Scribblings

Farming At Farmville

                 “Please let me check on my crops or they will wither today” – pleaded Soniya. She had come to our office on her way back to Kolkata from a holiday with her husband in Shillong. “ What crops” I asked and there for the first time I learnt the ABCD of this virtual farming at Farmville an application in the popular social networking website Facebook. Since then I too got hooked to this virtual farming like many others. No sooner than I started farming, I realized that most of friends are already doing this since long. I was amazed at their levels of achievements; 29,30,31. Wow, even 2 of my bosses were also on the bandwagon of virtual farmers and not to mention way up in the ladder too.

 (What a big morale boost it was for me!)

                    But that made me wonder , why everyone is so engrossed with this virtual farming. So much so that my friends send me messages asking for a Tree, A cow or a sheep – these are free gifts one can gift to his neighbour farmers. What is so special about this Farmville that it got everyone hooked? Okay, I have decided to put my reasons first. May be in amongst them I could find the answer for others as well :

1. I always had this tiny miny wish of owning a farm with a farmhouse since my Mills and Boon days ( read high school days).
2. This game of virtual farming gives me the much needed respite from the symbols like % , words like Target and not to mention those HUGE numbers on excel sheets.
3. This game gives me the pleasure of fulfilling my wish of growing all sorts of exotic flowers , fruits and vegetables. I mean sitting in Guwahati, I can grow paddy full of Red Tulips, Blue Berries, Raspberries etc. I can even have a corner full of cherry blossoms in my own farm!
4. I can own Villas, dairies, have rest tents and picnic benches as many as I wish.
5. I can have as many animals as I like; cows, horses, goats, pigs. And the best part is that I don’t even have to get my hands dirty even for once. Even after having so many animals, my farm remains spotlessly clean. Not to mention my crops are safe too from the hens and ducks I keep.
6. My neighbours so kindly help me in my farm by fertilizing my crops, shooing away the foxes and crows and they give gifts also. I also return all the favours generously!
7. Above all, in real farms no matter how hard you try, you cannot grow strawberries in 4 hours, Pumpkins in 8 hours and Raspberries in 2 hours flat!

           Wow, so many reasons. But to be really honest I feel it is the urge in my mind to be closer to nature which makes me go back to Farmville again and again. That wish of leaving all the excel sheets behind and be one with nature makes me log in everyday after work. But I am also aware that this is completely virtual. Real farming doesnot happen at the click of a mouse.

Caught in web of responsibilities and commitments, I login to the World Wide Web looking for some “ My Time” in my farm. Yeah, that’s the word - “ My Time”  . Aren’t we all looking for that elusive “ My Time” somehow , somewhere?

Random thoughts

Sometimes I have this strange craving for things/food/cinema .well the list is long. The other day I had this urge for piping hot round balloonish puris and potato sabji. What we call in Assamese “ fula lusi and aloo bhaji.” Now that’s onething I am sure we all Assamese people love. Those health conscious and diabetics may deny, but deep down there; they also relish that. That’s what I firmly believe. It also made me think of those good old days when if you go to someone’s place, they will treat you with “fula lusi and aloo bhaji”; sometimes cherry on top with an omelet too. Even I remember when we were in school in early nineties whenever someone came to our place or we would go to their place the menu was most of the time same. Be it summer, winter or any other season. And if a new bride or new groom came, then the menu will have some additions of sweets, pudding and cakes etc.

One classic example is our Taoi, my dad’s best friend . Sarma taoi and amoi ( uncle and aunty) are a very unique couple. Unique in the sense they can welcome a perfect stranger as he was a long lost member of the family! Many a times I had heard dad advised Sarma taoi not to do that. Both amoi and ma used to laugh at that. My dad was also no better. Even though he advised Sarma taoi, he would also do the same. May be that’s what clicked between them and the relationship of a tenant and a landlord turned into lifelong friendship. Anyway, what I remember of amoi is that she cooking same aloo bhaji and making the maida dough for puri even on the hottest of summer days. Sarma taoi’s students would come home for some advise from him, and both would make sure that no one leaves without a staple dose of amoi’s famous bhaji and lusi! I am yet to know of any other university professor’s wife who would do the same. It’s sad but some those students didn’t even bother coming back after they passed out from the university. No I am not saying they should come especially to thank amoi and taoi for anything, am sure they also donot expect that. But when one is in town, in the next door on some work, spare 2 minutes and say “hello”. That’s not too much, is it?

