art katta

Paan Kaheye Saiyaan Hamar!!

2011-03-08T04:48:00.000-08:00

Paan khaye saiyaa hamar , like my player was stuck on replay whilst I walked the elderly streets of Aurangabad. An Aurangabadi friend drew me in his BMW a.k.a BB (As his sweet little son would say it) to a paan gully at night, all the shops had varieties of paan to offer. I had a small roll of beetle leaf with lovely stuffing of chunna, supari, gulkand, coconut, fruit preserves and cherry etc the moment it stepped in to the world of my mouth I ran back to the era where chewing paan was a custom of the royalty, where the Queens and Kings had special attendants carrying a box with the ingredients for a good chewing session I felt how it would have been. We drove back home but next day I planned to know more about the lane and the pan served their. I was a little skeptical as that area was born with the birth of Nizam’s so were the chacha’s and topis. I was worried that they may not be able to accept the fact that a woman is clicking pictures and get sleezy comments. So I very timidly stepped into one of the famous shops, Tara Paan Centre and ordered for one Paan and the menu was way green and startling it had Paan from rs.50 to Rs. 3000 I immediately asked him what’s that you put in Teen Hazar walla Paan jiska naam tha honeymoon special “there was a custom to chew supari (areca nut) and Paan (betel leaf) among lovers because of its breath-freshening and relaxant properties,this trend led to honeymoon special Paan. Very timidly Imran chacha told me "woh peheli raat ko pyaar jatane ke liye yeh paan bahut taaqat deta hai" (Isssshhhhhhhh)
As I built the conversation people around became very welcoming affable and respected the fact that I wanted to learn about the Paan more than eating. He offered me 4-5 different Paan’s and I wondered what bill am going to make I told him “chacha I cant eat so many “chinta nako,aap khau sehat ke liya accha hai aur mere taraf se hai” they were still too many and too heavy to be eaten. Slowly I managed to get my camera out and asked him if I could click. He was more than happy to see me with the camera. There came a small man on a big cycle and said “Chahca Humko sardi hui hai zara paan khila do”
. On this chacha made a immediate crack to roll a Paan with sizzling lavang. Every Paan had a better cause than mouth freshener or sweetener. People there actually depend on Paan for medicinal purposes too and also serving paan is a sign of hospitality which I too experienced with warm smiles.
With all the efforts I stood and saw Imtiaz the Paan Man from inside called for me and showed me the mansion of Paan and how they made them to export. The business they ran was not only for the Aurangabad Paan lovers they are spread all over the world and sell their paan in UK US Australia Dubai and turkey etc. The packaging is done in such a way that the pan doesn’t loose its life for next three days at least. Imtiaz was a kind man with red tongue and warm heart. He told me all about the varieties and the love people have for their Paan
“we make Paan for upvaas also with loads of dry fruits and mava” with that he made one for me Ufff!! It was real heavy but I knew if I had that I could go for the whole day without any food.I had my dear fotog friend pratik with me who made this ride even more interesting. As I took a stroll around the shop and pumped my lungs with lovely beetle leaf whiff I came across a Dabba with a very rural Indian feel to it and picked it up as a souvenir. And I acted like I won the title for Miss World when Imtiaz bhai packed 5-6 packets of Paan garnished with fresh rose petals and loads of love and memories for me to take back to Mumbai. This is what I like about my travels more than bags of shopping I have filled my bags of memories

The ones Who Think they "LOVE" cats :)

2010-10-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

I thought my love for animals was something that no one would have for any other living being until I met and heard this little yarn of a 73 year old man, Manjar Kaka (Eknath Patil)
My work has let me meet people whom I think I would have never heard of because I don’t follow news, thought I write in a newspaper don’t really read them. There was no woman who would accept him for the way he is with his cats. He lives in a dingy house with
zilch cleanliness, when I asked him the rationale he said “If I keep the house is according to my requirement this would be my house not my cats house” he has an empire of 35 and has taken care of more than 150 cats he at times looses his count too. He spends most of his profits he gets from his English tutoring on his cats and makes it comfortable for them and lives in filth but is content looking at his Meeoow’s Purr to sleep peacefully. I heard his story of how attached he is to his cats, but didn’t have the nerve to ask him the what he does when any of his cats passes away, so I asked a neighbor of his, a young chap of 28 years working as a set designer and is very dear to Manjar kaka. He narrated me this little story. One of Manjar kaka’s most darling cats was Bokya, he laid one of the mornings in front of his house with no purr and the neighbor Mahesh happened to see him and inform kaka. Kaka came running to see him but realized Bokya had already given up serenely. Kaka shed no tear... But a smile, that Bokya has slept in peace. He asked Mahesh to help burry Bokya near by because kaka didn’t have the heart and vigor to do it. On that Mahesh agreed without a hitch and went ahead. They reached a small piece of barren land near Dombivli station 10 mins away from his home and asked Mahesh to start digging. Kaka wrapped Bokya in a fresh silk sheet and laid him in the clean mud. Along with Bokya he put a bottle in which he planted Rs.500 and a small note with something written in it. Mahesh was a little nosy and asked him why he had done that. On that Kaka ignored his question and asked him to do what he was asked to.
Mahesh didn’t bother him for some days but the money and the note in the bottle bothered him a lot so he went and asked Kaka with innocent eyes, on that kaka told him “If in case they take that land for development in future I would want them to take my Rs.500 as a token of understanding and read the note carefully .That message till date gives me tears and shrill when I think of it, it said
“ PUDHCHA GHAAV SAMBHALUN MAZA BOKYA ZOPLA AAHEY”

It’s not what you wear…Its how you Feel

2010-09-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have been fluky to have friends who have wardrobe full of branded outfits and shoes ecetra, but still know the worth of a 50 rupee top.
To buy a few things we pulled over at a shop and my sweet friend said I ll park myself in the car I don’t want to come inside is because there are people who wear good clothes and look pretty, I feel out of place. On that I instantly realized I felt the most strongest when am around people who are dressed in pretty clothes , shiny bags and make up on. I feel stronger around them even after not wearing anything closely to the price the tag their clothes carry. But I still feel pretty in my shoes is because I FEEL good about myself. What’s the point in wearing a diamond ring but not feeling good. If you can carry a rag with style and comfort you look good. “Beauty is in your mind, Not in your mirror”. When my words are stronger than the person in front even if am in Adha chaddi simple chappals and a bag hanging around me I feel strong because I know my words make more sense than their clothes. Not that smart people don’t wear good clothes, it’s just that one doesn’t have to judge people on the basis of their clothes or money in their wallet, if you doing so you got nothing to worry. The tough is when you have judge them on the basis of their thoughts and words. If someone is smarter in that than you, theres something you got to worry.
That’s why I say its not what you Wear …its how you feel!!

On Behalf of Bappa !!

2010-09-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

While I sat at a lovely corner with a my sweet bag Swa urf Swati,I was very happy in my mind with the breeze feeling my cheek, water drops trickling off the coconut tree and playing slide on my scalp. I saw a very painful sight which I tried ignoring but I couldn’t. A sweet family was taking our sweet lord Ganesha to their abode on a handcart and that cart took a jump because of a pot hole which wasn’t seen to them in all the excitement they were in having Ganesha home. I couldn’t gulp the lump in my throat when I saw the Ganesha fallen of the cart on the road because of the ugly pot hole. I lost all the spirit of festive which I had pumped in by seeing crowded markets, beautiful flowers and decoration. People dressed in the most colorful clothes, kids chanting “Morya Morya” when a truck passes by. This is one celebration where I feel safe to walk amongst strangers also because everyone is carrying a smile in their heart and exchange smiles. All these little were killed when I saw this incident and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the broken idol. Aren’t we taking our gods for granted its we the humans who built and mold the idol with lovely colors, glittery dhoti, modak, undir mama and off all we mould a “SMILE” on his face. Have we ever considered the emotion he must be carrying within him when he is watching the plight through the year? I hear boys who get big idols in the trucks and scream Ganpati Baapa Morya and on the other hand tease girls and pass cheesy comments on girls. Am in middle of so many thoughts that I don’t feel like celebrating this time. If I would want to be standing in front of him I would want to give him the love and RESPECT that he today deserves. Today rituals have become more important than gods. This is the period of great unrest, Social change as you could say. Cities are growing, generating wealth and spiritual hunger. I had read this somewhere “oceans have dried up, mountains have crumbled, pole star is shaking, the earth founders, The GODS have perished” Just like you go to a new place for a while and wish to go back to your house because you aren’t treated well at the new place. That’s the way even Ganeshji must be feeling when he comes to us today. We just expect him to kill our sadness but what about the pain that we give him by not respecting the nature. If I think of it the root cause is that no one cares for the nature today. All I can see Ganeshji doing today is while we sing, dance and pray in front of him he must be weeping inside or prolly he has not even come to us.
People usually turn to God when they are empty stomach but with me I turned my back when I was empty stomach and promised to work hard for myself and earn the name and respect. But still I don’t insolence him as am an nonbeliever. But I feel am a better person being agnostic since I don’t expect anything from him and don’t treat him well once in a blue moon.
We ask for so much from him but have we ever thought what he must be expecting from us and do we do a little to give what he expects from us?

If one really loves him, then take care of mother earth by taking little things like cleanliness, making people around you aware about not throwing Kachra on roads and off the windows on the track. It hurts me when I see people spitting on roads while they are carrying the Ganpati, it hurts when I see people throwing plastic bags of flowers and sweet wrapper,. Did he ask you to do this? I can see Ganesha pinching his nose while he crosses open bins and we proudly sing to him at that point expecting him to be fine. We clean houses for him but make him walk through pot holes and garbage bins why cant all be responsible and spread a word of cleanliness. This holds no offense to anyone, if you feel you are not of the ones who do this, there are many who do it, don’t ignore when you see some ignorant person next time. And let’s hope Ganesha will be received in a better way next year.
He doesn’t need loud music or expensive decorations all he needs is that you worship and keep him in your heart always and he will kill your agony. Treating him well for one day and not caring for him rest of the year is not what he wants you to do. I speak on this festival specifically coz I don’t believe in any religion other than ART hence I say “ART IS MY RELIGION”. As a kid i have always heard of him as"KALECHA GURU” (GOD OF ART). Its coz of this is have a corner for him. And if through him I can spread a word for making this place a better place to live I ll take his help instead of chanting “time being” prayers to him for selfish reasons.

