Musings

Ajay Devgan always delivers a powerful performance. The role was most suitable for him - that of an upright income tax officer. Most of the movie unfolds in a hugh haveli, but it is full of twists and turns. You are glued as the story unfolds and not a moment is boring. Ileana looks drop dead gorgeous though she has very little to do in the film. Saurabh Shukla is very good once again as Tauji. Do watch, it's full on entertainment.

मारव्याच्या स्वरांनी मन पार भूतकाळात गेलं..... ते मंतरलेले दिवस....आईवडिलांच्या प्रेमाची अखंड झालर......तारूण्याचा जोश.......मित्रांचा सहवास.....स्वत:चे हळूहळू उमगू लागलेले मीपण......नव्या आवडी, नवे छंद......खेळाचे आकर्षण.....बंडखोर विचार.......महत्वाकांक्षा.......स्वप्नरंजन.......गुदगुल्या करणारे यौवन....... थांबवा कोणीतरी हे काळजाला भिडणारे मारव्याचे स्वर....बस्स.....इनफ.

Evening time. Office goers returning home. Local train is crowded. I could get a window seat somehow. Opposite me in the window was a young, smart looking girl and next to her sat her boyfriend. They were quite lost in their world, chatting continuously in low tone, laughing, showing each other photos from their mobile phones. People, pretending not to notice, could not help watching them. They were obviously attracted to each other. The boy was bent forward most of the time and the girl had her left hand round his shoulders off and on. The boy had nice hair and the girl liked stroking his hair while talking. Despite their public display of affection they maintained a dignity that I liked. Time did not matter to them. Perhaps they wished for the train to run late. Love is a pretty sight. The daily drab routine of the people around was brightened up today by the youngsters.

I used to visit Sabarimala in Kerala with my friends those days. We used to stay at my friend's place and leave in the evening in a hired mini bus to reach the footsteps of Sabarimala late in the night. Then the steep climb would begin and we would reach the gate at around five in the morning. The gates opened at six and there was always a rush to climb the steps and be one of the first to take a darshan of Lord Ayappa. Once, on one of these visits, as the gates opened we all started to rush in. Suddenly one elderly lady took support of my left shoulder to climb the steep steps. I let her and again started going forward. But she held my shoulder and requested me in a language I did not understand to help her climb the steps. Notwithstanding her language, I understood what she had to say. I gave up the idea of rushing through the gates and allowed her to clutch my shoulder and climb the steps one by one. Already my friends and others had gone far ahead. We entered the gate and the...

I was just coming out of a restaurant at Cuffe Parade. Outside a paan shop, near the railing, a girl was standing alone, smoking in quite a style, without a care in the world. I instantly liked her. She seemed to be making a statement. That I am free, independent. I can decide for myself, choose for myself. That I shall have what I want and refuse what I don't like. I wished I could take a photo of her. But, alas, that was not possible. Her image remained with me in my mind. There is something about a smoking girl, I thought.

I was travelling back in the evening by a local train as usual. There was a moderate crowd. A little girl suddenly came alongside where I was sitting. She was carrying some colouring books, trying to sell them. I noticed that she wore very clean clothes and she herself was very clean. I felt sad that at this age, when she should be going to school and playing with friends, she has to sell books in a train. No one was buying any book. I estimated the price of a book to be Rs.20/-. I asked her and she told me it was Rs.100/-. I was quite shocked. I really had no use for the books as my children are well past that age. When I refused to buy she said she would give it for rs.80/-. Then she showed me the printed price on the book which was just Rs.30/-. I was touched by her innocence. But I declined to buy the book for Rs.80/-. She went away then, seeking other buyers. The train halted and I got down, wondering if I should have bought the book for Rs.80/- to help the girl.

It's a beautiful Sunday morning. Calm and peaceful. Just finished reading newspapers. What next? I could go to a music programme at Sahayog mandir featuring local artists. But that looks unlikely. I could read for a while. The probability of this happening is quite high. I could play harmonium. Some song should enter my mind and inspire me. I intend to have a nice breakfast which is a certainty. There is some office work I have brought home. It has to wait till after 11. Having jotted down these options, the confusion in my mind has cleared somewhat. Now I can get down to giving effect to these options. Writing can be so helpful. It can give you clarity and free your cluttered mind.

