, the rebel, always questioning things and believing that learning is more than just the usual mode of education or be it the hilarious welcome speech delivered by Chatur, the film 3 IDIOTS with the genius combination of Rajkumar Hirani , Aamir Khan and the team has for sure woven magic on screen. And with his lisp act getting all the right nuances, Boman Irani who played Viru Sahasrabuddhe, the dedicated but strict professor in the film, added just the right mixes of spice unfailingly.

And so to subdue the irresistible desire of knowing behind-the-scene stories and engaging in a full-fledged discussion over the film, The Indore Indira Group invited the professor himself amongst us - Mr. Viru Sahasrabuddhe in his original avatar of Mr. Boman Irani, along with the who's who of the city to join the discussion LIVE with him in the college premises on 13th of March, 2010.

Working his way in the hall, the 6 feet tall Boman, brought a joyous smile to everybody's face.. There was an expression of calmness and satisfaction on his face, which i guess is very Parsi.

After a formal introduction of the guest, the session started with the Q n A..

And Boman was very humble and polite in his approach.

Here are a few interesting questions with their even more interesting replies -

The first question came from the CEO of the institute -

" Whilst the film emphasizes the importance of learning as a never-ending process, was it important for the film to end up on a note where the protagonist becomes a rich guy with the girl he loves beside her? If the hero ended up being a school-teacher in a village, wouldn't the film have gone down well with the audience?"

Boman didn't take long to answer that. He seemed to be very clear in his mind about the concept..quite obviously so, being a part of such critically acclaimed sensible cinema..

He said that the message of the film was to motivate the students to work harder with a strong desire to learn, to innovate and discover new possibilities within oneself. it's only when the focus is on learning and not winning that one becomes an achiever. The commercial success would follow automatically..

Q - How was it working with Mr. Amir Khan? We've heard that he's a perfectionist..is that true?
What did you learn from him as an actor and as a human-being?

Nobody is perfect, he said. But improvising is not a bad idea either. He elaborated by narrating an incidence when after the pack-up for the film, he got a call from the crew asking him to come back to the sets for a retake of the scene where Virus beats Rancho with his umbrella inside the hostel room..As Amir was not satisfied with the shot he wanted a retake. Boman came all the way from Banglore, initially taking the whole thing as a prank.

He concluded saying that "the perfect thing about Amir is the fact that he never thinks he's perfect! He's always eager to learn, to improvise and he never escapes from doing so. And that is what i learnt from Amir as an actor and as a human-being".

The audience gave an emphatic applaud.

The Q n A proceeded -

Q - Was it necessary to show the students drinking and peeing in the film?

The giggling heard from amongst the younger crowd as a crescendo rose to a hearty laughter..Boman smiled as he playfully acted out to leave the hall but later came back to the podium to answer the question with an honest, but not without a blend of maturity, reply.

He said that the film had a bigger motive, a greater issue to deal with and so it had to take the support of negativity, only to overcome it later. Raju Rastogi as an emotional character gets himself into a mess and tries to deal with it. He wanted to undo everything. When he fails, he tries to commit suicide. He suffers a lot. And then there's this new Raju Rastogi, the refined one, more aware of himself, more confident. So, if we see the journey of Raju's character, we realise that his misconduct got him into trouble and then he struggled to get out of it. It's all a part of storytelling. You have to show the negative aspect to bring forth the positive one, so to maintain the balance.

The next one was more of a compliment than a query -

"After watching your characters in Munnabhai and 3 idiots, we've kinda started liking the villains too..there's a certain sympathy that has grown somewhere within for the negative characters like these..you've acted so well.."

Boman expressed his gratitude for the compliment but then again playfully asked the people sitting in the audience, whoever liked the villains (or the antagonists as he would call the character in a negative role) to show up to a psychiatrist..

But then he said, we also tend to sympathize with the villains in the end, when he gives up all of his negativity, because there's a Viru Sahasrabuddhe or a Dr. Asthana or a Lucky Singh, (the negative characters played by him) in all of us. And so when we see them on the screen surrendering to positivity, we feel relieved.

He also praised the filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, who very skillfully plan the characters adding a reason to every action they undertake be it the laughter of Dr. Asthana in Munnabhai MBBS or the design of the practical conniving person who wants to usurp a mansion like the Lucky Singh of Lage Raho...

Or like the scene where Virus drops the egg in the initial speech in the encounter with the first year batch of students - symbolic of breaking the dreams, the individuality of a human being, even before the start of his physical existence is marked on the calendar. How the path he would want to choose by himself, is pre-decided by others while he is still in his mother's womb..the scene, Boman said, balanced itself out when his own grandchild, kicks while still in his mother's womb, suggesting that he might become a good footballer and not necessarily an engineer or a doctor, breaking the stereotypical culture of the family..

Another compliment came from a biology teacher who wanted to thank him as a representative of the film fraternity for the support it gives to the people to make a greater impact, like the film did for the school and college teachers...She said that teachers at schools and colleges have a hard time counseling the students and letting them discover their hidden self..These days, she said, it is important to counsel the parents too, who forcibly drag the children on the pathways of the dreams that they themselves could not fulfill..

Boman made a disagreement to her statement and re-instilled the confidence in the teachers for the teachers, he said, have a much greater impact on students than cinema and it's wrong to underestimate their potential.

It was a nice one and a half hour session with the man enlightening us with not only the film nuances but with the description of his struggle-full life and the success that followed in his own pleasing style.

The in-between lighter moments where he was asking everyone to loosen up the neckties, made the mahaul light and entertaining...

I loved the one-liner he concluded the session with -

"There's monkey in each one of us.."

2010-03-08T02:50:00.000-08:00

I am all cheery as i come out of the reverie of the happenings three years back..i was shooting for my debut documentary, Adrashya Nari. It was 8th of March, 2007, Woman's Day (though i feel dates are just a reason, an excuse to celebrate the very existence of this world, which belongs to men and women equally..) and i was out in the field to document the facts on the theme essentially for women - Their empowerment through education.

It later occurred to me that the shooting date coincided with the date of celebration for women the world over. And somehow i was self-assured about the task i am involved in. My second self, my alter-ego justified my involvement in the project as necessary and i proceeded.

A lot of appreciation and criticism later, (btw, the docu Adrashya Nari / Invisible Woman, wins yet another title - Silver Lei Award in the International Honolulu Film Festival organised recently under the Short Film category), when i am confronted with the basic question i started my project with, I feel like saying so much. Well, the basic question of how important is education for a woman? Can it really dissolve the social evils persisting in the country and the world over if we get all our women educated? The answer is a simple "No" and so seems very complicated.

The incidence of a ruthless murder of a woman by her mother-in-law and husband, occurred a few months back in the city. The culprits and the victim involved were all well-educated, belonging to well-to-do families. The incidence made headlines and was duly forgotten. Did education resolve the issue? Or did it stop any such incidences from occurring again? It could well have been possible if the woman who had to abandon her life to satisfy the cruelties of others would have voiced her protest against it, just at the time when it started.

So, it's also the matter of a strong value system or value education that a woman should possess, which she can pass on to her future generations. Not that our male members are incapable of doing it but it's always the lady of the house who can actually make or break our homes. Look around to find one as an example. It's never a bad idea to begin the change we always want to see around, at our own home! Charity does begin at home. Always.

Primary education in itself is as essential. There should always be something to fall back on in case destiny turns its back on the so-called lady-luck. Finances are as necessary for a woman as it is for a man. And now it's time she understands that.

And money apart, it's the 2D view that illitrate get of their lives. Education works on the dimensions. It opens the windows of the mind showing up the bare realities in their most virgin forms. You f*** it or you leave it, it's entirely your choice. But at least you know what is out there. And the decision you make of the choices would often be driven by the value system you'd acquired over the years.

Well I think Peter Brougham would agree:

Education make a people easy to lead,
but difficult to drive: easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.

2010-02-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

A small video i made for my cuz Tushar's wedding..

2010-02-12T03:58:00.000-08:00

So it was my cuz's wedding..Tushar who is my Mamaji's son, is also a good friend, a confidant, an agony aunt and my darling brother..he was tying the knot with Amita, affectedly shy and modest but a decent damsel now a part of our family..:)..

The wedding was in Malegaon, a small city in Nasik district, Maharashtra, appx. 350 kms from Indore..but due to the better conditions of the roads, all thanks to the State Road Transport Corporation and the wonderful highway from Dhulia to Malegaon, the journey was not very tiring..

The two day stay was an amazing time. More so, as Nani was meeting Sanskar for the first time, for she couldn't attend our wedding due to her ill-health..She was pleased to see him and adding to her ecstasy, my mother, father and grand-ma (in-laws)were also present to attend Tushar's wedding..hats-off to my grandma-in-law who in spite of her bad health and her old age made it to the wedding, traveling for 8 hours continuously just to give the newly weds her blessings and best wishes..Tushar and Amita couldn't get more lucky and blessed..the best gift i could give them from my side.."Bai" (grandma-in-law) herself..

I introduced everyone to Sanskar, though everyone except Nani had met him earlier, but this meeting was rather informal..it was important for him and the other family ppl to get to know each other for it would help them develop a stronger bond of togetherness and also to make the next family get-togethers more enjoyable..

i was very happy to see Sanskar enjoy himself and fondly helping Tushar fix the "Safa" and the tie..

Chacha obviously was very busy, doing favors for everyone, least interested in taking care of himself and as always keeping everyone happy..This time paa too made his presence felt by giving his laptop a much-needed break for some time..he seemed to have enjoyed too..

i personally enjoyed the custom called, "Totiya", where one of the sisters is dressed as a groom and one of the Bahus in the family is decorated as the bride..The diyas or the lamps are rotated for conducting pheras symbolically..It is a kinda traditional AGP (All Girls Party), where all the females of the family join in, including the old ones and they crack all kinds of jokes, some decent, some not so decent, just to have fun..:)..

i became the Dulha as i was the only sister of the groom present at the time of the function, and also got special attention throughout the wedding..
i enjoyed the custom like anything, as all of us were rolling in the aisles hearing the funny commentaries coming from everywhere..especially from the old ones..:)..

after the custom, it was mandatory for everyone to take their husband's name but the task was to be done indirectly through "ukhanas"...Ukhanas are like Doha or couplets, where a wife takes her husband's name without directly saying it..
Here are some of the funniest "ukhanas", which one of my mother's buas orated and received a lot of claps, surprising glares and roars of laughter...

"plate main rakhein hai badam aur pishte
humare unka naam tum baar-baar kyu poochate.."

"Ajanta-ellora are the structures of art..
-------- is the diamond of my heart.."

It was quite funny and entertaining how bua got up and excitedly said the two of the ukahanas..she was the star of the evening..:)

we obviously missed Sonia and Abhinav..all of us..every single person couldn't help but notice their absence..but never mind..we're sending them the snaps, the videos and every little detail of the wedding, so they could feel a part of the extravaganza..

RANN MOVIE REVIEW

2010-01-30T06:06:00.000-08:00

Another typical RGV flick minus the impact..though the concept has made rounds in the form of debates in news channels, the print media and the internet, it was kind of new to be made into a full-fledged movie..we've had the glimpses of true reporting being tarnished by the ever-existing and never ending flaws in the systems in Page 3 as well..

In many scenes it seemed as if the rough edits have been rendered into the final movie as they were either unnecessarily prolonged or casually acted..particularly the character of Jay..t was overdone..it somehow spoiled the seriousness of the situations..

it has been a long time since we saw singer and actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, after perhaps she was in the news for her divorce with Shekhar Kapoor..she was quite okay in the film..not a very happening 'comeback' though, if at all it was a comeback!

Amitabh was Amitabh..as usual entertaining and methodical!

Ritesh Deshmukh played more of a silent hero role, with not much dialogues in his part of the script..and sometimes the silence was pretty boring..

The end speech seemed again a bit too prolonged; Jay committing suicide seemed a bit weird as if to make us realise that it's Purab who's the pratogonist and not Jay..

and what was the red mark over Paresh Rawal's forehead? was it 'kum-kum' or some scar due to some accident or some skin disease?

anywa..it was a nice weekend outing, going for the movy with friends and family..:)

She needs to feel SPECIAL...

2010-01-11T00:45:00.000-08:00

When a girl leaves her house after marriage and settles down with her new family, she suddenly thrusts herself into womanhood by only a thin transition of rituals and ceremonies of the society..From the comfort of her own home she is now burdened with the responsibility of looking after herself and her new relatives and the kids as is expected out of her, only for the fact that she's a woman..A working woman has even bigger challenges..She still performs well, all her chores..