Day 1

2010-08-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

There’s nervousness, confusion and anxiety but of all, there’s the vigor that is driving us towards what we have wheeled till here for our documentary. We started from Mumbai for Goa with the same feelings we are still carrying in our socks right now. We hit the highway and our boys B boy RJV and B boy Ridi’q were captured breaking on the rough patch off the highway with no music. They tuned with their own breathe beat and grooved within themselves. Their bruises on their palms explain me the love for breaking. We settle ourselves and head towards Kolhapur. I appreciate B boy RJV for the efforts he is putting in with all the breaking and the driving he has done till Goa. We had our own little stress busters at our halts with chaukidar Dalvi
who posed for us a with his old rusted fun and showed off his bullets. DJ Amul is a part of our gig he is an absolute comic relief who sleeps with RJV’s not so branded shades called Ray Wan. He had them on even while he asked for chai at 8pm. Prathamesh a.k.a Paddu is a tiny thing carrying the video camera and also our camera man who pronounces Bhoot as Boot and keeps reminding Vicky a.k.a Ridi’q he has a family at home for respectful reason (Reasons are quiet critical cant be disclosed ). We halt at a very neat and huge petrol pump at Nippani for a leak but instead our boys jump out of their skins when they see the location behind the pump.
And start breaking. RJV had a little crash and hurt his back but he still continued with the routine and with the driving. Ridi’q is pumped
with energy and is a boost to RJV. We shoot at the pump and bag a good footage and Amul gets busy shooting goats in the farms and claims that NOW he can work with the discovery channel.

as we rolled a little ahead we witnessed 66-feet Chinmaya Ganadhish idol in Kolhapur which considered to be the tallest Ganesha

idol in the world. The idol sits on 24-feet Dhyana Nilayam (raised platform). Thus the statue is 90 feet from the ground level. With this beauty in the foreground
we got to see a rainbow which was a blessing for the art and message these boys were carrying their heart.
Today we get serious with the sketch we have for the movie and meeting up with the Breakers in Goa and hearing their side of story of being the only breakers in the Town. Few breakers from the town who are going to rally us round and bag some information on the breaking scenario in Goa. They are small in number, would get to hear their plans to grow and their contribution to the breaking planet to spread breaking. Also our boys would break a little with them. This is what we will be stitching in today and tomorrows tapes and rolls hopefully some good surprises fall on the tape.

Breaking Spree

2010-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

A bruise is the beauty of this dance form and music is the language they speak. B-boying was originated as a dance form in 1970’s and is one of the four elements in hip hop culture. Rajiv Shirodkar a.k.a B boy Rjv and Vicky Shriyan a.k.a B boy Ridi’q have been breaking for 3-4years and have performed on all sized platforms. In their journey of breaking they have faced injuries, physically and mentally which have pulled them back and step out of this. But they never gave up and are still breaking with all the injuries they have carved on them. If you have to be a successful artist in India one has to be tolerant and dedicated to his or her art. Their love and dedication for this art is making them take a step ahead and educate people about the real value of Breaking, as any form of art can’t endure on Claps alone, it needs heavy support to grow. B- Boys or Break Boys don’t get the respect and the support they deserve. To bag all that is lost in this Art form these boys are the first ones take the initiative to a document life of a B boy and B girl across India. This is the kind of a chronicle which is not yet documented in India and their scheme behind documenting this tale is to preserve and promote this art and prove it to people that this aint a freak show but a pure form of art. Mumbai has always been first in doing a lot of things which have gone unnoticed otherwise. Similarly this form of dance was introduced to India by bunch of breakers from Mumbai and now Rjv and Ridi’q are the mumbaikars who are not just sticking to the realm of Mumbai to document this movie in spite of all the financial constraints and no support. They are travelling to Goa, Bangalore and Mumbai and covering the best breaking crews in these cities and they would battle with them in the clubs and streets and will document the story behind them and their struggle to be a B Boy today in India. This documentary will be released in Mumbai’s entertainment centres, big screens and colleges. And if finances allow they will be screening it in Goa and Bangalore. These boys are battling this journey by making their own pockets empty and with help of friends and relatives. None of the sponsors have poured in yet for such an idea which is not sketched by anyone in India, but they are still confident of their idea and are stepping in the pool of fight for the survival of this art to keep it alive.

F@#K the System!!

2010-07-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

When you come across a spoilt kid the first word in our mind is, it his or her parents who hasn’t been responsible and that irresponsibility is reflected in that kid. It the same situation with our Mumbai today, Mumbai was a baby, we the people of Mumbai have brought her up and she is being irresponsible today because we didn’t take care of her in budding days.
I left my place on7th July morning for a shoot then caught up with a friend and spend the 8th of july on some work and came back all tired in the night at 10.30pm with loaded bags on me. The time when I got off at Dombivli station the site was heart breaking I saw bhajiwali’s making their good sale on the platform and what hurt me the most was she sat at the foot the security desk which reads as “SUVIDHA” is this suvidha for us or for these beggars? This desk had 2-3 policemen. I went up to the police in command on the platform and asked him to shoo them off he back answered me saying its not my duty you do what you want to do in the railway police station (P.S he was a part of the railways police station) and ignored me and asked me to go away like I was some dirt. I was hurt and though I had no food in my stomach and energy in my legs I had to walk across the bridge from one end to the other end of the platform and go their and talk to bunch of irresponsible men who didn’t respect me coz I was dressed in black shorts and casual t shirt and thought of me as some college chick but the moment I made my point and pointed there mistake I was escorted by one cop and other person with a stick(by law only this stick can be used for hitting people below their waste in case when they settle in places where they aren’t allowed to) who would shoo of the vegetable vendors. I sure didn’t want to remove my camera and the press tag because then work was easy anyways I wanted to get them to work as a college chick .I just want everyone who is reading this here that whatever you are, you are the ones who are running the government they cant overpower under the banner of “AAM JANATA”
The irony when I came back to the Cop whom I complained in the first place now talks gently to me by saying “ Madam aap tension mat lo maine unko bhaga diya hai” on this I was aggravated it wasn’t you who shooed them off the had to walk till the police station to shoo them off. This is something you should read carefully when I told him in the first place to move the vendor he said they do not listen to us and complain about us thats why we are scarred (This is said by Mr. Cop wid lovely stars on his shoulder) I was glad when people spoke along wid me and one shouted “vardi nikal aur baniyan mein baith Jha@!#@$ the cop had nothing to say. I had atleast 200 people crowding me at 11pm at dombivli station platform number 2. When I said “ aamchya paisya mule railway chalte aani tumcha ghar chalta hya bhajiwali mule nahi” and I walked off the cop had nothing to shout back at and only could put his head down because he knew I was the voice of the 200 people around me. All the eyes and mind recited what I said out loud.
Do they mean the vardi has no power when he first told me that I can’t tell them its not my duty does change if you are in railways police or security?? Can’t a person with vardi walk straight with pride and kick the wrongs. They can’t and wont until we pinch them to. Please people open your eyes and spend 10 mins to make the cops and government work we are the parents here if we don’t regulate our government our Mumbai and India as a whole will never be respected. Our Mumbai is looking like an irresponsible child here because we as parents are failing here. I had tears while I fought coz I knew my words were falling on deaf ears but I am sure out of the 200 I educated at least 50 who stood in the crowd and they would think twice when they see this happen next and would have the courage to speak up.

When i Fell in love!!

2010-05-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

The radiance of a woman is always captured by an eye who adores art, rest use it. I have been inspired to write and click coz lot of beautiful subjects that have hit my heart in my journey, woman being one of them. But this time it was unusual.
I have his gallant body in my memory ever since I remember but this time it was new. My heart clouted when I heard him. Beauty and grace has always been an insight for an artist what else could I ask for. I saw him pass by me a lot of times and every time I noticed one new tone on him which gave me a smile. He made every one around him look good. History is written from his back but never heard from a heart. My heart spoke for him every time I saw him. The beauty here am talking of is a horse. I learnt every side of his I know him as a obedient partner, lover and a man with gallant heart. The world today has gone plastic, its been long that any human has touched my heart how much a horse did.
I have been to this place ever since I remember incidents and recognize people. But this same old place was new to me, I spoke to everything around and wanted to know more. This new place is a small plateau near Mumbai called Matheran though close to the city it still smells ancient and feels Indian. There’s mud all over but no cars or bikes to ruffle it, only the trot or a gallop of a horse disturbs the red mud. My heart shrunk when I saw them loaded with saddles, accessories, harnesses, loads and people who sit on it with no honor. Horses served only one person TRANSPORTATION. Are they worth that? They are warriors know how to fight and ride themselves free and chase the shadow of an eagle. The long tail which helps him swatter the flies and keep his bottom warm in the cold. The style he rests
in with grace and peace. My love for a horse will never die. When I saw him race with the others I knew he was the one who would fight the odds and come ahead and bring pride and honor to his master. As I say with honor comes responsibility and this horse, Magican took care of his master how much he did of himself. I went I had a word with his master and ran my hands over Magicans sturdy, colossal body and realized for the first time even horses sweat but I still continued to run my hand over his body while he swayed his tails and his sweat remained on my palms.
How much a two legged creature is strange? Few people treat them just as means of income, transportation and their masters. What they don’t realize is they are the masters because you have trapped the horse in all possible ways let him off the saddle and other traps, let him gratis and then lets see who rides whom. My only yearning when I grow up I would want a horse who would live the way he wants to and he would be my master for sure I know he is more intelligent matured and has a better heart than what any human has. He is the man with steel body but a supple heart and steadfast to the ones whom he loves till he gets love and respect from them. His master told me a charming little tale about magicans life. He is in a dedicated relationship with a horse called pasta
and they have been together for 4 years now. When magican and pasta walk together pasta is always a step behind and looks tiny in front of magican. Whatever they are given is made half and half and shared with love. While pasta sits to sleep magican watches her back by standing all through out the night for her. She was a perfect woman for him and he did all his duties and they live happily even with saddles on them and make everyone happy who ride them.
My love for a horse will never die but expectations from a human will increase.