Ok, I have deviated from lusi – bhaji to something else. This practice of preparing lusi-bhaji when guests come is gone now, like many good things of the past. Blame it on no. 1 time, no. 2. the sky soaring prices of essential commodities which make any middle class family cut costs to manage a month’s expenses. I admit in my house also this practice is lost. Now only very rare occasions this once regular menu for any guest is prepared. But then why do I feel that along with this simple practice we are losing the compassion, the sincerity and the love we shared once. I would not dare saying that love, sharing, caring is confined to a plate of 3 puris and some amount of aloo sabji. But all practicalities apart, the simple gesture meant so much. In these days of hi-tech communication devices, we are slowly losing contacts. I tell my colleague in the next cubicle, send me a mail for this, for that. I send text messages to my best buddies wishing them on their special days. I call too. But sometimes the hectic day also doesn’t allow that or is it we who donot find time to call? Staying in touch is now being on one’s friend list in Orkut or Facebook.

Another one of my excuses!

         The morning was so good today. As usual I got up at 5.30, switched off the light in the verandah, unlocked the gate the usual chores, except sending Kalu our dog out. The morning was so good I thought let Kalu also enjoy the cozy morning for some more time. Like always I came back to my bed to sleep for another hour or so. And that happenned. Suddenly the sky turned dark, the pleasant wind turned into a gushing storm like wind and it started pouring. Wow..what else can one ask for to enjoy the morning sleep in such a cosy weather. So much for my resolution of getting up early and going for morning walks. It seems even the nature doesnot want me to lose those extra flabs, let alone god/godess of sleep.

        I myself am surprised at my ability to find excuses for not trying hard enough to lose weight..! I always realise that I need to work hard; just cannot seem to materiale it.

SIGH!!

Job hunting

I have seriously lost it, it seems. In this recession hit period, when people are sticking to the jobs in hand I have almost written my resignation. That too without any other "offer" in hand. I mean thats what we usual mortals in the job scene do..ain't it? Don't put down the papers in the current position until and unless we get a better offer. But since last few days, I had been considering leaving . I have updated my resume in all the jobsites ;who in return have started sending openings in Insurance sector. Ok ok..I know beggers shouldnot be choosers. Still, Insurance sales job is not my thing. For someone who failed miserably twice in her endevours with Avon and Oriflame beauty products it doesnot make sense to be in Insurance sales where you need to be persuasive as in PERSUASIVE! I am now so much into job hunt now. Tired of sales job. How colourful it looks to the onlooker. Oneday I am at Imphal the other day somewhere in Upper Assam. Wow travelling and that too at company expense. Behind that wows and uhs and ohs are hidden some MS Excel sheets with red/green/yellow cells. These days mostly RED. Obviously the traveller i.e. your's truly is getting good amount of thrashing from all quarters.

And thats why the job hunting.

Beyond Hollywood's Slumdog

What do you do when you are on your maiden visit to Mumbai? Go and visit the famous places in Mumbai --- Gateway of India, Marine Drive,Crawford Market, Chowpatty beach; a whole day trip to Essel World or Elephanta caves. Go shopping at Colaba, famous Linking Road or the countless swanky hi-tech malls in Mumbai? For an average Domestic tourist, that’s what Mumbai trip is all about, ain’t it? That’s what I had also been doing in my other trips to other places. But this time it was different, unexpected and of course unplanned.

My cousin in Kolkata invited me to join her family for a trip to Bhubaneswar and Puri during my annual leave. Done and decided. Accordingly I reached Kolkata. But the derailment of Coromandal Express in Orissa caused the cancellation of our train to Bhubaneshwar from Kolkata on 14^th Feb. Sad. My hard earned leave of 3 days will go in vain it seemed! Some frantic calls looking for another option here and there, I found myself on the Kolkata-Mumbai IndiGo flight at 6 am next day. It landed in Mumbai at 8.30am right on time. So I was there in the City of Dreams, the city of glitter, glamour and fashion; the Manhattan of India without a clue about the city.

