tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227739782024-03-13T22:51:57.703-07:00Conversations...Of all the things unsaidPurvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-64757284377941534322015-01-16T06:10:00.000-08:002015-01-16T06:10:22.316-08:00I'll Be Back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
An unfulfilled promise, a ditched dream -- that's what this space seems. It is disheartening to abandon friends midway. This blog space has been a patient friend, a good listener. Much has happened since my last post here. Apart from other absolutely fantastic things, I started my travel blog: http://goodholiday.wordpress.com. Do visit to read reviews of restaurants, hotels, destinations in Delhi, around and beyond.<br />
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If my personal ramblings and observations interest you, come back to this blog. I promise there will be some food for thought when you return! <br />
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-72415972154582085932014-02-08T00:35:00.001-08:002014-02-08T00:35:13.094-08:00The 90 years young man <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Whenever life throws you on to a roller coaster, something amazing happens. The ride seems thoroughly bumpy but then that brings the excitement. And in the middle of everything there is a moment of ecstasy. A moment of fulfillment that makes the ride worthwhile. I found my moment a few months ago when I got an opportunity to turn into a biography writer. It brought with several inspiring thoughts.<br />
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A son had this beautiful idea of documenting his father's life (who was turning 90) in a book. He got in touch with me through a friend and there I was interviewing 'Darji' for the book. After innumerable sessions with him and his family in three months, I gained wonderful insights not just about Darji's life but about life in general. Spirited, witty, sharp, Darji is mighty young at heart. While the entire book shares his witty and wise thoughts, I wanted to share a glimpse of it through this blog. Take a moment, read these carefully and ponder over these motivating and inspiring thoughts:<br />
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<li>Motivate and <b>appreciate others</b>: if you like something in a person, do not hesitate to tell him/her. He recalls a bus ride he took some years ago on a mountainous terrain. It was a very difficult route. He saw a note written on the back of a seat in the bus: If you like the driving skills, praise the driver. “Before getting down the bus I told the driver ‘beta you drive quite well’. I believe whenever you appreciate something and get a chance you must praise people.” </li>
<li>Avoid taking loans. Never buy a shop on credit. Quotes a Punjabi saying: <i>Pehle saal chatti, duje saal hatti, teeje saal khatti</i>. (A rough translation: you spend during the first year; set up shop in the second, and earn profit only in the third year.) </li>
<li>Don’t be harsh with others. Think how you would feel if the other person behaved like that with you.</li>
<li>Stop blaming your luck for anything you did not achieve. Remember, God helps those who help themselves. <i>Himmat-e-marda toh maddad-e-khuda</i>.</li>
<li>Do not break anyone’s heart. <b>Live fully</b>. God is there to help and guide you.</li>
<li>Pray</li>
<li>Glass half full: People who always dwell on the bad things in life have very little chance of being young at heart. You have to learn to look at the positive side, and that starts with being aware that pessimism isn’t going to help you. </li>
<li>Troubles will come whether you laugh at them or cry; might as well laugh. </li>
<li>Don’t be jealous of others. Wish others well. These days, people get jealous if their neighbours or people around them succeed. “That is a wrong attitude. Find joy in other’s happiness and you too will prosper.” </li>
<li><b>Exercise:</b> You just need to move your body. It could be walking, gardening or yoga.</li>
<li><b>Travel</b>. Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that travelling is one of the most exciting and life-changing activities that you can do. Observing a different culture will expand your mind while making you further appreciate the life you already live. “Be curious.”</li>
<li>(My favourite): Don’t be shy of showing your enthusiasm when something excites you.</li>
<li>“Go to a good doctor even if it means spending more.”</li>
<li>As age catches up, teeth are the first thing to bear the damage. His original teeth are all intact. “Brush your teeth every morning and in the night. Even at the slightest pain go and see your dentist.”</li>
<li>Live in the present. There is no point harping over how good old times were and how difficult life is today. “I feel life is much more convenient today with so many facilities available.”</li>
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Found any of the advice/thoughts inspiring or motivating? Write to me and let me know!</div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-7748335181122171802014-01-22T04:54:00.001-08:002014-01-22T04:55:58.029-08:00Winter Rains<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">There is discomfort yet some peace,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Seeing the grey sky but dancing trees.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Cozy indoors and wet, wet roads...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Gloomy evenings, colourful clothes</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Misty mornings, lazy days</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.940000534057617px;">Wicked & wise, winter rains....</span></div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-46797713054002990982013-10-15T02:53:00.000-07:002013-10-29T22:30:30.440-07:00"How to be happy"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"I will be happy when......"<br />
"My life will be sorted when....."<br />
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If you had time bound answers to complete the above mentioned sentences, chances are you shall never be "happy". "When I get a job", "When I get a promotion", "When I get iPhone", "When I buy a house" are the common ones we've heard. Ridiculous is "When my daughter/son gets married". And one that wins hands down in the competition of most ridiculous ideas ever is "when we have a baby" (mostly in cases where couples aren't too happy with each other and think a child will fill the void. Ha. Ha.)<br />
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Happiness is not a destination you are aiming to reach. (I know, we have heard the sentences so many times that our state of mind has now become immune to the statement.)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RolCK9elaOU/Ul0QD6NQviI/AAAAAAAAA4M/yS0FPY7_-2w/s1600/be+happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="how to be happy" border="0" height="177" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RolCK9elaOU/Ul0QD6NQviI/AAAAAAAAA4M/yS0FPY7_-2w/s320/be+happy.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>Google search suggests "happy" when you type "how to be...". It amazed me. There are 1,980,000,000 results for it including pages like "11 step guide on how to be happy", "tips to find contentment", "be happier" and so on. How I wish happiness could be "found" by looking for it on the Internet. Clearly, a lot of people hope so.<br />
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So some of us seek help in removing cobwebs, we have built in our lives, on the web; others look for it in liquor bottles. Some of us search malls and shops (and call it retail therapy). Some binge. Some meditate. They try. Some give up and cry. Some give up and die.<br />
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The larger issue, I think, is that we have made ourselves believe that 'happiness' is an antonym to 'problems' in our life. It is not! Opposite of problem is solution. Problems 'make us feel' sad or unhappy. How much unhappy we allow them to 'make us feel' is or should be upon us. Shouldn't it? Chocolates, beer, new dresses or iPad help, I admit. But only in temporarily clearing your head, perhaps. Real happiness, strangely, is already in our heads. May be we shall find it when we complete the sentence "I will be happy...." with "when I decide." Preached Leo Tolstoy: "If you want to be happy, be."<br />
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And I shall be happy if you comment on this blog with your thoughts on happiness :)<br />
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-45658239771258907712013-09-18T20:15:00.001-07:002013-10-23T06:37:59.414-07:00Disenchanted lives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our phone buzzes with texts and whats app messages all day<br />
Catching-up and how-are-you-calls far and few in between<br />
When did we start getting lazy about relationships?<br />
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We pay huge bills at restaurants knowing we are overpaying<br />
But do not donate not believing if "it will reach the right place"<br />
When did we start misplacing our principles?<br />
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We dream of exploring places and seeing people far off<br />
Having no clue of who lives next door...<br />
When did we become more pretentious and less curious?<br />
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We were fascinated when one told us they travelled abroad<br />
We now envy the updates and photographs on social networks<br />
When did other's joy start making us feel bad about ourselves?<br />
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'Fights' were only in parks playing those fun games<br />
Kins now threaten each other and go to the courts<br />
Why did the fights grow even as issues got pettier?<br />