Vihir

2010-03-31T00:21:00.000-07:00

This movie was spoken so much of only coz of AB Production. This tag didn’t drag me to watch this movie. Marathi industry has been flourishing creatively after the beautiful parade of Marathi flicks in d past few months like Harishchandrachi factory, Natrang, Gabhricha pavus, Ringa ringa etc I expected yet another feather to the wall of Marathi industry. Vihir is about incisive (if slow) examination of the way children handle death, and how slowly they process death or misery. The movie sets in motion very beautifully painted with two boys meeting up after corresponding through letters (actual pen and paper letters) for a relative's wedding in the country. The well is where they swim and their amity is shown in this well hence the name “VIHIR” the movie is strong on music and visuals very few dialogues. I absolutely loved the camera work, as a photographer got to learn a lot of things. One of the brothers Nachiket (elder) is questioning the ones existence the reason why we live. It’s the blood relation that keeps you away from so many things. Why do we live in a pattern of what’s given to us and live by the rules of the society and family, why after 10th our life has only three pages ART SCIENCE AND COMMERCE. He has been coming up with a lot of questions and wants to live a life away from the people whom he loves. He wants to run in the direction wind would take him and not to look at the watch and worry if his parents would b waiting
After this the movie starts reeling towards the younger brother Sameer and Nachikets relation. Sameer is scarred to loose Nachiket and Sameer gets the vibes that he would go away and when he does Sameer is not able to accept it and very slowly and steadily injects it in himself. Nachiket's death is a bit of a mystery, was it an accident or suicide? The family member take it as an accident and forget about him but Sameer absorbs it very slowly and steadily about what has happened to Nachiket, and it for you to see what the end is all about.
He has very well shot the movie in available light no use of artificial light except a few area even if it was used it complimented the frame.
This movie is indeed not for masses. The first half is a lot bearable but the second half gets you restless coz there are no words only hard visuals.

The set up is absolutely beautiful lovely old Wada’s with the traditional sitting areas the bonding in families in those days after this I did feel nuclear families are so not INDIAN. I feel the film has shown the stark reality of life in India The majestic landscape as against shabby urbanity, the simplicity of tribal’s and nature against complexities and compulsions in traditional middleclass households. The effect of all this on young minds is thought provoking. This movie is a treat for you eyes but not much for ears.

Well done abba

2010-03-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Well done abba
Before watching this movie I had not heard of it neither had I ever seen its promo’s but with all the excitement went to watch d movie that should tell you how much I like watching movies. I went with no expectations but the movie turned out to be first-rate. Well done abba is a quirky political spoof which is quite a new tadka to the Bollywood kadai.
Shyam Bengal has very nattily plotted the corruption and incompetence in smaller and un educated parts of India. The topic chosen was very sensitive if this topic would have been seen from kisi aur ki nazar se prolly instead of having a giggle on your lips and hands on your tummy you would have had tissues in your hands. Benegalji dealt such a grave concern so swiftly and conveyed the message. Boman irani is a versatile actor and a lovely human being. He has given his best as a driver in Mumbai driving a merc to a dad who is worried about his daughter(Muskan-Minisha P.S She has looked very sweet in the movie) who flies kites all the time and also deals with the water issue, like most of the real India even his village is facing water shortage. He wants to build a well (bowdy) in his yard. For which he looms to a bank and then because of luring offers goes under govts wings and applies for the sarkari scheme to dig up a well. Here is his portal to bureaucratic, corrupt Indian govt. after this is the chain which we at some point go through as educated people too. He wants to dig up a bowdy coz he had to refuse a humans request for water coz of the shortage. After this movie you would surely feel like beating up the person whom u wud think of buying a bisleri or aquafina and also start respecting water. The set up is in a village in Andhra and so is the lingo typically hyderabadi, its very musical and entertaining to listen. Photoshop plays a very important role in this movie though. To know why, you should watch this movie. I won’t run you through the movie and spoil the kick of it. But would want to suggest this movie. Ila arun is a total breather in this movie, she is just fabulous loved her from RESHAM KA RUMAL to Well done abba. On the scale of 10 I would rate it 8and half.
The hoarding of the movie very well explains how Boman as an individual overpower the corruption of government. The way he and his daughter manage to do it worth a watch.

YETHE KACHRA TAKNYAS MANAI AAHEY!!

2010-03-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Bingo,kurkure,gutka,condom more seen on roads then in the garbage bin or at the vendor. While I have my walk around the city it hurts me to see any person throwing Kachra on the road. The worst part when you tell them not to… they are offended and give a look to you saying do you have the RIGHT to correct m. Bloody its my city I live here and breath here I wan to breath clean and don’t get stuck in rain and blame the poor pavus its damn you throwing plastic around and jamming the sewage and BLA!!!
Hitch lies with our teachings in schools nothings much taught bout keeping our environment clean and how important it is in a long run to dispose the waste at the right place. All we are taught are those few thick lines on cleanliness from those dumb text books and teachers make us repeat after them. With an exception where I saw this kid who travelled after school in the train with his mother . as his mother chattered away to glory with the other ladies this kid quietly ate a packet of little hearts and when he was done very neatly wiped his hands to his hankie and then folded the empty packet neatly and stuffed it into his bag so that he could have gone and thrown it into his residential dustbin and not on the tracks. But to my surprise his mother batted his hand and yelled at him to keep the kachra in the bag and forced him to throw it out and out of fear he followed what his mother said. As individual whatever role we are playing with our surroundings or with people arnd us we can correct them. BUT!! I know you feel a lil scarred of weird to correct unknown people thinking of how they myt react. But feel free to correct BMC has appointed a few heads who dress up in casual and come tapping on your back to burn your 200 rupees from your piggy. One of my dear mates happened to face this and came and informed me about this incident and to his kick he felt bad when he saw me smile while he recited how he was fined rs.200 early morning. The smile was because I always wanted some monitor for Mumbai I don’t mind doing it myself if am given the authority. I don’t know why people come to Mumbai saying it’s the place where dreams come true and kill Mumbai themselves and so do Mumbaikars. And even if I correct someone for littering am spoken ill off WHY?? Why cant you see that its our duty together to keep our city clean. Mumbai has given every entity something why can’t we give Mumbai flowers and fragrance instead of wrappers and stench??No one has to respect anyones authority here ,but indeed respect MUMBAI.

On request my friends identity is gonna b hidden but will narrate in short what happnede with him. As he smoked at dadar station peacefully with a cutting and when the ash reached the bud he threw it down and stifled the bud wid his shoes. With that BMC man came and fined him rupees 200. At that my friend being a typical mumbaikar said “dada shambhar ghya,pavti naka fadu” the Bmc fellow didn’t budge and flashed his ID to prove it that he is really with the BMC and has to answer his superiors. With that my friend very responsibly handed 200 rupees and wud think before littering around. Though I felt bad coz the real kachra makers slip away coz few BMC holders can’t keep monitoring to keep the city clean alone. Its every individual who has to take this responsibility and correct the next person with a smile and ask him or her not to do it but if they still do it you make an effort to pick it up or take away the rags he or she was planning to dump on the road or station and dump it in your bag and then makes its way peacefully in the dustbin you next see : )
This note is for the people who aren’t aware of this so that next time you think of throwing anytype of kachra or spitting or also peeing you may want to rethink and the quiet watchers you are worst than the ones who are doing the crime. So get aware mumbaikars and make Mumbai a better place to live.

this made me really happy coz i felt bad when i carried the din bhar ka kachra in my bag thinking of not littering around but saw 100's around me throwing kachra like someone is goin to suck it to keep the place clean.

The SWEET Aunty : )

2010-03-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

I always thought of myself to be bizarre when I spoke to myself while I traveled and walked around. But I didn’t realize when I talk in to me, am not talking gibberish whether am looking good, is my hair ok or my nails done properly. All I do while I travel daily is OBSERVE people around me and what I get to learn and tell others from them. One of the steamy afternoons I was rushing for a shoot in goregaon while I was reaching bandra a very lovable old Punjabi aunty got in the train with a smile on her face. She opened her jhola and removed boxes of sweet. this reminds me of birthdays in school days were we got grabbing’s from our birthday frens as we would wait for him or her to remove the box of sweets from the bag.
The Sweet Aunty was selling chocolates of the brand Cadbury, 5star, munch and éclairs not the ones which are spelled muanch, cabdury ékliars. They were the original ones. She brought me a great smile though she was old and needed money she enjoyed selling sweets and making everyone happy. I bought chocolates worth Rs. 35 from her. but with her got in 2 kids they were siblings one of arnd 7 years and other barely 5 years and the train started moving the elder one started singing at the ugliest voice she could and the younger one very sweetly batted everyone’s hand and asked to drop some money in his glass. Everyone looking at this tiny hands begging managed to give some money when that kid came to me I shouted at him and asked to walk off. With that the lady next to gave me a look sayin “aaj ki ladkiyon ko kya attitude hota hai no manners and blaaa!!” and to prove me even cruel she handed that 5 year old kid a 5 rupee dollar. The Chocolate aunty came to me and gifted me a thank you. She narrated to me that “baby am 62 years old I get in this train everyday to sell my chocolates I never cheat I don’t sell sasta maal coz they spoil your health. But why god is so unfair. I go the truthful way to earn money these beggar kids get in with me and make more money than me(they make more than Rs.2000 a day). People are willing to give 5 rupees to them even when they are not giving them joy or sweetness in return. I give the one thing that makes a 2 year to 80 year old human a smile “CHOCOLATES” still people choose beggars over me”
With that she gave the aunty a look and a smile,who sat and abused me coz I batted that 5 years old kid. This simple thought and experience taught me one thing we are responsible for the dirt around us. STOP GIVING money to the ones who beg even when they are hale and hearty. Once you stop it they cant do anything. encourage people who make an effort to sell and earn money be it a pass holder or a mobile cover if you wan to help …help in the right way DON’T ENCOURAGE THE DIRT ENCOURAGE THE HARD WORKERS.

