Delhi ki sardi!

Last year I was dreading winters. Initially I used to hate winters. I am a 'sunny' kind of person - ample sunshine,  warm weather and bright days. But one year in Delhi and I fell in love with winter.
Winter @ Delhi is so much different than winter @ Nagpur.
Fall in temperature, fog and smog, numbness in limbs, wearing layers and layers of clothing, heater in room and anytime-chai time...
MDI is the loveliest place at a cold winter night. Stroll in tree lined roads of MDI, totally packed in my winter wear, with a hot fuming chai in hand, moonlight filtering through fog and unending chit-chat. Its Awesome!
Yesterday morning I woke up at 9 and I saw this from my balcony -

It was beautiful....
:)
finally the fog melted at 10.30am and later that day I came to know temperature of previous day - it had dropped to 1.8 degrees.

Leia Mais…

काही गैरसमज

काही वर्षांपूर्वी अल्फा TV मराठी वर 'नक्षत्रांचे देणे' अशी कार्येक्रमांची मालिका होती. वेगवेगळे कालवंत, कवी, संगीतकार, लेखक अशांच्या कार्यावर आधारित हा कार्येक्रम होता.

पु ला देशपांडे यांच्या वर आधारित कार्येक्रम चालू होता आणि गाणं चालू झालं -

इंद्रायणी काठी, देवाची आळंदी

लागली समाधी, ज्ञानेशाची 

आणि खाली कवी चे नाव आले - ग दि माडगुळकर !

अनेक वर्ष माझा असा गैरसमज होता कि "इंद्रायणी काठी" हे एक संत - भजन आहे. पण अचानक कळलं कि अरे, हि तर माडगुळकरांची कविता ! आणि मग हळू हळू असेच शोध लागत गेले.

नवल वर्तले गे माये, उजळला प्रकाशु

मनाचिये अंधाराचा, होतसे विनाशु

हास्याच विलसे ओठी, अद्भुताची झाली गोठी

रातीचिये स्वप्नी आला, कोवळा दिनेशु

पहातली आशा नगरी, डुले पताका गोपुरी

निजेतुनी जागा झाला, राउळी रमेशु

चैत वाऱ्याची वाहणी, आले देहाचे अंगणी

अंग मोहरूनी आले, जसा का पलाशु 

मनाचिये अंधाराचा, होतसे विनाशु 

 हे आशाबाईंच्या आवाजातले भजन  पण ज्ञानेश्वरांची रचना नाही तर गदिमांच्या लेखणीचा प्रताप आहे. ज्ञानेश्वर-कालीन भाषेचा इतका हुबेहूब परिणाम गदिमांनी साधला आहे कि खरच हि संत रचना आहे हे कोणालाही वाटेल. 

किती चतुरस्त्र कवी होते गदिमा याची प्रचिती त्यांची प्रत्येक रचना देते - मग ती मुक्त-कविता असू दे किंवा चित्रपट गीत असू दे. 

Leia Mais…

A Warm and Cold story

This is a story I heard recently. Name of story is - A Warm Fuzzy Tale.

Once upon a time, there lived two people called Tim and Maggie with their two children John and Lucy. To understand how happy they were you have to understand how things were in those days.

You see in those happy days everyone was given a small, soft Fuzzy Bag when born. Any time a person reached into this bag they were able to pull out a Warm Fuzzy.whenever someone was given a Warm Fuzzy it made them feel warm and fuzzy all over. Those days it was very easy to get a Warm Fuzzy. Everyone asked for Warm Fuzzy and everyone gave Warm Fuzzy. So everyone was happy and felt warm and fuzzy most of the time.

One day a bad witch who made salves and potions for sick people became angry because everyone was so happy and feeling good and no one was buying potions and salves. The witch was very clever and devised a very wicked plan. One beautiful morning while Maggie was playing with her daughter the witch crept up to Tim  and whispered in his ear,   - "See here, Tim, look at all the Fuzzies that Maggie is giving to Lucy. You know, if she keeps it up she is going to run out and then there won't be any left for you!"