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Life is busier now and times have really changed<br />
We are aware and life goes on, we say...<br />
But how did we let ourselves be indifferent to this change?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__kLZHfshpZA/SxUnVtivt1I/AAAAAAAACA4/lz1zcGt-ssY/s1600/TangyTuesdayPics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__kLZHfshpZA/SxUnVtivt1I/AAAAAAAACA4/lz1zcGt-ssY/s1600/TangyTuesdayPics.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2013/10/22/tangy-tuesday-picks-posts-by-indian-bloggers">Tangy Tuesday Picks @ Blog Adda</a></div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-17137408367304790832013-07-25T00:41:00.002-07:002013-07-25T00:41:52.273-07:00Magic of Monsoon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Monsoon is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee in hand in a quiet corner near a window. I am sitting near this huge window in my house which allows me to be a spectator to the whole drama nature puts up before it starts to rain. It's like foreplay or a precursor to a grand theatre...a build up to something magnificent. First grey clouds cover up the lazy monsoon sun. Then there is an invisible choreographer who guides the plants, leaves and tress to dance and rhythmically move to music we all can't hear. Or it just dies down in the noises of city life. The noises increase as people rush to reach 'somewhere' before it starts raining. Cars speed up. Motorcyclists are in a rush. People can be seen running. But nature doesn't care. Like a focused actor performing on stage, it goes on. It can only hear the secret music. Clouds cast a shadow. It gets dark, darker, darker.... Trees sway in celebration. The sound of the breeze is pleasant. And then - pitter, patter, pitter, patter drops fall....sometimes slowly and sometimes like they are on a mission. You are left wanting for more, sometimes. You are dreading the potholes, blocked sewer, puddles, et al.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_y8lGQAXBsI/T55mmi-EQiI/AAAAAAAABKw/cHKWbRijPwc/s320/rain+of+mercy+and+forgiveness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_y8lGQAXBsI/T55mmi-EQiI/AAAAAAAABKw/cHKWbRijPwc/s200/rain+of+mercy+and+forgiveness.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Nature, of course, doesn't care. Birds are chirping. There must a peacock dancing somewhere in the jungles. Fresh flowers must have bloomed. Mountains that were barren when I visited them in March must be lush green now. What can be more beautiful time than this to please your senses. This is one of the very few times when I don't feel like packing my bags and going somewhere. I'm simply happy being here and admiring nature as a mere spectator. </div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-69809906278290836522013-07-09T09:28:00.001-07:002013-07-09T09:28:46.019-07:00What's the plan?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It was all perfect. As per my plans. Ideal profile, job description to my liking, convenient job location, and all the other details. It hardly felt like work and I did not have any Monday blues. It's true. Yes, may be it was too good to be true. But it was. </div>
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It was all playing well.. until recently when as though someone just hit the pause button. Abruptly as it happened, it just caught me unaware. Anxious, I pass my day talking to people on phone, meeting some and sending emails. Despite all the efforts there isn't much I can do than just wait. </div>
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Meanwhile, a restless and thirsty earth and an anticipating, humid air have been awaiting rains. The clouds look promising just like some voices I hear around. I plan to go for a evening walk. Talking to a friend and telling her about my situation I am just saying that all my plans have just gone awry, when my mom gestures to take a look outside. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fwallpapers.com/files/imagecache/1280x720/images/raining-rose-bud.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://fwallpapers.com/files/imagecache/1280x720/images/raining-rose-bud.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">courtesy: <a href="http://fwallpapers.com/">http://fwallpapers.com</a></td></tr>
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It has started raining. Drop by drop the entire veranda is now wet. The leaves and flowers in our little garden are almost dancing to the tunes of the falling water. It's raining. Heavily. I hang up, abruptly and stand under the open sky to allow it to drench me. Soaked completely, I feel real joy. It's a carefree moment, which suddenly makes me feel ... free. </div>
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Don't get me wrong; I of course experience joy when I get my salary or when an assignment is well done but that moment was something else. It's a reminder of the importance of living the moment; of being there with the experience. I, of course, couldn't go for the planned walk and had hot <i>pakore</i> instead. </div>
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As I sip some hot tea along with, I'm smiling at the moment that just reaffirmed the thought that "when you're busy making plans, there's someone sitting above simply laughing at those".... </div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-51613290475647928812013-06-06T05:58:00.000-07:002013-06-06T05:58:08.034-07:00The other side of mom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The other day a colleague asked me to name the most interesting person I have interviewed so far. It's difficult to name one, I said. Being a journalist, it's always exciting to meet new people, hear their stories and then write them down in my own words. Some people are interesting, some stories are boring. Some people are warm and welcoming, for others it requires tact and patience to uncover details that shape up their personality. All offer different experiences. The challenge is to present an unprejudiced view of the personalities you meet especially if it's someone you deeply admire or someone who manages to irk you during the interview.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Left): Ranju Bhatia; <br />(Right) : Alexshendra</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Interviewing someone close to you is an experience on its own. I realised that last month when I interviewed my mom for a story. Mom is a Hindi writer. For a story on 'Is Hindi literature dying amongst the youth', my editor suggested we arrange a dialogue between her and a young author </span><span style="text-align: left;">Alexshendra Venus Bakshi to discuss how Hindi literature can be made relevant for young audience. Bakshi recently launched her book <i>Aarambh ki Gyarah Kahaniya. </i>Although a bilingual, the young writer chose to write in Hindi. Mom, Ranju Bhatia, released her second book <i>Kuch Meri Kalam Se, </i>a collection of short poems. <i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I don't know anyone more closely than I know her. Yet the interview surprised me. It brought forth a distinct side of her personality. Confident, articulate...she was different from how I know her as my mother. Contrary to what I thought, I was able to look at her objectively. I can't yet put a finger on the most interesting interview but this one is certainly most special! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">(<i>You can read the interview in the June issue of Atelier Diva magazine available on stands across major cities in India.)</i></span></div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-33914333033151541452013-04-29T05:07:00.000-07:002013-04-29T22:30:19.932-07:00Mystic Voice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A fan of her songs and voice, an interview with her has made me admire her as a person as well. Haven't met a famous artists as humble as her...</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">T</span>he road leading to Humayun’s Tomb is jam
packed. There’s a long queue of people; many couldn’t manage passes but are
here hoping for a chance. There are arguments and even fights to get inside.
It’s the third day of the 11th edition of Jahan-e-Khusrau. All the rush is to
see the legendary Sufi singer Abida Parveen perform.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic Courtesy: Gagan Sharma</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is it in her voice and music that enthralls
people all across the world? What is it that makes hundreds willing to wait for
hours to hear her sing for a few minutes? The answers unfold in a freewheeling
conversation with the doyen of Sufi music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parveen ranks among the world’s best-known Sufi
performers, a female amongst many males – a distinction she says she doesn’t
understand. My question evokes in her a child-like, infectious laughter. “Since
childhood I never saw myself as a woman. <i>Jab ishq hota hai toh yeh sab
cheezein mayane nahi rakhti </i>(These things do not matter when you are in
love with Him). What we are seeking ... despair of separation from Him is same
in all of us – whether a man or woman. Moreover, He doesn’t see us
differently,” says Parveen, whose name incidentally means one who worships. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The singer has been coming to Delhi to participate
in the annual three-day Sufi festival for over a decade now. Has the audience’s
interest changed in all these years? “Yes, certainly. It has grown tremendously
from the time we started coming here mainly because Bollywood movies now
increasingly have music with Sufi touch,” says the 59-year-old singer. No
puritan, she rather believes that there are no boundaries in music and has
experimented with fusion music as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parveen sings in Urdu, Sindhi, Persian and Punjabi.