Unerland's wonderland wid Alice

2010-03-15T01:37:00.000-07:00

The moive is basically about how ALice helps change underland to wonderland. From ugly to beauty from hate to love.
One of the movies that kept me to the seat till the end of the credit rolling. First day of the movie and I couldn’t refuse to give in to the delicious platter of imagination. Jhonny depp was the cake on the platter which I couldn’t resist hence marched to the nearest theatre which played the awesome 3D movie. As I entered the theatre the person at the attendance gave me the glasses which would make you feel like the part of the movie. And to my luck the glasses were of lovely pink which made me think of the movie lot beyond what it was. It totally took me back when I saw the creation it was more than what I thought it would be.
The story wasn’t that great neither were the princess yummy looking. But shade and effects on the movie by the animator was something no one should miss on. It indeed has broken the records of avatar. The movie is so magical that after watching the flick every door that I opened I thought it would go into a imaginary world everything around looked very delightful. The character sketch and dialogues were very wisely drawn. You wish you could live in such an imagination land and paint flowers of your choice and have a talking cat and bla!! Those 1hr47 mins took me to a world where I could do what I wan to do and the way I wan to do it. I can’t really write much on this movie because this movie is something for your eyes and not brains you have to let you imagination flow and leave the logics aside. It sure is a breather from the unreal life we live in the “I don’t know my neighbor” era. All I would suggest is grabbing a seat as soon as possible don’t wait up for 10 different heads views go watch it yourself and then make a judgment.

The classic art-Road movie

2010-03-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Heard ill of this movie and somehow my gut feeling said Abhay cannot make a mistake in choosing his art baked movies. And instead of hearing the reviews from the commercial movie lovers went myself for the movie but to my hard luck couldnt get tickets coz of low attendance of the audience after a bitch of a ride from one theatre to another I managed to bag a seat in big cinemas (mulund) with 6 other heads. Sat wid my pen and paper and starting jotting the colors the movie had in my mobile light. Watching a movie alone is a kick in it self everyone should try it once.
Anyways the movie started and was very keen on knowing how the movie was. Why people like atithi over Road movie. The movie started with lovely Indian colors and oil, which in today’s day has lost its value over the expensive products. Me as a photographer always looks for indian colors and rust when am shooting the neatest model. I like dingy colored backgrounds. I wasn’t lone coz I knew abhay would give me a good company : ) .
Road movie is about the “Cinema trucks” which traveled and filmed movies to entertain the small villages in the interiors. Benegal has very artistically managed to revolve the movie around the classic song, a song that is sung and known to every age of a person till date. He has managed to very beautifully weave the story with the thread of the lyrics of Bollywood classic song “sar jo tera chakraye”.
There are very few characters and dialogues in the movie the background score aint that great but still towards the end this movie reveals a very beautiful message.
Abhay is forced to sell his dads products that’s Atma Tel. he is dead embarrassed to go drop the hair oil bottles from door to door.
To show that he doesn’t belong to that era is well symbolized by an I pod hanging around his neck al the time and not by hip lingo and jazzy clothes. his uncle who wants to sell of his truck in the far far land of rajhasthan, abhay insists on driving it down till there so avoid the selling of “atma tel ki botal” his dad gives him few boxes of oil bottles and tells him to make good sale in the desserts and if he couldn’t he is nalayak. In this journey he faces few odds and meets people who make is journey memorable. I have a super fascination with the trucks and the messages and colors it carries. This journey showed the importance of cinema it was more than entertainment and money making business. one could bribe anyone by showing them a movie. The lovely jhalaks of the classics by rekhaji, Hema malini, deva sahab and dharam paji makes the movie all the more ethnic. As the movie reeled I understood the reason why people didn’t like the flick only because the audience here is well fed wid pathetic karan johar commercialized drama. The messages of a movie is very well spoon fed by the movie maker. A movie which gets you tears by happy endings is what makes a good movie. This movie as it hit the ends had a very simple message that , though the time and era has become forward and fashionable the solution lies in the roots of our history. Abhay thought he would skip his dads oil selling business and step into new shoes it was the oil that saves his life from the dakkus and the other odds that he faces on the road. Though we have himesh sonu and shankar singing the hip hop songs the melody still is in the classics. The last shot explains the love for the old’s which says respect your tradition and roots even if you influenced by the west. the art of classics will never fade . I knew it well that abhay would neva make the wrong choice when it comes to his work. I hope these kind of movies are appreciated so that emotional crap of karan johar is ruled out for once and for all the people here understand what actually cinema is meant for.

Thanks maa

2010-03-11T23:26:00.000-08:00

I made a real effort to convince the big cinema mates to give away the tickets for this movie coz it was only 4 of us watching it. A 60 year old couple and my cousin and me. We had a very gurlie day wid a lot of shopping for home and had finally decided on watching Thanks maa over Road movie. There wer no buyers for this movie hence they weren’t giving out the tickets had to wait till the show time. And when we got the tickets we had a giggly gurlie laugh coz we got the tickets. Went in for a security check and the crooked lady said that I can’t carry the two lil muffins I had carried to munch. Our security sucks while she checked my bag she was looking idhar udhar but she only spotted my muffins not the nail cutter I was carrying .Anyways the show had to start by 8.05pm and we wer at the check by 8.06 which made me hyper as she said I had to keep the muffins there itself and take it at the exit I was very skeptical as I knew she wud gulp my muffins while I would b watching the movie so I told my sister to gulp it down and we did so and reached the theatre. It was nice to see an empty theatre wid only 4 heads. The national anthem started and we both stood and I was hurt to see the old couple didn’t stand if they had all the energy to come and see the movie in the theatre and stand in the line they cud have very fit stood for the anthem. And to my hard luck I noticed that she was in a burkha and the uncle with a topi everyone is free to make their own choices but I was very hurt to see this. Anyways I think am getting diverted from the topic the movie started with the typical dirt of Mumbai stations and Dharavi was hurt to see yet another movie which doesn’t show the lush areas of Mumbai but manages to capture dirt of Mumbai. It felt I was actually watching slum dog millionaire without A.R Rehman.
This movie was basically about a kid “Municipality Ghatkopar” who was abandoned in a municipality hospital by his mother when he was born and how he comes across a lady abandoning a baby at the gate of children’s home. He can very much see himself in the place of the abandoned kid whom he names “Krish” and decides to track his mother down. Because he thinks his mother must be worried coz her baby is misplaced but his innocence doest know that this baby is a result of someone’s mistake or carelessness. But in the process of tracking Krish’s mother he gets to know that the baby was abandoned because he was upshot of a sexual abuse and the voyage of the baby was really long though it goes from his real mother to a ward boy who sells it to a prostitute and the prostitute buys the baby coz she is told that the baby is a girl and when she gets to know it’s a boy she abandons him. Municipality always explains his frens when they ask him to give up on the baby that “I know how my mum and dad must be worried for not being able to see me since the time I was found in the hospital”. But in the run for the hunt of mother he realizes that even he was result of a mistake and very innocently gives krish to a orphanage home and makes it a point that he isn’t called a orphan and gives him his name. He isn’t able to digest the fact that a kid can be a orphan coz every baby has a mom how can he be a orphan. He gives him his name because he doesn’t have a name from his heirs his name is from where he was found that’s the only thing he knew of his birth hence his name. at this age he was able to potray the feelings of a mother who would feel the pain of loosing a child.Pain seen in him when he ran around for shelter for krish was very well worked out by the little boy.
The character sketch of the movie is very nicely done as similar to slumdog. Apparently this movie was made before slumdog it was aired in a film fest back in 2008 but because of some good or bad reel it wasn’t aired and slum dog bagged it. Slow and steady doesn’t win the race. The movie was well executed but it was stretched for no reason you are left with a lot of unsolved questions when you heading the exit I was thinking till I reached my house. It doesn’t leave you disturbed but yes indeed a very strong message is given out especially to the dreadful state where kids are abandoned on the railway tracks and dumps. It hurts to hear a woman who has the power to grow a life within her has a bigger heart to abandon it. But in this movie they have managed to convince that when the mother abandons her baby it may or may not be out of her choice. We comfortably blame women who do this but even they have a story behind it. Towards the voyage of the baby making it way to the mother they convince you that its not the mother alone who should be blamed men are equally responsible. I cant reveal this part because when you see it you ll realize that this happens in every strata of the society but the girl cant be blamed alone.Though am not well convinced but it made me think before I judge the book by its covers. But this has to stop somewhere.

When i heard karthik Talking!!

2010-03-05T08:22:00.000-08:00

One fine afternoon after meeting a friend for selection of pictures of a shoot that we did I was totally free. So got my pen and notepad ready and went to watch Karthik calling Karthik. Its weird how we go for a movie with and expectation of the kind of mannerism a character has… like I love to watch a Devanandji’s movie for his head bob, Dharmendarji for his uncoordinated hand and a leg shake similarly today I went with a notion of watching another crazy fun flick of Farhan. What attracted me the most was indeed Farhan, my Karsh Kale’s background score (along with Midivialz), Deepikas long legs and the green phone dangling on the poster.
Bought a ticket and some coffee made myself comfortable started scribbling on my notepad I got some glares coz it was an afternoon show and all I could see around was a couple of couples and I sat in the middle of the theatre all alone.
The movie started with my sip of coffee and I didn’t quiet like the start. I aint gonna tell you the sequence of the story this is basically for you to know if you going to watch this movie what you should learn out of it. As the movie started reeling I was a little confused and bored and was not able to star it up. The motion of the movie was really slow and at some point there was unnecessary drama created. I simply loved the camera work and it was very interestingly shot in low light to give the feel of what a life is of a depressed and a lonely person. With a help of a Rubik’s cube game they symbolized that even if one is intelligent to get the same colors on every side of the cube that intelligence is of no use if it’s not used confidently. That’s where the call comes in and changes dear Karthik’s life. With that he becomes from “Aey Karthik” to “Karthik Sir” and then comes the woman of his life indeed the long legged Deepika Padukone. Honestly speaking if her part was edited the movie still would be complete anyways I liked her presence in the movie coz she has long legs.
As time passed by I kind of started getting a feeling what is it to be a schizophrenic or to be with one. Though the story line and the drama was not grand I got the feel of the movie by the time credits rolled. I don’t know about the whole science behind it but what I learnt from the movie was you are your responsibility. Its you who can mold yourself with your own words and build confidence within you without worrying about the world. Your life should always be a secret which has to be treasure within you. The incidences where Karthik takes Shonali (Deepika’s) word and doesn’t answer Karthik’s call tell you that always listen to your own hearts voice and not someones voice,never mess with yourself. These were my conclusions till some time later when the truth is revealed the Karthik is the one recording his own calls and guiding him. The drama story and other things are for you to go watch.
Moral of the Movie (according to Nikita): Only your voice can raise you high and take you to the portal of success. No one else can help you. You are your own Creator. And also DO NOT DEPEND ON CHINA PHONEs : )
Be good, Spread smile
Nikita!!