My friend had came to receive me. After attending a late night marriage party it was actually difficult for him to come and receive me early morning . I felt guilty but then consoled myself saying “ That’s what friend’s are for”. Sitting in the cab, I blurted out the list of places I had to visit starting from Gateway of India to shopping at Linkin Road. He just said “ Will show you  a different Mumbai”.  Later in the afternoon, he announced that it’s time to start my “Mumbai darshan” and started our journey by a local train from Kandivilli . Trust me, the Mumbai local trains are the scariest things on Earth for a nonMumbaikar like me. We got down at Mahim station. There were some people already waiting for him. When I asked him what is it all about, he announced “we are going to Dharavi.” I almost freaked out, what Dharavi, of all places! My friend said “ Told you, this will be different.” And different it sure was!

My friend’s name is Parasher Baruah who hails from Dibrugarh. A FTII graduate in Cinematography, he has worked in 2 Assamese feature films viz “ Aghori Atma” and “ Jatinga Ityadi”. Settled in Mumbai, presently he has been associated with ACORN Foundation (India) in a project which is working to highlight the role of waste collectors and winning them the basic human rights and educate citizens to acknowledge their role in the city. This project is called the” Dharavi Project”. ( www.dharaviproject.org) Parasher has already made a short film called “ waste” which is also been made as a part of the Infochangeindia Media Fellowship programme ( Centre for communication and Development Studies).

The previous day there was a screening of “Waste” at the Mumbai Press Club. Some children had also came for that. They wanted to go and have a look at the recycling process that goes in  Dharavi , meet the ragpickers , talk to them and the newspaper DNA wanted to carry a story of the experiences of the children about Dharavi and Ragpickers. So there were 20 children from various schools of Mumbai, some journalists, photographers, Mr. Vinod Shetty who heads the ACORN Foundation India chapter, 2 German Radio journalists who had seen “Waste” and wanted to interview the film-maker. Among all was yours truly who did not know how to react to all this. Thus began my tour of the place from where Jamal Malik ( from Slumdog Millionaire) started his journey to the Oscars!  

Dharavi which is termed as Asia’s largest slum houses thousands of people from different states of our country. All the major religions in India live here side by side. Migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh , Tamils, Maharastrians, everyone has found a place in Dharavi. This slum is also throbbing in major economic activities like recycling industry, leather, woodwork, block printing on clothes etc. I was amazed to see the small units where the recycling work goes on. The condition the workers were in, such unhealthy conditions they were working in and such an important work of recycling the waste, our waste. I spoke to some of the workers, they seemed pretty skeptical about people coming in and talking about bringing in some changes in their condition. A small boy, Salimuddin whose father owns one of the Recycling units showed me around. There were people who were busy going to and fro the narrow shabby lanes of Dharavi carrying huge bags full of waste collected by the ragpickers. One of them stopped in front of me and said something in Marathi. He appeared so agitated. I looked back for someone to help me. One of the photographers replied to him something and we moved on. Later he told me that the man was saying that we had come there to click their photographs and see them, after that what! Yeah, after that what! I wonder what would he say if he comes to know that the most talked about movie these days was shot there, amongst them! While criss crossing the narrow lanes, we came across one unit where block printing on clothes was going on. Salimuddin said that these clothes will be sent to “Outside India”. Infact Dharavi leather bags, shoes, Jari works etc find place in Big show rooms in Europe and other countries. Crossing the residential and business units of Dharavi, we went to a bridge where the hero of Parasher’s film Santosh lives. Parasher seemed very popular with the ragpickers. They even have a name for him……” Salim Bhai”. Salim bhai called Santosh and other ragpickers for an interaction with the school children. The Children then handed over the I-cards to the ragpickers which were issued by ACORN Foundation India. They all were very happy with the I-Cards. Atleast somebody is trying hard to organize this highly unorganized and unnoticed works of the Ragpickers! As ACORN Foundation (India) wants to reach out to as many as possible with their message of 4 Rs : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect”

I was slightly apprehensive of going to “ a slum” at first. But meeting Santosh and others was an amazing experience. Especially Santosh, fiercely proud of his work he is sure a Millionaire in his own way; but a slumdog; nah never. It’s not his responsibility to collect our waste but he and hundreds like him does and thus are doing us a favour and we should thank and respect them.

I wish ACORN Foundation (India) all the very best in their Endeavour. And thanks to Parasher my Mumbai trip was unplanned but sure was memorable.