Most of her audience do not completely understand the meaning of the words
used. Yet they are captivated. “Whatever be the language, the heart can
comprehend it. Music, after all, has no religion or language. The idea is to
spread Allah’s message,” she reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her association with Sufi poetry and music goes back
to when she was just three years old. Born in Sindh, Pakistan, she remembers
sitting with the harmonium learning lessons from her father Ustad Ghulam
Haider, a prominent Pakistani vocalist, who defied convention and encouraged
her to sing. That he has been the biggest inspiration in her life is obvious
from the fond tone she uses while talking about him. “I was very attached to
him since the very beginning and all this is a gift from him. He never forced
me but I found myself inclined to music as well as Sufi poetry. I was also attracted
to shrines. It all came so naturally as if it is all decided even before one is
born.” Parveen has two brothers and two sisters; none of them, she says, is
interested in singing. Besides her father, she credits her husband (the late
Ghulam Hussain Sheikh) for always motivating and encouraging her. In fact, it
was he who nurtured her development as a singer when she began her career at
Radio Pakistan where he was a senior producer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are the thoughts in her head before a
performance, I ask. “There’s always tension and nervousness. It’s as if it is
my first performance and my last,” she smiles. What keeps her going? “The
inspiration comes from my <i>murshid</i> (guide and teacher). It’s His will
that keeps one inspired,” she says. “God has blessed us all with a spark. Every
soul has a connection with Him. Some of us have a greater connection; some are
yet to develop,” she speaks mystically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MainBodyText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She clearly exists in a higher spiritual realm. I
wonder if there is any regret or any unfulfilled desire she has. It’s the
desire for perfection, she says. “<i>Mukammal toh khuda ki zaat hai.</i> Only
Allah is perfect. We just try to better our rehearsals and music so that we can
reach as many people as possible,” asserts Parveen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MainBodyText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the entire interview she rarely uses ‘I’ and
talks of herself as one of the many entrusted with the responsibility of
spreading the message of unity, love and peace. How does she manage to remain
so humble and grounded even after all the fame? That ingenuous laughter returns
as if she’s embarrassed to hear that. “<i>Mujh me mera kuch nahi, jo kuch hai
so tera; Tera tujh ko sonp dein, kya laagey mera</i> (Nothing is mine, whatever
is all belongs to thee; I shall return what’s yours for nothing belongs to
me),” she answers, quoting Saint Kabir’s famous couplet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MainBodyText">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s the hallmark of a true Sufi, they say.
Humble, they do not make a show of their spirituality. Wise and worldly yet
unfeigned, their music mesmerises people the world over (even if they don’t
understand words completely) and makes hundreds wait for hours to hear them
sing for a few minutes… <span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="BodytextwithDropcap">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This article was published in Atelier Diva April Issue</i></span></div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-9178299748077182182013-03-29T01:35:00.000-07:002013-03-29T01:35:29.489-07:00A Jumbo Passion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<i>Enthusiastic, inspiring and adventurous, Prajna Chowta is one of the very few women mahouts in the world. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
Fighting resistant stereotypes with steely determination is not easy for anyone, least of all for a young<br />
London-educated woman who is sure she wants to spend the rest of her life in forests, with elephants.<br />
In the beginning, the incredulous forest officers at Nagarahole National Park took their time replying to Prajna’s application for a research project with mahouts. Wasting no time on doubters, she moved on to a training camp in Kerala. Equipped with some basic skills upon her return, Prajna was given an opportunity to work at the Sakrebailu Elephant Camp near Shimoga. She then carried on her research at camps in Bihar,<br />
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar, to find out the diff erent practices used by<br />
mahouts. Today, she successfully runs the Aane Mane Foundation, which works for the study<br />
and conservation of the Asian Elephant and its habitat, and preservation of the knowledge and<br />
traditions connected to the animal.<br />
<br />
Going further back in time, Prajna talks of her days as a student of anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. It was there that the description of cultures that were foreign to the Europeans unsettled Prajna. “The analysis of our culture by Western anthropologists always<br />
appeared to be an insidious attempt to capture the subject intellectually, without authentic<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-DDZOFeEho/UVVCl1zXe1I/AAAAAAAAA2c/bTicGv-mA0s/s1600/New+Prajna+Chowta+.indd-page-001+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-DDZOFeEho/UVVCl1zXe1I/AAAAAAAAA2c/bTicGv-mA0s/s320/New+Prajna+Chowta+.indd-page-001+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a>groundwork,” she shares. This sparked an urge to reconnect with her roots. “I was fascinated<br />
by the complex and intuitive relationship that binds mahouts and elephants. In India, this <span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">r</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">elationship</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">that</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.2pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">binds<span style="letter-spacing: -1.2pt;">
</span>mahouts<span style="letter-spacing: -1.2pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">elephants.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.55pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;"><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">Th</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">is</span>
is<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>what</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.25pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">I<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">looked</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">at<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>first,<span style="letter-spacing: -.45pt;">
</span>and<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>slowly<span style="letter-spacing: .3pt;"> </span>learned<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .3pt;"> </span>skills,”</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">she<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">eca</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">lls.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">But</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.75pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">those</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.7pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">early<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;">
</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">days</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">w</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">not</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">easy</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">as</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">working</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">with</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">elephants</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">was</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">consider</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">ed</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">a<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;">man</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;">’</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;">s</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.4pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">job.</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.85pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">“Over<span style="letter-spacing: .2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">time,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>they<span style="letter-spacing: .2pt;"> </span>witnessed<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;">
</span>my<span style="letter-spacing: .2pt;"> </span>passion<span style="letter-spacing: .2pt;"> </span>for</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.45pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">the<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>animal<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ealised</span><span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">I<span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">could<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">
</span>do<span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">job,”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>she</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">says</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">.</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1.3pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">“Th<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span>conditions<span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">for</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ests</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">are</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">ve</span>r<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">y</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span>basic.</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">Sometimes,<span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span>all<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">ou</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">have</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>sheet<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>for<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>cover; </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">at best,<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>a tent.<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">I<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">was with the mahouts and</span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">elep</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">hants</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.45pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">all<span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">time,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span>eating<span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">together,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;">
</span>living</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.75pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">together,”</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1.55pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">she</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">adds. </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">Her<span style="letter-spacing: .4pt;"> </span>family<span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">never</span><span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span>really<span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span>understood<span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span>the</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">fascination.</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">They<span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;">
</span>did<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>not<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>like<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>what<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>she<span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;"> </span>was</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">doing,</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">but<span style="letter-spacing: .7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">Pr</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ajna</span><span style="letter-spacing: .7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">never</span><span style="letter-spacing: .75pt;"> </span>let<span style="letter-spacing: .7pt;"> </span>that<span style="letter-spacing: .7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">interfer</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: .7pt;"> </span>with</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.85pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">her<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">
</span>choices.<span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">Aane<span style="letter-spacing: .6pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">Mane,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span>which<span style="letter-spacing: .65pt;"> </span>literally<span style="letter-spacing: .65pt;">