Chor bazar ki Galli..

2009-09-27T01:50:00.000-07:00

If you don’t have an eye for art and tang for the rust do not wander in the alleys of Chor bazaar.
Friday is the day when all the shops drag their shutters down and a mass of people spread there sheets to display and sell the stuff they have got in there bag. You name anything and you will get it. From boxing gloves to skates, furniture to clothes.

As the name Chor bazaar sounds it’s a huge flea market where the things sold are usually stolen. I never went to this place before coz I was very rigid about view on this place as my elders always spoke ill of this place. But indeed it’s a paradise for and artist and antiquarians. I spotted some real weird things even spotted an antique car which was used as a sleeping base for a dog and back rest for some comfort while selling.

You have to be street smart and make a good deal out of your purchase.
My clicks would tell you what a wide range of things are sold in this paradise. After going through a few lanes of junks I had already sketched my dream house where am sure all my furniture was surely gonna be picked from chor bazaar. The wooden chairs, bar tables magical mirror and unusual types of liquor bottles. One bottle that wedged my eye was a bottle fashioned like a khanjar with some lil green tinge. When you walk around you see white caps and black bhurkas, yes this place is dominated and run by the Muslims. That’s why you can smell a lot of mutton in the air and a huge range of food items on every corner and hefty goats walking around.
If you know how to carry your self smartly no one will come your way. If your body language is weak you indeed will be taken for a ride. Do not dare dress up well and go there coz Chor Bazari’s have an eye and can read people real easily and on that basis they would charge a bomb and not bargain. Dress up as shabby as you can and look unclean and smell bad coz if you smell good you are telling the flickers out loud that you have and expensive perfume in your bag. I was expecting to face a lot of odds and ugly remarks but I was surprised with the warm smiles prolly it was the press tag and my clixy which hung arnd my neck and as I said carry a very smart body lingo.
You have people of all range of umar buying stuff from this street. And the set up is really very fascinating you cleanly don’t know what’s gonna be next. If you looking at a story book suddenly you have a neat pair of skates next to it.
It was indeed very exciting to spot Amitab bachchan in Chor bazar
As this was my first time I was just trying to observe people around and not talk too much but couldn't resist on asking one of the chacha’s “chacha aapka margin kitna hota hain. He smiled and he added like he was my yaar for years “full margin hamare hi hai Didi, chori ka toh maal hai” wow that’s what I call business. It was surprising that though they sell chori ka maal they do study what they selling so that they can add a few heavy words while convincing a customer. Like on one of the sheets I saw an amazing range of lenses like and 50 mm 70 mm and a telephoto, the moment he saw clixy in my hand he picked a bag and removed canon 3000 and attached the tele lens and explained a few things and showed how the flash works and also explained the other lenses weren’t for a Digital SLR. I was amazed at the words he used and how confidently he blurted them.
I have been to a lot of flea markets this indeed was the best, better than goa.
The experience was awesome and my notion was cleared about this place.

And a little of green to end with.

Manisha and Anita

2009-09-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Immaterial gifts are something which make a mark on your mind like permanent marker on a cloth. Being a Photog and a writer traveling comes as a package; on my travel I do come across out of the ordinary people who grant me reminiscences which last forever and get my eyes wet. Its shocker for me how few people in just a meet can change the way you look at things.
Had hit off for a shoot in kokan where I spend some real good time with the villagers in Karde gaav (Dapoli) with their finger licking fish and Slurppy Solkadi. On the way back took the route via Tamini Ghat.Visited the Ghatjai temple. Being an atheists and a more of an artist most of my time is spend in looking at how artistically the temples are made and what’s interesting to click around.While I was strolling I caught the attention of the sound of A B C D and took notice of two little girls practicing there studies. I was really touched for the way they practiced. With the help of a small wooden stick they carved the letters on the ground. As I observed them for some time one of them told the other girl a word and she tried writing that.

I took the opportunity and got talking to them and told them to write my name, they were both excited about the little favor I asked them to do and they wrote my name well on the ground. While they wrote my name I asked them there names, very neatly both of them spelled their names one after the other. They were crowned as Anita and Manisha and studied in a municipality school across the village where they barely had benches and were devoid of the simple comfort called Books and pencils and that’s the reason why they practiced there “Spellings” on the ground. I spoke to them and gave them pack of biscuit, books and pens.

After receiving this Manisha uttered very timidly “you gave me these things I don’t have anything to give you.” On that I told her that the best gift would be that you remember me when I come next. She immediately said she would carve my name on one of the barks so that she would never forget my name.
Our life is poles apart to these people. We meet so many people and with a type and click save their names on our cell phone, scribble the name on the back of our diary or pass on a visiting card but till date no one has ever taken down my contact in such a pretty way. I wish to write this story after I meet those girls again when I go there next.

Tattoo frenzy paints the town crazy

2009-08-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

Fashion keeps changing and the trendiest thing one could sport is a tattoo.
Attending to the tattoo craze, Sumit Phulgonkar is known to have brought the tattoo culture to the simple city of Dombivli and he attributes it to be a part of the changing lifestyle. A commercial artist from Raheja, who turned his passion into profession, has been embarking Dombivlikar’s ideas and thoughts on them with his tattoo machine.
“I started with a studio in Malad with my friend and learnt that there is a big platter of tattooist in Mumbai. But Dombivli tattoo lovers have to travel all the way till town to get a tattoo. And that’s what pushed me and I decided to make this service available to the people of Dombivli.” punches sumeet
He has been a tattooist for past 4 years and through his struggling era his home was his studio and 8 months back he managed to put up a studio in Dombivli.
“My mother being an artist too, I by no means faced opposition from my family they were very supportive of me taking up this profession” sported Sumit
“People here as well are fashion conscious and because of the media, they are in pace with the tattoo trend. People here always loved the trend the only problem was it wasn’t easily available to them and my son has made it available to the crowd here” said Sumit’s mother proudly

When he thought of putting up a studio in Dombivli lot of people underestimated the place and said that this culture wouldn’t be digested by the people in Dombivli. This was proved wrong as he has at least 1-2 customers everyday.
I have customers coming down from Bandra, Malad and kandivli.
“I got my first tattoo done from Bandra and had a bad experience. That’s when I heard of sumit from a friend who confidently flaunted Sumit’s work and without giving it a second thought I came down from Kandivli to Dombivli to get my second tattoo done from sumit” smiles khushi( a resident of kandivli)
He has customers who want to get inked from all the age brackets. Few people who are paranoid but still want to get inked, sumit has been very polite and explained them the right thing and told that the end result is worth the pain.
I want more people to come to Dombivli to get tattoos from here the way Dombivlikar’s have been going to town.
“If all the tattooist go to town then who will ink the Dombivlikar’s” pipes Ashok (Sumit’s friend who does body piercing’s)
He is one of the good reasons why people in Mumbai talk and know about Dombivli.
”When I or my art is spoken about, people address me as the Dombivli guy, and that gives me smile and sense of pride that am a trend setter for this city” smiles sumeet.
“We are one amongst the 10 tattooist in our town but he is one of his kinds in Dombivli” says Swapnil gawde a tattoo artist from bandra.

Sumeet never believed in marketing as his art speaks for himself. Mouth publicity has got him customers over the years from all over Mumbai. His “art-work” has made people travel from bandra, Malad and other places to get inked from him.

Go green rakho nature clean...have a eco friendly chaturthi

2009-07-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

While rejoicing this festival, devotees pray to lord Ganesha with immense belief. If the same stress is also laid on the environment, our future generations will be able to celebrate the Ganesh festival with more pleasure. Keeping this in mind a Kalyan based artist, Minal Lele has taken up the task of spreading awareness about environment-friendly Ganesh idols. Her belief and care for Ganeshji has pushed her to initiate this project E-Ganesha to make this Ganesh Chaturthi little less polluted. Her venture of E- Ganesha started from the month of May and has almost 200 idols ready for the people who love and want to save the environment. As a kid she remembers, her family tradition of making clay Ganpati idols with natural colors at home along with paper decorations.Today Ganesha idols are being made from plaster of Paris (POP). But if you are planning to go eco-friendly this year, ditch the plaster of Paris and go with the Papier Mache and clay idols. In the passage of time she had received a mail from her friend who displayed the aftermath of Ganpati festival. As they were made of POP they drifted to the shore and later were destroyed as they didn't dissolve in water.
“My religious sentiments were hurt when I saw those pictures and then I realized why my parents use to insist on making clay idols at home. Then I decided to convince people on using more of E-Ganesha and also make it available to the people who need it” said Minal.
I make Ganpati idols by soaking waste paper in water, making sure that I change the water at least thrice till the ink of the paper is washed away,then shred it, and turn it into pulp, which is then rinsed, dried, and again put into a grinder to get fine powder. The powder is then mixed with water to be made into Papier Mache. Around 40 per cent clay 60 percent paper and adhesive is added to the material so that it binds well. I use water based colors. I choose paper Mache idols because they are light in weight as compared to clay idols” Explains Minal
“I have imitated Lal Baug and Dagdu Sheths Ganpati with papier mache” exclaims minal with pride.
She has been making these Ganpati’s for past 4-5 years but this year she has made it on a large scale under the banner of E-Ganesha. Looking at her efforts companies like godrej, L&T and thane based NGO Jignyasa have given her room to display her work and propagate her eco friendly ideas to the others. Mayor Shoba Raul has also given her a opportunity to display her work at her bungalow in Dadar.
She passes on this art of making eco friendly Ganpati’s by taking workshop where she doesn’t only teach Papier Mache idols also invokes ideas to make beautiful paper decoration instead of thermocol, which is also not degradable.
We insist on Eco friendly idols every year, even though the finesse and colors are not as grand as those of POP, our emotions and blessings of the god is important than the presentation of Ganeshji. Thanks to Minal that she makes it available to us with her efforts alone” said Sanghmitra Bendhkale
There were days when Minal went to 35 to 40 Ganpati idol artist in Kalyan, Dombivli and thane and no one was convinced to shift from POP to eco friendly idols. She recalls those days when she had no one to appreciate her efforts for Ganeshji and gets her eyes damp, and that’s why she choose to make E-Ganesha idols herself and make it available to the people.
Put in plain words, Minal says “Enjoy Ganesh Chaturthi but also respect the nature, the basic concept of visarjan is that you send Ganeshji back to the nature but with the use of POP idols we don’t let Ganeshji go back to the nature we destroy him. E-Ganesha idols are completely biodegradable and it can be immersed in a bucket of water at home. And this water can be poured to the plants, in this way we would send our beloved Ganeshji back to the nature”

Innocence

2009-06-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

When I walk around with my camera around my neck and trying to figure out something to be clicked. Am usually gawked by the kids who play around and have no clue what weapon am hanging around my neck.