Tim got worried and was convinced that sooner or later, Maggie will run out of Warm Fuzzies and was angry whenever Maggie gave anyone Warm Fuzzy. Because Maggie loved Tim a lot, she stopped giving Warm Fuzzy. Soon the word spread that Warm Fuzzies are not unlimited and people stopped giving Warm Fuzzies.  People began feel less warm, the fell sick and some of then died. Wicked Witch did not want people to die, but to remain sick so that they will buy her potions.

So she gave everybody a bag similar to Bag of Warm Fuzzies but this new bag produced Cold Pricklies. Cold Pricklies made people cold and prickly but saved them from dying. The situation got very complicated since the coming of the witch because there were fewer and fewer Warm Fuzzies around and Warm Fuzzies which used to be free as air, became extremely valuable. some people would take Cold Pricklies--which were everywhere and freely available-and coated them white and fluffy so that they almost looked like Warm Fuzzies. These fake Warm Fuzzies were really Plastic Fuzzies, and they caused additional problems.

Once a woman came from nearby town who was oblivious to the belief of limited Warm Fuzzies and started handing out Warm Fuzzy freely. Children loved her and they followed. But people got angry and they passed a law. The law made it a criminal offense to give out Warm Fuzzies in a reckless manner or without a license.

Many children, however, seemed not to care; and in spite of the law they continued to give each other Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it and always when asked. Because they were many, many children, almost as many as grown ups, it began to look as if maybe they would have their way.

As of now its hard to say what will happen. 

Will the grownups  laws stop the recklessness of the children?

Are the grownups going to join with the Hip Woman and the children in taking a chance that there will always be as many Warm Fuzzies as needed?

Will they remember the days their children are trying to bring back when Warm Fuzzies were abundant because people gave them away freely ?

The struggle spread all over the land and is probably going on right were you live. If you want to, and I hope you do, you can join by freely giving and asking for Warm Fuzzies and being as loving and healthy as you can.

I have made my choice, have you?

Leia Mais…

Helter-skelter

That must be the most funniest incident experienced by me in a classroom.

A dull Saturday morning class, started at 8.30am, supposed to end at 12 o'clock - sleepy classroom, prof is repeatedly failing to make people respond to questions. The minute hand of wall clock is just not moving! 

Still one whole hour for class to end.

Tadaaaaa....

Two pigeons zoom into classroom from nowhere. They are confused, and keep flying here and there. Suddenly professor squeaks and class is slowly getting out of sleep-zone to trace origin of the strange sound.

Professor asks CR to perform his duty - Call someone from administration to shoo away the birds.

Promptly two representatives of administration come to class. Eureka! They have one awesome solution to drive away birds - Switch on the fans!

And then "those crazy 5 mins" began. 

Birds everywhere....and admin men after them. some of the now awake sleepyheads joined the bird-shooing gang, and professor at the door of class..

Finally, after some crazy minutes, birds and admin men were out, prof was in and students were back to sleeping den.

But with all this excitement professor decided to call it a day. 

A pathetically boring morning turned into most exciting class ever.

Leia Mais…

पुरिया

पुरिया खूप हळवा करणारा, कुठेतरी मनाच्या तळाला स्पर्शून जाणारा, अंतर्मुख करणारा  आणि हुरहूर लावणारा असतो. आधीच संध्यासमय मनातल्या हळव्या भावना बाहेर आणतो, त्याच्यात जर कानावर पडणारे पुरीयाचे आर्त सूर असतील तर स्वतःतच हरवून जायला होतं. याच पुरियाचा प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव ग दि मा आपल्या फक्त शब्दांनी उभे करतात- मग त्याला सुरांची हि गरज भासत नाही.

पुरिया.

फक्त शब्दातून दूर कुठेतरी उंच टेकडीवरच्या मंदिरातून हवेवर स्वर होऊन आलेले पुरीयाचे सूर कानावर पडायला लागतात, ती हळहळ, ती आर्तता, तो असह्य एकटेपणा, ते दुखः  आणि कातरवेळेची हुरहूर जाणवायला लागते. मग आपणही ह्याच काव्य-चित्राचा एक भाग होतो. हे फक्त शब्द नव्हेत, हि तर अनुभूती आहे.

ज्ञानियाचा वा तुक्याचा तोच माझा वंश आहे,
माझिया रक्तात ईश्वराचा अंश आहे.

हे शब्द त्याच्या बाबतीत अगदी खरे ठरतात.