During the course of time she's been at her mother's home, the care and the comfort can never recur later in her life cuz of societal obligations but the only thing she looks forward to is resigning in her man's arms after he's back home, some kind words from him which will make her feel comfortable in her small space that she now calls her home and the reminder that she's being taken care of..maybe asking her about her day at work or about any trouble she's encountering at home or in office or sometimes just holding her hand while talking to others would help her somewhat..

Sometimes when you love a person you need to be vocal about it..cuz as any relationship grows, things start becoming more obvious..but this obviousness still needs to be conveyed especially if it's a woman you're sharing your space with..after the newness of any relationship expires between a couple, and there seems to be no bigger excitement left, some small words and actions play magical and add a little freshness, if not much, to an otherwise boring routine..and yes, sometimes ACTIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT than words..nobody, man or woman, can help but get irritated if you're actions tell something else about you than your words..

She counts on you and she's the only person you can count on more than anybody else, a fact she keeps reminding, a promise she keeps fulfilling and a responsibility you seem to ignore..

(PS : this note was a piece of advice i had given to one of my frenz as his wife suddenly started ignoring him..the reason she behaved that way now appears to be clear..he seemed to have taken an advice from a satisfied buddy..:)..)

my show

2009-12-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous you - clippings...Airs - 4 pm, wednesdays and thursdays on Care World TV..Repeat - 11 pm. same days..

A happy family...now and forever..:)..

2009-12-01T06:09:00.000-08:00

A happy family sailing
through the river of life,
a mother, a father
and a chacha, the coolest of the five

the daughters got married
and so did the hopes
from singles they doubled
the time just eloped

the five are away
but they are still together
in the letters, the phone-calls, the get-togethers
they live on, are united forever..

Picture By: socreativesonia
in the picture from the left: maa, paa, chacha, sonia and me..:)

2009-11-27T01:23:00.000-08:00

It's a good experience being a working woman. You learn how to be on your toes. Managing the household chores and then managing to scurry off to office to reach on time is now a part of my routine. And then you work with deadlines, deal with all kinds of people; cranky oldies, ego-centric youngsters and also some extremely wacky artists and their tantrums. The local 'bhiya-log's are sometimes just too rigid to come out of their 'thilwai' as well. It's difficult to manage all these. But you also have your fun moments. Like when you have a funny guy walk into your cabin as your client and who would talk like an expert who knows every bit and would use all the jargon of your profession that he knows just to make an impression, you're in for a good laugh, of course after he leaves.

But yes, the self-confidence that you get at the end of each day, gives you quite an energy to strike back the next day with a better performance and force; at both the fronts -your office and your home. i hope the energy doubles after the third front arrives - kids. it's a huge task in itself, looking after them.

2009-11-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

i had a small informal presentation at a Rotary Club meeting last weekend on the theme of women empowerment..and though the main attraction for the audience was AN (Adrashya Nari), an hour before the presentation i thought of preparing a small teaser before starting off with the actual highlight. Good that i was carrying my laptop!

Posting it here for my friends who weren't present at the meeting...

(Note - The images used have been taken from the internet, except a few originals from AN.. )

really funny videos..

2009-11-11T03:16:00.000-08:00

LONDON DREAMS MOVIE REVIEW

2009-11-03T04:47:00.000-08:00

The movie had me all seated in an almost jam-packed theater in PVR yesterday for it had my sightly Salman laughing, frolicking and driving everyone crazy with his signature style on the big screen..and after Wanted, i guess the fans would promise yet again to be faithful to him as long as their Salman-hungry appetite are appeased this way.

Well, apart from Salman the movie had a plot similar to what each one of us might have experienced or might be experiencing at least once..may be not of as huge a magnitude as that, but we'll have it or have had it already to our lives.

Arjun has a dream and believes that God is eliminating the barriers between him and his goal, signaling His special blessing on him. While Arjun (Ajay Devgan) believes that he's destined to succeed and sees a crazy crowd cheering him on in his dreams , he seems to have misread God's omen and unknowingly writes the success story of his friend "Mannu" (Salman) instead, on the pages of history in place of himself where he duly deserves to be present as the protagonist. He sees the morning of his success but not without Mannu's silhouette rising in the way of him and the rising sun and to add more agony to his life, loses his lady love too to his friend. Frustrated, he 's hell-bent to see Mannu out of his way but fails to do so. By the time he realises what he's done, Mannu is already a star.

The movie entertained us but more than that, it indicated in its own small way, the biggest truth of mankind we need to be reminded of again - Even God surrenders before what He has written Himself for us - the blueprint of Destiny!

Food for thought - What if u were at Arjun's place? Would you have reacted deviously in the same way as him? or would have chosen to become a silent spectator of the strange game of destiny? Think over it.

2009-10-21T02:27:00.000-07:00

Just as i wanted to share so much with my friends, family and relatives, i was keeping away from the internet for the work in office and the work at home.. But here are the glimpses of what i had been up to this month..

On Sanskar's Brithday at Sayaji..

Saas-bahu aur Karva-chaut!

My first "karva-chaut" i celebrated with elan, the bright moon and decorations galore...

Pictures of yearly "havan", conducted to ward off evil and bring happiness to the home. This year me and my husband were at the helm of this yearly ritual and it seemed like we were marrying each other all over again!..

my mother-in-law carefully helping me don the "kakan-dora", a compulsory adornment for the newly weds during pooja..

tired after a hectic day in office..:(

Our Story in Times of India, Mumbai on 4th of Oct, 2009..Thanks to Radhika for publishing..

2009-10-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

While surfing for the 'how-to' mannuals, i bumped into two interesting sites. Thought to share -

Wikihow - answers to all your 'how-to' queries..click the link, (Wikihow) type the keyword into the search engine and get umpteen 'how-to' manuals related to the keywords...

& Buzzle .com- interesting news stories and articles covering everything from animals to tourism.

International Festival to be held in Indore

2009-10-02T01:12:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share the news with friends and colleagues -

(Courtesy - Hindustan Times)

The commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, Indore, will host the first 'Global Film Festival' to be organised in the city on the lines of Goa Film Festival from October 8-15.

During the festival, important national and international fame films will be exhibited and the best film, best actors and actresses will also be honoured for their good work, official sources said on Thursday.

The state has number of prominent religious, tourism and natural spots where film making process can be encouraged, the minister said.

The meeting also decided to invite national and international fame film personalities for taking part in the festival.

The Culture Secretary has already held a discussion with cinema halls and hotel owners in Indore in this regard and discussed modalities for showcasing the event, the sources added.

For any further information (hotel bookings, visitor's guide etc.) you can log on to -

http://www.indore360.com/portal/International-Film-Festival-Indore.html

'Wanted' movie review

2009-09-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

The reviews were mixed..some said it was yet another cheesy Bollywood masala flick, some thought it to be one of Salman's best! And after watching this full on msala action-comedy, i have no doubts agreeing to the latter of the two extreme opinions..the lovable protagonist of "Hum Apke Hain.." or "Judwa" or "Karan Arjun" has surely aged in his looks but when it comes to being Salman we've cherished ever since, he still does it with the same elan again and again and again..and we love him so much for that..don't we?

yes, the movie was a highly unrealistic-bollywood-ish kinds..a dozen hoodlums being thrashed to the ground by our brave hero in a single stunt, a desi inspector ogling at the heroine with immense devilish thirst in the eyes, a geeky yet international Don, a heroine, depressed in her search for love, still, changing her make-up and nail-paints every now and then in the worst of times..it's funny really..but yet we liked it all..and how! i never knew Prabhu Deva can don the director's hat so well!

The movie reminds us of the fact that at the end of the film when the audience come out of the movie-theater, they are least interested in carrying with them an emotional baggage of a heavy-duty drama or suspense..they sometimes want to feel lighter too. Cinema is all about entertainment for the general masses at least, may be not for the so-called "elite" or for the more serious ones..

i particularly liked the fact that the cut-away scenes were not the usual prolonged ones..they were short, funny, sweet and gave a sense of correlation of the happenings and the timing of their occurrences ..the introductory part of "Radhe" (the hero of the film) was a bit boring but then as the film proceeded with its mirch-masala and cheeni-thoda-sa-kum style, it went on to surge the adrenaline of the audience well glued-up in their seats..

the scene where the villain (Ghani Bhai) with a typical south-Indian accent, was taken captive by the police is hilarious..screenplay writer Shiraz Ahmed's job is surely commendable as even the dialogues, especially Salman's when he says - "jab main ek baar commitment kar deta hu toh uske baad main apne-aap ki bhi nahi sunta" (which is also the concluding line of the film), and the ones delivered by Vinod Khanna before he's shot by the "Gunda" in the film ,are extremely well constructed..

i couldn't believe that the guy who seemed to be so shy whenever he was asked to comment on a performance or give some suggestions or even introduce a guest on the small screen when i saw him judging the popular show "Boogie-Woogie" can be such a good director! Bravo to him and to the crew!

A productive week

2009-09-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

The week gone by reminded me of the Mumbai locals what with the time running at parallel speeds. By the time you realize you've just entered or rather been helplessly pushed by the swarm of people into your compartment, you're already at your destination; all tired and lost!..

My office work, people i met, decisions i made, everything was indeed a whirlpool of sorts!!

The most interesting part was when i met the most precious brand the creative world has gifted us - not "Liril" or "Lalitaji" or "Humara Bajaj", (the Bajaj campaign still gives us goose-bumps filling us with the feeling of pride and national integration!) but the creator of the legendary ads - Mr. Alyque Padamsee! His wit and child-like enthusiasm was unmatchable! I think this is the sign of all the creative geniuses - No matter how much the dusk clouds the colour of their eye, their heart still feels the bloom..

While addressing the students of a business school here in Indore, with ingenuity he spoke about entrepreneurship, "brandvertising" (an innovative nomenclature coined by him for the clever marketing of brands..where he explains that simply put, a great ad is the one which generates great sales..), about the history of the now national ad-anthems like "Liril", "humara Bajaj", "marzi hai aapki aakhit sir hai aapka", our very own "lalitaji" ..the ones which we associate our childhood with, about conducting FGDs (Focus Group Discussions) and much much more!!

Trust me, the next five hours with Mr. Padamsee were engagingly informative and thoughtfully insightful!! On a rathar informal note, after his speech i took his advice on my documentary film - "Adrashya Nari" and discussed how can it be better platformed, about the ethics of his "Fair and Handsome" ad campaign and the sensibilities of promoting the product in the Indian market and on our way to his destination - the indore airport, we discussed everything from women empowerment to Indian marriage system to his personal life experiences and so many other issues..and as we'd guessed he knew about almost everything under the sun!

Hid inspirational talks on Mahatma Gandhi, the young India and the advices on building brands and positioning was indeed contentful and detailed..his humourous narratives had us all rolling in the aisles! While seeing him off to the airport he handed me a boquet of flowers and wished us all good luck..

the experience was amazing and that of a lifetime! it was such a pleasure to meet the blue-eyed boy of the adworld! We love him for the everlasting impacts his cerative formations have left on us..they'll always remind us of our childhoods and will remain in our hreats forever.

Assi jaisi koi nahin!!

2009-08-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER

There's a child in each one of us. And this post comes in the wake of unleashing the child and killing time on the internet, not writing sensible posts but working with this uncanny makeover machine!
All right..i know i have loads of work in hand - PhD thesis winding up, Office web-site content finalising and the routine household chores vying for my attention..i know dad..but juz did this wacky act to get my adrenaline flowing again ..and for what Rekha says in Khoobsurat - "Nirmal Anand"..:)..

So coming back to the makeover machine..n i got it churn out this "before" n "after" thingy..

And i pick-up the best -

Jeez! this makeover machine is for real!!...:)

CAKE RECIPE

2009-08-13T01:58:00.000-07:00

Many of my friends, (especially the "nudge-nudge-wink-wink" college spinsters to newly transformed adorable housewives) had been asking me about the recipe of the scrumptious chocolate cake i prepared last week at mom's place for a hen party, to share it with my "Framily" (Frenz and Family). So quite simply, i gave them the link of this page and at the same time thought of sharing this simple and time-saving recipe with my; as Amitabh Bacchhan popularly calls them in his blog, the "EFs" or Extended Family..:)..