One of the days I was walking by the lanes Malabar hills and came across a kid who kept staring at me. I smiled at him and he smiled back at me, to make him feel a little easy to my strange face I started a conversation with him and asked for his name.
He said “Nanu” his mom came out from the house and told me that his name was “Dipesh”
On that I asked the kid What “Dipesh” meant, he very candidly said “Nanu”
His reply got me the broadest smile. Very rarely one gets to see so much of innocence.

The University Called as "EXPERIENCE"

2009-06-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

With the passage of time with my photographer shoes on, I have learnt lessons that every photographer should.
Only a photographer can produce an unadulterated human expression furthermore the rude and sweet varieties of nature. A poet, cinematographer or a painter can be biased but a photographer cannot.
The poet benefits from the obedience of the pen; the painter takes pleasure in the conformity of the brush, cinematographer enjoys the obedience of the cast and crew and Photographers basks in the obedience of thE camera too, but unfortunate that the subject doesn’t stay still for the camera to catch them.
“A moment lost is a moment lost forever”.
To justify the lines which I have written above I will back you up with an example because of which I am writing this piece and also a reason to why this blog of mine is without a picture.
I was shooting in Jaisalmer. Dancing on the dunes was a small girl grooving on the tunes of Rajasthani notes. She caught my attention as she danced and sang in a typical Rajasthani way. She did what she was doing, so gracefully that I forgot to click, instead I started jotting the lyrics of the song she was singing. It said, “Saath kos se daudi aayi hu, jarasi dab re babua thadi raale gaadi, thari meethi rale gaadi”
But was late to pick my camera and turn to the right mode, settings and focus and then click. By that time she was done with her piece of art and was collecting money from the tourists who were feasting on the Rajasthani culture she displayed for them.
I got the song translated from one of the local boys over there, it meant “I Have come running from seven miles to catch this train, oh! Driver kindly stop your train for a moment your sweet train.
Had I been a painter I would have been able to produce the replica of the event with the same expression even after few years.
A poet could have been able to describe her expression, her dance, grace etc with the help of words even after decades.
A cinematographer can recreate the scene by umpteen numbers of takes and retakes and could have reproduced the girls dance.
But “I” as a Photographer lost the opportunity. I could have asked her to do it once again but the consciousness of being clicked would have killed the natural and innocent look in her.

Banganga

2009-06-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hoping that it would shower I hit off for a shoot around Mumbai and captured a place where I had never been, Banganga; it is in the heart of Malabar hill, a plush area in south Mumbai. I studied nothing about the place before I invaded it, wanted to know the insight of the place from the people living there. The first vista of the place wasn’t really capturable; I took in that there wasn’t much to click. Thought of talking to people in the region of Banganga and get to know the place and spend some time with them. First thing that caught my sight was lot of ducks of all colors and looks. I approached a local guy who was sweeping the courtyard of his house and got the information about the place. He bagged me with the information that, Banganga is a water tank surrounded by old temples. As mentioned in mythology, Rama the exiled king in the Ramayana is believed to have stopped at this spot 5000years ago looking for his wife sita. Exhausted and thirsty he asked his brother Lakshman to get him some water to drink. Lakshman shot an arrow into the ground from which water sprouted out. Till date there is continuous flow of water from that spot where Lakshman had shot an arrow to quench his beloved brother, Rama’s thirst. But no one knows where it comes from. This water is believed to have healing powers and is a holy place for loads of people who flock here to have a dip on sacred days like Maha Shiv Ratra etc.
After giving me this piece of information parab kaka got me introduced to his turtle with no name but indeed he treated him well and gave him good food and comfort as he believed he was the symbol of lord Shiva.
I observed one thing that animals around in Banganga were given a lot of respect as they were believed to be symbol of god. The ducks there were very healthy, well fed and had a lovely shine on there skin. I was told that the ducks were got here by the devotees as a kind of donation to the god and were given a lot of freedom. Every house had a cat as a part of family.

As I walked around the place I made friends with the kids who were playing cricket. When I was clicking and talking to the kids who were playing cricket a sweet kid of around 8 years, from the pond called for me and addressed me as “Aunty” said dat he wanted me to click him. But I couldn’t as he was in middle of the pond and was far for my clixy to reach. So when he neared the banks of Banganga I came forward to click him. And he didn't let me click him. He just kept disappearing in the water. He dipped at one end of the bank and popped out from the other. If I was focusing on the right he would appear on the left in no time. Looking at the amused expression I had on my face, a kid next

to me who was trying to fetch his ball, fallen in the pond, said to me that though his name is Mohit we call him Mogli for his crazy speed in swimming. Just because I didn’t click him at first he started showing me his amazing tricks of diving and catching hold of fishes, to impress me. He would hunt a fish with his hand and at times with his foot. I was very impressed. Within no time all the kids entered the pool and joined Mogli to hunt fishes and showed them all to me so that I could get the clicks.
One of the senior person told that some 5 years back few kids had passed away while swimming in this tank. That’s why the village kids had a swimming trainer who trained all the kids in the village. It was one thing the kids in Banganga had to learn.
Who ever I told that I had been to Banganga I got an reply “Oh even I had been there, its such a boring place” and I smiled and thought, I liked the place a lot because I saw it through the eyes of these small kids who made the place so interesting for me. They did everything to keep me entertained with whatever little they had. I bagged more memories than pictures here.

A Flower that never Died

2009-06-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

The days when I was shooting in Dalhousie, himachal, one of the mornings me and my photographer bunch hit off to khajiyar. We had a very informative driver who drove us through the ghats and showed us places around and my bunch being photographers too, had there ears to the information doled out. We never sat up playing antakshri or some travel games. I absorbed every little information he gave, soaked the air which had a pretty smell of the pine trees and my ear druns percussed to the tunes of the beautiful birds who sang.
In scorching heat The way you would fill up your water bottles till brim, the same way I filled up my lungs with the cleanest and coolest air, till I though they would explode.
Though the car I was traveling was a local tourist TATA sumo, it felt better than traveling in an Audi or a Porsche. Never got such a peace of mind. The scene passing by us as our car moved ahead with maple and pine trees on the side, a carpet of maple leaves which made boulevard for us as our car rolled over them and they flew in the air. We halted at a spot which was absolutely breath taking. A beautiful tree with orange leaves and lovely blue sky to compliment. Pheew!! I just wanted to sit there and stare at the lovely painting god has painted for us. God is a hell of an artist. As we moved ahead our driver stopped at a point and mapped a way for us through the wood to the point where everyone was reaching by the car. It would have taken extra thirty minutes. This was totally worth it. We got down and followed the route which probably was marked by nature lovers like us. As we walked it was something I had seen in wallpapers and a pretty wooden bridge which was made by a huge tree which might have fallen because of some wild wind some years back. There was pin drop silence none of us talked much to each other as everyone was busy soaking this beauty in our systems perpetually. This is how our hearts must look when we are in love or when we are blissful. Not like the broken and dug up roads garnished with pollution. We rambled down for another thirty minutes and saw something that took our breath away.
This was a total ecstasy to our cameras.
One of my friend from the bunch wasn’t with us was still making his way through the woods. He was last to join us on the khajiyar ground. We were all rolling on the green carpet lawn and getting our foot relaxed. Mean while my dear friend tawde urf Pratik came from the woods and joined us. he gathered our bunch and asked me to stand in front of him. He caught me off guard he went down on his knees and gave me the most memorable gift ever. Somehow I had never like the concept of gifting flowers to each other, coz eventually they die and the sight of those dead flowers makes me hate the person who has gifted me those flowers. But this incident totally changed the way I look at flowers. While we walked ahead Pratik waited up in the wood and picked up a flower of dry wood and attached a stem to it and presented it to me. I was joyful because I had done something that fetched such a gift which will in no way die nor will the friendship that I share with him.
I love to travel coz it’s on my travel that I meet people who fill my bag of memories. This was the best token of friendship anyone has ever given me. I will never be able to have a high regard for any other gift other than this one, be it a diamond. For the reason that, this gift was given to me by a person who didn't invest money in it but invested his heart, mind and emotions in it.

Thank you so much.

Hurly & Burly

2009-06-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hurly and burly are the two people who live within me. They are the once who create a bizarre chaos and colorful happiness in me. Devoid of hurly and burly I wouldn’t have been the person who I am today. They keep me on my toes. They have this crazy tempo which shows that there is too much inside me because of which I can’t think of one thing at a time. But this tempo is maintained only if hurly and burly are together. If hurly goes on a leave or has an stomach ache or anything that’s keeps hurly’s spirit low burly is low to and the scene inside me is just as blank as an empty dark room and vice versa. Hurly burly have been a part of me ever since I started understanding, reasoning and questioning things around.

The upshots that hurly and burly create when they in the highest spirits, my clixy helped me to get a click of it, to enhance this write up.
The bubble inside me is where Hurly burly have lived happily and will continue to do so. There bubble has everything they want to make them happy, music, colors, fun, food, dance, passion, talking, endless walks, gossiping, love, care and comfort. I have known them grow in me and the relationship they share is something a car shares with the fuel. One of them is useless if the other is not there.
Hurly and Burly even if they go far away from each other they manage to weave the distance very easily with the most powerful thing anyone is gifted “WORDS”. People say friends are always a phase in your life. But Hurly Burly has always been a part of my life and will always be in future.
Just a few days back when I clicked this picture I realized that hurly and burly are not some imaginative things inside me who create a difference in me and help me learn. Hurly is the woman who gets a fresh wave of air in my day and life and the Burly is me. The woman being the gift I was gifted when I was a kid and I still fancy this gift called Asha!!
You may replace hurly and burly by Asha and me respectively.
Though Asha and I were disconnected physically for educational purposes, as she studied in Bombay and me in Panchagani. I still had her in me as Hurly. Though she was hours away from me I have always had her in me as Hurly.
When we were reunited after a long time, we danced away to happiness, where we didn't even care if any eyes were watching us or any nose smelled us. All we heeded was each others company and rock and rolled in the bubble we had created.
Though so many years we were apart, after leather lounge (a place where we went clubbing) I felt like nothing had changed coz our foot “CYCLONED” in the same way. I could connect to her with no trouble. There was no awkwardness or a moment where we had to put in plain words to each other what we hunted from each other. We were factually each others mirror image.
It was real fun to join back someone after a long without even worrying if I would be able to match up with the other person, we just clicked will keep clicking. There was no awkwardness or connecting issues only coz hurly burly were always within me We coordinated with the shadows which fell on the pretty royal pink wall and were sunk in the joy of dancing.. This picture has the sweetest taste of the relation I share with this woman, Asha!! Love you loads, you have always been within me.