This and That

Wow...what a start of the year..AR Rahman got the Golden Globe, Slumdog has been nominated for Oscars, only yesterday cricketers had been bought for huge sums...great!..looking at the amount spent on "trading" of the cricketers who would say that some Global economy slow down is happening somewhere. I seriously wished I was a guy and a crickter too. But alas, that not to be..!

Wait, while wishing of being a guy/boy, have you seen the promo of a new show called " Na aana iss desh Ladoo" on Colours? My my, what shocking promo. I have heard that in some parts of our country they kill the baby girl by drowning her on a milkpot. The images are disturbing. Some truths are always disturbing. The shows makers must have wanted the disturbing effect on the viewers may be that is the reason for such shocking promos. They have got that in me..seriously. Lets wait and see what the show brings. But yeah, Colours have some good shows.

Talking of shows on TV, even NDTV Imagine has some interesting shows as well. Not like those usual Saas-Baahu types and really enjoyable. I personally like Saas,Bahu aur Saajish on Star News. I only get to see that on Sundays but I like that. Some shows have suddenly gone off air. Noone knows what had happened. These days Channels are dominated by "Reality shows". What reality they show..wow. MTV Rodies, those young kids the way they hurl abuses at fellow rodies amazing. The celebrity judges fights, celebrity contestants tears and smiles..my my. TV was never more real. But I sometimes wish TV could have stayed reel only, rather than becoming so real.

A day without my Cell phone

Yesterday when I went out on my regular sales calls, I left my mobile in the office itself and trust me what a day it was!!! Amazing.

At first when I found out that my mobile phone is not in my purse I was slightly worried. Then I called office to check. My colleague confirmed that it was lying there. Great. I told her, whosoever calls, tell them that I left my cell at office so cannot be contacted now. Whew..I almost forgot how was it when there was no mobile phone! Still we managed to stay connected. Yesterday, I was away from the sometimes annoying sound of my cell phone. Only worry was Head Office; what if anyone called. He/She will call once and at the most leave a message. Will reply later, I decided to enjoy my sudden found sense of freedom. Freedom from the constant tring tring, freedom from the sense of constantly being watched over..it was so good.

When I got back to office, there was no missed call as my colleague had picked up the calls. There was only one call from HO & when Boss knew about it, he just hang up saying.." Lucky girl!"..Boss why dont you also try doing that!!! What say..

Starting Early

These days they start really early! Never realised that actually!..Ok let me explain, day before yesterday I had gone to my neighbour's place for some function. Since mom is not well, I had to represent our family. Anyway, I found that not many guests were invited. Only the lady's sister, one more girl from the neighbourhood and myself. Her husband was out of station, so it turned out to be an all girls affair sort of. As we settled down to have food, she asked if anyone cared for wine. Everyone said yes. When the wine was served, I was amazed to see her  9 year old daughter sipping away a glass of wine with us! I was, for sometime, dumbstuck. I looked at her mom. She was absolutely fine/cool with it. I knew that these they start really early, but this, for me was a bit too early.!!

May be I am still in some other era.

The Temple of Bells

I first heard about the temple when my father had a massive brain-stroke and went to comma 3 years back. My father's truly best friend and well wisher Sharma uncle with aunty went to the temple to pray for dad and to tie a tilinga or bell there. Yes, the temple is known as " Tilinga mandir" or temple of bells. Tilinga means a bell in Assamese.

Situated about 25 km from Tinsukia town in Upper Assam, this temple of bells is dedicated to Lord Shiva. People say that a Shiva Linga had appeared by itself under the peepul tree. Devotees from farflung places come to tie a tilinga or bell and make a wish in the temple. Oil India Litd , Duliajan which is hardly 30 km away from the temple had provided some tall iron rods to support the branches of the tree which have now bowed down with the burden of the bells.

This ritual or belief of tying a bell with a wish is very common in India. I have been to another such temple full of bells near Nainital as well. What moves me in such temples is the unshakable faith that the one who is tying the bell or a red thead has on the Almighty. His/her wish may or may not come true. But it's the faith which is really moving.

This year in May I had been to Upper Assam on an official trip. There I could go to the Tilinga Mandir on the way to Duliajan from Tinsukia. I wanted to be there. Not am not much a devotee, but I do believe in the presence of a super strenght up there somewhere from where I can also take some if the need arise. I was awestruck by the no. of bells. Large, small, midium every size of bells where there and those were not just bells, they were somebosy's wishes , somebody's believe. Among all those bells, there was a bell tied for my dad also !