There you go -

Ingredients -

2.25 bowls Wheat Flour
1 bowl Sugar
1 bowl Milk
1.5 bowl Curd
1.5 teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 teaspoon of Baking powder (Sodium Bi-carbonate, different from baking soda)
a pinch of salt
one-fourth slice of butter.
Flavour - chocolate syrup, vanilla or any other

Preparation -

Mix the ingredients n keep it for five minutes in the microwave..n Tada!! You have the recipe selling like hot cakes!!..:)

2009-08-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to Pa, Akash and Shilpa for the inevitable feedback in the previous posts..thank you so much guys..in fact Akash, i really liked your idea of circulating the pamphlets into the area..point taken! but in a happy turn of events, i contacted some reporters and the head of a daily newspaper and they extended a helping hand..they helped me out to contact the Parshad of the area as i was totally unaware of who to contact and at what number...So the in charge himself came to the area and the cleanliness measures have already begun..Fortunately people are also responding well to these measures in the wake of Swine Flu pandemic spread across the globe..21 suspects of the disease have already been identified in Indore itself! God save us!

2009-08-10T01:19:00.000-07:00

i tried calling nagar-nigam for the tremendous stray dogs in the area and the garbage..but to no avail...still hopes r high ..won't stop trying...let's see if i can work some way out..if you have some plan in mind, do let me know..but it would obviously need support from the other residences and my own people..

2009-08-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

it's the last Monday of the "Sawan Somvars" and the temple near our house is scintillating with colourful lights and lamps..and in fact it's not just the lights but the sound too seems to travel at equal speeds..the sound billowing out of loudspeakers, lashing out at unimaginable decibels actually seems to reach God quite conviniently, screeching the ordinary ears of human beings..interestingly the only thing to laugh off was the tunes on which the bhajans were being played..the famous tunes of "Pankh hote toh udd aati re..." from the movy Sehra and "tutak tutak..." picturised on i guess Neelam?? a movy buff like me can only think of Sandhya in her famous dance moves when i hear the tune..anyways, but i seriously think we really need to do something about the relentless rise in noise pollution..

kids, who come to play in the nearby garden even during the exams, are giving a scared expression on their faces..maybe they're wondering why the people from the surrounding residential area haven't turned up to shoo away the people (like they always do with them) making these screeching sounds at such ungodly hours....probably the kids are seeing the same people adding to the racket... n so they have turned to some peaceful place to frolic around..hopefully the noise would disappear when they return home...

2009-07-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

बातों से बातों तक

बातों से बिखरती कुछ नई बातें, उनमे से उल्हज्ती और उलझनों को सुलझाती हुई और बातें, अंगडाइयां लेती हुई सुबह-सी बातें, रात की गहराई नापती धुंधलाती बातें... युहीं बातों से बातों तक, उन सभी लम्हों को समेट कर मेरी आंखों ने इस झील के किनारे रख छोडा है..इन बातों को किनारों से उमड़ कर झील के शांत पानी पर लहराते देख रही हूँ ..उसी बातों के पानी से अपना चेहरा छूकर जब मैंने झील में झाँका तोः एक नही, दो चेहरे देखे, एक मेरा, एक तुम्हारा...

GIMME RED

2009-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my doc declared that my RBC count is a bit on a lower side and that was the reason for the weakness persisting since last couple of months she said...

and so i decided to work-out the reasons and solutions for this problem in which you can't really enjoy your day to day life and which affects your personal and professional life as well)...and share it with all my friends...after all -

"Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year."

- Franklin P. Adams

REASONS -

Anemia may occur as a result of bleeding (including internal), Hemolysis (The destruction or dissolution of red blood cells, with subsequent release of hemoglobin), kidney disease, leukemia (Any of various acute or chronic neoplastic diseases of the bone marrow in which unrestrained proliferation of white blood cells occurs, usually accompanied by anemia, impaired blood clotting, and enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen.), multiple myeloma(A malignant tumor formed by the cells of the bone marrow.), bone marrow failure, erythropoietin ( A glycoprotein hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells by stem cells in bone marrow. Produced mainly by the kidneys, it is released in response to decreased levels of oxygen in body tissue)deficiency, or deficiencies in iron, folate, vitamin B12, or vitamin B6.

SOME SOLUTIONS -

The diet should be predominantly alkaline. The em¬phasis should be on raw fruits and vegetables, which are rich in iron. Iron rich vegetables are spinach, green onions, squash, carrots, radishes, beets, celery, yams, tomatoes and potatoes (with jackets). Fruits which are rich in iron are bananas, apples, dark grape, apricots, plums, raisins and strawberries. Bananas are particularly beneficial as they also contain, besides easily assailable iron folic acid and b 12 both of which are extremely useful in the treatment of anemia. Other iron-rich foods are whole wheat, brown rice, beans, soyabeans, sunflower seeds, crude blackstrap molasses, eggs and honey.
Honey is also rich in copper, which helps in iron absorption.

The diet should also be adequate in proteins of high biological value such as milk, homemade cottage cheese and eggs.Vitamin B-12 is a must for preventing or curing anemia. This vitamin is usually found in animal protein and especially in organic meats like kidney and liver. A heavy meat diet is often associated with a high haemoglobin and high red cell count but it has its disad¬vantages. One cause of anaemia is intestinal putrefac¬tion, which is primarily brought on by a high meat diet.

Moreover all meats are becoming increasingly dangerous due to widespread diseases in the animals, which are slaughtered. There are however other equally good sources of vitamin b 12 such as dairy productsLike milk, eggs, cheese and peanuts, wheat germ and soyabean also contain some B 12. Vegetarians should include ade¬quate amount of milk, milk products and eggs in their diet. For prevention of anaemia it is essential to take the entire b complex range which includes B-12 as well as the natural foods mentioned above.

Eating lacto-ovo pro¬ducts which are complete proteins containing vitamin 8-12 is good insurance against the disease. A liberal in¬take of ascorbic acid is necessary to facilitate absorption of iron. At least two helpings of citrus fruits and other ascorbic acid rich foods should be taken daily.
Ention must be made of beets, which are extremely important in curing anaemia. Beet juice contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, iodine, iron, copper, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, B2, niacin, b6 C and vitamin p. With its high iron content beet juice regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells and supplies the body with fresh oxygen.

According to dr. Fritz keitel of Germany, "the juice of red beet strengthens the body's powers of resistance and has proved to be an excellent remedy for anemia, especially for children and teenagers, where other blood forming remedies have failed." The anaemic person should commence the dietary treatment by an exclusive fresh fruit diet for about five days. During this period, he should take three meals of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly interval. This may be followed by fruit and milk diet for about 15 days. In this regimen, the meals are exactly the same as for all-fruit diet, but with milk added to each fruit meal.

The patient may begin with two pints the first day and increase by half a pint daily up to four or five pints a day, after the fruit and milk diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet based on three basic food groups, namely seeds, nuts and grains vegetables and fruits.

TREATMENT CHART FOR ANAEMIA:

A - DIET
I. An all-fruit diet for five days. Take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly intervals and use warm water enema during this period.
II. Fruit and milk diet for further five days, adding milk to each fruit meal.
III. Thereafter, adopt the following diet: -

1. Upon arising: 25 black raisins soaked overnight in water along with water in which they are soaked and the water kept overnight in a copper vessel.
2. Breakfast:Fresh fruit, a glass of milk sweetened with honey and some nuts, especially almonds.

3. Lunch:A bowl of freshly prepared steamed vegetables, two or three whole wheat wheat tortilla, butter and a glass of buttermilk.

4. Mid-afternoon:A glass of carrot or apple juice

5. Dinner:A large bowl of fresh green vegetable salad and alfalfa or green gram bean sprouts. Note:An exclusive fruit diet for three days, followed by fruit skimmed milk diet for further three days should be repeated at regular intervals. It is advisable to avoid meats, sugar, white flour, tea, coffee, refined and processed foods, soft drinks, fried foods, condiments and pickles.

B - OTHER MEASURES:1. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water.

2. Cold water bath twice daily, cold friction and wet abdomen pack once daily.

3. Massage once a week.

4. Brisk walks, yogic asanas, breathing exercises, fresh air and sunbath.

5. Adequate rest and sleep.

and for a healthy person not suffering from any such disease here's a list of items in a balanced diet -

According to your height your ideal body should not be more than 47-48 kg. That means you need to lose the extra 17-18 kg which you have gained. Don’t aim to lose all this weight in a time span of just 30 days. It might be possible but it is not advisable.

Try to lose 1kg per week that makes to 4 kg per month. Remember weigh loss is a gradual process where diet and exercise goes hand in hand, stress on any one aspect will lead you no where, leaving you with a feeling of discouragement.Follow these simple tips to lose weight – Eat small meals at frequent intervals. Avoiding both starving and binging. E

at slowly, that gives our body time to tell us that it is full before we've eaten more than we need.Avoid simple sugars and processed carbohydrates. Choose whole cereals or whole wheat products and avoid white flour and its products as far as possible. Eat healthy, mostly unprocessed foods, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and limited amounts of lean animal protein. This also includes fiber in your diet which makes you feel full soon and also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

Consume at least 8-9 servings of fruits and vegetables including 1 green leafy vegetable daily. Eating salads is a healthy option, but don’t replace your meals only with salads, and be careful with salad dressings, mayonnaise, and other condiments that are high in fat content. They greatly increase the calorie count and can negate the healthy aspects of a meal. Avoid too much of deep fried, oily or fried foods. Include good proteins in the form of pulses, sprouts, milk, eggs, fish, and lean meats or de skinned chicken.

The most important nutrient that is always forgotten is water. Drink sufficient water daily to keep yourself well hydrated. Keep in mind ‘fat free’ or ‘sugar free’ products do not mean calorie free. Make sure to read the food labels before any food item you consume. Be an aware customer.Physical activity or exercise is a very important criterion to remain fit and lose weight. Just a simple brisk walk for 40-45 minutes or stretching exercises for lower body will help. Exercise makes it possible to create a calorie deficit and lose weight without starving your body and slowing your metabolism.

Most of the people already know it all but they hardly implement in the diet..i am trying to do it though..hope i succeed..

2009-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

my previous post and the responses it gathered, egged me on to post some insights regarding the facts of being balanced and at the same time being creative..

our creative geniuses like Eienstien, Shakespear and others were highly balanced individuals!!

Eienstien himself stated once -

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”..and it was this attitude of his of always being on the move to keep his BALANCE working, that made him what he's known for..

in a management training program called "a balanced mind" that i was a part of, it was taught that a fully active and balanced brain adds energy and creativity to the individual, which is a necessary ingridient of a successful leader and that only a balanced mind can think of some creative or rational solution to a given problem.

2009-06-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Got to meet Mr. Shyam Benegal in a recent inaugural ceremony of Cinevision Film Club in Indore. in spite of so many questions being asked, .some sensible, some tacky, he was very patient in fielding all of them with great maturity..

i fortunately got a chance to raise a query. ..i asked him how he managed to arrange for the finances for the art films he has devoted most of his career to...he said that though after toiling with the initial phase and so many years later in the film industry, it is now not a big issue for him to manage for the finances..

later in the evening i managed to catch him in a rather informal mode and asked for his blessings for our new company and took his autograph/photograph on one of my favorite books on poetry, which includes some of my compositions too...:)

Beware or you might fall!

2009-06-03T00:46:00.000-07:00

Life makes us encounter many crossroads, all bevy with carrots dangling to attract the traveller. And overloaded with extreme emotions, we might choose the wrong way. But there's a saviour, a solution which disentangles the confusion of choosing the right path.. and that according to me is BALANCE. It is what we lose to gain nothing and what we gain to lose nothing..We all are leading our lives in different ways but one thing is shaping our lives consistently in a particularly distructive manner; and that is IMBALANCE..

We all must strive to maintain an equilibrium..because it is actually the elixir of our lives, the guru-mantra for dematerialising all our pains..

Some, like my husband Sanskar, have it by birth...he has the capability to keep his cool in even extreme situations and doesn't let the situation hang his head in sorrow...I am learning this art from him...as most of the time in life we need to shed our egos, deal with our anger and project a calm and composed self to the society..It's bad to lose our temper and suffer drastic consequences. .It's better to deal with it and choose a greener life instead..

2009-05-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

आज यू लगा कि जैसे सर के बल खड़े होकर दुनिया देख रही हू...इतने दिनों से जो तेज़ धूप ने कमरे की खिड़कियाँ बंद करने को मजबूर कर रखा था आज उसी धूप ने मानो दुनिया देखने का नजरिया बदलने की ठान रखी हो...सूखी ज़मीं पर बूंदे पहले भी गिरी है, मगर आज बूंदे गिरते ही ज़मीं नहीं मुस्कुरायी...पहले एक, फिर दो, फिर कई सारी बूंदों ने मिलकर ज़मीं को मनाने कि बहुत कोशिश की..पर ज़मीन थी की मुस्कुराई तक नहीं...शायद इस बार तेज़ धूप ने जो तबाही मचाई थी, उन चंद बूंदों की मनुहार से धरती कहाँ मानने वाली थी....धूप भी क्या करती, उपर से आये हुक्म की तामील जो करनी थी...