</span>means</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.25pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">elep</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">hant</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">’s</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> home,</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">has land near the
Mudumalai,</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.45pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">Bandipur<span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">N</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">agarahole</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span>reserves.<span style="letter-spacing: -1.4pt;">
</span>This<span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt;"> </span>is</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.15pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">wher</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">e</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.45pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">the<span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span>couple<span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">now</span><span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">liv</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span>with<span style="letter-spacing: .5pt;"> </span>their<span style="letter-spacing: .45pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">daughter,</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">and<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">two</span><span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>elephants<span style="letter-spacing: .3pt;"> </span>–<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>Kalpana<span style="letter-spacing: .25pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: .3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">Kunti.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span>“Th<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">e</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.4pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">decision</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">to<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>start<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>family<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>was<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>also<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>not<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">easy</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">.</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.4pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">W<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">hen</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">ou</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span>take<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;"> </span>chances<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">
</span>as<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">w</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;"> </span>did,<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">ou</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">don</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;">’</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">t</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">want<span style="letter-spacing: .85pt;">
</span>to<span style="letter-spacing: .9pt;"> </span>risk<span style="letter-spacing: .85pt;"> </span>bringing<span style="letter-spacing: .9pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: .9pt;"> </span>little<span style="letter-spacing: .85pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ne</span><span style="letter-spacing: .9pt;"> </span>into<span style="letter-spacing: .85pt;"> </span>that. </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">It</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">’s</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.9pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">only<span style="letter-spacing: .95pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">when</span><span style="letter-spacing: .9pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">I<span style="letter-spacing: .55pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">thought</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.95pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">of</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.9pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">settling</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.95pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">down</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.9pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">in</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.25pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">a specific<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">area</span> that<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">w</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">e</span> thought<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">it<span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">would</span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;"> be</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">possible<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">have</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span>child,”<span style="letter-spacing: -1.1pt;">
</span>she<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;"> </span>adds.<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>Their<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">
</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">fi</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ve</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">-</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">y</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">ear-old</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.95pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">daughter<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>speaks<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">fi</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ve</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">languages</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">and</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">ador</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">es</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 0.75pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">elephants. </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">It<span style="letter-spacing: -.45pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>but<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>natural<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;">
</span>to<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">w</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">onder</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>that<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">given</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.3pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">the<span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">difficult</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">decisions</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.0pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">she</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">has</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">had</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.0pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">to</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">make</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">in</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.2pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">her<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">life</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.35pt;"> </span>what<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>typical<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>day<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>for<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">P</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ajna</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>of</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.45pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">now.</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -1.3pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Su</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">r</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">p</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">risingl</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">y,</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">it<span style="letter-spacing: -.85pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span>rather<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span>simple:<span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;">
</span>Caring</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.25pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">for<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: -1.2pt;"> </span>elephants<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: -1.2pt;"> </span>her<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">famil</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">y,</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.55pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">shopping,</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1.3pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">and</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.65pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">following</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">up</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">on</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ongoing</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">pr</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">ojects</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.65pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">of</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">the </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">foundation.<span style="letter-spacing: -1.95pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">There’s</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.45pt;">
</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">even</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.5pt;"> </span>time<span style="letter-spacing: -1.45pt;"> </span>for<span style="letter-spacing: -1.45pt;"> </span>hobbies<span style="letter-spacing: -1.45pt;">
</span>like</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.2pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">r</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">eading</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.8pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">and<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">cooking.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.45pt;"> </span>“Italian<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">Fr</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">ench</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span>the</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.55pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">jungle,</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1.15pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">wh</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">y</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">not?</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">And</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">I<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">bake</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">my</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">own</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">country</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">br</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">ead</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.5pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">my</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">self</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">,</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">every<span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">other</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">day</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">,”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">she</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">quips. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">In<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> </span>end,<span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Pr</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">ajna’s</span><span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;"> story</span><span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">reminds</span><span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">