My dad didnt come back from his comma. But it's the kind gesture of Sharma uncle and aunt which will be with us forever.

Durga Puja....

The spirit of festivity is everywhere...the fragrance of "Sewali" flower at nights and the carpet of red & white Sewali flowers in the mornings fill the air. My earliest and best memories of Durga Puja go back to Dibrugarh where I had spent my childhood. Waking up to the sounds of "Chandipaath" or the worshipping mantra of the Devi on Mahalaya, the chill in the air, the evening outings with neighbours...Jalebies, sweets, ..! I miss them.Sitting at office on the day of Mahaashtami or the 8th day of puja, how I long to be in school again. Only to get 1 whole week off during puja. Those were the days when off meant off compeletly; not on " on mobile". The small children carefree and happy going out with elders to enjoy the festivities. Not that I cant go and enjoy, I did. Infact I had gone and offered puja today early morning at the nearby puja mandap. Still something is lacking now. Is it because after so many years, the fascination had been lost. Sad...really sad.

But Here's wishing everyone a very happy Durga Puja and happy Navratra. May Maa Durga blesses us all.

My Thirtieth Year to Heaven..

So 9th September 2008. My " Thirtieth Year to heaven"...3 decades. WOW. Let me see if I had ever thought I would be writing this on my 30th year. Let's do a quick recap of whatever I remember of my last 3 decades.

Many memories, many faces. Some had faded into oblivion, some deliberately been sent to oblivion. Many wishes, many dreams, some realised and some got lost somewhere in the hard reality.

At 8, I wanted to be a pilot. Wanted to fly. Control the big metalic bird on sky. My first air trip from Dibrugarh to Kolkata ( then Calcutta) was by Indian. I wanted to be at the cockpit. People around me said " be on the ground; dont fly so high". Sad, but true. Nobody encouraged an 8 year old's flights of fancy! Later reality stuck in a different way because I realised I was VERY VERY poor in Mathematics and Physics.

When I was 12 I started dancing, leanrt Kathak. Then I wanted to become a classical dancer. Wanted to pursue dance at Bishwa Bharati University. Again Maths happened and dance stopped happening.

At 15, Love (?) happened. After 5 years of " being in love", at 20 love "unhappened". Last 2 years of love left some unfogetable scars. But then life went on. I completed my graduation. Then I wanted to pursue my PG from JNU. That didnt happen. I did my PG alright but not from JNU. 1 out of 2, not bad, what say?

During PG final, dad showed an ad on Times of India. It was the admission ad of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Gwalior. Thought of giving it a try even though mom was after me to become a teacher! Thus tourism happened. Finally something I love happened. The year at Gwalior had been so far the best year.

So thus I complete 3 decades amidst happenings and "unhappenings".

My 15th Aug weekend

This is a continuation from my earlier scibble about "Flying Cheap". What did I do this 15th Aug weekend when Cochin plans had to be scrapped! Arey simple, I changed my destination to one with a comparatively lower load . Thats Delhi-Pune-Delhi. But then during that weekend none of the conventional Holiday destinations were safe; ( safe for us to get a seat). Then decided to go to Pune because I have one of my friend staying there and she had been calling me since ages. This time I thought let me meet her. So decided it's Pune I am going to instead of Cochin. May be from Pune we'll go to Lonavala for a day. After all I would be going only for 2 days.

When I called her up to tell her about my plans, she picked up the call from Chennai. She's on holiday there. Shucks! Now what. Same old Dilli and kites on 15th Aug.! Nah noway. There's another friend of mine in Mumbai who is a pass out from FTII and he had invited me to Pune to show his institute. So called him if I come down will he be able to show me around. Surely, he said , he would take 2 days break and be in Pune too. Cool. So Pune stands. On 15th Aug, I landed in Pune. Next day he took me to his institute. Wow, the institute which has most probably the maximum number of celebrities in it's alumni list! We went to see the Shantaram Studio or Studio 1 as it is known. The sane studio where mane famous scenes had been shot. The same place where Guru Dutt tired and lost in the battle of life stood in half light and half dark with his " forbidden love" Waheeda Rehman in the famous song " Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam". Some student was shooting something. An amazing experinece.