Leia Mais…

अलविदा

मी SRKNEC  मध्ये final  year  ला असताना लिहिलेली हि कविता.

आयुष्य एक वळणावळणाचा रस्ता, बदलत्या चित्रांचा चल-चित्रपट बोलका,

दोन्ही बाजूंना सुख-दुखाची झाडं, येणाऱ्या जाणाऱ्यांसाठी मात्र उघडी ठेवा कवाडं

रस्त्याच्या सुरुवातीची असते सगळ्यांनाच जाण, पण पुढचा मात्र नसतो कोणालाच थांग,

तरीही पुढे पुढे जातच राहायचा असतं, पण प्रत्येक वळणावरून मागे नक्कीच बघायचं असतं,

पुढे जाताना ठेचकाळणं, दुखावणं असतं, पण मागे बघताना मन खरच सुखावतं,

आठवतात लहानपणाची कोडकौतुक, शाळेतल्या खोड्या आणि अभ्यासाची वह्या- पुस्तकं,

शाळा संपली, होती कॉलेज ची ओढ, फुलपाखरी दिवसांची आणि स्वप्नाची होती त्याला जोड,

कॉलेज मध्ये मात्र drawing sheets नी खूप रडवलं पण मित्रांसोबत मजा करणं कधी नाही सोडलं,

कॅन्टीन मधल्या गप्पांना रोज स्वल्पविरामच असायचा, उद्याच्या पेपर चा अभ्यास मात्र आज रात्रीच करायचा,

हि चार वर्षं वाळू सारखी सरली, आता फक्त आठवणीची संगत उरली,

संपले कॉलेज चे दिवस, संपली चढा-ओढीची गम्मत, आयुष्याच्या चढा-उतारात जाणवू दे मैत्रीची रंगत,

दिवस जातात वर्षही सरतात, रस्त्यांचेही बदलते चित्र, एकाच मागणं मागते, असेच फुलू दे आपले मैत्र. 

आज अचानक खण आवरताना हातात आली.कॉलेज सोडूनही आता जवळपास २ वर्षं होत आली. आता तर postgraduation संपायचे दिवस जवळ येताहेत. तेव्हा पण परत असाच पोटात गोळा येईल, वाईट वाटेल, पुढे काय होईल-आयुष्य कोणत्या मार्गावर नेईल याची उत्सुकता असेल पण त्याच बरोबर हे सोनेरी दिवस संपले याची खंत पण असेल.  पण आत्ता या क्षणी का त्याचा विचार करायचा? अजूनही माझे हे दिवस संपले नाहीत...

so enjoy baby...these days will not come again..

Leia Mais…

Ghar.

माझ्या आजी-आजोबाच्या घरात एक छोट्या कागदावर हि कविता लिहून भिंतीवर चिकटवलेली होती. आणि त्या वयात मला अर्थ जरी समजला नसला, तरी त्यातल्या यमकामुळे मला आवडली होती. नंतर मग पुढे कळलं कि हि विमल लिमये  यांची कविता.  या कवितेची आठवण येण्याचे कारण असे कि काल मला youtube वर श्रीधर फडक्यांनी गायलेली आणि स्वरबद्ध केलेली हि कविता surf करताना सापडली. 

Link to youtube video

घर.

घर असावे घरासारखे नकोत नुस्त्या भिंती 

तिथे असावा प्रेम जिव्हाळा नकोत नुसती नाती

त्या शब्दाना अर्थ असावा नकोच नुसती वाणी 
सूर जुळावे परस्परांचे नकोत नुसती गाणी 

त्या अर्थाला अर्थ असावा नकोत नुस्ती नाणी
अश्रूतुनही प्रीत झरावी नकोच नुसते पाणी 

या घरट्यातुनी पिल्लू उडावे दिव्य घेउनी शक्ति 
आकांक्षांचे पंख असावे उम्बर्ठ्यावर भक्ति 

मला फार आवडते हि कविता. घर - हि संकल्पना किती छान व्यक्त होते यातून....