After lunch we went out for a stroll. It was hot and we kept to the shaded side of the road. Soon we reached a huge gate and a high walled wide structure. On the gate was written "Arthur Road Jail". My colleague told me that it was always overcrowded. I wondered what kind of world lay behind those walls. Would anyone want to take a selfie here? As we were looking around, a police van pulled up alongside. Some 10-12 uniformed policemen got down first, followed by several accused. I looked at them. They looked pretty ordinary people. You would not have recognised them in a crowd. Some were quite young, others older. I wondered what their offence was, what crime they had committed and why. They crossed the road, each closely watched over by a policeman, and entered the gate. They had lost their liberty for who knows what period. What effect this will have on their families who were possibly at no fault. We started back pensively to our workplace. We too were tied up in our...

How dearly I wish That I have nothing to do But only read & write Nothing but read & write How dearly I wish that I have nothing to do But travel here & there see this place & that site How dearly I wish That I have nothing to do But watch films & plays Listen to music with delight How dearly I wish That I have nothing to do But gather old friends Party hard late into night

I have been reading this wonderful book for the past few weeks. It is an account of a westerner who visits India in search of truth and spirituality, to know the facts about the yogic traditions and mystical experiences and has a scientific and skeptical attitude. He traverses the length and breadth of the country, from the south to the north, to gain some wisdom and enlightenment which will stand scientific scrutiny. He meets astrologers, fakirs, spiritual masters, interviews them and tries to understand the elusive spiritual truth which he is seeking. It is an excellent account of the India we know in the eyes of a westerner. The author is himself driven by this urge to know and understand the age old questions that human beings invariably ask themselves during their journey of life. I would recommend this book to those beset with such questions and looking for answers. They may get some insights from this book.

गेल्या रविवारी महेश एलकुंचवार लिखित नाट्यत्रयी, वाडा चिरेबंदी, मग्न तळ्याकाठी व युगान्त, गडकरी रंगायतनला बघितली. फारसा ताण जाणवला नाही. कारण पहिली दोन नाटके खिळून ठेवणारी होती. युगान्त मात्र फारसं आवडलं नाही. पहिल्या दोन नाटकांच्या पंक्तीत बसत नाही असं वाटलं. पहिल्या दोन नाटकांचे स्टार म्हणजे प्रसाद ओक, वैभव मांगले व निवेदिता सराफ. दुसर्‍या व तिसर्‍या नाटकात काम करणारे चिन्मय मांडलेकर व सिद्धार्थ चांदेकरही चांगली छाप पाडतात. ह्या सर्वातही मला निवेदिताचे काम अतिशय भावले. याआधी तिला फक्त चित्रपटात पाहिले होते. पण रंगभूमीवर ती इतका उत्कृष्ट अभिनय करते हे माहित नव्हते. तसंच एका प्रसंगात प्रसाद ओकने सर्व प्रेक्षकांसमोर बसून आरामात दाढी केली आहे. ती करताकरता त्याचे संभाषण चालू आहेच. मी कोपरापासून हात जोडले. ह्याला म्हणतात आत्मविश्वास. वैभव मांगलेनी मोठा भाऊ उत्तम साकार केला आहे. शिवाय पौर्णिमा मनोहरने अंजली छान साकार केली आहे. मग्न तळ्याकाठी मला सगळ्यात जास्त आवडले. एलकुंचवारांचे भाषावैभव जागोजागी डोकावत असते. चंद्रकांत कुलकर्णींचे दिग्दर्शन लाभलेली ही नाट्यत्रयी आवर्जून पाहावी अशीच आहे.

Nowadays, whenever there is a long weekend, there is a mad rush to leave the city. A traffic jam ensues in the morning on the Mumbai Pune express way. People either go to their second homes or to nearby resorts or rented bungalows at Lonavla or farmhouses nearby. When they reach their destination is anybody's guess. Then two days and nights of splurging money on food and drinks and what not and then back to the city on Sunday, ready and hopefully refreshed for another week of daily struggle. Whereas I too crave to leave the town once in a while on such occasions, I equally cherish staying at home, doing things I like without the bother of time, reading and writing, playing harmonium, doing little things around the house. The absence of pressure of time is like you were choking all the time and suddenly received fresh air. Spending time aimlessly without plan gives me a great sense of freedom. I love being at home with nothing much to do.