</span>one</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.45pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">of<span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: .05pt;">story</span><span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">elep</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">hant</span><span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: .4pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: .35pt;"> </span>blind</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.35pt; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%; text-indent: 0.25in;">men,<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;"> </span>question<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> </span>they<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">
are </span>symbolically </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">wr</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">estling</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.85pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">with:<span style="letter-spacing: -1.0pt;">
</span>After<span style="letter-spacing: -.85pt;"> </span>all,<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>what<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span>does<span style="letter-spacing: -.85pt;"> </span>an<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;"> </span>elephant</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.1pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">stand<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;">
</span>for?<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>Her<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">answer</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;"> </span>this:<span style="letter-spacing: -1.1pt;"> </span>“It<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>better<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;">
</span>not</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.25pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">to<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">define</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">and</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">say</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">any</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">thing</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">but</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">just</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">look</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">and</span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">touch.<span style="letter-spacing: -1.5pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">W</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">rking</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing: -.9pt;"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>mahout<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>something<span style="letter-spacing: -.95pt;"> </span>of</span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;"> <span style="letter-spacing: 1.15pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">an<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">initiation.</span><span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>Mahouts<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">are</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt;"> </span>not<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>intellectuals<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt;"> </span>but<span style="letter-spacing: 1.15pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">some</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">manage</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">to</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.35pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">understand</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">what</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">an</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.35pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">elephant</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: 1.3pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;">is,<span style="letter-spacing: -1.55pt;">
</span>although<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>they<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>do<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>not<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>speak<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;">
</span>about<span style="letter-spacing: -1.15pt;"> </span>it.<span style="letter-spacing: -1.75pt;"> </span>They</span><span style="color: #231f20; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">know</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">it</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">cannot</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.65pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">be</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; line-height: 109%;">explained.</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; line-height: 109%;">”</span><span style="color: #231f20; letter-spacing: -1.4pt; line-height: 109%;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 109%;">•</span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 109%;"><br /></span>
Published in Atelier Diva in December Issue. Read full article <a href="http://atelierdiva.in/Readmore.aspx?id=285">here</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 109%; margin-right: 10.55pt; mso-line-break-override: restrictions; punctuation-wrap: simple;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-51779161963678797262013-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:002013-02-06T18:24:07.718-08:00Metro Musings <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
The second best thing that Delhi Metro authorities did, after creating the superb lifeline for all <i>Dilliwallahs</i>, was to reserve the first coach of every metro for ladies (they should ideally make this two or three). It’s a safe, secure space – the men-deprived coach – that offers happy entertainment with all the idiosyncrasies of a ‘ladies only’ bunch in, say, a girls’ locker room… you know, like someone’s doing her makeup, one is feeding her baby, one is lost in a world of her own, you get the drift. There are others who stand out and catch your attention: <br />
<br />
<b>“I need space”</b><br />
The size of their butt is inversely proportional to the surface area of the very little empty space you can see on the seat. “Thoda side hona (shift a little),” they’ll say, and attempt to sit – practically on your lap. They’ll go on ‘adjusting’ till someone on the bench leaves or gets up in surrender.<br />
<br />
<b>The Observers</b><br />
These are the ones sitting or standing quietly with their gazes fixed on you every time you look their way. Inside their heads, they are thinking: “<i>Iski dress meri dress se white kaise</i> (not translatable unless you have seen certain detergent ads)”. Or they may be judging whether you’ll make a good bahu (daughter-in-law). Or they are mentally seeking the true meaning of life. What else explains the pensive face staring at you?<br />
<br />
<b>Kitty Party Queens </b><br />
They come in groups of at least five, carry big bags, and laugh and talk loud enough for everyone to know how much fun they had eating <i>paranthas </i>and <i>chaat </i>at Chandni Chowk, or at Mrs Khanna’s place or wherever it is that they had their grand ‘kitty party’. Gossip about Renu or Chumki, plans for next Tuesday afternoon and updates of TV soaps are other highlights of their insightful conversations.<br />
<br />
<b>The Self-Absorbed</b><br />
Always found lost to a book or a newspaper, you often hear them go, “Oh shit,” when they realise they forgot to get down at their station. Very occasionally, these are university students, finishing last-minute ‘studies’ during exams. Equally engrossed are the ones with portable music, seen tapping their feet or fingers, and sometimes even shaking their bodies. They can be generous when they turn the volume high so you can also enjoy strains of the Beatles or AR Rehman. (The nastier ones subject you to Himesh Reshammiya and Justin Bieber.)<br />
<br />
<b>The Antsy Aunty</b><br />
It’s her first metro ride or else auntyji is generally anxious. She wrestles for something to hold on to as soon as she enters. She’ll push you, will keep fidgeting with her purse, and be restless all along. She’ll prod everyone, and ask to make space for her to exit: “Esscuse! Aapko utarna hai (are you getting off)?” at least two stations in advance – as if the Metro authorities have announced a prize on a first-come-first-go basis. Chill and enjoy the ride, auntyji! •<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OI18KWsBnxA/URDJzOC-8II/AAAAAAAAA2A/2Ww8S02oYF8/s1600/metro+musings-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OI18KWsBnxA/URDJzOC-8II/AAAAAAAAA2A/2Ww8S02oYF8/s200/metro+musings-page-001.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
(This was published in <a href="http://www.atelierdiva.in/">Atelier Diva Feb</a> issue 2013.....>>>)</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-79609341956080169712013-01-08T09:35:00.001-08:002013-01-08T21:22:34.511-08:00The Picture of You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
The young sapling is now almost a tree;</div>
<div>
White pages of the book are now yellow. </div>
<div>
The restaurant is no longer there and </div>
<div>
They've stopped playing the song on radio.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Time touched and changed everything, </div>
<div>
but never his picture in my imagination. </div>
<div>
What if...... I always wonder.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I drive back into the past quite often,</div>
<div>
To meet him & look at his sparkling eyes. </div>
<div>
I admire that loving ever-smiling face,</div>
<div>
the brimming confidence and an achiever's pace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He left me but his memories stayed </div>
<div>
And I made peace with it </div>
<div>
Until this day...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Blankness rules his blue eyes now, </div>
<div>
Smile appears like a guest on his face. </div>
<div>
Stress has perhaps aged him sooner, </div>
<div>
and has slowed down his walking pace. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
True time touches and changes everything </div>
<div>
and finally his picture in my imagination. </div>
<div>
What if....... I now wonder.</div>
</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-64633252120620591322013-01-02T21:30:00.001-08:002013-01-08T22:42:32.693-08:00No Country for Women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The year comes to an end and after scores of speculations finally the world did not come to an end. But for India, a part of humanity certainly did.<br />
<br />
There is angst, grief, disgust, despair that amongst us live monsters like those six accused in the horrendous gang rape case. There's shame that we are a part of this society and there's shock that humanity can stoop so low. And between all the unrest in the country, 'the girl' breathed her last this morning and is perhaps now resting in peace in some better world.<br />
<br />
'Amanat', 'Damani', 'Nirbhaya'...she has been given several names. It would perhaps have been best to call her 'Anonymous' or may be 'Common Woman' for she represents every girl who is teased, raped, beaten and dies several deaths every day. And because it happens everyday, why has this case become such an highlight, some asked. Because what she faced was an ultimate case of brutality. Because we as a society needed a wake up call. Because sadly we all have learnt to 'live with it'. As I write this, the domestic help, who happens to be a 24-year-old married girl just reiterates this. She's telling me how her husband often beats her up and her in-laws accuse of her having extra-marital affairs. I tell her not to tolerate this and take some action against it. She's reluctant and says she has accepted it as her fate.<br />
<br />
And haven't we all? We have trained ourselves to turn a deaf ear to the group of three-four guys who pass lewd comments while we are walking on road. We ignore the push and touch on bus, metro or even road. We now don't frown when we read about at least two rape cases in the morning newspapers. It is all around us...an everyday occurrence and so a part of our lives. The incident has shaken us all and it is important that the agitation doesn't go waste. <br />
<br />
"We will ensure that her death doesn't go in vain," says our dear PM. We really hope so sir. We hope not just Delhi but the entire country becomes free democratic for women.<br />
<br />
It is also important that we all resolve to speak up and raise our voices. Why turn coward and tell girls around us to "be home by 7", "not step out without male company", "leave office by 6" et cetera. It is obviously important to be alert and safe but let's not get intimidated. And that will be the true tribute to "the girl", a true brave-heart who reportedly fought not just when the monsters attacked her but also life till she could.<br />
<br />
It's time we act. Make noise, be alert, learn self defense, gather crowd, call cops...of course, we need better laws and policies for our aid. Moreover rather more importantly, we need a change in mindset.<br />
<br />
Hope this is the last straw...the final call to wake up as a society to make it a better place.<br />
<br />
