Let's Converse...

somewhere… Ms R. Sawant helped me out.

2009-03-10T12:53:00.002+05:30

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Last Monday, I was walking down on one of the streets in Mumbai. In morning only I got a call from Mr. Vinay (Name changed) who wanted to talk to me regarding one of his films which he was planning to make in near future. …tring tring…Hello! I said. “Hello…me Vinay boltoy, Cinema Vision India madhoon. Mala tumcha number Shailesh Ranade hyanni dila. Mala kalale ki tumhi kirtanavar research kela aahe. Tya sandarbhat mala tumchyashi bolayche aahe” The person on the other side of phone said. “What exactly you want from me?” I asked. He explained me everything and asked me to drop down in his office as soon as possible. I asked him to give me one hour to get the permission from my editor. I am afraid now…rather in an awkward condition what to ask to the editor. What will he say? What if I go and meet Mr. Vinay tomorrow? What if I go there today itself taking a half-day leave sanction?

I work in a newspaper firm which publishes the newspaper every Friday. So it is a weekly newspaper. I called it a firm but not an organization, because it is undersized. Basically the newspaper is going through a critical condition of not getting revenues on time from outside advertisements. It is just that the firm is supported by its own parent company which handles travel and tourism internationally. I am working here as a so called “trainee journalist” and being considered as a temporary staff. All this I am writing to inform you that whenever I take a leave my salary which is not huge but actually very little in amount gets cut. The timings of my office are sharp 9 am to 5.30 pm. Still people come to office by their own time. I also reach office late by 10-15 minutes late. I will than my chairman for providing 15 minutes grace period…which is actually flexi time for us. Bad…I am never on time. Sometimes I have reached office by 9.52 am. Don’t you think I am being exploited here…Or else I am exploiting the entire firm. I think the former one is more suitable in my case for which the only cause I will say is my incapability of not getting appointed anywhere else…at least better than this.

“What am I wearing today?” I was thinking. This was the first question which came in my mind before I went to meet my editor. Is this so important for me to think of the clothes while going out to meet someone whom I have never met before? It does matter if you are meeting to a person with whom you are planning to get married…of course one should look beautiful in that case. It does matter when one appears for any interview. It does matter when one is attending any function. For a sudden casual appointment does it?
Yes…it does! It does matter in this city…in Mumbai. “What do I need to carry as necessary documents? What will happen if he asks me for a hard copy of my research work?”...and so on the questions started coming in my mind. Hey lady! Wait. First think of your consistency in job…what’s more feasible day for you to take leave. After the entire cross questioning done in mind, I could make myself to take a decision finally.

I was wearing wrap Ron and top above. It was a descent dress according to me for an official meeting to meet a person whom I have not met before. “I will go today.” I decided. I went to the editor’s cabin where he was busy working. Cabin is a small place, parallel to my cubical in office. I asked him for a half day off from the office. As I work as a temporary staff I am not suppose to take leaves intermittently. I was lucky that day. I got permission from my editor with instructions to not to take leaves in future. I agreed. I came out of his cabin. Cleared my desk…arranged everything in my bag. I called up Mr. Sarang. “Hello sir!” I said. “I am coming today itself. I will be reaching your office around 2.30 pm. Is it ok for you?” “Sure” he said. It was 1 pm at that time. Then I had my lunch. I started from the office around 1.30 pm in the afternoon. The Sun was at its high. It was dry and hot out there. Of course one can not expect a breeze at that time. I started walking down the road. The construction of the road is an on-going process. It made the surroundings dusty.

The bus no. 424 and no. 533 go to Prakash- Nagar (name changed) directly where I was to reach. I was thinking. I was waiting for the appropriate bus to come at the bus stop near to my work place. It is something weird in me that I can not sustain my hunger for long. Thankfully I had had my lunch before leaving the office. I was one of those people standing at the bus stop helplessly and waiting for the bus. Finally I got the bus which goes to Jaiti-Naka, a place in Mumbai, one of the important suburbs in city Mumbai. I entered the bus and bought a ticket till Jaiti-Naka. When you hope for something, lots of thoughts come in your way. Similar was the condition with me. I saw the reserved seats for ladies. One man was sitting there to whom I asked to change his seat with some other seat in the bus. Cool…cool…cool. Try this out someday. It is great, it is wonderful. You feel luckiest when you see something is reserved for you and nobody else is there to grab that from you. Crossing the traffic in rush areas of Mumbai I reached Jaiti-Naka bus stop. I got down the bus. Just a moment later…I could see 424 coming towards me. I was lucky. I entered the bus without wasting a moment. I was happy again…as again I got one of the especially reserved seats for ladies.