वो खुशबू आज भी मन में समाई है, जो पहली बारीश की बूंदे मेरे कमरे की खिड़की पर दस्तक देकर बिखेर जाती थी....फिर मानो इशारे से छत पर बुलाया करती ...माँ की रसोई के लिए बिखरे पापड़ जो छत पर सूखा करते थे, वो तक जलने के बजाय, भीगना ज्यादा पसंद करते ...इसीलिए मैं उन्हें समेटती नहीं... युही रखे रहने देती...माँ जल्दी-जल्दी सीढियां चढ़ती, चिल्लाते हुए की "अरे पापड़ समेटे या नहीं?? कपडे फिर गीले हो जाएँगे...सब समेट कर नीचे ले आ"...नीचे तोः मैं ले आती सब समेट कर, मगर उस समेटे हुए सामान में, पहली बारिश की ख़ुशी और माँ की प्यारी सी डांट को न मानने की शरारत छुपी होती थी...

आज माँ से फ़ोन पर बात करुँगी, कहूँगी की माँ मैं जल्दी तुझसे मिलने आउंगी, तोः शायद प्यासी धरती मान जाये और फिर उसी खुश्बू के साथ सबको महका दे....

my birthday present...

2009-05-14T08:30:00.001-07:00

There are a few things money can't buy and for every such thing there's love, dedication and hard work! My this year's birthday present was an amalgamation of all these...My sister sketched in a lovely collage of sorts, me in my different states of childhood and youth...a simple white piece of cloth was transformed into a metaphor for the days i spent in my maiden home, with mom, dad, cha n sonia...the time frozen on this piece is a special one for me...

the wrapper doodled by her with a lovely piece of thought...

hand-made accessories again gifted by Sonia...

a sweet greeting card telling me how grilling and torturing it was for her to be in the Que of the shop to buy the card for me n funnily she says in the end that she had to steal it...:)

Thanks sis for the cutest gift ever!

2009-04-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

There's some strong connection between me and the enchanting Rajasthan that renders me awestruck whenever i visit the place. i have been to Udaipur twice earlier, one was our school trip and another one was when i visited with my family when we also hit the roads to Pushkar, the only place to have a Brahma temple.

This time, it was an unplanned visit to Udaipur, which inspired me to make more planned visits to the city, what with its beautiful lakes, palaces and museums. the antic artifacts and the traditional architectural heritage gives you a feeling of pride of being a part of this culturally so rich state of India. there's so much to see, to know and to seep into that you just can't get enough of it..the more you try to dig your fingers into the soft surface of history, the more invaluable treasure you're likely to get, so to say.

As we got through our Nathdwara trip quite ahead of time (where me and my husband had to go to revere Lord Krishna's avatar, Shreenathji, our diety, to follow the family tradition), we decided to move around in Udaipur, around 50 kilometers from Nathdwara.

The hotel we stayed into was build in a very conventional style and it was quite an entertainment to cherish the sights of Jag Madir and Lake Palace hotel (where the actor Raveena Tondon tied the knot), from the hotel rooftop.

Here are some pics we clicked of the hotel room and the Udaipur museum.

The cosy extension of the room which served as a dining room and also did well for a tea-time family conversation..in the picture, me and my mother-in-law.

My brother-in law retiring in an airy corner after a long travel by road from Indore to Udaipur...

A huge Rajasthani turban, an exhibit of traditional culture of Mewar..

the couture of the Royals..

Sanskar, fascinated by the mannequins surrounding him...mimicking the girly expression of delight after seeing so many costumes around...:)

Topi wala Tansen...

trying to wake-up the dead souls...

an array of photographs exhibiting Udaipur in the past 100 years...my father-in law intensely admiring the pics...

saasu maa getting a first-hand experince of working with the old equipments of the kitchen that made history..

valentine's gift...

2009-03-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

though i am quite late to post this, but this is what i created for my first Valentine, Sanskar..:)

2009-03-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

me with my Grandmother-in-law....

Today on the occasion of Gangaur, i tried designing a mehandi on my left hand as the professional designers were busy with overwhelming appointments in their parlour....everyone in the family liked what i decorated my hand with.... i stole the moment of completion of my design to pride myslef on my instinctive creativity inherited by my Grandmom and Mom and the contagious talent droped religuously on me by the presence of my super-creative sis...i just said to myslef - "itana toh mere khoon main hi hain..."..and i stuck my nose up in the air...:)

my right hand flaunted the innocent doodling of my sweet li'l sister-in-law Sakshi...she very fondly wrote "S8" and "SA" for the first alphabets of the members of the family and "SA" for "Sonia and Abhinav"...how thoughtful and cute!

me before the pooja...

THE BIG FAT INDIAN TAMASHA

2009-03-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER

The thoughts expressed in the following article is just the opinion of the writer, gathered on the basis of her personal experience..the article does not intend to offend the sensitivities of readers in any case..

Indian weddings are extravagant..not only in their financial avatar but also in terms of tradition...weddings are made in heaven and their celebration on earth is grandiose, especially with the Indians..so much so that i feel the Wedding Gods can't escape with any alibi for not showering their blessings on us...

the condition of the 'Var' n 'Vadhu' (bride n the bridegroom) is worth a watch while tying the knot..especially if they are well exposed to the westernized patterns Indian youth has taken to...it's a hard nut to crack for them..and the worst part is they haven't got a clue about what exactly is the significance of the grill they're going through...but because they respect their elders they just sail through the river of rituals...

maybe i am not being generalised...but this is what happened a few months back when i walked down the aisle...i have been thinking of writing this post since then...but didn't get to..

Now u might say that i am a feminist..n i might accept the rubric with a cold-soulder, but even a pious platitude which involves talking down to a woman, is enough to get me started...

i was following all the rituals with a frozen expression of bewilderment and enchanting the word "respect" loud n clear in my heart, because though i felt like getting out in the open air n BREATHE, i was stuck with this 'traditional' thing and it was getting to me..it reached the hieghts when i was told to touch the feet of an unknown woman, who initially seemed like a patient who can't stand up on her feet to give her blessings to the 'Vadhu'..on analysing closely, it struck to my mind that she wasn't really ill or anything, but it was believed that "Goddess Durga" has entred her human body...she was shivering furiously as her eyes rolled in half-consciousness...i got so scared that i jolted back in shock but gathered my senses when i understood what was going on there...the second jolt was from the other side..the lady pushed me through my forehead and i was instructed to obey her..a few seconds later she got up and walked away as if nothing had happened!

Sometimes i wonder how 'females' and 'restrictions' go hand-in hand..and sometimes in a Catch-22 state of respect and freedom, women end up accepting the former...as it is only out of respect that they follow the rules in place of breaking them..they respect their parents, their society and their people...and unluckily their education can't free them off this dilemna...being a PhD myself and having documented a film on women education i know that for a woman, surviving on a less trodden path of being on her own calls for a lot of mental strength and education..but when she follows the regular course of life of getting educated and getting married, she has to learn to sacrifice...in some cases, just a little but in others, a lot..

education can't really give them the the freedom they used to enjoy in their maiden home..as some insensible traditions cut their wings and kill their time.....it's good to have restrictions, rules, chekpoints...but what disappoints me is the fact that most of these apply only to women...while women have grown up to embrace the growing culture of donning the hats of bread-earners and housewives simultaneously, men are still the same..just the earners...

sad, that this golden era too is witnessing the bias with men...in spite of the fact that women are the ones driving the society ahead ..they're the leaders as they've always been, even better...while the women (no matter how educated or modern she calls herself) is required to cover her head while touching the feet of her in-laws, her man can roam around in bermuda shorts in front of his father-in law...

today on the ocassion of 'Holi-Dassa' , i was required to fast and forgo the salty foods for the day..though i am not in favour of fasting and have never done it before but because i love and respect the people i am staying with, i decided to give it a try...i performed the 'pooja-path', with 'kakan-dora' (customary two-piece cloth tied together with a knot, the pink cloth representing the husband whose presence was not at all required)..the pooja requires the "vadhu" taking seven rounds of a tree, offering kuku, haldi n chawal to the Tree God and then getting out of the mandir and repeating the same process in the open ..the sad part is the place where women were performing the ritual was surrounded by stray dogs and pigs roaming in and around the temple..i wonder how Gods feel pleased in seeing their children perform such unhygenic 'pooja' and starving themselves..

lots of blessings and good wishes to the person who introduced blogging to the virtual world...it's a nice place to vent-out the emotions and frustrations while also sharing it with a lot of known and unknown worlds, sitting at a cosy corner in the comfort of your room..

Super Saas!!

2009-03-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Hails to my Super-Saas, the Saas of all Saasus, who in spite of being bed-ridden, still manages to sway generations with the commandment in her voice..with an oxygen cylinder always beside her bed, no body can dare to loaf around her or else he or she is in for a good rebuke...

i sincerely salute her efforts in keeping a home the way it should be...it's a rare view to see joint families in the society these days and making the people residing in it stick together is even more arduous..But my Daadi-Saas is the glue that has kept the people of the family together..and the sceret behind her energy and alertness is the very strong will that resides in her 24 X 7, to see her people together..she uses her experiences to solve problems, not only of the family but even of the outiders..

in most of the houses these days we see old people vying for attention but her authority is such that she's never alone..people want to be with her, look after her, because everyone, including the kids understand that she's the wizard, the centripetal-force that attracts discipline and togetherness in the family..

i hope this force exists in all the families, joint or nulclear...

2009-03-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

पीला मकान

मुझे याद है बचपन में जब नानी के यहाँ हमारी बच्चा पार्टी मामाजी के आम के खेत जाया करती थी, उनकी एक बैलगाडी में बैठ क़र .. तो बड़ा मज़ा आया करता था..मामाजी सारे बच्चो को धूप से बचाने के लिए सफ़ेद कपडे के स्कार्फ बच्चो के सरो पर बाँध दिया करते थे..रूहफ्ज़ा की एक बोतल हम अपने पास रख लेते थे और रास्ते भर अन्ताक्षरी खेलते हुए खेत पहुंचते थे..वहा पहुँचते ही नज़ारा देखने लायक होता था..ढेर सारे आम के पेड़ ही पेड़..दोपहर की उजली धूप, और आम के रंग से ऐसा मालूम होता था की पूरे खेत पर किसीने पीला कलर ढोल दिया हो..ऐसे मैं जब हम किसी आम के पेड़ के नीचे जाकर अपना घर से पैक किया हुआ पाँच खनो वाला खाने का डब्बा खोलते थे तो टीफ़ीन में रखी सब्जी में भी आम की खुशबूं समां जाया करती थी..घर पर आने के बाद ऐसा लगता था मानों सारे बच्चो ने कोई आम की खुशबू का परफ्यूम अपने उपर लगा लिया हो॥

अब समय का चक्र घूमा है..नानी के यहाँ ज़्यादा आना-जाना नही हो पाता...ओंर वैसे भी आज आम के स्वाद में वो रस नही आता जितना नानी के गाँव में हुआ करता था..क्यूंकि उन फलो में नानी का प्यार, मामाजी की देख-रेख और मामी के हाथों की आत्मीयता हुआ करती थी..शायद इसीलिए इतने आम बच्चे आसानी से हजम भी कर लेते थे॥ :)..

बचपन की उसी याद को ताज़ा करने के लिए हमने इस बार अपने घर को पीला कलर दिया..जिससे देख एक बार तोह हमारे घर के पडोस में रहने वाले सिन्धी अंकल भो सोच में पड़ गए..की इस कलर की तारीफ़ की जाए या चुप-चाप हस के अंदर चला जाए..लोग घर का रंग देख अलग-अलग तरह की बातें करते है..लेकिन ये पीला मकान अब कभी भी नानी के उस दुलार की कमी महसूस नही होने देगा..हम सब को..:)

Sonia's wedding

2009-03-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

My favourite couple....

Sonia in her sasural..conducting all the rituals very comfortably..contrary to her 'tom-boyish' image..:)

My wedding..

2009-03-04T08:08:00.001-08:00

A function called "Maira" conducted by the Mama party...

mehandi...

at the reception..

2009-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

My sincere apologies for being absent on this blog for a long time. But finally after a long sabbatical, i am back to blogging. Was busy dealing with some essential changes in life - good and bad both. Past few months have actually been a 'whirlpool of sorts' to me.

I got married.