(I wrote this post for the website Glad2bawoman. It was published here: http://www.glad2bawoman.com/category/rights/awakening)</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-69822704283170594182012-12-28T23:07:00.001-08:002012-12-28T23:07:22.178-08:00Guest Post: Let them Bloom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This happened at a PTA meeting at a well
known girl’s school in Kolkata.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The principal gave her opening speech,
and then she took out a piece of white paper, held it in her hand and told the
parents that similar pieces of paper will be distributed amongst them. They
were a bit confused and curious too as to what was the need of this piece of
paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Anyhow, once they had the paper in their
hands, the Sister told them to think about each time when their child fared
badly in her exams, and each time they said “Oh, you are a failure”. They were
asked to tear a piece out of the paper for each time and let it drop. Tear a
piece every time they told their child that she was good-for-nothing. The times
when they rebuked her for not achieving the result 'They' wanted. Every time
they compared her to a friend, or a cousin, who they thought were shining
examples of excellence, and their child wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Every time they let her weep into her
pillow at night, because she didn’t manage to get an A.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">After she had finished her speech, there
weren’t any bits of paper left in anyone’s hands. She was silent for some time,
and then she asked the parents if they knew what that piece of paper actually
represented. The parents knew; they were just too stunned to react.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">There was silence in the hall. She said
then....that piece of paper was the soul of their children, which lay tattered
and torn around them. Every time parents try to make their children into what
they want them to be, and not accept them the way they are; those tender souls
are maimed and injured. Some of these gentle souls never heal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">A powerful message indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">It breaks my heart every morning the
newspaper carries the stories of all those little souls whose hearts were
broken as they didn’t know how to face the world because their parents couldn’t
give them that confidence. So they take the easiest way out, by ending their
short tender life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Let children bloom in all their glory
- some vibrant in colour, some not. Some with heady fragrances, some subtle</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">. </span><span lang="EN-IN">They
all have one thing in common – they are all precious, and we should spend every
moment of our lives telling them this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-IN">This is a guest
article from </span><span lang="EN-IN"><a href="http://www.glad2bawoman.com/">www.glad2bawoman.com</a></span><span lang="EN-IN">. Glad2bawoman is an online media
company for women with over 73,000 members. The articles on their site
encompass various topics around Health, Empowerment, Relationships and Fashion.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The article has been exclusively written for this blog and has been published here because I agree and strongly feel about the subject. Please write in your feedback about the subject. </span></div>
</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-39213420860231245752012-11-08T22:12:00.003-08:002012-11-08T22:28:36.219-08:00...Let the reason be love <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
And here's another post on marriage. No fascination for this topic but can't help it - this is the wedding season. There are invites, lots of them -- from neighbours, friends, relatives etc etc for ring ceremony, wedding ceremony, after wedding ceremony etc etc.<br />
<br />
Weddings are good fun. You get to dress up nicely and eat your heart out at the host's expenses (which by the way is a lot these days given everyone's obsession with wasting money...a separate post on that later)...and then criticise the feast too!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2tYBpSQibRM/UJyewkr1NQI/AAAAAAAAA08/UpvcMnBzlUw/s1600/10964053-cartoon-wedding-couple-getting-married.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2tYBpSQibRM/UJyewkr1NQI/AAAAAAAAA08/UpvcMnBzlUw/s200/10964053-cartoon-wedding-couple-getting-married.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic: <a href="http://www.123rf.com/">http://www.123rf.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyway, I was talking about the wedding invites. Almost all of them say the host would like your blessings "as the couple enters the bond of marriage continuing their journey of love and companionship". Now that sounds very sweet and all but how many of such couples you know actually share that companionship? With every invite I get very curious about knowing the story behind "Will you marry me?".<br />
<br />
I am not seeing all of them with the same glass but something about most of them saddens me. I am not against marriage<i> per se</i>. But I am pro it only for the right reasons. I accord great significance to reason. I have met very few couples who say they want to be with each other and marriage is only incidental. Half the pairs I know decided to marry because they were 'ready-to-be-married' years old and there was pressure from both families. Or because of the pressure they chose the person since it's known risks are better than stepping in unknown waters! After a relationship of 6-7 years, given a choice, they'd rather not be together but being together is better than going for an arranged marriage. In certain cases, one of them doesn't want to hurt the other and gets into the marriage for the sake of so many years spent together. His/her heart may belong elsewhere but this 'seems the right thing to do'. Marriage for the sake of it, in short. What happened to love? When and why did people stop caring about the love and companionship the wedding invites glitteringly talk of?<br />
<br />
The marriages happen anyway. There's a honeymoon period. And then what follows is the most predictable part of the story. Boredom. No prizes for guessing the solution the not-at-all-in-love-but-what-can-we-do couple thinks of....and is advised so by everyone around. A baby, of course. I almost burnt my tongue and my eyes almost popped out when, while having coffee, a friend of mine (about 26 years old) said this: "In arranged marriage it's still okay since the couple needs time to understand each other, but in love marriage the couple should definitely have kids within a couple of years since boredom starts setting in."<br />
Reproduce life just because you are bored of each other? Very amusing! That about explains the size of population in our country. The ability to reproduce life is a miracle in its own right. It's unfortunate it is belittled as an excuse to kill boredom. Poor child comes into the world with such a huge burden of entertaining his/her parents. And s/he grows up to see them and their relationship completely out of love, together only for his/her sake.<br />
<br />
Does it sound too quixotic to say that people should marry for right reasons: true companionship and love (whatever the word means)? And bring a new life into the world only to let him/her grow in that peace. Sure, boredom could rather would still set in. But how about putting efforts in reproducing/recreating that bond instead?</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-39673802763564816292012-10-31T11:16:00.000-07:002012-10-31T11:23:53.795-07:00Live your dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
No dream is too big;<br />
No idea too small... <br />
There's always a safety net below, <br />
To prevent you from that fall<br />
<br />
So take a leap of faith <br />
And listen to your heart;<br />
Follow that dream you saw, <br />
Give your passion a chance<br />
<br />
Live, love and laugh free<br />
Breathe in every moment,<br />
And only then will you<br />
Live life hundred percent <br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CTqoUW-jiTY/UJFpyn4By3I/AAAAAAAAA0k/5u_ojq3y7Hw/s1600/chappals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CTqoUW-jiTY/UJFpyn4By3I/AAAAAAAAA0k/5u_ojq3y7Hw/s200/chappals.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a step towards your dreams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-68151521085151351462012-10-22T10:51:00.002-07:002012-10-22T10:51:36.302-07:00Is this your nose? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ya, this one...is it your nose? Well it's rotting here in my business - that of whether I am dating anyone or single. I understand your life is very boring and dull but rest assured this conversation will not give you any entertainment. But you wouldn't listen now, would you? Go ahead...<br />
<br />
(Single girls will be familiar with the pattern of these conversations. It's the same, always. In fact, it is so predictable that you feel like carrying a printout of the questions and your answers to save the trouble. I heard it. Here goes... Feel free to add. And non-single people who identify with these questions...you're also free to add more.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>"So how come you don't have a boyfriend?"</b><br />
<br />
<i>(How come you have one?)</i><br />
<br />
Ans: Just... haven't found the right guy. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<b>"I don't believe someone like you doesn't have a boyfriend."</b><br />
<i>(Seriously, what is it supposed to mean? Please please explain.)</i><br />
<br />
Ans: *smiles* (<i>Now is this a compliment or an insult?)</i> <i> </i><br />
<br />
<b>"So you've never been in a relationship?" </b><br />
'Yes, I have been'<i> - [This answer calls for a detailed explanation of everything: how it started, what all happened, how and why it ended. And if you are talking about more than one relationship then order some lunch please.] </i><br />
'No, never'<i> - [This answer invites even bigger trouble. With this answer you are in for a long psychiatric session...but don't worry, it's free of cost. You'll suddenly see a lot of sympathy in the eyes of your 'well-wisher'. The following day or days after (depending on how proactive s/he is) there will be attempts to fix you up with someone.] </i><br />
<br />
<b>"There's no one in your office?"</b><br />
No...nobody even worth talking about. <i>[I should have checked that before joining no? Or at least negotiated about that...like, I shall join only if there is at least one date-able guy in your organisation]</i><br />
<br />
<b>"So what is your kind of guy? What type of guy do you want?"</b><br />
<b> </b><i> Now we are talking! You little b****, didn't tell me there is a factory where they can create certain kinds and types of boyfriends and the sweetheart that you are, you are going to get one for me...No?? then please (I shall be polite here) mind your business. Thank you. </i></div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-75707722915933925052012-10-06T10:06:00.003-07:002012-10-06T10:10:55.500-07:00The city of kebabs <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uOUuowiPJis/UHBhcQgEQ3I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/5FBHhQmnnms/s1600/Asian+Age.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uOUuowiPJis/UHBhcQgEQ3I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/5FBHhQmnnms/s400/Asian+Age.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
History, culture, architecture, land of Nawabs...and more importantly Kebabs: the reasons to visit Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh are plenty. Just an overnight train journey away from Delhi, it's a city your taste buds and camera won't get enough of.<br />
I wrote an article (pic above) on the food scene in the city for the newspaper Asian Age. {Read <a href="http://www.asianage.com/life-and-style/food-route-lucknow-361">here</a>} I was, however, more fascinated by the architecture and history behind some of the monuments in the city. Details on that on a new blog soon! </div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-53263827345922723452012-09-18T00:52:00.001-07:002012-10-06T10:11:29.702-07:00She Defines Freedom <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ah! the smell of the book ordered through a coupon won in a contest ;-) A few days from Independence Day, this blog called <a href="http://www.alotofpages.com/">A Lot of Pages </a>had an interesting <a href="http://www.alotofpages.com/2012/08/independence-freedom-and-so-on.html">post </a>asking its readers about the character that has inspired the sense of freedom in them:<br />
<br />
<br />
"<i>Independence / Freedom has always been an integral part of human need
and desire at times. We all have been in situations where we felt really
free or the contrary. Many people make us jealous with their freedom (
and of course the cause differs for us all ) . so today I want to know
from you all , one book / character from any book whose freedom you wish
for ? any character who inspired the sense of freedom or to be
independent in you ..<br /><br />
And .. the answer i love the most would win a gift coupon of flipkart from my side."</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>
<br />
Here's what I feel: <br />
<br />
Everyone who has read The Fountainhead would name Howard Roark for this one. Unsurprisingly, that was the most common answer in the comments.<br />
<br />
So, the second character that best personifies freedom is Maya from Ijjazat. I have seen
the movie 'n' number of times but read its book version only recently (so I am
assumed it qualified for this post). A brilliantly sketched character, Maya lived life on her own terms.