Moral: Physical presence is not that essential. What’s more important is, the emotion, picture and the world you built within your heart for the person.

Lohagad

2009-06-13T00:56:00.000-07:00

Friday is a holiday for my dad. Though he works through the week round the clock he shows enthusiasm on Fridays if I talk of a trek. As soon as am up from my bed I go cuddle my dad every morning and tell him what I dreamt last night and what I want to do the day ahead. So on a Friday told him that I wanted to go trekking and bag some pictures, he without a hitch was up from his bed,made few calls and made himself free for the day.
. My entertainment set Asha and Swa tagged along. We geared up and left arnd 12. Though we weren’t hungry the luring food of Shree Dutta snacks heaved us towards the mouth watering maharashtrian delicacies they serve. We had the best Wada pav, pimply Sabudana Wada. Green Kothimbir Wadi and Spicy Misal pav and to quench the thirst some buttermilk and Kokum Sarbat and to sweeten our tooth we had there specialty that indeed is “Kharvas”
After fueling our tummies we hit off directly to Lohagad asking for direction we reached Lohagad crossing real bad roads. Some places,the three of us actually had to get off coz the roads were too bad and the rude stones scraped my chevy’s tummy.

At last we reached the mouth of Lohagad. It was indeed a very pleasant place with lovely mud smelling and the smell of the burnt wood as the villagers cooked food on it and the hens chasing each other. Goats and cows moving around freely with the bells in there necks which gave the place even more of the holy feel and with the bell ringing it sent a wave of positivity in the air. Though my eyes were observing frames to be clicked these sounds made my heart and mind really calm. As we walked ahead Lohagad was unfolding it beauty piece by piece and clixy, kept going crazy as it already had 2 pretty women and the most handsome man on this earth, yes indeed my Dad and such breath taking frames of the fort on the way to the top of the fort.

With beautiful curvy outlines made of iron like stones which were used by the warriors back then to protect themselves and keep a watch.Lohagad is an iron fort in Marathi. When I climbed up the 2000 year old fort I felt my Maratha nerves acting up with the orange flag flattering in the air. I felt the reason why Marathas are proud. With the kind of forts Shivaji had conquered and owned he indeed had the power, no one had back then.
As the name suggest this fort was indeed strong built just the way iron is. it had five grant door the main portal being the “Ganesh Darwaza” followed by Maha Nana Trimbakeshwar and Hanuman Darwaza.the Ganesh darwaza had Ganeshji carved on the portal Hanuman Darwaza had Hanumanji.
In 1491 Nizam shah Ambar had power on this fort and later in1637 Adilshah took over the fort. These rulers are the probable reason why there is a Dargha when you reach the top of Lohagad. In 1648 Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered the fort. in 1789 Nana Phadnis made a lot of improvements on the fort like the lake, the Ganesh Darwaza, Vinchu(scorpion) point, place for horses, water tanks etc.1751, Gaikwad and Dabhade family were incarcerated in this fort.
This place is a symbol of the proud history Marathas hold, me being a Maratha feel proud that we have such a lovely history behind.
The top of the fort gave an us a lovely air of freedom to breathe and blessings of Trimbakeshwar temple which was built my Nana Phadnis. the balcony view from the top was something i would want you all to see it.The different kind of culture or religion which ruled there was clearly seen as there was a Dargha next to the Mandir but none of it was destroyed. Though Dargha was made first and later came the Mandir.
As we started descending with the sunset our tummies started growling so we started moving towards the base where we parked our car. On the way I met a pretty blue friend, whom I as a kid use to tie a thread to its tail and run around. Yes it was an dragon fly urf Chatur resting on a branch and I got an colorful subject to be clicked.it rested peacefully while I was clicking him.
With that I and my clixy were happy and content with wat clixy got to click and I got to see and learn at Lohagad
We hit of home real quick after sipping some tea at
Rajmachi as everyone dreadfully wanted to sleep

Chai connects people

2009-06-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

Chai is something that I devour in all seasons. Chai is bliss in heavy rains and shrilly winters but I also take pleasure of Chai in scorching heat. One of the afternoons when I was shooting at jama masjid in Delhi, I came across something green and that caught my eye but as I went closer it came to my notice that it was a green portal to Baldev’s Chai ki Tapri. When I clicked the picture of his shop he gave a very warm smile and welcomed me and offered me a special Elaichi Chai which cost me nothing other than a one more lovely person whom I met on my travel. We exchanged few words about his venture and then I hit of for my work, I reached my hand in the bag to make the payment for the lovely Chai he doled out. But he didn't let me make the payment. On that I insisted to give something to his kids. He said he needed nothing and also added that I gave him something that none of his customer’s eva gave “A Smile”
Baldev: “Didi aapney aisi cheez di hai jo saalon mein hamey koi bhi customer ne nahi di”
These words ring my ears and heart to be a better person. Just a smile gave him immense happiness and it made me so content that I made someone’s day. Always smile and spread cheerfulness it will cost u nothing other than bagful of good memories.

Going Green

2009-06-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

Green plays a very vital role in my life. Though green symbolizes peace, for me it is energy and motivation
got a call from a friend saying that cannon has held an competition and the prize package is an cannon L series lens my jaws dropped when I heard dat. When I was told that the theme is “Go Green” the L series lens was replaced by the color Green. The green color keeps me on toes and tickles the bone of creativity. If the aim would have been L series lens I wouldn’t have been so personal about the subject. The Green itself is very dear to me.
Green is something that I carry everyday in some way or the other be it my bag, t shirt, a clutch purse or my nail shade. And as a photographer green is something dat is always seen in my pictures. And shooting in available light has been my forte
Go green isn’t something related to “my favorite color green” but green symbolizes a healthy environment. I have made a pledge to myself to go green this year. With everything doable I can . . . counting my photography! This means using only clean light sources, natural source lighting and candlelight for all of my photography. I have already been using recycled paper for my day to day printing use, and now is just a matter of finding actual picture paper that has recycled elements at the least. The entire clan of photographers should be thinking of going green in photography. More photographers need to do so. Instead of using studios there are so many beautiful & wonderful places outdoors, why wouldn’t a person take advantage of the best light god has gifted us. . . the Natural sunlight!!
I think a lot of photographers are now putting images on CD which helps cut down on printing out unwanted photos, and wasting ink. I think that we are slowly poisoning our world and it is pathetic, so we should start working on it.
Well, other than doing my part around my home with photography I use all digital equipment to eliminate the use of film, and the chemicals used to develop it. I use all natural & clean light sources as much as possible for all of my photography. I heard that currently few people are working on developing an eco-friendly lighting system for indoor studio work that uses up to 45% LESS energy, sounds good to my camera. I use recycled paper, and I have rechargeable batteries for my camera. There so much more I need to do, I can only think of these things right now. If you guys have anything on your mind to add up on do write in.

Name culture

2009-06-08T04:03:00.000-07:00

It was one of the worst days I was having. My toe’s thumb nail got de-nailed from the roots. I couldn’t really do much of traveling and work. So headed off to Pune with my folks to meet few of my cousins.AaaHH!! Daddies make life so easier, the comfortable car,delicious food all the loving and caring, it is so much better than the train traveling and taking shit from your boss. So hit of to Pune, I carried my sack of camera, lens, tripod and laptop. I was in real mood to shoot around as the climate was on sepia mode. Regrettably nothing in actuality clicked. So went to my brother’s place, had heavy lunch so took my camera and thought of having a post lunch walk to get the food digested and get some clicks around. I was taking a stroll and these three kids came zooming towards me on there most trendy bicycles and stopped right under my nose. I freaked out as I had to save my toe from any kind of thumps and hits… n these kids got concerned n started enquiring about my toe. I loved the confidence and smartness the kids hold these days. As we got to talking they noticed that I had a camera on me n insisted on clicking there pictures. When I have to click pictures with anybody I have to build an rapport with the person in front of the camera so that they give the best shot at once. I got talking about there names n from the left there names were as follows Shahid, Hrithik and Kareena. They belonged to pure maharashtrian Brahmin families. Bollywood is so freaking influential that the Bollywood culture is more important and fancy than the actually culture they belong to. I asked them why they were named after the actors and actresses; they said our parents liked these Bollywood actors. The parents these days feel the kids will get the confidence if they are named after the latest “happening” actors or actresses. But in a ways it is true these kids who were names after Bollywood stars carried air and confidence around them n were very interactive. Whereas a kid who is named after some god or cultural name like knyaneshwar, laxmi etc are not really loud in there character. Don’t deny the fact that they aren’t smart and brilliant but they indeed aren’t that smart to make a point and stand in front of an unknown person n talk confidently. Bollywood indeed is very influential not only on kids these days but also on the today’s parents .i made an effort to talk to the parents who named there kid as Hrithik, she answered “ Hrithik was in light when my son was born I wanted him to feel like an star amongst his friends when he grows up. And this will also boost his confidence” his parents had practically judged Hrithik over few of his performances in times of “Kaho na pyaar hain” and few others. How confident they were that Hrithik will b a star for 10 years down the line. What if Hrithik would have hit the ground like Tushaar Kapoor in the next 10 years. Would her son, 8 year old Hrithik be really a star in the group of his friends and still feel confident? If in case Hrithik would have been a flopster this kid would have lost his confidence? Pretty names like katyayani bhairav and few others sound so much better, am not talking only about the sound also the history the name carries. why cant parents help there kids build there own identity,Hrithik roshans parents did. I am just curious to know, is the name of the kid important or the person who is Famous is important.
I don know how many would agree to what I just said but you can chip in your views.