These three words sound strange to me, as i still imagine myself in a tee and a pair of pajamas sitting wid my laptop in my room, and just when i am about to catch a wink, my mom enters the scene with a hot cup of tea and i am kick-started for the rest of the day. She used to run after me day n night to eat properly, to take my medicines on time if i am not well, in spite of me shouting at her sometimes for distracting me from my work. she used to take all that. Maa is a Maa after all. but i had to grow up one day. "girls" have to grow up one day. Boys can be the way they are all through their life. in fact, more so. because now they have another woman to look after them, pamper them, run after them, find their socks, serve food, oil massage their hair and what not.

just until a few days back chacha and Paa fulfilled all of my useless wants from purchasing cosmetics for me to listening to my nonsense blabber in spite of being tired. i was the "star" of my house.

it's so difficult for a girl to don so many different hats and more difficult is to switch so quickly from one role to another. these days i play the role of a "star's" wife, as my husband is the star of the house. i don't mind playing a second fiddle. But i was so much used to the attention and pampering in my maiden home that sometimes i miss that, terribly.

the second most important event of my life was seeing my sister walking down the aisle. i couldn't believe my eyes, when i saw her in a traditional outfit, trying to handle her saree, and all the bridal get-up she was decked up in. though everyone knows that daughters have to grow-up one day and leave their maiden homes and lead an entirely new life in a transition of just a day or two, we all still want to forget the day of her 'bidaai' and wish to delay this forceful rule of the society to eternity.

in the posts above are a few glimpses of the events happened in the past few months...

my rangoli

2008-11-02T02:41:00.000-08:00

diwali preparations left me n mom tired n this time because my wedding ceremony too is aproaching fast, we had shed-loads of work on at the moment..i hardly had time to even draw a rangoli; a ritual Sonia and I never skipped to perform especially on the Diwali day...and because this was my last Diwali pooja that i attended with mom, dad n chacha, I went on to draw an effortful rangoli design..n though the hasty diwali morning this year lead me to move in a sluggish manner i decided to take the plunge...

2008-10-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

I remember the days when Sonia n I as kids used to await dusshera holidays with a lot of enthusiasm..there was a defiant sense of victory that surged through our veins to see the huge effigy of Ravana being burnt to ashes with other two effigies of Meghanath and Kumbakarna being set aflame by the actor dressed as Rama, by shooting an arrow into Ravan's navel. It was so much fun! when we couldn’t see the Ravana in the crowd due to our short heights, our Chacha, whom we’re very fond of, used to help us climb any nearby ‘thela’ (handcart) so that we could see the huge idol with big moustaches stand with false pride at the centre of the ‘maidaan’ (ground), with his other two aides..sonia used to ask me with her innocent expressions, “didi Ram kab marega Ravana ko?” (when will Rama kill Ravan?)..

Then, there was just a naïve fear of whether Ram would be able to kill Ravan or not..though every grown-up knew that it’s just a celebration n it will happen the way it is supposed to be..but quite paradoxically, as we grew up, we realized that the fear has only grown..and mercilessly..

It has intruded on every individual’s life and taken the ugly face of terrorism time and again..just like the fierce Ravan reappears every year representing the evil, the innumerable Ravanas, roaming around the streets, hiding behind the camouflage of being a common man, waiting for the massacre with their life-hungry eyes and ogling at the unseen havoc they want to target..their living takes to death and they die taking lives..what do they get?..probably ‘nirvana’ or whatever they’re being taught in the so-called secular schools where probably one of the teachings asks to take pride in being a terrorist..

Public gatherings today are best avoided as they are the hot-spots for terror-strikes..dushhera today is just another cyclic-celebration of the Hindu calendar..in today’s terror-tainted times, the festival seems to have lost its relevance somewhere down the alley of time..this also reminds me of Neeraj Pandey’s thriller ‘A Wednesday’ I saw a few days back..where a common man challenges the law and targets the jailed ‘jihadis' and the pulverised Mumbai cops who seem to be on bended knees when it comes to an effective counter-terror policy..i think this is what every common man will take to, once the tolerance level exceeds its decent limits..
Even if we dare to step out of our homes to satisfy our desire of being a part of this festive season and see how the city is performing the ritual, all we could see is the faces with tense expressions and celebrations wrought with anxiety…hats off to those spirited ones who without caring a damn, zestfully make the effigies and welcome the festivals in an aboriginal style..
Two of my very dear friends, celebrated this dusshera somewhat like this to compensate for their absence in India..:)

hahahaha...

2008-10-13T22:08:00.001-07:00

As we proceed with enough razzmatazz about the generation Y, few of the self-imposed perceptions of the Indian society remain unchanged..Yesterday mom was just telling me to clean my room..quite casually she said “humare ghar ka kaam kar le phir toh tere sasural chali jayegi kuch dino main..” n she just laughed it off…I just said “haan mom, ye aapka ghar, wo sasural, mera toh koi ghar hi nahi hai na?”..going by those grave expressions on my face, mom took a break from her dusting regime, came close to me and fondly stroke my hair, and said “arre waise bhi toh betiyan parayi hoti hai, isme nai baat kya hai?” she walked away...the scenes which I used to enjoy in ekta kapoor’s serial were happening live in front of me, in my own home..it was very strange…sach hai…it’s a male dominated society after all! Still.

Shades of grey…

2008-09-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

I thought of introducing these shades a few months back on my blog’s first anniversary in May, but was waiting for just the right time. With the wonderful turn of events, I am thrilled up to my rolling eyeballs to happily introduce you to these mesmerizing shades…The shades of grey…and what do they represent? Well, to me they are tranquility and mental peace, like the beautiful night that follows when the setting sun bids adieu in a million hues and the waters of the lakes glisten in twilight..it is when the full moon hangs bright and round and your eyes hold a distant gaze of dreams and hope in ceremonial dignity..Life is still a whirlpool of sorts but with a different mix of colors..

On this Friendship day....

2008-08-03T00:20:00.000-07:00

i finally bid goodbye to Mumbai…I never liked the city..i hated the humidity, the crowd, the incessant chasing of dreams by thirsty souls…quite paradoxically, this place has taken a lot out of me but has yet given me so much..there is a certain bond that I developed with this place in just a few months. I feel desolated to leave it..i left my friends and family behind in Indore (especially my mom..i have never stayed away from her for so long..) to make it big in Bombay..but I am not going empty handed..i succeeded in making even a bigger bond of friendship nevertheless, with some amazing people here..life has come a full circle for me…:)

Divya, earlier a FOAF, now, an extremely good friend of mine, has been an inspiration..her talent of dealing with people and the power of convincing others is worth watching..i somehow have a lot of ego hassles which come in my way of handling individuals..good I didn’t become a Human Resource Manager or something…big beal! Anyways, I’ll miss her a lot and i’ll miss her scolding while stopping me from buying nonsense stuff for myself ..juz like my mom.. she knows better what looks good on me..it rarely happens that I strike a chord with someone in such a short time…with all the potential to become a good director, I wish her all d luck in life..

Anant sir…ahem…my senior in EMRC and now a director and finally a friend.. Short-tempered..(I am scared of him on the sets as he’s totally a different person there)…but I’ll miss him for he’s always been very caring towards me..gave me work wen I was searching for some…I gave many auditions, but did not get any response..chote-level per hi sahi, but he kick-started my career..i’ll always be thankful to him for that and who knows maybe if I become a big star tomorrow, then maybe I can consider thanking him in one of my Oscar acceptance speeches!..:)..:)..i’ll also miss his cute habit of miss pronouncing certain words like calling one of the assistants “Santose” (in stead of “Santosh”)..n shouting his name like that without realizing it while walking across the sets..

i'll miss these guys..

that apart, I promise to myself that this is not the end of the road..i am not leaving my career and no way I am giving up..this beginning will continue without a break..:)

2008-07-18T00:02:00.001-07:00

2008-07-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there’s an indescribable reason for happiness, but sometimes you know exactly why this fabulous state of ecstasy has struck your being. For me the reason is the biggest episode in a woman’s life..that of finding the best life partner for herself..i have found one and the poetic side of me has given the following words to this state of mind…

The strongest of trances
Is the fascination of your charms,
The only fantasy I have is
Finding recluse in your arms

The fear of loneliness
Has faded in obscurity
The joy of togetherness
Is drizzling with purity

Now you n I have come so close
What heart can feel
Through eyes it flows

If destiny has chosen
To bring us together
The destiny will see us
Being so forever

Let’s hear what they say,
The beatings of our heart;
They say we’ll be this way
Till death do us apart..

2008-07-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Watch out for our new show 'Gorgeous You', on Care World TV..

2008-07-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Life’s gooood!!

Leaving the note of Love
The wind wheezed in my ears
It asked to spread the magical fervor
Wiping out the tears

I now follow the message of love
The wisdom left for me
The sweet nothings the sky whispers
To the wind wild and free..

(sorry for not posting anything for a long time...i have been going a li'l busy...shoots, scripts, shopping, PhD and a lot of daydreaming..:)..life is treating me well n i am liking the journey so far..)

2008-06-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

THE SECRET..

http://www.thesecret.tv/

I think I am coming very close to knowing ‘the secret’..knowing it in the real sense..it’s one thing to read or just listen to it and admire…but it’s another to actually follow it..

If you know what ‘the secret’ is, (if u’ve gone through the link, u wld knw what I am talking about) there are chances that you too are in the same turmoil of uneasy thoughts as many others, where you sometimes just can’t help but attract negative emotions to yourself, only to later regret it..but I guess it is a matter of practice..because if u know what exactly the secret is, you will also try to know how to follow it.. i am following it and I think it works!

Just to give u an example, sometime back, one of dad’s colleagues (Geeta Mohan mam, who now is a very special person of my life and a lady I admire a lot), whom I went to meet for my research work, gave me the CD of the film…after a few days of seeing the film, when I went back to return the CD to her, I just happened to tell her that I am going to my hometown for sometime to celebrate my birthday n my mom n dad’s marriage anniversary too. Hearing that she said I’ll give you something as a gift for ur birthday. She got up and promptly took out a small murti of Gautam Buddha and handed it to me…she said this will bring you a lot of luck and happiness..the moment I took that murti in my hands, I felt very happy and greatful..i don’t know, it just appeared to me that this small murti is actually going to bring a lot of luck and happiness to my life…maybe it was because of the impact of the film I saw just a few days back…n I thought maybe this feeling will disappear after sometime…but it didn’t…i kept feeling happy for just about everything i came across and in just two days an extremely beautiful thing happened to my life…actually, LIFE itself happened to me!!..i met the man of my life…:)

But it’s even more fulfilling if u make it an on-going process…u’ve to keep practicing it to paint a colorful rainbow on this empty canvas of life..

Yes, the Law of Attraction works..only if u know how to make it work!!!

(Special thanks to my sis who keeps me awakened throughout this journey of following the law)

2008-05-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

A feminine look to a life gives you a clear picture – a happy family, a beautiful partner and a well-settled life.. a masculine look stresses on the ‘MORE’ syndrome - nothing is enough.. life’s always tough that ways…

but when it comes to decision making, I go with the feminine approach towards life..maybe because that comes naturally to me..not that girls are not tougher than the boys..but they are more emotionally charged…maybe that is why when it came to me for making a life changing decision, I took the plunge with an effervescent ‘yes’, when asked to make a choice between a beautiful family life and a career life studded with professional barnburners…
I trust God and I know He’s given much more than what I had asked for..I am happy with my decision; on cloud nine..:)

Encore for AN..

2008-04-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

dude!! this is amazing!! our docu, AN (Adrashya Nari) bags another Best documentary award in Filmsaaz '08!!

check out the link - http://www.filmsaaz08.com/

THREE CHEERS TO THE "INVISIBLE WOMAN" TEAM...HIP HIP HURRAY!! x3

2008-03-19T22:33:00.001-07:00

MY DAD WITH mR. AMIR KHAN..:)

When i told some people that i am planning to direct a film, they laughed it out saying "you're so shy and direction needs a certain smartness that you lack. you better give up the idea. it's not your cup of tea." But there were some real gems around who supported my idea and promised to join me in my project and my maiden effort of making an independent documentary as a director. with their blessings and support i addressed the root cause of so many major problems that India is facing today - lack of women education and empowerment. the true story of the girls of a village in Madhya Pradesh inspired me to work on the concept and after a heart-wrenching experience of a 5 day stay with the girls, i came to know many shocking incidences that still pervades the country - female foeticide being the most terrible one. i NEVER EVER imagined even in my dreams that just a few kilometers away from my home, where i live a life like a princess, there could be a place where girls are toyed with and are sexually objectified and some are even not allowed to step into this beautiful world!! we have read this, heard about it, but i witnessed it through the innocent and tell tale eyes of the girls of Narlay..