Free in the true sense of the word, she did not let the shackles of society
bind her. She did not believe in labelling relationships. Nothing could confine. No one could 'own' her. Carefree, she breathed every single moment according to her
own will. She only allowed death to take away her right to do so. One of
the most intriguing characters from the books I have read, Maya
epitomizes freedom. </div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-4965468263098717582012-08-24T06:50:00.004-07:002012-08-26T00:17:08.445-07:00Mr Love V/s Mr Arranged <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Read it as an act where 'Love' and 'Arranged' are two characters: </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
(Narrator):<br />
This is the story of Love and Arranged, who were
about to get estranged </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Over a fight between the brothers on who was better than
the other;</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Who, of the two, had the greater finesse…to make marriage
a success? </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The relationship was about to dent…as began the argument:
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Love said: I must be better as to me everyone is so kind…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Arranged mocked: “Ha ha! Idiot that’s because you are
blind!” </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Love: Still, I am most important of all!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Arranged: Without me everything will fall </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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Love: With me comes ease and familiarity </div>
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Arranged: I bring newness and novelty </div>
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Love: I have tales, stories and history </div>
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Arranged: Yawn! Nothing like my mystery! </div>
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(Narrator):<br />
…Adding to everyone’s confusion, the debate
went on without any conclusion. </div>
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Irked by all the noise, an old man then advised: “Separate
the two, throw some challenges; </div>
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whoever survives, will be adjudged better” </div>
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Days went by…everyone could hear them both cry </div>
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Arranged suffered as he had no Love for company,</div>
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Love couldn’t do much without Arranged’s philosophy. </div>
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The old main then called them both and said<br />
it isn’t a
question of who is better</div>
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It’s about your principles working together;<br />
a marriage
will have a happy end</div>
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If there’s some arrangement in the story of love,<br />
and
love in the whole arrangement!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>This is my second entry </i><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: medium;">for the contest 'Love Marriage ya Arranged Marriage!' on <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?pageNum_ThisVine=1&totalRows_ThisVine=255&topic=59&sort=popular">IndiBlogger</a>
in collaboration with Sony Entertainment Channel. Check out the facebook
page of the serial 'Love Marriage ya Arranged Marraige' <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank">here</a> (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #222222;">www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange</span></a>.) </span> </div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-30952455062909840942012-08-21T05:41:00.000-07:002012-10-24T22:49:46.434-07:00Marriage: Love ya Arranged?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Marriage
toh hai ek suicide</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">How
does it matter what you decide!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Love
ho ya ho arranged </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Rishta
toh yeh hai bilkul strange. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjxcJviTBrM/UDOEhVlMrXI/AAAAAAAAAz0/r_v6GUTrrdQ/s1600/Love-Marriage-Ya-Arranged-Marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjxcJviTBrM/UDOEhVlMrXI/AAAAAAAAAz0/r_v6GUTrrdQ/s200/Love-Marriage-Ya-Arranged-Marriage.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Change
ho jaati hai life</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">When
a couple becomes husband and wife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Hoti
hai jab jab dono ke beech takrar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Window
ke baahar jaata hai sara pyaar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Har
argument ka ek hi hota hai sach:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">“Huh,
you have changed so much!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Arranged
marriage mein bas hota nahi comparison</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Baki
sab kuch hai same, nothing different </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Haan
gaaliyan padti hai uss source ko </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Jisne
milwaya tha inn dono ko…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">“Had
I known, I’d have never got married to you”:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Har
fight ke baad this statement stands true!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Love
ho jaye ya milwaye koi matrimony site</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Dono
hi case mein there is risk and fight</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Jab
consequence dono ka hai same</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Toh
kya koi mujhe batayega…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Ki
iss debate ka kya hai aakhir fayda?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">(Only
that if you like this poem and vote</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Mujhe
prize mein kuch toh mil jayega!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Jokes
apart, let me be a little wise </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Raasta
koi bhi ho, remember:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: x-small;">Marriage
is a bittersweet compromise!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: x-small;">This
is an entry for the contest 'Love Marriage ya Arranged Marriage!' on <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?pageNum_ThisVine=1&totalRows_ThisVine=255&topic=59&sort=popular">IndiBlogger</a>
in collaboration with Sony Entertainment Channel. If you think it's worth it please vote <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=167520">here</a>. Check out the facebook
page of the serial 'Love Marriage ya Arranged Marraige' <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank">here</a> (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #222222;">www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange</span></a>.) </span></div>
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Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-52361368637405330902012-08-16T11:13:00.001-07:002012-08-16T11:15:27.360-07:00They Said It!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
They amuse you, surprise you and some conversations amaze you. There are certain things people around you say that leave a lasting impression on you. The context of the conversation, mostly, makes the words appear philosophical, funny and sometimes stupid. Here are a few of the impressionable words I could instantly remember. <i> </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>"Bohot khush lag rahe hai aap?" </i>(you seem to be very happy today)<i><br /></i><br />
<i>"Ab kab tak insaan dukhi rahe"</i> (...now till one can one keep grieving )<br />
~ When I asked the poorly paid, ill-treated driver of a certain gentleman<br />
<br />
<br />
"<i>Hum kaun hai pahunchane wale....pahunchata to upar wala hai</i>" (Who are we to help anyone reach anywhere...it's the one above who leads the way)<br />
~ Auto-rickshaw driver on being told to get me to the destination soon enough. <br />
<br />
<br />
"<i>...but we all choose where we are</i>"<br />