मला हि कविता वाचली, ऐकली कि आजी आजोबांचे घर आठवत. एका खूप मोठ्या वाड्यात आजी आजोबा राहत असत. अंदाजे ६-७ कुटुंब राहत असतील त्या एका वाड्यात. माझे सगळा लहानपण तिथे गेलंय. मोठ्ठ अंगण आणि सुरेख बाग. बागेत जाई जुई चे वेळ आणि दारात फुलांच्या पायघड्या घालणारं पारिजताकाच झाड. एका balcony  मधून दुसऱ्या balcony मध्ये मारलेल्या गप्पा, खिडकी मधून होणारी पदार्थांची देवाणघेवाण, एकत्र साजरी केली जाणारी कोजागिरी आणि दिवाळी, सगळ्या बच्चेकंपनी ने सुट्टीमध्ये घातलेला धुडगूस.

हि कविता मला परत एकदा ४ वर्षांची frock मधली, दोन वेण्या घातलेली छोट्याश्या मुलीच्या जगात परत घेऊन जाते. 

काही गोष्टीच्या इतक्या घट्ट associations असतात ना...

Leia Mais…

Laws of economics

First of all, I am not a fan of economics. Its really not my cup of tea. But Abhishek showed me that irrespective of we notice or not, we experience these laws in our day to day life. Interesting. And I realized, laws of economics are eternal and omnipresent.

Consider a situation. 

Hot summer afternoon, scorching sun overhead, you are walking since last two hours without any shade on the way. You see a lush green tree and decide to settle down for a moment and take out your water bottle. The first gulp of water gives satisfaction of 100 "percentile". I have used word percentile and not percentage for a specific reason. The next gulp of water does satiate your thirst but sweetness of first drop was more than the on you are drinking now.  -  A classic economics law explained.- Law of diminishing returns.

Similar is the case of learning curve. 

 We keep on talking about " Practice makes a man perfect" and "Experience is the best teacher". These phrases generally used by our grandpas and grandmas are nothing but pure strategy. If this is not learning curve, then what is it?

Isn't it true? Its kind of fun to see how any subject you studied ( mainly theoretical subjects) in your yesteryear translates into real life.  

Leia Mais…

Train and window

Today me and my friends we went to Saket. The motivation behind the visit was to eat one doughnut from Mad Over Doughnut. As usual, it was crowded. No space to sit. But fortunately I rushed to position myself in front of opposite metro door. I just love to stand there and look out of the big square window of the door with my mp3 player plugged in. 

Different scenes and places run past. First the mall street ( thats my term. so may malls between MG Road and Arjan Garh) and there comes numerous marble/ granite stores....and a huge green patch will jump in front of you and you will really wonder " Is it really Delhi - Gurgaon route?" But the fun ends as metro is underground after Saket. 

Today I remembered one memorable train journey. It was long back, around 2001 from Mumbai to Ratnagiri. I was fascinated by numerous tunnels on that route. The greenery, the mighty Sahyadris on one side and the blue sea on other side along with "Narali - Pophali".   :)

Other amazing train journey was from Amgaon to Nagpur in Sept 2011. I was travelling by a local. I boarded train at 6 am. It had rained whole night and just stopped at the wee hours. I fortunately found an empty window seat. Still I could smell of the rains. As the train started gaining speed, rush of wind blew on my face playfully messing up my hair. It was all lush green outside. Paddy crops were just done planting. A moist smell of forests and fields hung in the air. The hot Adrak chai tasted so amazing in that atmosphere. That train journey helped me to get back to roots as well. After a long time I was travelling without reservation, in a train compartment where people sat on floor, in the door and on the luggage compartment, with large sacks and cane baskets filled with a variety assorted different things. It was not very comfortable but I won't mind to repeat it either. 

This blog post is quite disconnected, the way ideas came I penned them down. 

I love train journeys. The patience of counting passing by poles, constantly changing wallpaper outside window, chai-garam and local specialties at various stations, antakshari in groups, relentless talking with neighbours, the fear of not getting up for a early morning destination..... Its all fun. 

I would second Sheldon of Big Bang theory in his opinion -  Only  a fool won't like trains...They are always fun!

Leia Mais…

अखेरची कमाई

सध्या माझं नवा उपक्रम चालू आहे. कुसुमाग्रजांच्या कविता. असंच त्यांची एक कविता सापडली.

अगदी साधी. पण भरपूर बोलून जाणारी. जरा विचारच करायला लावणारी. 

