uploaded these and some more photos on my flickr page recently. please do visit and if they interest you, please do leave comments. criticism is welcome too :)
Three cubicles ahead of me, the printer is spewing out non-stop prints. A little to its right side, and comparatively closer to me, some people from another department are involved in mildly disturbing discussions. Somewhere somebody’s land line phone is ringing. There is this general office murmur of people talking, papers being turned, footsteps falling and taking people near or far, some clicks of the ceramic cups when they strike the desks and above, below, around all this, a faint fragrance of Gulzar’s songs being played in a nearby cabin… aapki aankhon mein kuch, mehke huye se khwab hain...
बारिश होती तो बाहर है पर पता नही नींद को कैसे पता चल जाता है के वो और मीठी हो जाती है। सुबह जब से उठा हूँ, बारिश धूप की तरह छाई हुई है। एक गहरी, ग्रे धूप जो रोजमर्रा की चीजों को खुशनुमा बना देती है, काले चश्मे की तरह।
कुछ तो जादू है बारिश में। दिल में जो चल रहा होता है उसको और गहराई तक खंगाल कर बाहर ले आती है। दिल गमगीन है तो बारिश रुआंसा कर के छोड़ेगी ही। और दिल खुशगवार है तो समझ लीजिये के पूरा दिन गुनगुनाते हुए जाएगा। हर शख्स की dominant traits बारिश में साफ़ उभर के सामने आ जाती हैं। गोया बारिश कोई आईना हो जो सच दिखलाता हो हर किसी के भीतर का!
अभी एक घंटे पहले उठा हूँ और बिल्कुल भी मन् नही है ऑफिस जाने का। माँ ने खिड़की पर परदे डाले, तो मना कर दिया ये कह कर के, खिड़कियों से दिखती ये बरसती बारिश अच्छी लगती है। एक प्याली चाय की, बेसन के दो पकौड़े और श्री राही मासूम रज़ा की शायरी का संकलन हाथों में। अभी तक की सुबह का तो यही फ़साना है।
बाहर बारिश और हाथ में शायरी की किताब, कैसे ये दिल रूमानी न होता? खैर, ये आवारागर्दी ज्यादा देर चलेगी नहीं। अभी बुलावा आ जाएगा ऑफिस से के टाइम पर पहुंचें हुज़ूर, काफी काम है आज। पेरिस वालों को जरूरत है दिल्ली वालों की!
थोडी देर में ये कलम नौकरी कर रही होगी। पर हाँ, याद जरूर रहेगी ये सुबह, जब बारिश ने कान में फुसफुसा कर कहा था, क्यों न थोड़ी देर और लिख लो मुझे तुम...
sipping ginger tea; planning to listen to a movie soundtrack that i've never heard before; looking at, being inspired by beautiful images from a talented photographer; making a living of the two things i love most - reading and writing; and surrounded by the fragrance of a pampered life, i'm feeling especially lucky as of now... let me hold on to this feeling by putting it here...who knows what my mood will be like in the next few minutes :)
dear life, thanks for everything that you gave or took away, for everything, that you'll send my way
Not long ago, there was a world without boundaries. Where anyone could pack up their bags and loose themselves in a world full of surprises. Surprises, some good, some not so good, but each one full of life, making it that bit more interesting for the grand children to listen to with wide eager eyes.
But sadly, there are borders now. Borders between states, countries, religions and races. Borders that separate men and women and their hearts. And in these divided times, one has to have a little imagination to craft some stories for themselves.
“This is the park”, she said. They were sitting on a bench in a desolate place. “Here is where the children play. And here, are the swings. And here (gesturing behind them) is where the sea is.”
“Its not look like a park, but it’s a park. You’ve to imagine.” Once not long ago, in the middle of nowhere, a woman was waiting for something interesting to happen in her life. No man, no children, no culture, her life was as uneventful as the desert her town lied in. To this barren life of hers, suddenly came a band of men as bewildered as she was herself. And like a sudden sapling in a stark desert, there was excitement, adventure, humor, and there was love.