Hmmm…after waiting for more than an hour I reached the desired stop. I got down the bus. I started searching for the office. When I couldn’t find it…I asked a panwala for the same. Unfortunately he was not known the place. I called for the office landline. They asked me to stop then and there. Some Mr. Sawant came to pick me up. Hey man! Wait! I am realizing this today that he too was a ‘Sawant’. What a coincident! I reached to the place with him. It was around 3.10 in afternoon when I reached there. I could feel the temperature out there.

I entered the office. They asked me to wait for 5 minutes and directed me to a small cabin with three chairs in it. I was sitting there quiet and trying to get relaxed. After few minutes he came in the room. One of his colleagues also was there with him. He told me what his plan is and asked for what have I done in my research? We shared a healthy talk over the cup of tea. I left their office after some time and reached to the bus stop near by. When I reached to the stop I though, I had come to this place earlier to meet one of my close relatives Mr. Nawathey. I wanted to meet them. I walked on a road where I hoped I will get their address.

Yes! I can see the school…The Pengwin School (name changed).

“Hmmm… I am nearby.” I was thinking. I entered the premise of the society. I was so happy that I found the society where I had visited with my mother some three years back. Now the problem was how to search for their block and their flat. It is not possible for everyone to find a place when you don’t know the address properly and when you are not sure of the name of the person. But …I asked the watchman to let me go inside the premise. He denied it because it was his duty to not to let in any of the outsider without proper information. I begged him to let me search for their name in different wings of the society. It becomes more difficult when you want to search for a name having wings till ‘H’ and two sub-wings in each of them. I asked him that I just remember that when I came here last time, Ms R. Sawant was staying therein front of their flat. He was denying me for some time. Looking at my desire to meet my relatives, his heart melt and he came along with me to search for the name. I started walking along with him. He taken me to B2 where there was no Mr Nawathey’s nameplate. I tried in B1 and A1, A2 as well. No success. Then he only asked me to see for wing G. Yes! I made it. As if I had reached K2 the Himalaya Series. The watch man down the G2 wing agreed that Ms R Sawant used to stay here but now has shifted to B2. Clearly it wasn’t my fault. I took permission from them and went to Sixth floor. Nobody was there at home. I rang the bell next to their flat. Mr. Desai was there. He welcomed me and tried to contact my relatives on different numbers. Fortunately, She came. My mami came. I told him my identity as we had met rarely. But she recognized me soon.
I had some happy hours with them finally. Was feeling lucky that day and am proud of my memory. But I will say that somewhere Ms R Sawant helped me out.

Fashion ka hai yeh 'JALAWA'

2008-11-14T12:13:00.011+05:30

With the classic drum beats Shonali (Kangana) comes in and ramp on the show. The theater vibration with those bass beats and no doubt the audiences' eyes all on the screen.

The story of three different women struggling to get the honour of being the Super Model. The story of success, the story about how professionalism is definitely over the emotions. Yes the movies has actually shown the realty of Fashion World, but has definitely given a message. Its the story of a girl Meghana (Priyanka Chopara) from Chandigarh with her dreams to become a super-model. Meghana comes Bombay to convert her dreams into realty. As she starts working everything changes. She has to leave her uncle's place at midnight and has to live with one of her male friends (which is a bit abnormal for her). She has that spark of doing something extraordinary. As the time passes by she climbs the ladder of success, adapt smoking, drinking and having drugs too but leaves her family and friends somewhere in between. She reaches, she reaches the top but finds herself all alone. She has no one around to share her success with.

Simultaneously Shonali and Janet (Mugdha Godase) are other models who are nothing but a reflection of Meghana. They too face the same situations as Meghana does.

Depressed by loneliness, Meghana leaves her career in between and comes back home, where her father finds that she needs support. Her world ends at Fashion only. He sends her back to Mumbai. Now after a long period of one year Meghana again has to get that recognition and work hard to get the position at top. One should watch the second struggle of her to become a super model. She gets one last chance to walk on ramp as a 'Show-Stopper' which might take her to highest. Does she loose the chance? Does she fail there? Or she wins it?

A perfect combination of human emotions and professionalism. Rare are the cases when you achieve everything you want in life. It shows JALAWA of the Fashion.

Madhur Bhandarkar definitely has put a lot of efforts to make this film so perfect. The dialogues, the cast, the costumes, the sets are marvelous. He has a perfect sense of what he wants to show and what message should pass. Acting by each and every actor is appreciable with glittering Priyanka Chopara as well. Mugdha Godase considering her experience has done a fantastic job. One thing which I realized from the movie is, Madhur has given equal importance to each role. A balanced movie. I appreciate the efforts of all those people who worked for the movie.