In the evening we went to some dam. (completely forgot the name) There I insisted on going because I couldnot go to Lonavala! Nice place. On Sunday I had my flight back to Delhi . So in the morning quickly went to the famous KoreGaon area to have aglimpse of Osho gardens. Then had breakfast at German Bakery. Nice place to hang out I must say.

Overall, I liked Pune whatever I had seen. But definately have to go back again. This time to my other friend's place and then to go to Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar etc.

Of flying and flying cheap!

So much for working with an airline, I thought! People usually are so envious of us. They say that we get to fly for free. Yeah yeah free! I mean we do pay something, but that's actually free as compared to the usual fares that the passengers pay. But of course the grass is always greener at the other side. Even though I get to fly for free, every time I plan a personal holiday I have to go through the same ordeal. CHECK THE LOAD FIRST!!!

Let me explain. This time 15th August was a Friday, which meant a long weekend of 3 holidays.Great, I thought, will take 14th Aug off and will go to Cochin. Never been there. And if I dont go now, when I can actually fly cheap then when! So plans fixed. 14th Aug, I will go to Delhi and nextday will take the early morning Delhi Cochin flight. My colleagues in Cochin were more than excited to have me there. They agreed to book a decent but safe hotel. The invitations for lunch and dinner already poured in. Smooth. Now now, let's check the flight load on 15th Aug, DELCOK --- Hmmmm..good load but I will be able to fly. Next check the return COKDEL on 17th Aug. OH MY GOD. That's a cool 150 and still there's more than a week to go. 30 more passengers and the flight will be full. And that flight will be surely full. After all people will be returning after a long weekend break. So Cochin cancelled. Not even sure, if they allow a jumper. Cant take the risk. If I dont land in Delhi on 17th Aug, I wouldnot be able to take my flight back home next day. Thus my dream of going to Fort Cochin to have a glimpse of the Chinese fishing nets from the courts of Kubla Khan bit the dust!

Still not got my point? The personal travel tickets of staffs as always STL ( Subjet to Load). If the flight is full we are not allowed to board. So the bottom line is, so what if we pay less and the regular passenger pays more; atleast he is sure that he will get to go. He doesnot have to worry about full flight, he sure flying if he is carrying a confirmed ticket. For us, we dont even know until the crew announces " Boarding Complete" if we are going or not!!

So much for working in an airline !!

Randoms thoughts on I DAY

So Independence Day is here again. Again that time of the year, when security in and around the city is tightened so much that for lesser mortals like us, it becomes difficult to breathe! So much for " Independence Day"....Sad but thats the picture of my state for past god knows how many years. An entire generation has grown up without even knowing that 26th Jan and 15th Aug these 2 dates are not the pre determined dates for Assam Bandh. I  remember when I was still in junior school, Dad and we used to hoist the national flag in front of our house on 15th Aug & 26th Jan. Not that it made us some great Indians, but that was such a feeling I can't express.

But since more than a decade, we all know that there are 2 pre-determined dates for Assam Bandh, blasts or some other terrorist activities. Sad. For children and even for grown ups also, these 2 dates are to stay at home, watch TV or plan some holiday if that falls on a weekend. Let me confess, I have also planned the same this year. 15th Aug is Friday..Saturday & Sunday are offdays for me. Read in the paper today, that the call for boycotting 15th Aug has already been called fo by several groups. As for me I am planning to be out of my state/city and be in the capital for the I day weekend. Not because I am a very patritotic Indian, but because thats a long weekend and all my friends are there. Who knows I may go somewhere else also from Delhi.

Escaping...?? Nah, using the opportunity am getting.

Happy Feet

So decided & did that. I joined a dance class. It happened like this: I went to the nearby dance school 2 weeks back on Sunday. I spoke with both the dance teachers. They teach Satriya Dance , the newest form of Indian Classical dance from Assam. The guru of the lower sections asked me if I would be comfortable with the current batch. The eldest one is 8 years old. Shit..20 years my junior! Anyway, I kept a straight face and answered " why not. If I dont know, I dont know." So it was decided that next Sunday I would come and do the formalities and get myself enrolled.