कवितेचे नाव   :   अखेरची  कमाई

मध्यरात्र उलटल्यावर शहरातील पाच पुतळे 

एका चौथऱ्यावर आले आणि टिपे गाळू लागले 

ज्योतिबा म्हणाले, शेवटी झालो मी फक्त माळ्यांचा 

शिवाजी राजे म्हणाले मी फक्त मराठ्यांचा

आंबेडकर म्हणाले मी फक्त बौद्धांचा

टिळक उद्गारले मी फक्त चित्तपावन ब्राह्मणांचा 

गांधीनी गळ्यातला गहिवर आवरला 

आणि ते म्हणाले - तरी तुम्ही भाग्यवान 

एक एक जात-जमात तरी तुमच्या पाठीशी आहे

माझ्या पाठीशी मात्र फक्त सरकारी कचेऱ्यातील भिंती !

सकृत दर्शनी खूप विनोदी वाटणारी हि कविता खरा गेल्या ५० वर्षात लोकांनी सगळ्या महापुरुषांच्या  विचारांचा  आणि आदर्शांचा हवा तसं अर्थ लावलाय.

खरा पाहता खूप दुर्दैवी प्रकार आहे हा. 

पण खरच असं असायला हवं का ?

मला नाही वाटत कि कोणाला शिवाजी महाराज inspiring नसतील वाटत किवा ज्योतिबा फुल्यांनी केलेल्या स्त्री-शिक्षणाच्या सुरुवातीचा कोणाला विसर पडेल. 

आंबेडकर  गांधी आणि टिळकांचे भारताच्या सामाजिक अंड राजकीय जीवनातील अढळ स्थान कधी बदलेल. 

या सगळ्यांचा आदर करायला कोणाला एखाद्या विशिष्ठ समूह ओर समुदायाचा भाग असायला हवा. केवळ भारतीय किवा केवळ एक व्यक्ती असणं त्यासाठी पुरेसे आहे. 

Leia Mais…

Wallpaper and कुसुमाग्रज

It is quite strange. I was in my friend's room, we had to work on a case. He powered on his laptop and his wallpaper reminded me of कुसुमाग्रज 

No, he is not marathi, and I am sure he doesn't even know that a person called कुसुमाग्रज ever walked this earth. 

He had a lone tree as his wallpaper. Dry grassland and just a single tree. nothing living in sight - no animals, no birds, not even a single other tree.

It reminded me of a poem by कुसुमाग्रज - पाचोळा. 

आड वाटेला दूर एक माळ, तारू त्यावरी एकाला विशाल, 

आणि त्याच्या बिलगुनिया पदास, जीर्ण पाचोळा तो पडे उदास... 

A  few leaves had fallen and lay like neglected toys on the grass. Scorching sun burns them, the black scary night covers everything, rain drench the grassland, tree and the fallen leaves. The leaves on three turn and twist in wind as if laughing at the fallen leafy soldiers. 

And all of sudden, out of nowhere, a gush of wind blows all the leaves.....the land is cleared....for more leaves to fall down.

आणि अंती एक दिन त्या वनात, येई धावत चौफेर क्षुब्ध वात,

दिसे पाचोळा, घेरुनी तयाते, नेई उडवूनी त्या दूर दूर कोठे,

          आणि जागा मोकळी हो तळाशी, पुन्हा पडण्या वरतुनी पर्ण-राशी 

Actually this is the circle of life. Birth, youth, adulthood, old-age and death. And someone is already there in line to take place of the fallen.

Ms Abha S Bhuskute

Leia Mais…

Assumptions and perceptions…. And Tuticorin

I know – no connection at first but let me explain.

In life we always tend to assume about many things. What we like, what will happen,  how things will go, how life will be. What not. It is really difficult to escape these assumption trap and think clearly- not always- but many times. We form a translucent layer in front of our sensory organs to filter out the information and feeling what exactly we want to feel that actually what we feel.  Most of the times, we perceive things not based upon what they actually are but based on what we assume them to be.

These assumptions have ruined things – relationships, trips, new place experience, movies  :P   and what not…  Enough of fandas..