Nothing to say much. It does show the JALAWA of Fashion.

'Ganpati Bappa Moraya'

2008-09-14T21:49:00.004+05:30

Hi,

I have not written anything since last year. Today it was Ganesh immersion festival all over the country. Pranav and I been to Ganpati Visarjan Talaav near to our place. The lighting, the breeze at there made the eve memorable. One can imagine the hugeness of 'Ganpati Visarjan' at Girgaon Chaupati there in Mumbai. The music, the beautiful decorations everywhere make the festival memorable.

It was drizzeling in between. Some teenage boys were voluntarily working there for immersion of statues. Statues of Ganpati in the water while carrying them for immersion...the lights were magnifying the beauty of those statues. People were singing and dancing happily without any cast and colour differentiation amongst them.

They say 'bye' to Ganpati and make a promise that he will come back again.

Ganpati Bappa Moraya !

mistake..or a CRIME?

2007-05-24T23:49:00.001+05:30

Mistake is something that can be exonerated by some cost, at some point. But crime is crime, which is not allowed to be forgiven. I have done a crime. I committed to teach songs in a Summer Camp to one of my friend and did not follow my words. I am feeling shameful now.

It was just a few days ago one of my friend told me about a Summer Camp in Mumbai, where she teaches dance to those children who get admitted in the camp. I was happy listening to this offer but as I am also a student of music, how can I teach them? Apart from this I am a student of Masters Degree in Communication and Journalism in University of Mumbai. I stay in hostel. As she insisted me to join the camp and due to my excitement I joined it. I was staying far from the camp area so was not able to visit there daily. I chose to go there alternate days. I agreed to join the camp.

After a week it happened that due to my college assignments and some family problems I couldn't be regular in the camp. On last day also, I wanted to go there but a sudden call from one of my hostel friend made me to visit hostel on the same day. So I couldn't even go for the final show also. It happened with me that some times due to late scheduled trains or laziness I reached there late in time. Though I tried to send a message but my friend didn't reply to that. I was not happy with all this.

Here I must say that I was not happy on day first in the camp, but as I interacted with those children and members of the camp, I started to enjoy the events. I don't know why did this happen with me where now I am unable even to confess to someone. My friend is angry with me and so I am feeling bad too. I couldn't follow the words of commitment. This is one of the biggest crime in the world, I think. This can never be a mistake. This is absolutely a crime. Now it has become the past, which I can never forget in my life and which will always make me to rethink while committing anything to anyone.

I shame on myself for the dishonourable work I have done. I confess to god that further I will not do any reprehensible work in my career and in my life.

For them...

2007-03-17T11:53:00.001+05:30

Where are we?
According to me this is very interesting and important to ask everyone including myself that do the new generation of today, really have a destination, a goal, in there life to achieve? When I think, I find no answer. How many of us know about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who had to spend 10 long years of his life in Andman imprisonment that is called Kalapani and now there is a person Madhu Adelkar from Mumbai who has been working since his young age for many social organizations. Yesterday he came up with an exhibition providing information of around 300 unknown martyrs from Andman & Nicobar. He was born in Malvan and came to Mumbai at the age of 18 to complete his higher studies. He is an active member of Keshav Gore Trust as a local trustee.
When in year 2001 he went to Andman Islands he believed that there should be some existence of those unknown martyrs who died for the nation in 1857. The names were not mentioned in Celular Jail but he got some of the names at prison but at an ancient poll in Andman. He got some of the information from Youth and Administrative Department of Andman. He says he has the emotions towards those people inherently. He is very determined person for his works.
Rashida Iqbal who is the director of Celular Jail of Andman Island is continuously helping him in her best possible way. She has written a book called the ‘Unsung Heroes in Andman of Indian First Freedom Fight- Who’s who’. Adelkar wonders nobody from our country took any step towards this work and does not want to get involve in such complicated matter which explains truth.
In his research he had to confront with many problems like records were not available, travelling and convence is not available easily in Andman. But now due to his efforts he has become familiar to those people and has got the permission also to go through books from the library over there and search the information in archives.
The people in Andman are also very cooperative now. Looking at his hard work they have provided a servant to help Adelkar in his work. He feels bad because no person bothers about it. He says that we should handle this crisis carefully otherwise we surely will loose our history. When Japanese camped in Andman they made a temple over there. When they left from India the Japanese government requested to maintain the temple which was accepted in year 1952. Since then government of Japan is the only body which is funding for the protection of the temple. He wonders if the government of India can takes care of and protects the sculptures which are 1000 years or older than that why the same government did never worry about those unknown people because of whom we are independent. The government never tried to find at least the names of those martyrs in the memories of those revolutionaries.