And the fact that how beautifully the efforts of one man is stopping these cruelties gradually, is a subject of not just admiration but a subject which stirs the soul to wake up to this reality and contribute.

i salute the efforts of the man and my team, ESPECIALLY MY LIL SWEETHEART, MY SIS, for her support and for getting me all the applause and a tear-jerking response of an emotionally charged audience on some scenes in the film, when it was shown in the 16isto9 International Film Festival. the festival saw the entries from the countries like US, UK, Cannada, China, Egypt and Sweden. From India there were entries from around 150 colleges. My film titled "Adrashya Nari" (Invisible Woman), got Silver for the Best Documentary (non-fiction) film. It was a star-studded event and the evening of the final day saw the presence of superstar Amir Khan giving away the awards. My dad received the award on my behalf as i could not attend the function due to my mom's ill-health. But the pleasure to have my dad receive the award was more than what i could have got if i was there on the stage.

It was an evening i'll always remember..:)

2008-03-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

I was completely bogged out yesterday evening..God knows why. Biorhythms maybe. i wanted to fight with someone and because my sis was not around i decided to fight it out with my room. i emptied my shelves, my closet, wardrobe evrything..n decided to transform a fit of rage into a fit of creativity..so this is what my room looked like.

and this is what i came up with....a wall-hanging for a friend..thanks to the 'Best out of Waste' competitions in the primary school i used to participate in..:)

2008-03-04T05:02:00.000-08:00

Princess Fiona for u...:)

Alive n kickin’!!!!

2008-02-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

Life is full of adventure. And this reminds me of the Smirnoff ad – “life is calling, where are you?” Like watching a bird spread its wings in the morning mist is an adventure, watching a small puppy getting wet in the rain and then picking it up and hiding it in your jacket is an adventure, going on a shopping spree and then getting panic attacks on seeing the bill is an adventure; life is a bundle of excitement!! You need not be a travel freak or an ‘MTV Roadies’ participant to be labeled ‘adventurous’. If you are alive, you are adventurous.

OK, Let me guess, what was the biggest adventure of my life..Yes. It was undoubtedly the time when my sister was born. Well actually, it was the beginning of a full-fledged adventure in its own right. And it was multi-faceted. It had love, drama, comedy and lots of action (sisterly dhiishhuum-dhiiisshhumm) in it. Haha.

But there were many more incidences when I felt life. To state a few, I’ll start with the one I experienced during my Pachmarhi trip. The place I along with 200 other girls went to was called “Reechgarh’ and was quite scary. We had to pass through a small but long & narrow passage through the caves and it was uncomfortable getting into it. We had to squat our ways through it and that without making any noise as we were told that there are wild animals around and we could awake the sleeping giants! There was total darkness out there and we could hardly breathe as there were too many people in the passage. Even after coming out we could see the huge caves threatening us to watch our ways. But I captured the entire experience in my cam and I enjoy watching the video whenever I feel life is becoming dull..it gives me a hint of much more excitement waiting to be discovered.

Another incidence was when I along with 5 of my friends planned a trip to a nearby water-park a couple of years ago. We were all charged up and obviously excited. I took my car and loved the empty road with just our car shining bright in the daylight. But on reaching the park we came to know it was under renovation and will be closed for a about month. None of us was in a mood to return home. So we decided to go to another place which was just a few kilometers (that is what we thought) ahead of the park. We went to the place, laughed, pottered around, got into the groove and totally forgot to look at our watches. When we did, we realized we were in a big trouble aur aaj humari waat lagne wali hai ghar per. We rushed to our car and zoomed away. But bhagwan ko kuch aur hi manzoor tha. Our car broke down in the midway. Maine bahut bola ki chal dhanno ye teri basanti ki ijjat ka sawal hai per dhanno nahi mani. It was getting dark outside and there was a weird and scary silence we could feel around us. Not a soul around! The road was barren. The other five girls got out of the car and pushed it. I was on the wheel. We tried calling home but there was no network. Bullshit!! We were perturbed. But we kept pushing the car. And in the middle of everything we heard a disturbing noise as of howling of a wild wolf. As if my car got scared or what but in a fit of amazement it started. The other five girls got inside impulsively and we heaved sigh of relief. We were back to home finally and never mind the repercussions I had to face; that’s a long story.

So now whenever you feel low just think of the moments when you were in the middle of some adventure. It could be small or big but it gives you a taste of life and about the fact that we are living in a God’s world, full of mystery.

welcome to sneharmonic

2008-02-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

Wo subah kabhi to aayegi…..

2008-02-27T09:36:00.000-08:00

Wo subah kabhi to aayegi…..

I dedicate the song to the lawmakers, lawbreakers and the beneficiaries of the entire tamasha. The tamasha of instant justice, mob lynch or vigilantism. Wouldn’t it be right for these people to take a break from their respective professions and go for a walk? They aren’t doing their work anyways. Instead they are more concerned about filling each others’ shoes. People of all professions – teachers, doctors, students - are turning into lawmakers..they make their own laws and implement them in their unique ways; the original lawmakers are sleeping and thanks to the delayed justice, the people who should actually be sleeping, leaving everything in the hands of law and trusting it, are losing their sleep. Hail democracy!

Consider this –

Two people quarreled over using a cellphone a couple of days back, and in a fit of rage, the one named Ravi, stabbed the other several times. Locals rushed the injured person to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries midway. Ravi was caught and assaulted by his neighbours before being handed over to the policemen, who took him to hospital for treatment. Later a crowd reached the hospital, roped his neck and dragged him out to the road where he was beaten black and blue. Even as a handcuffed Ravi twisted and turned in vain and writhed in pain, the cops, batons in their hand and rifles on their shoulders, remained mute spectators.

(Source: Sunday Times, 24th Feb’08)

Instead of hitting the accused, wouldn’t it be a better idea to strip such policemen, for whom their work is everything but worship, off their uniforms in public? Because of such people, the entire police force is being accused of inactivity.

God forbid, if this tamasha continues, we wouldn’t need to buy tickets for some Ram Gopal Verma flick, as then we could see the real life villains getting roughed up by our local heroes right in front of our homes, until we find out that the person being beaten to death is our own daughter or brother and then we would find no law to ask for help. We will have to find our own ways of getting justice by the mob, of the mob and for the mob.

Arre wo subaha kabhi to aayegi jab ham hamare hi desh ka tamasha banne se rok sakenge.

Super-mom!!

2008-02-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

Being a housewife is super-challenging. It’s not only about cooking and looking after the (super) kids but it’s a total house management, a job without a salary. Hats off to my mom who makes things look so simple. She’s not keeping well since last many days. And so I am kinda managing the house; something she’s been doing since last 29 years. But I guess what keeps her ticking is the love we kids we give to her and in return what we get is some thing beyond boundaries. Something that only motherhood can do to you. Just a smile on her kids’ faces makes her day and a tear in their eye gives her sleepless nights. Even on the hospital bed, my mom was more worried about whether I am taking my meals on time or not. That’s what being a mother is all about I guess. I’ll understand it better when I become one.

2008-02-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

made a greeting card and a colorful letter for onuf my frenz...hope she likes it..:)

2008-01-17T23:33:00.000-08:00

while flipping through the pages of a magzine i came across a very interesting fact. here's quoting it for u...

"i almost walked into a web, in the centre of which sat the Black Widow, actually our Indian version of it, the Gaint Wood spider that kills its tiny mate, after they have mated, interesting that, the male, nothing more than a disposable sperm. The Gaint Wood spider is a radical feministt, (Sneha says - so untrue!It's juz vice versa.yeah, u got it - the writer was a male.),the proverbial Black Widow devouring up its mate - a tiny orange creature - after they have mated. why? yet another mystery of nature."

i was wondering what would have happened if this was the case with the human beings...the FIR lodgings would have been reduced by 70%, talks of 'Female Chauvinism' would be rife and males would be sexually objectified..but i guess the industry which wouldn't be affected much is our Bollywood...there would be redefining of roles (genders) in films, item songs would still be there, casting couch would still be present and bombshells would still be predominant; the only difference being...they'll be orange in color..:)

San Diego Conference

2008-01-17T06:30:00.001-08:00

2008-01-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

On my trip back from Jaiselmer to Jodhpur, for a video shoot, we visited a small school of a scattered village with very few huts here and there. The arrival of our jeep itself marked the rush of school kids towards us and then in a jiffy we were surrounded by innocent nestlings dressed shabbily in unwashed clothes with flowing nose. Behind the dusty faces, a second look on them, could narrate the story of their lives. They greeted us with a noisy "Gori didi" and asked surprisingly for things like shampoo, pen etc. insted of money or water or food..Looking at them it was surprising to accept their demands. I guess as many foreigners visit these places, they distribute such expensive gifts, so maybe these kiddies are used to it. On further prodding we came to know that these kids have the will to study but the lack of facilities is marring their dreams like anything.

The experience was momentous but rare. After all, it's not everyday that you feel so special.

2008-01-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

I journeyed through the cascades
To reach a certain goal
But the goal was just the beginning
I donned another role

It seemed like ever-changing
My new, refined self
Quite soon I did realise
That life's a journey itself

2008-01-02T05:10:00.000-08:00

A dream husband

Sounds good? But a dream is a dream and especially this one, which seems self-contradictory to claim its presence in reality. This discussion reminds me of amol palekar’s paheli, which addresses a very deep-rooted expectation of every woman in the world – the love and attention of her husband, no matter how old she grows. Where in the film, the reality and the dream have been juxtaposed leaving it for the destiny to make a choice between the two, the real life leaves less scope for any such choices.

When in LA, I saw an old couple walk hand in hand, the husband whispering some words in his partner’s ears and the old lady blushing constantly. I don’t know what it takes to keep candle of love alive in the hearts after many years of being together, but I guess it’s on the part of the lady to completely understand the fact that a fictive reality it just a fictive reality and no body including herself is perfect. A husband who constantly thinks of her and loves every moment of being with her is something which cannot happen. It’s only when we, the ladies, understand that this fairytale is just that – a fairytale, that we would be able to make the relationships survive the test of time. Yes, we need to grow up!

living with illusions..

2007-12-20T03:07:00.000-08:00

Strange is the world of illusions
The real dreams so unreal
The known facts so unknown
A private conversation with the surreal

To take you away from the reality
Is the promise of the delusion
As long as you swear to hold hands with it
And embrace your seclusion

You think the moon is yours
It looks only at you
You think you are being watched
By someone who’s loving you

As if you are the only one in the universe
To have been granted the wish
So what if it’s only an illusion
It redeems you from the anguish

my trip to US..

2007-12-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

2007-12-04T03:56:00.000-08:00

cuty catty

we shot this video a few months back when i saw a cat leave its lil kitten on the veranda of our house..we tried to feed the cutie kitten some milk...but i guess it was too small to even lick or even move..with its soft purr i was even scared to touch it....we tried to drop the milk in its mouth using an ink dropper..but the drop landed straight onto its cute lil head and it shrunk in fear...so we just left the plate and moved away...the camera was far away frm the 'bacchha' n i zoomed in from a distance..that's y the shakes n the jerks..but i feel the sight of the kitten itself is heartfelt..so u enjoy the video while i am off editing more stuff..do log onto my tv for more fun videos from my collection.

~S n E h A~

2007-12-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

The morning mist

Sleepy eyed buds wake-up rubbing their eyes, tickled by the morning mist. Zillions of unseen particles are given a new existence by the sun. The light shines bright and clear on the faces of the streets and opulent structures. From the earth to the sky, everything seems fresh and young..it’s a beautiful morning once again bringing with it the joy of being alive. The darkness fades away into anonymity and the glow of the sun rules the world. The shine reminds us of the extreme darkness that loomed large a few moments ago but is now completely non-existent..the light fills every void, every space, every nook and corner, leaving no life untouched, unaffected.
what better way to describe the stark reality of life…

‘no matter how dark the night of the life is..the sun will definitely shine tomorrow.’

2007-11-26T22:33:00.000-08:00

I heared the sound of the dark..it was very dark so I couldn’t see the shadows of pain but could see a very few twinkling stars..but the pain was there I knew..snickering like a monster...mocking me to death..parting me from my beautiful past..the sight of stars turned into blackness and the monsters laughed again..it was scary. i tried to run away and called God..i told Him that I can’t see this anymore and want to see the stars..the ones which someone laid on the path for me..i hate to see the dark..who are you trying to hide after all?..it’s your past he said..i had to kill it because it wasn’t meant for u..u have to part with it…face the monsters if you want to come to me..trust me, WE can deal with it..

2007-11-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Atithi devo bhava (??????)