Strange are the ways of fate!. The next evening our neighbour came to our place. Her 6 year old daughet also learns dance there. She asked me if I would be interested in home classes. She had asked Guruji before if he could come and teach her daughter at home. Thats because he daughter has already learnt the basics, but since the whole batch has to move to the next level, she feels that the younger one is stuck in that. I agreed. Thats awesome. Her daughter, Nancy, can teach me the initial steps also. So we both sopke to Guruji about that and he agreed to come home for dance classes. Last sunday I went to the school and sat at the class just to see the steps and moves. Some steps looked really difficult. I thought, me and my over enthusiastic mind. I wont be able to do all these. After all it's been 15 long years. My body must have lost the flexibility required.

Still there was no turning back now. Guruji came home yesterday evening. Nancy and I started my first, her practice, dance class. And guess what, I could still move, bend and flex. Only thing which I have lost is the stamina . That am sure will catch up soon...!!

A book to remember

Tuesdays With Morrie…..first came across the name of the book in some article of Mr. Homen Borgohain few years ago. He wrote very highly about the book saying that everybody should read it once. I wanted to read the book since then. But never got the opportunity. Actually I never tried to find the book that hard too. But now I finally got to read the book. When my ex-colleague bought the book last year I snatched it from him and returned only after finishing it. Even I am also of the opinion that everybody should read the book atleast once. I also bought a copy of the book for my own collection.   

It is about the last lesson that the author Mitch Albom got from his beloved teacher Morrie Schwartz. It was the Lesson of Life. The classes would held on Tuesdays after breakfast and that particular class had only one student , the author Mitch Albom . Morrie was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ( ALS) in 1994. In Albom’s words “ a brutal , unforgiving illness of the neurological system “ …..” ALS is like a lit candle : it melts your nerves and leaves your body a pile of wax. Often it begins with the legs and works its way up…By the end if you are still alive you are breathing through a tube in a hole in your throat, while your soul perfectly

Awake, is imprisoned inside a limp husk, perhaps able to blink, or cluck a tongue,…,the man frozen inside his own flesh. “

Mitch Albom came to his favourite teacher a long gap..when he was on his deathbed. The student teacher reunion resulted in some extraordinary classes on Tuesdays. There were no books. They talked about love, life, money, culture,relationships, marriage,family and also death.

Each lesson tells us the courage of a dying teacher who said that he had a bet with himself that he wanted to live. Everyday his dependency on others would increase, still he would say that he dreaded the day most when somebody has to “wipe my ass”.

The kind of person I am, always full of ups and downs, prone to mood swings, always on extremes. This book has the much required calming effect on me. Whenever I feel lost, tired, angry and feel like quitting, Morrie Schwartz comes up and says “  This disease will is knocking at my spirit. But it will Not get my spirit. It’ll get my body, NOT my spirit.” Yeah…it’s the spirit which refuses to give up.

A wish

          So I have made up my mind. Well almost. Yes, I can start dancing again. No, of course not with the aim of becoming Sonal man Singh someday. But dancing is something which had always fascinated me. I love Indian Classical Dance. Each one of them. I look upto anyone who knows anyone of the Indian Classical dance form.

         It saddens me to go through old albums. I also used to dance; used to learn Kathak. When I was in Std V I took up learing Kathak. Was so much into it that dreamt of becoming a professional dancer and dance at the Kahjuraho Dance Festival! That was a bit far fetched though. I wanted to fnish my 12th and then go to Bishwa Bharti University to graduate in Indian Classical dance. Wasn't even sure if they had any such course; still I wanted Dance to be my specialisation.

       Coming from a typical Indian Assamese middle class family , that too in early 90's- this sort of forbidden thoughts were almost sacrilege. Same happenned with my flights of fancy also. When I almost flunked in Maths in Std VIII, it sure shocked everybody. Because Std IX and X both the courses required to clear the big gate on 10th Board! There I was scoring a classic 47 out of 100 in Maths in Std VIII.So like every parent of a Board exam student, my parents also geared up and decided to take all the " preventive" measures they could to " save the shame of having their eldest daughter flunked on Boards". No more dance classes. Dad requested the very famous Maths teacher from another school to spare an hour in the evening and teach me Maths. He agreed. So the one hour of my dance classes went to Maths clasess which according to my parents was " better utilisation of time". When I tried to reason, Ma's reply was classic - " To give a dance performance one needs to be fully dressed up with full make up on. This is not possible all the time and had it been singing things would have been different ; because singers donot have to be dressed up like dancers!" Strong points. Thus my dream of taking dance as a full time career option bit the dust.