Till today he has conducted his exhibition in various places like Malvan, Kankavli, Panji, Keshav Gore Smarak, Adarsh Vidyalaya and still 31 invitations are there from the places like Ahmadnagar, Kolhapur etc. He does not feel a need for old age people to come and see the exhibition but he wants youth to get out of their artificial world they are living in and find some time to know the person like them and the history on which our present is based. This is the cause of environment of today but he afraid that future will be of Ambani’s and Tata’s in which today’s youth will need to have some knowledge of history to survive. He says.
He says youth should get pinched with all these life stories of great personalities. The zeal and the spirit are always in youth of any country in any generation. He surely says that after 35 years if the whole country will become Bharat Pvt. Ltd. We need to think over these issues.

Just a few words...

2007-03-11T13:03:00.001+05:30

What if somebody loves someone else...

"Thanks"
"Thanks for what"
"...as you shown concern about me"
"...Yes I did...because I love you and how much I can not tell..."
(all this was through messages...)
".....there is something more in my life..cant tell you everything"
"Ok.....then there is no other way for me but to wait..."

" My priorities are different... I have seen a bad time in my life..can't go for this..."
"...but ....."

No...nothing!

2007-03-10T14:26:00.000+05:30

(...she is crying, she is talking on phone and she is crying. Her stomach is paining. The pain is untolarable.She is lying on bed with a pillow under her head...)
The door opens...

...What happened? Oh my god! Why are you crying....?

(she is still crying. Her stomach pain is serious because of which she couldn't even walk. This happenes with her many times but she has to accept it. The situation is when there is nothing can be done but things go just the opposite...)

...She cries...cries a lot...

...Can I help you in any case...? What happened tell me please...what made you to feel sad...? Tell me...tell me...please!

(she is in a deep thinking....and looking at a far point in space...and replies)
No...nothing!

2007-02-08T22:04:00.000+05:30

Hello,

I am not sure that I would be able to speak about me with quality content. Today I am at such a position where I find myself nowhere in this world. I can call it my badluck but it is my carelessness which took me at this point. Now I feel regeretted at every step of my life.

Whenever I look back in my life, I find various things done by me, but not a special work ever. There are many aspects of life where I find myself lesser than others, but through this blog I would like to share my liking and passion towards music and the mistakes I did in my past life.

My parents told me that I was in love with music since my childhood when I used to keep the radio always with me and to listen music sitting in the door of my house. I had joined music class to learn vocal music at the age of 6. I am good in dancing too. So i had joined dancing class also but I was more interested in casual filmi dancing than classical dancing. People say that I dance nice and should find a teacher but I think it's my nature that I never danced under any of the supervisor. I couldn't complete it. I dance for myself. I do it when I am happy and when I am sad.

I grew up and joined Bhatkhande Sangeet Mahavidyalaya Jabalpur to learn Violin. This was suggested by my mother to choose Violin as an instrument to get the knowledge of music.
I learned violin for two years but couldn't complete it because of my studies and my interest towards vocal music. But I have been participating in light music competitions where one doesn't need to be professional in classical and fortunately I have won many of the prizes.

Though I am not a classical singer I always had the competitive instinct with other classical singers. Then for around four years I was alienated myself from this field. In second year of my graduation I again took the addmission in the field of music. I don't know whether it was a badluck of mine that this time again I was not able to attend the classes and continue practices because of NCC national camp activities. I went to Bhopal, Visakapattanam and Chilka Lake for camps. I was again dealing with music. At last the result was obvious. I couldn't fill the form of examination and missed the chance. The next year I again took the addmission and cleared my first year with highest marks in my batch.

Fortunately I happened to come to Mumbai this year and joined the course like Communication and Journalism. The course needs time. In Mumbai there was a problem to find a teacher who will teach me music. One day I found one person who teaches Vocal. But asusual the problem arose. Due to my busy and uncertain schedule in college I was not able to continue it regularly. He was very professional and din't want to cooperate with timings. I was not happy with it. So I left it.

Now I have found a good teacher in Dombivli but still the problem has not left me yet that when I joined his tuitions, I got shifted to the hostel at Churchgate. Consequently the distance between music and me increased and it became impossible for me to carry it on weekdays. Now I manage it on Sundays. This month I have my exams at Jabalpur and I am totally busy with college assignments to get the time out to do practice of singing.
But I do hope that this year also, I will get good marks and will put more hard work and more time for it to make my voice unforgettable.