“In the early hours of the sea, you can hear the whole world, like a symphony”, said one of them, the band leader.
This is their story. Of Dina, of Tawfiq, of Khaled, of the Alexandria Police Orchestra lost in a lost Israeli town, Beit Hatikva. “Once not long ago, a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many people remember this, it was not important.” But it is, it is, you’ll say to yourself, when you watch this slow, humorous, heart ache of a movie unfold across the screen. And you’ll want to tell the world, how important it was, how beautiful it is.
And maybe you’ll also say like Khaled, “I can tell you, but only in Arabic.”
Or, in the language of imagination maybe?
Watched it this Monday night on World Movies, my favorite movie channel. And then, on Tuesday morning too. Check its own page here, and more about it here, here and here.
This is not a movie review (an excellent one is here), in as much that I call these unreviews. Attempted something similar many days ago here. Do tell me dear friend, if you liked these well.
holy mother of god. this one is humongous. pallavi tagged me and am glad to oblige :) so here i go,
01. What time did you get up this morning? ummm. i got up at 6. then dozed off at 7. then again got up at 7-30.
02. How do u like your steak? only if it is vegetarian and is made of paneer (cheese).
03. What was the last film you saw at a cinema? ummm. lemme remember. New York.
04. What is your favorite TV show? these days, it is 'The Big Bang Theory.' it is a must watch guys. apart from that, there have been so many that its no use talking about them, here and now.
05. If you could live anywhere in the world, where it would be? no prizes for guessing. saadi Dilli yaar :) waise, i do love Vienna, Prague and Paris too. never been there though :D
06. What did you have for breakfast? a glass of milk and a banana. only.
07. What is your favorite cuisine? Indian. especially made by mom :)
08. What foods do you dislike? ummm, vegetables basically :D that is why i call myself a non-veg. vegetarian.
09. Favorite place to eat? home. other than that, any place with her.
10. There was no question number 10 Pallavi!!!
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? it's a jet fueled, four engine powered, multi speed optional, multi dimensional space time warper rocket-airplane-submarine-car-truck-train-bicycle. ummm, never mind. i don't drive normal vehicles like you guys :P
12. What are your favorite clothes? Jeans and a tee. simble. right nadhiya?
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? whoa! everywhere man. mumbai, chennai, goa, kerala to paris, new york, kazakhistan, south africa, greenland, alaska you name it. i just need my daily, comforts. rest the world is my oyster.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? depends on the mood. though normally m a positive being.
15. Where would you want to retire? why would i? why should i?
16. Favorite time of the day? clock wise speaking, morning. otherwise, whenever i'm thinking about her, it is a good moment. (that romantic notion comes with a *conditions apply button. it applies only when we have not fought recently)
17. Where were you born? in my parents dreams.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? cricket, cricket, cricket. tennis, football come second.
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? why should i think about that. they'll miss the fun. not me.
20. Person you expect to tag back you first? why expect?
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? haven't thought of who i'll tag yet. and generally, i'll b curious about almost everyone. won't tag them in d first place na :P
22. Bird watcher? yeah, both kinds :D
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? depends. by nature a morning person. these days a night rider.
24. Do you have any pets? not now. but thru my life i'd many dogs and fishes as pets.
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? am marrying. in 2010. :P
26. What did you want to do when you were little? wait. i wanted to be everything. astronaut, businessman, teacher, astronomer, dancer, government clerk, mother, father, commando, navy officer, pilot...
27. What is your best childhood memory? sleeping on my father's tummy, roaming around alone doing nothing, visiting the green fields near my home, playing cricket. not many, but treasured.