Only Mad People can Change the world

2009-06-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

As my profession is more of listening to stories I never sit empty I always gather information on various domains. One of the days I had no work in the office and so did my boss “sirji” to be precise. I share the cabin with Sirji. That’s why when he is sitting idol he ends up telling me interesting inspirational stories. He told me that these stories come to his mind because of me. His store of lost memories is tickled because of me. For some reason he addressed me as MAD and gave a very smart smile back to me. On that I asked him why you feeling so great to address me as MAD. That’s when he told me the story of how only ‘Mad people can change the world”
In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was motivated by an initiative to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roebling’s were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.
It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.
Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
I always felt a little offended when i was addressed as MAD but after the explanation by sirji that "Only Mad people can change the world" i take it as a pride if i am addressed as MAD.
Courtesy: Sirji :)

Serving the Purpose

2009-05-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Am-Bulancing Act

Back in school days I wasn’t really a bright child nor a pretty one. On no account I even stood amongst the first 10 rankers, when the strength of the class was 30 students...Yeah!!Bummer
But I indeed was good at entertaining my friends with whom I lived all through the day and night as I lived in a boarding school in the hills of Panchagani. It gave me and it still gives me colossal pleasure when I make someone laugh. When I say laugh I don’t mean smile. Smile can easily be faked but not laughter ,it’s very difficult to laugh out phony, not that you cant, if Sidhu Paaji can laugh on a pen, just coz he is paid, anyone can. But one can make out if the laughter is phony or no.
Anyways so in school days I was more in to extra set of courses than studies I was average student who could by no means cross the league of 60-70%. So I was involved in music, painting and sports etc. I wanted to explore something that was untouched and took up the decision of joining dramatics.nautanki and entertaining people was something I always loved. So I joined the theatre hobby and started acting in few of the plays in English.
Later in time I heard of a Marathi theatre group which our school had formed. Furthermore I had my roots of Maratha I so wanted to be the part of the Marathi theatre. I enquired and got to know that our natya guru was Shri Madhav Vaze the kid who played the role of Sham in “Sham chi aai”. I had adored this movie as a kid when my mom had made me see it; I had tears trickling down my cheeks. His role in the movie gave the movie a very touchy and pragmatic upshot. Because of this movie I could connect to him very well. The day when I met him I expressed my feeling and the kind of respect I held in my mind and heart for Vaze sir. He was indeed impressed that barely a 15 year old girl who understood the depth of such a sincere movie and let me in his troupe. But the problem was my lingo I was very weak at Marathi as it was compulsory in our school to talk in English if we were caught talking in Hindi or Marathi we would indeed be shouted at. So spoke fluent English but bad Marathi. Though my place was in English theatre my heart was in Marathi theatre. And I had showcased my love towards Marathi theatre to Vaze sir. He couldn’t disappoint me by saying “Chandre tula Marathi bolata yet nahi neet” I swore to him that I’ll work on my Marathi, the irony was I swore in English. All he had in me was faith and hope. We were doing a small skit on “shaam chi aai” but this one was a condensed and tailored to entertain the audience in jus 20 mins. I worked hard on the script as I was given a very vital role i.e. the mothers role. I was excited coz I was gonna be on the stage for most of the time I wanted my presence to be felt. Everytym we rehearsed I sounded like a firang who was asked to speak Marathi at his gun point. My expressions were great but the messed up part was my lingo. Looking at my dedication sir really had faith in me. As time passed we reached the final run through day and I still sounded like a firang who was squeezing words in Marathi. And sir gave up and he came up to me and sat with me and told me in the softest way that he was gonna roll my role to someone else coz I couldn't catch up with the lingo. I got very upset and burst into tears in the green room. He felt really bad and told me nikita you wanted your presence to be felt right. I will give you a louder role and you will appear on the stage more than what you would appear as the “aai”.now that was a twist, what role could that be? I recited this to bunch of my friends during the nashta time. And everyone wanted to know wat role I was going to play. I kept it as a secret for them to be revealed on the final day. The day arrived my friends were pretty anxious on knowing as to who I was playing. The play started after an announcement and at the 7th minute of the play I entered in as an AMBULANCE making the ambulance sirens noise as loud as possible and ran around the stage for around 13 seconds picked the injured person and went to the wings. I had to do this for at least 5 times. But I sure know if I would have acted as the mother I would have barely made a mark on the audience would have barely laughed as the mother had a very serious role. The whole act was pretty serious. But I served my purpose making others chuckle, the moment I made an entry on a stage dressed as an ambulance, head to toe in an white attire only on the back and the front they hung a banner which said “AMBULANCE and with a red colored plus sign hat on me, the crowd snorted as they laughed, I heard them laugh there heart out. And that really got me in high spirits. I broke the tension in the ambiance; I was in true sense a comic relief. Subsequent to that I always worked with Vaze sir as something which was on the stage through out the play but had not much of a dialogue but the presence was felt more than my absence. Following plays I was an Bird in a play called Nandanvan then a tree in a play called “Durga”, in “Madhlya Bhinti” I was the wall,yeah don’t pity me I got to be on the stage more than the lead role. It really makes me happy when someone laughs coz of me and on me.

Shoe-Cide

2009-05-28T03:38:00.000-07:00

When I start thinking about my childhood several incidents flash across like a film playing on the screen of my mind. Small incidents forgotten in the rush of time and now hidden in the dark unexplored corners of the mind come crowding to the fore. I cannot place these incidents in the exact bindings of time and place but one thing is sure, somehow through them indeed because of them a part of Nikita Sawant you know today was moulded and formed.
As a kid I had real funny feet, so wearing shoes meant another layer of agony in addition to the trouble of polishing the damn things till they shone. I expressed my relief at the end of the day in a ritual in which the right shoe was thrown vigorously at the wall, Followed by the left in an attempt to make it look like I had managed rather spectacular jump. I fantasized about this moment of release through the day, and the only thing that came close to it imaginative force was the moment that tracked, where I sloped off to drown my feet in thanda pani.
My feet stunk after those heavy hours of staying in the socks and still schools made it mandatory. my mother never let me slip my legs into chappals she always explained” no no beta always wear shoes and socks your feet will remain clean and no germs will enter your bed if you don’t wash your feet properly” and a very understanding smile would follow this statement where I knew if I argue I am not gonna get to eat. Why cant one of the school’s allow there kids to come barefoot or may be with flip flops. Computer labs use to be the place where I felt that shoes are introduced for some other purpose (which I ll enlighten u ahead) and not for stifling your feet in it and make others smell the stink. I would have been the only child who went into the temple and prayed to bhagwanji saying” plz bhagwan koi mera “juta” chori karey” but there was no juta chor as they knew shoes are useless they make ur feet stink they only stole chappals. That’s why there are only chappal chor’s..Uffff!!
These childhood rituals are by way of background to help you understand why I let out a cheer when I hear, shoes being flung at some politicians. See this is what shoes are manufactured for. As I swam through the passage of time and turned into a journalist covering the political beat all I knew was I wanted to pound every politician in India and throw shoes on them. One might see this as an offense but I see another pair of liberated breathing feet. I see toes hollering” free atlast” and dancing like Michael Jackson uncle. Subsequent to you throwing shoes on some thing like a politician to showcase your agony, don’t forget to check your or your neighbors facial expression (if he was a part of show throwing ceremony) after you have flung one or two of them. The smile is worthless and the sense of achievement is breath taking.
Since I was a kid whenever I flung my shoes in any direction it was like spitting my anger out. That’s why it makes me very happy when shoes are flung. When I heard the shoes where flung at LK Advani and BS yediyurappa and few others I realized that indeed shoes are the best way to pump out your agony. I thought I was the only one who felt the relief after shoes being flung, NOO!! Eveabsryone does! Try it, it really works.
!!

Learn while you earn!!

2009-05-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

Later than a long time that I benched myself somewhere I always wanted. Being a journalist I had practically worked on every beat possible entertainment, civic, politics and features. But as I walked through the passage of time I realized these beats weren’t tickling my nerve of creativity I was plainly reporting which made me go Arrrghhhh!! What am I doing? subsequent to a lot of running around I touched the subject which usually young journalist tend to ignore dats “Indian art” I got introduced to the Indian music (Note: aint talking about Bollywood) I got introduced to Indian musical instruments through artist like Nitin Sawhney and the legend “Karsh kale” with time I realized instruments like sitar tabla and santoor etc give me more ideas while am writing and make me think even more. And that’s how I got introduced to Hindustani music. That’s when I made up my mind to write for this beat and give light to the “real Indian artists”. So I approached the publication I am working for now. I got through as a writer for the company and the first work given to me was something a copywriter would do. Anyways being new to the company I couldn’t act pricy as I wanted my presence to be felt. The first assignment was to write a concept note on a Café which we are planning to house. Naming it the “Indian Music Café”. I was given a terse idea to this café in barely 10 lines and I was supposed to inflate it to seven damn pages. Some how I managed to do it. Got plucky and showcased it to my editor. As they are famous for there saucy taunts my editor started to read it and were kind by not pointing my mistakes but trying to edit it and add few things. While the final run through of the piece of my concept note my editor noticed dat I had written Calcutta instead of Kolkatta. And she got physically mad at me and got into the history of my education and the amount I spend on my education. Apparently she thinks the money spend on my education is wasted coz I didn't recollect to write it as “Kolkatta” instead of dear Calcutta. And Kolkatta being her home town she got really personal on this matter. And I was told that I would not be paid any salary coz she is d one who is teaching me. So there it goes, of all the seven pages she got judgmental over one stupid mistake which by my knowledge was not a mistake. I still don’t wish to call Bombay as Mumbai. Bombay, Chennai as madras and Calcutta as Kolkatta, this was done 10 years back. We got independent and The Britishers left our land in 1947, if the Indians really wanted to show that we really had balls , they should have done it the day when the Britishers left, “Aey(loud enough) Brit’s you leaving It’s Fucking Mumbai and not Bombay anymore” no but they waited for almost 40 years to change it. Till date when you got to a pan walla in Mumbai u ask for pan he would revert by asking Calcutta pan chahiye ki benarasi” he never says “Kolkatta Pan” dear editor go sue him and not me.
She kept yelling and jus didn't stop for like 15 odd minutes. And all I could do was smile when she was yelling at me, because in my mind I could just see joker trying to entertain me. I pitied her. I only remember the end of it “nikita your are learning while
Earning” “Yeah right woman” 
courtesy: Russel peter (for some part of my writting)