Just a quick hello

Not a word has been written in months. There is a lot to share but don’t have the inkling to write anything. Changed my job in Jan'2012. Like what I am doing also my best friend works here. Back into academics except this time it is a corporate setup. Education has become commercial, not exactly. We make it more interesting is what I'll say. Depends on how one looks at it.

The last time I was here it was to share the woes of almost losing a open space/ ground to wedding organisers. Yes the frequency of gaudy and loud celebrations has definitely come down.

The family had a few additions and subtractions in the form of a nephew, brother in law, sister in law and lost one uncle. Made friends at the new work place. Tasted some yum good food, had a few fights, made up for lost time with my friend and life goes on.

On the whole first few months of 2012 have been good, graci to the invisible director. Hope it is same for all. Amen.

Once upon a time there was playground...

I live bang opposite a huge patch of open space which is “my playground", I would have to say used to be. When you walk by one could see young boys and girls in jersey living their dreams of being a Kaka, Messi, Zidane, Ronaldo, or a Sachin, Dhoni, but alas it is not often that one gets to see that anymore. Y you ask me , cause every other day there is a huge pandal put up with fancy decoration and it turns into a wedding venue with bright lights streaming into your house at twelve in  the night and loud music blaring as an accompaniment. What takes the cake, is this funny wind instrument which is blown to announce the arrival of every guest into the venue. It sometimes gives you a jolt and often it sounds like the trumpet sounded to declare WAR. Surely it makes the bride, groom and their families feel special, but what about the residence. Then there is the makeshift kitchen, the open space I am referring to is surrounded by residential buildings around and a temple. The crowd attending these weddings is not less than a few hundreds by my estimate it could be more as it a open ground. Imagine the shock of senior citizens looking out of their balconies and windows hoping to see smiling children and and staring at 3 or more LPG cylinders lined up with stoves. What a shock? And not to mention the level of carelessness and threat to the residence around. A limited land space and the air space has been rented out not the whole area.

A clash of ideologies, some might say generations, groups and many names will be given, I request stop for a minute and look at the tired faces of the children, after a gruelling day at school their moment of reprieve is the time spent at the playground. Imagine how cheated they feel when a stranger shoos them away from "THEIR" playground. They don't mind sharing it with the older children or the seniors. I am sure their is a way out, we need to muster the will.

Visit "Save Chheda nagar" group in Facebook to make your voice head.

Kalagodha 2012

Three years in a row, I like the feeling, my city, my people our festival. Unfortunately I got to go only once unlike the 2011 & 2010. Anyways no regrets, except that I could not soak in all of it as the CROWD was maddening. I know Mumbai is overcrowded but, this was something. As always I paid a ghastly 110/- a cupful of pavbhaji,par chalta hai. I was wanted to see kalari payatta performance hence I chose Saturday evening and it was gud though it cud have been better choreographed. But considering the space restraint I think it was good enough, so was the Mohiniattam before it.

Satisfying week...

The past week has been fun and relaxed. Always like walking around the town, I live in one of the many suburbs in Mumbai. I think it is one of the green spots in the city. Anyways being a history buff with a fascination for the raj architecture, floating around Fort, Colaba, VT, CST... is always a pleasure for me. Even if it is scorching, cause there is always one of the many kaugallis to grab a cool drink or munchies.

One other thing about the town is the art galleries, museum, gateway of India, the sea, the taj hotel, and the many exhibitions. The Prince of Wales Museum or the Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj vastu Sangrahalay as it is known today organizes many fantastic exhibition and exhibition cum sales. i try and make it to most of them. I believe a exhibition of Kalighati painting is going on and an exhibition on headwear (pagadis) of Marathas is going on too. When I was in town though the museum was closed I managed to visit the marine exhibition in the lawns of the museum. It showcased Indian maritime activities and the Indian navy. 

 

Walking down the road from the Museum towards CST (still VT for many) is an education in itself. The footpath around Jehangir Art gallery is a roadside gallery by itself which often has some real good work on display and, then you have the artists who make a living by making sketches and caricatures. I got one done too, but this was sometime last year..

Then there is the Strand Book fair, all book lovers would know strand, one of those old book stores in Mumbai which continue to attract book lovers with their collection.

I was long bitten by the bookworm; Mom thinks I am now one of those alive with the ailment of love for books. Our fights invariably circle around who has bigger collection of books taking majority of the space in the house. And hands down it is me. I am a hoarder when t comes to books; even the cheap one's that we pick on the footpath with return back guarantee stamped on it. So every time Strand ad appears in the newspaper mom is praying silently that I don't see or I don't get the time to visit the exhibition/sale. But alas, I saw it an off i went to the town and returned with BOOKS.