~ A friend while cribbing about his sad state of affairs<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Before marriage I used to party on eggs. I wish my husband allowed me to continue eating eggs" </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~ </i>A very well educated woman working at a senior position in a five-star hotel. <span style="color: #38761d;">[I'd love to hear readers' comments on this one]</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"I am sorry I am a little ignorant about India...I have heard a lot about people practicing yoga in your country. So is it like it is something you guys have to do everyday or every weekend?"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~ </i>A senior marketing professional at one of the top hotel chains in Turkey</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"A man anywhere in the world wants a woman to say just 5 words: I am not wearing underwear"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~ </i>A 65 years young man at a highly interesting dinner conversation (in Scotland) amongst people from 6 countries talking about universality of emotions </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">"<i>Now when one of the band members asks you do you have any request, you reply saying yes I do but you won't stop singing would you!" </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~</i>An Irish gentleman exhibiting the proverbial Irish sense of humour. <i> </i></span></span></div>
Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-57262987253714293602012-08-06T13:06:00.000-07:002012-08-06T13:06:04.538-07:00Life in Moments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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She sways left, right
and left again; shakes her head, moves her leg and smiles. Smiles
genuinely – something she hasn’t done in days. She grooves to the music
and makes those intriguing eyes, following her, dance to her tunes. The
vodka seeps in rhythmically in her system. She sips in some more and
lets it blend her with the outside environ. Uninhibited, she feels like
she is herself. Funny that which takes you away from the world around
you brings you closer to making you feel who or what you are.<br />
<br />
But
it wasn’t just alcohol that caused the intoxication. The night itself
was an intoxicant; or was it those eyes? Her dance moves weren’t meant
to impress but to express and converse with those eyes. They seemed
impressed nonetheless. His eyes and her smile: that’s all she remembered
of the night the next morning. It could have been the beginning of a
story had she chosen not to wane away in the crowd when she saw the eyes
coming towards her looking for words. Some conversations are best
without words. Some stories don’t need a beginning and end. They are
complete in an extraordinary moment.</div>
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</div>Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-44718843062195762192012-07-10T10:53:00.001-07:002012-07-10T10:53:38.379-07:00Here and There<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Like the book, with page 145 folded, lying on the couch...the diary and pen near the pillow...like the pins that clipped my hair the day before, on bedside table and the glass in which I had tea yesterday on dressing table along with unfolded and uncased pair of spectacles...like clothes on bed and scarves thrown in the <i>almirah </i>-- my belongings, like my thoughts, remain scattered all around these days. </div>Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22773978.post-12455767550026983872012-03-22T05:44:00.002-07:002012-07-25T10:02:11.867-07:00Dublinised!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU805900gZo/T2sfAEUKnoI/AAAAAAAAAzY/loqRMxXjagk/s1600/dubai+n+dublin+251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><u></u></b></a></div>
An evening spent pub-hopping in Dublin might end up being a tad expensive but the proverbial Irish humour is for free. In fact, it is ubiquitous: there’s wit on display boards outside certain pubs; in the audio at the Wax Museum; and of course, all conversations are punctuated by humour. So it’s not odd to ask if the Irish are born with it. “Probably yes,” says Michael, an old hand at a local pub. “and Thank God for that – it’s helping us survive these troubled times,” he adds thoughtfully. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU805900gZo/T2sfAEUKnoI/AAAAAAAAAzY/loqRMxXjagk/s1600/dubai+n+dublin+251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pubs at Temple Bar" border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU805900gZo/T2sfAEUKnoI/AAAAAAAAAzY/loqRMxXjagk/s200/dubai+n+dublin+251.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
Times are tough in Ireland, not quite as bad as the catastrophic potato famine which racked the country in the early 20th century, but the economic crisis has taken no prisoners. Surprisingly, even as the dailies dish out gloomy fare about job cuts, there isn’t a pervasive air of resentment. “Everything will be fine. Whatever happens, happens for the better,” says Michael with defiant optimism. It’s not easy to get the Irish down.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsCdquei-oo/T2sa3XTIC2I/AAAAAAAAAzA/Gi2RAGS6ITY/s1600/Guiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bsCdquei-oo/T2sa3XTIC2I/AAAAAAAAAzA/Gi2RAGS6ITY/s200/Guiness.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Almost as uniquely Irish as their sense of humour is a pint of Guinness. The stout seems to be the answer to all your queries…and I suspect this dark viscous brew is in fact the secret ingredient that makes the Irish so impervious to life's vagaries! You hear so much about it from the Irish and the guidebooks that you think it might almost be criminal not to visit the famous Guinness Storehouse and unethical not to savour this lauded drink. And what if, like me, you find it a bit too bitter? Well, you can always use the Irish humour to get away! <br />
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But the craic (fun), beer and pubs are not what Dublin is all about. It’s not a city that wears its charm on its sleeve and will get under your skin when you’re not looking. As with all old cities, the best way to get beyond the superfluous touristy track is to explore the city on foot. I’m a bit late to reach this realization: only after I’ve blown a precious 16 Euros on the city tour bus ticket. While the tour hardly does justice to the sights and sounds of Dublin, it is a prudent option if you’re short on time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-giLzTdpcDIQ/T2sUbahrYNI/AAAAAAAAAxw/g7o1YUSPHIc/s1600/wilde.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-giLzTdpcDIQ/T2sUbahrYNI/AAAAAAAAAxw/g7o1YUSPHIc/s200/wilde.jpg" width="200" /></a>The hop-on-hop-off bus takes you to as many as 22 spots across the city. I get off near Oscar Wilde’s statue – the first stop on the route. Dublin has an obsession with statues: scattered all over the city and sometimes in the unlikeliest of places. Wilde would have been proud of this one: it’s as much a homage to the man as it is to his eccentricity –lying supine on a stone in a park right across what used to be his house ( and is now, appropriately, a library). Looking at people lounging about on a perfect sunny day, I’m tempted to park myself on a bench and let Dublin’s literary air and Wilde’s presence get my poetic juices flowing. <br />
One cliché that rings out loud in my head is that there is something for everyone here: there’s history in the well-preserved mansions, castles, cathedrals and fascinating museums; the other side of the Liffey River offers something to those looking for a glimpse into the Dublin of yore. The city has upmarket shopping streets for shopaholics and souvenir hunters; theatres and avenues to satiate the most ravenous culture fiends; beautifully manicured parks for those who just want to lie about and soak in the atmosphere which inspired some of the greatest writers ever. Whatever your area of interest might be, there’s a tour for you in Dublin. If you are looking for unusual insights on the city, I recommend walking tours with Pat Liddy, an historian well-versed in Dublin’s everyday life.<br />
And as evening comes, there’s probably nothing better to do than stand among Dubliners at the Ha’penny Bridge over the Liffey. The river divides the city into northern and southern part. On the north side, which appears to be unplanned vis-à-vis the southern part, is O'Connell Street intersected by shopping streets like Henry Street and Talbot Street. On the south are St. Stephen's Green, Grafton Street, Trinity College, Christ Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and many other attractions. The river goes down as my favourite spot in the city.<br />
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It’s difficult to put a finger on just what is so heartwarming about Dublin. Certainly, there are no dearth of reasons to fall in love with the city: whether you’re just walking about the cobbled pathways in the older part of town, chatting with complete strangers in the parks and gardens, gulping down copious amounts of Guinness in these amazingly convivial pubs, watching a play, or just sitting near the Liffey and letting it all pass you by, this city will charm you inside out. <br />
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Till then, cheers! <i>May the luck of the Irish lead to happiest heights and the highway you travel be lined with green lights.</i><br />
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The article is also published here: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/traveler/doubly-charmed-dublin-050434860.html<br />
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<br /></div>Purvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908011707830615517noreply@blogger.com1