But I guess there are different rules in the air. People tend to lose their nationality then I guess. Why, isn’t there a certain way to treat ‘guests’?

Air India hasn’t changed in the past 10 years. This was my second trip to USA after ten years, and things have just got worse. Then, there were a few air hostesses who would care you to your seats and treat you somewhere near to being ‘guests’. But this time, they were older and more uncouthly.

First, it is at the entrance. Hands joined, though misaligned, in a somewhat Indian ‘namaskar’ pose, face, either blank or turned toward another colleague as if greeting the guests is a routine which could be fitted into the schedule with another activity to save time. Hmmm… future Napoleon Bonaparte s, saving time. (Oops, do they have a future? They are already so old! But excellent multitasking anyway!)

Then, it’s their look. Aren’t they supposed to look good? I don’t know. But I think they should. There should be some eye-tonic for the tired passengers. But even if there isn’t any, at least they should be dressed pleasantly. They wear a sari fine, but what about the make-up and the hair-style? Most of the air hostesses were wearing flashy eye-liners, in the colors of green n yellow – eeks! And the hairstyle was like a big football tied in a black net! Maybe they need extra space to lay the coffee cups. Justified.

Then you politely ask for an air perfume because the cabin is stinky. Oh! Not a problem baby. That’s because you’re seated near the restrooms. But still, you ask. And pat comes the reply – “stinky? Is it? Ok, ya. Wait let me finish the work in hand.” The work finishes when the passenger’s nose becomes immune to the smelly restrooms. After all, you HAVE TO use the restrooms after the coffee or the wine. So why not become accustomed to the smell? Hmm.

Then, you politely ask for a newspaper because you can’t get up and have it yourself as you’re stuck in the middle of the row and the passenger next to you is deep into the slumber land. “It’s over there” says the lady (with eyes wide and big as if saying, “How dare you disturb me!”)

Oops, sorry again. My mistake. I better keep quiet and watch the silly video on tv for a thousandth time. Or listen to the same 10 kishore kumar songs I have been listening to since the last ten hours. It’s just a matter of sixteen-seventeen hours after all. LA is not much far away from Mumbai.

But I must say the stewards were far better than the stewardess. They were patient enough in listening to the problems. At least there’s some hope.

I don’t know what impression the people visiting the country carry when they travel in such airlines. I want Air India to serve better just because it has the name INDIA to it.

2007-11-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

DUSK MAY CLOUD THE COLOR OF MY EYE, BUT MY HEART STILL FEELS THE BLOOM..

Through the curls of morning mist and the perfume of fresh air, morning walks take you to a different world. It’s a world of meditation, freshness and a new beginning. Add to this, our laughter champions. Not on ‘STAR ONE’ but in a nearby joggers’ park. They laugh their heart out, perform certain movements that might put you in a fit of giggles, but they hardly care. They are lost in their own world. With the sun’s glare adding a shine to the grey hair of our group’s laughter oldies, they create a galaxy of togetherness leaving all the youngsters in puzzling expressions of disbelief.

My morning walks allow me to peek-a-boo into the silence of the old age, spilled over a few moments of little laughter in the form of a small get-together by its proud owners; people above sixty, which seem truly inspired by the ‘second innings’ of Lage Raho Munnbhai.

All members of the group, without fail, attend that small session of laughing out loud, chanting out the Gayatri Mantra and then – share their grievances, happy moments (though quite a few), and the blues of the shades of grey.

Just watching their teeth-less laughter, their togetherness and above all, their spirit and enthusiasm towards life teach us many things…and the most important one says –

The desert wind may blow but the page of life has not turned over yet..

2007-11-01T07:42:00.001-07:00

Get Your Own | RockYou.com

2007-11-01T07:34:00.001-07:00

LONG LIVE THE FRIENDSHIP!

Friends will be friends; funny, mischievous and ever caring. I am proud to say that I have got very few friends but all of them are angels, blessings in disguise.

Let people flaunt when they say, “I am sociable”, or “I have many friends or I easily make friends.” Some thoughtful person had said once, if at the time of your death, you have at least five friends, you are the happiest person on earth. So true!

The person, who easily becomes your friend, is not a friend in the first place. He’s still a stranger. Bollywood might disagree and say, “tumse milkar dil ko aisa laga jaise mera tumse janmo ka naata ho”…

Aisa hota hoga, but in rarest of the rare cases. The truth is harsh. You CANNOT make friends easily. I have been very lucky to have found such good friends. Very protective and real gems. God bless them all.

2007-10-17T08:04:00.001-07:00

Had my visa interview yesterday. A very hectic and tiring day, as was expected. The rest of the experience was the same as my dear sis Sonia described in her blog; tokens, rush, waiting and finally the interview etc.

Just to add a personal flavour to my entry, I will tell you about yesterday’s experience minus what you already know. I made two good friends. One was a Gujarati lady who was amicable and had a pretty smile. She was a godsend. Without her, the five-hour long and boring wait in the embassy would have been mayhem in hell. Thank God she was there. I pity the other uncles and aunties who were not as lucky as me and their faces were frozen to a steady expression of boredom. Some observed the volunteers roaming around involuntarily, some yawned consistently, ladies were busy hushing their noisy kids, and the guys (some of ‘em) were busy looking around for some eye-tonic.

Finally when I got out of the office, I saw my dad waiting outside. I smiled at him, signaling that I got the visa. He later described how other people came out of the office with either a ‘thumbs-up’ or a ‘thumbs-down’. I came with a smile. I am different you see..haha..there I go again!

In the evening I attended a garba function. There I met another would-be good friend. She was a stranger but didn’t look like one. Paradoxically, I felt I have met her many times. We watched people play garba in colorful costumes, enjoyed different food items from various stalls and then finally did try to hit the crowded dancing floor. And yeah, we managed to get into the groove with thousands of other people.

All in all, yesterday was a fun day. Dad is right, I am lucky.

howdy!

2007-10-17T01:33:00.001-07:00

welcome

2007-10-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

whirlpool of sorts

2007-10-16T23:56:00.000-07:00

peek-a-boo

2007-10-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

YO

2007-10-16T23:51:00.001-07:00

My Rapper Name Is...

MixMaster Alchemist

What's Your Rapper Name?

curtain raiser

2007-10-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

My Inner Hero - Wizard!

narcissus column

2007-10-16T23:47:00.001-07:00

I am a Light Pink Rose

You represent sweetness and grace.

Your vibe: Kind and gentle

Falling in love with you: is like falling in love with a best friend

What Color Rose Are You?

aahhaa!

2007-10-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

ABOUT ME

2007-10-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

a catalyst in the process of bringing about change..change, which is humble n good for everyone around..

mausam-e-indore

2007-10-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

2007-10-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

read this poem somewhere. whoever wrote this i would like to ask him,

"how did you know my state of mind?"

not a word here, not a word there. it's esactly what i am feeling right now. it's truely a mysterious roller-coaster of life..A WHIRLPOOL OF SORTS.

it goes like this -

"Try to be pure at heart, they arrest you for robbery,
Mistake your shyness for aloofness, your shyness for snobbery
Got the message this morning, the one that was sent to me
About the madness of becoming what one was never meant to be"

thanks mr "anonymous" for giving words to my feelings..i was trying hard to do that. n i feel light already.

BAA BAHU AUR HUM

2007-10-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

There you are, JD and team, with another very different kettle of fish. I love this serial called ‘BAA BAHU AUR BABY’ like many other people for its unique approach and content. Here are some other reasons why I would give it the title of ‘the king of indian tellywood’ –

The content, which fabricates a fuzzy line between reality and fiction. Audience almost always carry twin emotions of the hope of getting into practice what they see and at the same time feel the itch of the fictional aspect of the story; the feeling that is left after the curtains fall on the episode.

In the days of dismantled families, where people prefer to stay in their cocoons and isolate themselves from their own blood relations, deliberately, it’s an eye candy to watch a family tied together with the thread of tradition, values and discipline.

The serial is rather a series of small incidents surrounding the ‘thakkar parivar’, a gujrati family, who face every endeavour in life hand-in-hand, be it supporting and encouraging a member to win a competition, no matter how big or small it is, or dealing with a life threatening disease paralyzing the other. They are together in every trying moment. It’s so good to see a family tied together in such a strong way. The producers know this. And hence almost every single episode ends with a lesson well learnt.

Salutes to the editor-in-chief who keeps the serial untouched from the ‘madras cuts’; the dizzying transitions, which squint the eyes.

Actors are fantabulous. All are experienced and fit extremely well in the characters.

After dishing out hits like ‘Instant Khichadi’ and Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai, Baba, Bahu aur Baby continues to rule the hearts of the audience.

Hats off to the HATS OFF PRODUCTIONS.

JD, Aatish and Devang rock!!

2007-10-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Whoopi!! My sis is on TV!!!

And no, it wasn’t some street interview or a ‘bheed-bhaddaka, dhakka-mukki’ gang dying to show their faces to the camera. And it also wasn’t a ‘blink and miss’ kind of blurry background of passers-by that she was a part of.

SHE WAS INTO THE LIMELIGHT.

‘24 FPS animation awards 2006-2007’evening was colorful and vibrant with the presence of who’s who of the animation world like internationally renowned producer-director Mr. Ketan Mehta & Chairman, Adlabs, Mr. Manmohan Shetty to name a few and sizzling performances of amazing dancers and the stand-up comedy of our heroes of laughter-championships followed by much more excitement and fun.

The grand evening of celebration of creativity and achievement presented by Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), was a showcase of the best and fresh animation talent in India.

There were several award categories, for which students had to prepare specific contents rather than submitting their existing ones.

Now, that’s no mean feat!

My sis and her team ‘SNAPSHOTS’, won the award for the category ‘Best Pre-Production’, for their film ‘Ban Ki Chidiya’.

The festival was broadcasted throughout the country on NDTV Profit.

Hey Gurl! You’ve made us all proud!!

CHEERS!!!!!!!

Anhoni ho gayi honi aur world cup jeet gaya dhoni!

2007-09-28T02:52:00.000-07:00

The evening saw a large number of youngsters, shouting patriotic slogans like “Vande Mataram”, “Bharat Mata Ki Jay” etc. The roads were blocked, police vans blared sirens and the hooligans fully utilized this exciting situation by doing their usual stuff of ‘hanging around’ in their patent style.

But this isn’t a freedom struggle or the scene of some Doordarshan documentary film. This was ‘LIVE’ – just like a freshly-cooked meal of ‘LIVE’ news by 24 hour news channels. Only this was actually ‘LIVE’.

This was the scene of streets, crowded with overwhelmed cricket-buffs, when India saw its win in the T20 World Cup by beating Pakistan by 5 runs in Johannesburg. I came to know this only when I heard the neighbour’s children burn crackers and scream in sheer excitement.

I was happy too, for we won a World Cup. But more than that I was happy the tournament was over. Phew! I got a glimpse of my favorite serial only after convincing my cousin that Katrina Kaif will be playing a cameo in it. He wasn’t ready to believe that Katrina has taken to TV. But clever me! I said she does a special appearance in the program n will be there for only a minute or two. And I got him..:) But then I knew every time I will have to think of some new trick to get the remote control in my hands. So, good that this Twenty-Twenty is over. Now it should return only in the year 2020.

I am ready to field the tomatoes!

My Trip to Pachmarhi

2007-09-19T01:39:00.000-07:00

The following video is a summary of my trip to Pachmarhi in January this year, which was part of a social service campaign organized by a philanthropist, fondly called ‘Bauji’ by everyone. I was very excited to volunteer and be a part of this social campaign, which saw a good amount of school girls of a remote village in Madhya Pradesh, as its beneficiaries. The school is free for all and only meant for girls of nearby villages.

Me along with some other volunteers had a great time for these five days, interacting with these village girls, who were not as ‘bholi-bhali’ as was shown in the old Sayara Bano films. Some were smart and some were naïve but far from being ‘dumb’.

But they all had a sad story to tell and were the real fighters. In spite of less or no support from the family, they looked forward to leading a beautiful and a happy life. Some were extremely poor, couldn’t even afford to have enough food, some were rich enough to afford education but were still were being sent to a free school. Why? Because ‘ladkiyo ko padhana zaroori nahi hai’ according to their parents. ‘per kyunki ye free ka school hai isiliye bhej rahe hai’.

Anyway, the experience was fabulous. Here’s what it looked like.
(kindly bear with the quality.)

PART ONE

PART TWO

In order to read a detailed version of the trip, check-out the following link..:)

http://sneharmonic.blogspot.com/2007/05/up-close-and-personal-with-nature.html

The school premises. The girls welcomed us with the colors of holi.