On the whole I spent time generally floating around, buying books, doing some serious work (help family with stuff that needed my guidance) and picked up books. A very satisfying week hope I am able to give my best to life as it always does. Amen to that.

Last post for this year

I began (in 2010) this blog hoping to get somewhere. It has always been like that. Everything I do has to have some purpose, some destination. Therefore I thought that blogging is not for me when I couldn't get people to look at my blogs. Blogs that I visited had hundreds of followers and comments. So I simply stopped blogging, not that I blogged like crazy. Interesting writing has always caught my attention and that’s how I came across Anuradha Shankar's travel blog "A Wandering Mind". I was blown away, but that which worked the most for me was Maaji's blog "Memories & Musings I & II" like she says she is a grandmother recording her memories for her grandchildren. What beautiful records of the past life. It is the writing part that holds me, beautiful language and clarity of thought and her memories which she is willing to share with the world, not just her family. Other blogs that interest me are "A Travel blog of an Indian Backpacker", Blogeswari, Gappa and others.

For some reason I wanted to read their blogs again and again and eagerly log on every morning hoping to see a new entry. Some of the blogs were lengthy, some just a line or a picture, which helped me understand that asymmetry, haphazard thoughts and confusion also make sense most of the times.  I began blogging, it was clear that realized it everything does not have to have  a purpose , sometimes mindless wandering and rambling also makes sense.

So here's ending this year's last blog by thanking the faceless individuals who helped me in many ways, thank you.  And lastly, HAPPY NEW YEAR. C, ya all next year.

Happy Tidings

For long now I had been waiting for the pigeons to return and lay their egg in our flower pot. Nothing could be wrong at least from my side. I remember when a brethren after years of matrimony was blessed with a child only to lose within a few months and soon again they were blessed with a cute bundle of joy. It was the same feeling. I don't know if it is the same pigeon who lost its egg 3 times before.

Anyway, I had been hearing the pigeons making that weir sound which I associate with procreation and was hoping to see an egg, and voila, Sunday morning there was this  6-pack dad perched on his egg fiercely guarding it. I only pray to the almighty that please let this egg grow into a healthy pigeon, a sign of life, very much needed. Just this Saturday we lost a young friend and it has been weighing down our minds, mom still hasn't come out of the shock and I was in the pits though was very philosophical about it. Seeing this egg was like the "Force" reminding us of the cycle of life nevertheless enforcing my faith in the mysterious ways of nature. Now every morning I check on the egg with the fierce dad getting agitated every time he sees me. It is a great feeling. woooooooow.

 Pigeon Update:  As of today 14/01/12 only one egg survived, primarily because of the crows who kept bothering the pigeons. Anyway today morning we had a surprise waiting for us a yellow & pink fur ball "baby pigeon". I managed to get a few pics. Here they are.

Update as of 22/01/12 on the lone survivor: Since these photos were taken the lone survivor seems to be trying to put up a strong fight only to be defeated last night. I found him squashed this morning. I think it was his parent who squashed it to death. The theory of Natural Selection is at work here.

RIP friend

Living in apartment buildings in one of the many cozy localities in Mumbai is one of a kind experience in itself. and my locality is one such green heaven.  Loads of memories and great people to bond with. If one has spent their whole life in the same apartment building , nothing like it, besides your friends one knows their uncles, aunties, cousins and beyond. It is like a global village. There is always inquiries about all and sundry. There is a sense of camaraderie and this comes to forefront when the occasion demands. When their is a reason to celebrate your neighbour's house is always the extended house where relatives are welcome to stay. In happiness they are family, a moment of sadness,  everyone stands to up to the situation shoulder to shoulder.

Yesterday we lost a a young friend. We grew up together, when our family did not have a TV, d bro and I would be stationed in front of their colour TV to watch chayageet & chitrhar. My first shot at Palakad cuisine was in his house, mamai made fantastic white coloured morokutaan, mami was always the first to wish me on my birthday as they are on the lower floor. Big B, friend and I would saunter off to and form school together. My mama was his favourite, mama had to  call out his name and he would burst out laughing ready to burst, go red and yet he wouldn't stop. He would be giggling forever as long as the mama was around. It was fun. Time flew and the boys grew up spent some time together in spite of varying interests. Boys became men got married and some choose to move on and out. Life was not easy for the friend and his family but they put up a fight. They came over every challenge except death. He collapsed at work never to return. All I remember is his buck teeth and the giggling. Rest in peace my friend for your name shall live to remind us of you.