What I realized yesterday that Tuticorin is not that bad place to be – actually I am loving this whole new experience…

My view till yesterday: When I first came to know that I have to do my internship at a place called Tuticorin I was sad, dejected. I felt like I am leaving the living vibrant world and stepping on some dull boring alien planet. After coming here, I cursed this place like anything. But at least the work was interesting that made me feel a bit better. Such a small town – not options of eating out, no hanging out places, no Hindi/English, no  Hindi / English movies, even Discovery channel in Tamil, eating big pile of rice and maida roties every day…. Not my idea of a perfect fun internship!

So I dragged myself to complete each day. I even made a table in sheet of paper and stroke off each day at night! ( Ramya hope you read that ).

Now 20 days old in internship and happy to get stipend, I came back from office early yesterday. After getting down from the bus, instead of going to apartment, I decided to have a stroll in neighborhood. I walked on the street, in and around residential area, inside medical college premise, went to a mandir nearby, found out a market about one km away from our apartment and found a courier place… and I had a big smile on my face. I was enjoying walking there.  These days I am unknowingly humming Tamil songs! ( hey, I know I don’t understand Tamil, but music has no language ! :P  one more fanda…. I know I know… )

All in all, it’s not that bad as it seemed…

Leia Mais…

पत्र म्हणजे काय रे भाऊ?

पत्र म्हणजे काय रे भाऊ? 

खरच! पु ला देशपांड्यांच्या  वाऱ्यावरची वरात मध्ये जसा नाटकात छोटा भाऊ दादा ला विचारतो " दारू म्हणजे काय रे भाऊ?" तसा आता पत्र म्हणजे काय रे भाऊ असा प्रश्न पडायला लागला आहे .

खरच आता कुठे पत्र वगैरे लिहिल्या जातात? 

email  आणि sms  च्या काळात पत्र म्हणजे अगदी मासलेले वाटता ना... १८५७ च्या जमान्यातलं !

मला आठवता, राखी आणि भाऊबीजेची पत्र आई अगदी आठवणीने लिहायची. तिच्या आणि माझ्या, दोघांच्या नावाची....

जेव्हा  कधी कधी ही पत्रं मला लिहावी लागायची तेव्हा अगदी राग यायचा - किती त्रास देते आई म्हणून. 

पण मला पत्रांचे खरे महत्व कळले 8th  मध्ये नागपूर ला आल्यावर. आई च्या अक्षरातून जणू तीच भेटायची मला. अगदी आतुरतेने तिच्या पत्रांची मी वाट बघत असायचे....

इथे गुरगाव ला आल्यावर अजूनही रोज घरी बोलना तर होता, तरी कधी तरी खूप एकटेपणा जाणवतो...

एकदा असाच आलेल्या ह्या एकटेपणा मध्ये काहीतरी उद्योग म्हणून हातात कागद पेन घेतला आणि नीरजा ला एक पत्रं लिहून काढला...

इतका छान वाटलं! पण त्याहुन छान वाटले ते पत्र मिळाल्यावर आनंदून तिचा आलेल्या phone वर तिच्याशी बोलताना..

emails , smses  लवकर पोचतात, जास्त advanced आहेत हे खरा आहे, पण पत्रामधून जो आपलेपणा वाटतो ना तो दुसऱ्या कशातून नाही...

बोलणं विसरल्या जाता, पत्रं परत परत वाचता येतात...

मग माझे पत्रं लिहिणा चालू झाले... नीरजा, मावशी, आजी, अभिषेक, श्रेयस काका-काकू, भावंड, एक एक करत मी पत्रं लिहित गेले..

आणि खरच खूप छान वाटायला लागला. एकटेपणा कुठल्या कुठे पळून गेला...

इथे होस्टेल ला राहताना पत्रं आली कि अजूनच छान वाटतात. 

लोक हसतात  मला, अजूनही या technology driven age मध्ये काय पत्र लिहिते म्हणून..

पण खरा सांगू, मला पर्वा नाही कोण मला किती मागासलेले म्हणता त्याची. कारण हे मिळणारा समाधान सगळी कासार भरून काढता.

असाच मला USA postal department  ची एक ad  दिसली...

If you really want to touch someone, send them a letter.

अगदी खरा आहे...

मी तर माझ्या पत्रांचे सिलसिले चालूच ठेवेन, तुम्ही पण सुरुवात करून बघा... 

:) 

Leia Mais…