2007-09-01T04:57:00.001-07:00

Jiska darr tha wahi hua…my fav contestant in Voice of India is out! Toshi was a contestant whose voice had a feel of the Indian soil. He was the best contender for the VOICE OF INDIA.

Being a true marwari I usually don’t vote for any such contestant, no matter what a powerhouse of talent he or she might be. But I broke my rule and did vote for him twice!! Now, for a marwari like me, to sms for someone for whom my vote might just be an atom of oxygen in his ocean of votes (genuine or sham, I do not know), was certainly a bad idea. But I became fond of this particular contestant and really wanted him to win. But as was expected, a true winner has to fight a bigger battle, and success doesn’t come easy for him. Toshi is no more in the race of VOI.

I was right. This voting system is all bakwas. I pray that all the good singers who were 'voted out' by aur junata judges continue to sing and entertain the world and don’t take this talent hunt seriously. After all it’s just a matter of time and luck! Remember Abhijeet Sawant??

Ab tera kya hoga Gabbar????

2007-08-30T01:51:00.000-07:00

Now Pritish Nandy is making yet another remake of Sholay; as if Ram Gopal verma ki Aaag wasn’t enough to ‘jhulsa-o’ us fans of the original Sholay, down into ashes.

With due respect to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, we really don’t feel that anybody can even think of replacing the original inspiration of villainy on the silver screen; Gabbar, played eloquently by Amzjad Khan.

Apart from getting frustrated by this series of remakes of legends, it also seems that there is suddenly a bankruptcy of ideas. Why to stick to the same plot when the creative minds of humans can apprehend millions of ideas and execute them with the help of sleek and smart technology??

Anyways, I don’t think that even basanti ki dhanno would like this idea of remakes. After all “ye uski basanti ki ijjat ka sawaal hai”.

yaha se pachas-pachas kos door gaanw me jab bachcha raat ko rota hai to maa kahti hai beta soja ..soja nahi to gabbar singh aa jaayega. Hmm…shayad aaj bhi maa yahi kahegi.

Sorry ramu ke babban uncle, humko aap se darr nahi lagta..:)

Z z z z z z zzzzzzz…..

2007-08-30T01:41:00.000-07:00

Cheers to all the busy bees…this buzz is for u!

SHALL C YA SOON SIS...

2007-08-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

I WAS ALL ALONE IN THE WORLD OF STRANGERS....

YOU CAME LIKE AN ANGEL AND CHANGED MY WORLD..

I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE A NEW REASON TO SMILE...

AND WAS PROUD OF MY POSSESSION..

U WERE THE MUSICIAN OF THE SONG OF MY LIFE..

TODAY I HAVE MORE REASONS TO SMILE..
AS YOU GO ONLY TO COME BACK AND CHANGE MY WORLD ONCE AGAIN...

LUV U SIS..THIS ONE IS FOR U..:)

Shared smiles, shared tears
All intensified though years
Your dreams, our hope
With you these elope

All wish you return
For the day we yearn
With the golden crown
And valor around

A momentary adieu
We bid to you
And to Him we pray
Victory fills your way…

Lots of blessings from all your loved ones..

I AM A FREE SOUL

2007-08-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Celebration is such an underrated phenomena the world over. Celebrating a birth anniversary for example is a mere assemblage of friends and relatives, giving away the birthday gifts, wearing the best costume among all the other friends and cutting the cake without dirtying the table cloth and disturbing the candles, which grow one by one every year. Has anybody ever thought why do we celebrate a birthday, which is in fact a day marking our proximity to death?

It’s only because we need an excuse for a party or for scotch swigs or for simply looking good. We don’t think beyond that.

Any celebration should be the celebration of growth and its periphery should not be squeezed to materialistic gratification.

15^th August has become so much synonymous with Indian Independence that our perception limits ourselves to a restricted definition of both - celebration of freedom and of freedom itself. We fail to see beyond it. It was 60 years back that India became independent and every year we just remember the work done by our great leaders and salute their efforts. Our salutations should grow in quality and not quantity. 60 years is a long time. Remembrance is not enough. Enough celebration has been done for all these years of the freedom of two countries. But now, it’s time to celebrate the spirit of freedom. Only then can we grow as a country and as human beings.

To me celebration of freedom is not limited to 15^th of August 1947. It’s a part of a bigger phenomenon; that of development of the entire mankind as one world and not just one country.

To me the true freedom lies in abandoning negativity, something that makes terrorists out of innocent people, something that evokes discrimination among men and women, among blacks and whites, among rich and poor or caste and creed.

If every day a terrorist turns into a virtuous individual or at least one girl child is saved from being exploited, every single day would call for a celebration of the spirit of freedom. And I salute that freedom. Each one of us can become a martyr in our own right if we step forward to contribute to this spirit. Adopt a child, feed a hungry, free a pigeon from a cage. If nothing else, educate your own children and make them good human beings, so that tomorrow they do not become a catalyst of violence but a harbinger of peace and unity. Charity begins at home!

Let this song by the artist become a global anthem on the eve of a special day and truly make this world a better place to live for the entire human race.

H2O = A2Z OF LIFE

2007-08-10T03:54:00.000-07:00

For little Jane and Lucy, it was just another morning. They, quite ritually, did what any other bickering sisters would do – bicker.

“You greedy slush bucket! Get outta ma way!! Let me wash my face first..do ya understand??”

(water flowing from the tap..)

"Shut your damn mouth up! You ragamuffin! I told ya it’s my geography test today…I have to reach early…so u get off my way & I don’t want to see the likes of you muckin’ at the tap..”

Mom – “you two! Downstairs, Now!

“But ma….”

(water still flowing…)

For Christ’s sake stop fighting! I want to see both of you for the breakfast in 10 mins.

(water flow thins)

Jane - @$#%^^&^*E$%#%$

Lucy - $%$%$%&^$#@#$

Mom - $%$%$^^%^^%^$

(water stops flowing..)

Jane, Lucy & Mom (in chorus) – “NOT AGAIN!!!!!”

Nice dialoguing Sneha, but what’s new? All siblings bicker. It’s rather sweet.

Jeez! How can you neglect the tap, which is pouring out the elixir of life, like a God, since last two centuries?? We all seem to ignore the fact that if we go on like this, water will be seen nowhere except in our misty eyes.

Can’t you see the same misty eyed water, now?? Oh! How can you. It’s not your fault. How can anybody see watery eyes of water?? That would be paradoxical.

Do I need to say – “SAVE WATER”??

Milkman’s reply –

“yeah! SAVE WATER, DILUTE IT”..

JAI HIND.

SLIM chances of success

2007-08-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

Was reading an article on weight loss and the ill-effects of dieting. And know what? I was glad someone has brought this fact into the notice of those obsessive ladies, crazily following our Bollywood bimbettes for God’s sake!I don’t understand why girls in their teens and even some older ones try to deliberately go on a weight losing spree? Even some feisty ones who are nowhere close to unhealthily big are obsessed by their shape. They pour discontent and hate onto their bodies as if it were only body shape and nothing else that really matters.

Dieting is so not hip! Don’t trust me? Picture this.

KHUL JA SIM SIM…

2007-08-05T04:46:00.000-07:00

Amidst the crude smell of wet soil and smoke billowing lazily out of the roof-top chimney, amidst the familiar sound of cow-bells and the aroma of ripe mangoes lingering persistently, amidst the longing to be there once again and catch the glimpse of welcoming eyes, waiting anxiously, I arrived at my grandma’s place.

Every time the Sun God lashed out His excoriating heat, it was cooled down by the pleasant salutations of everyone at my grannie’s place and our stay confirmed the furtherance of this cooling down, making our sojourn a riot of laughter and merriment. Summer vacations were a refreshing beak from school-study-report card hassles and we (Me, Sonia and my cousins) painted the town…. red? Nopes…we painted it polka-dotted!

But the main attraction remained that locked room; the room, which invited a world of speculation and mystery. We requested and sometimes, even threw childish tantrums including foot-pounding and crying, but our granny wasn’t impressed. She remained reluctant to spell out the magical words..”khul ja sim sim…” to open the door . Well, the door had quite obviously become THE DOOR for the kids of the house.

But after many years, when the closed room almost became a casual presence of mystery unresolved, we stopped to query about it.

One summer holy holiday made our granny to grant us the maturity badge and she herself called us to see what we’ve waited for since years. The room opened its door to a sparkling past. Our hungry eyes locked with the shimmering treasure the room protected since so many years. The way our jaw dropped after seeing this khazana, could have put even Alibaba and the challis chor to shame. No there wasn’t any gold or silver, but something even more precious.

As nani opened a huge metal trunk, which seemed like one belonging to Mohenjo-Daro-Harappa culture, we held back our eyelashes from fluttering. The suspense ended and excitement took its toll. The trunk was filled with a swarm of colorful, handmade earthenware – flower pots, statues of different Gods, matkis with attractive paintings on them, diyas, different animal statues, there were ghagra-polka with beautiful embroidery & zari work, scarves, shawls along with paint brushes, colors wrapped in small polythene bags, salma-sitare, chimki of lustrous base metals…all made and collected by my grandma..

That day I remember, we forgot having our lunch, dinner and even hitting the sack..we were completely disoriented for the rest of the day and were awed by our granny’s khazana and her creativity..

Then we learned why nani was reluctant to open the door for us. She valued these belongings more than silver or gold. And back then, the treasure was vulnerable to the attacks of kid ninjas that we were. But now we understood and valued it. Now, for us, this treasure of nani was more than Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine. We loved it.

I miss the room, the old trunk and more than anything else, my nanihaal. Things have changed and I wish I could go there once again with the same feelings.

2007-07-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

WE - Aga tu ayaklas ka, mahimcha samudracha pani goad jhala hota! Chamatkarach aahe nahi!
(Hey did u hear the big news! The sea water behind Mahim Dargah has turned sweet! Isn’t that a miracle!)

THEY – “chamatkar vagaire kahe nahi, tyat musaladhar pausa mole nadila pur alyamule te pani samudrat misadala. Baki kahi nahi re…”
(“ah! NO, it’s not a miracle. It’s the rains, which caused the fresh water to mix with the seawater n blah blah” )

WE – “Let’s go to the temple..Lord Ganesha is accepting the offerings of milk! Isn’t that a miracle!”

THEY – “oh c’mmon! It is possible that a political party is behind this. A similar strategy was used to propagate religion in the past. People are swayed, but only for a while. This will not last n blah blah blah….”

WE – Our life is a miracle! God is great!

THEY – Hello! Our life is the result of bio-chemical reactions n blah blah blah…

Ok. Enough. Now it’s time, we answer and they listen. Why is it so important for them, “the rationalists”, to interfere with our FAITH? Yes our FAITH. It’s what they call a false claim, superstition or whatever! But for us it’s the moment of fun. It’s what twinkles our eyes and boosts our imagination. It is what strengthens our FAITH in God. We feel better.

The temple of Deshnoke dedicated to 15th century Mystic Karniji, who is worshiped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga, promises to fulfill the dreams of many of its devotees, who drink the same milk which is drunk by the swarm of rats in the temple. We say the white rats are the reincarnation of saints and the water and milk drunk by these rats are medicines. They say, it’s unhygienic and highly questionable. In spite of hundreds visiting the temple daily, their face still frowns.

They have a scientific, political or any other rational reason to it but that’s about it. Why kill the blind faith of others if it’s not harming nyone. They know it’s not a miracle? Cool. They know the reason behind it? Supercool. But why spoil the ecstasy the others get by this apparent miracle?

The moment we start relishing these miracles, these rationalists form a panel on the news channels to weed out the irrationality and sow the seeds of scientific reasoning. And the few moments that we get to enjoy the miracle, forgetting about the bullying in office or nagging of our partners, we are told that it wasn’t a miracle at all! How rude!

We know these are illusions. But we cherish these illusions. Then again, if these illusions are in no way causing any harm, on the contrary only giving wings to our faith, why then to puncture them? Why to become earnest killjoys in the way of these cherished illusions? If we want to love our Gods and have a blind faith in Him then such a faith should be appreciated and should remain blind.

I am in no way promoting superstition. All I want to say is that I know it is very important to seek knowledge coz that is how we'll progress and ignorance is not always a bliss. But sometimes it is. Sometimes it gives pleasure to move off the track of rationality. It's a blissful state when we see something as a miracle. When we come to know the reason behind it, it breaks our illusion and we start seeing the thing as just another complexity, which can be scrutinised by science.

Science has an answer to every question. Maybe. But then in spite of having all the answers known and experienced, don’t you still feel that life is a miracle and FAITH still works?

My conclusion is –

Just keep the faith and everything will work out fine.