        One day cleared my 10th Board. Even managed to score 80% in maths papers. Quite an achievement for someone like me who was/is so scared of numbers. All thanks to my Maths teacher.After 10th left the small town of Dibrugarh and came to the bigger city of Guwahati for furher studies. One thing followed another. Dance was forgotten. But the beats remained intact somewhere in my subconscious. Dance for me remained resricted to discs, parties, marriages and with Friends to the beats of some DJ in the corner.

     Now after 15 long years, I want to learn Classical dance again. Anyone of them. I know whichever dance school I go now, I will be starting with 4/5 year olds. Thats what is bothering me. Will I be able to? What if the the kids laugh.

      Friends wish me luck. I seriuously need that to usher my courage and get myself enrolled in a dance school.

A movie hall and some memories

It's after so long that the old Apsara movie hall was full yesterday. I have a soft corner for this particular theatre because it is the theatre where I had watched my first movie in Guwahati in 1994. That was Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. As a newcomer to this city, I went to watch the movie with my roommate and senior Rakhi and with some other hostelmates. A decade and 2 years later I watched the first movie alone in the same old Apsara. Sadly it was in a very bad shape. With the multiplexes coming to our city which has suddenly grown out of proportion many movie halls had gone for a renovation. But Apsara was the same. Sad. But then suddenly oneday I saw some renovation work had started and now the hall , though looks the same from outside, wears a new look inside with pushback cushioned chairs and AC! Naturally the ticket prices have also increased.

In the recent times I have watched quite a number of movies in Apsara. The lastone was Khuda Kay Liye. The hall was empty. Of course for movies which I had gone to watch it would be ridiculous to expect a House Full board outside. ( I had seen Mithya, Bheja Fry, Khuda Kay Liye etc.) But yesterday I went to watch " Jaane tu ya jaane na.." . The debut movie of Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan. My my, the boy looks so much like his uncle from Qayamant Se Qayamat Tak days and even acts so. Yes, that means he is cute and acts well. Nothing new in the story about two best friends finally realising that they are actually in love and had been in love always!! But it is presentaton and packaging which have worked for this movie. I guess the same two factors had played a major role in " Jab We Met" as well. Casting is awesome. All the characters look so convincing in their roles. Good acting not only from veterans but also from new comers.

No doubt the hall was full of young people. Looking at them I was remembering a young girl who had come to this " Big city" of Guwahati from a small town in Upper Assam and had come to watch a movie saving some amount from her monthly pocket money. She has grown up. Now she can afford to watch movies in multiplexes. But she now watches them alone!

Wise and Otherwise

On Sunday last I decided to go with Ma and get the “ monthly shopping” done . So we went to Big Bazar. As usual, the place was full of  people ,people and more people. While roaming the floors on the book shelf one book caught my eye. It’s called Wise and Otherwise. I had not heard about it before. The only reason for me getting interested was because of it’s author. The book was written by Sudha Murty. Among many women whom I find fascinating , Sudha Murty is definitely one.

I had read her writings which were translated into Assamese. Some short pieces about life, people and about the lessons life have taught this great lady. I always wanted to read the original pieces. Wise and Otherwise is a collection of 50 of her short essays / articles about people and her vast experiences. They show the different shades that human nature has! She dedicated this book “ to the shirtless people of India, who have taught me so much about my country” . It tells about a son who dumps his old father in an old age home claiming him to be a stranger, A tribal head who taught Mrs. Murty that “ There is a grace in accepting also”, a small boy in Chandipur who taught the author that Rs. 5 “ mein bahut kuch hota hain” ( lot happens with Rs. 5). The stories are told in a simple manner with even simpler language. The way the stories are told, shows the feelings of the author towards her stories and the characters.

The book carries an apt foreword by TJS George. Some simple but heartwarming stories coming from a simple but heartwarmingly fascinating lady.

It is one of those days.......!

It is one of those days, when you are at a loss..when you want to make up your mind of something and yet hoping against hope that things might change!

It is one those days, when you want to trust somebody yet feel scared to; but still wishing that the person is worthy of your trust.

It is one of those days , when you know you are lonely, still wishing that somebody walks by you, with you ; ......for you!

It is one of those days, when you know you are heading for a heartbreak, yet hoping you can fake the smile and fool the world.

It is one of those days.......!