28. Are you a cat person or a dog person? DOG person.
29. Are you married? not yet.
30. Always wear your seat belt? yes. always. and make sure that others are wearing too.
31. Been in a car accident? not car. but many others. now don't get me started.
32. Any pet peeves? well, lets put it mildly. MANY.
33. Favorite pizza toppings? cheese, capsicum, jalapenos, olives, tomatoes, red or green chilli and well lot more of cheese.
34. Favorite flower? oh well, wait, i know this one, which was the last one, ummm, sunflowers i think. yes, sunflowers.
35. Favorite ice cream? :) butter scotch :)
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Momos Point in Kamla Nagar, DU campus.
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? do you want people to be killed on Delhi's roads???
38. From whom did you get your last email? twitter :)
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? now or in day dreams? well, right now i would like to splurge at wills lifestyle. otherwise, Tommy would do fine for my day dreams.
40. Do anything spontaneously? shopped.
41. Happy with your job? lol. if u know me, u won't dare ask this question really :P
42. Brocoli? yucks
43. What was your favorite vacation? every summer vacation during school.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? her.
45. What are you listening to right now? the buzz in the office. haven't played a song since morning.
46. What is you favorite color? White. but Blue and Black are so close that i actually can't differentiate b/w favorites.
47. How many tattoos do you have? none. but i want to be daring enough to have one.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? don't know. first goal is to finish this. been typing like i've got some Cannes winning idea! still tow more to go.
49. In what time did you finish this quiz? does it matter? ummmm, in less than 20 minutes i think.
50. Coffee drinker? ya. quite. but tea addict. so u know where i stand.
okay. tagging time. lemme decide. will call or comment people individually later.
आकाश और कुछ नहीं समुद्र है गहरा सा और पंछी तैरते हैं उसमें पंख फैलाये
चाँद नीला है आकाश में डूबे किसी लंगर की तरह और मेरा वादा है उस से, जब मिलूंगा अगली बार तो अपनी सबसे प्यारी किताब से कुछ पढ़कर सुनाऊंगा उसे श श श अभी मत बताना उसे की आकाश और समुद्र दोनों से गहरी और नीले चाँद से ज्यादा रूपहली उसकी आँखों को पढना ही मुझे सबसे अच्छा लगता है
sky is nothing but an ocean deep and birds swim in it with wings spread out
blue is the moon like an anchor dropped in this heavenly sea and i've promised, when i meet her next will read her some passages from my favorite book
shshsh
don't tell her yet that deeper than the sky and the sea and more beautiful than the shimmering moon it is her eyes, that i love reading most
to fulfill them i did many things like running printing machinery, operating design computers, teaching children and adults, caring for adults that behaved like children (i.e. customer care and client servicing) and works. writing copy for around three years now and she still has no idea what do i actually do.
all i want is to get my name published someday, somewhere. as an ad maker or a script writer or a lyricist or the world's most talented lunatic.
thanks to all the guys who found some time out for my previous two posts. this is the last in the series. pls go through it and answer in the comments section. don't worry, it won't take much time!
01. In India, is it possible to get Braille on your visiting cards? Yes/No
02. Do you know of an organisation called Esha – People for the blind? Yes/No
03. Would you like to/have u visited the Esha website?
As the day was setting, a tiny candle was lit. The night, proud of its powers made fun of her, “Little one, soon you’ll tire out and I’ll take over.”
The candle replied, “Soon the day will be gone and yes, you’ll get stronger by the hour. But don’t you know, the darker you are, the brighter I get?”
Today I’ll tell you about a similar candle and how it is bringing light to so many lives. And maybe, we all could help this candle burn bright in our own little ways…
Founded in January 2005, Esha is a non-profit initiative that is enabling visually impaired people live a better life. In words of its founder, “We are a team of volunteers spread across the country, who believe in equal opportunities for the blind and work towards the same.”
Esha stands for making visually impaired: • Self-reliant and independent By generating employment for the visually impaired • Sensitizing the non-blind By interactive theatre workshops • Partnering with corporates for their CSR initiatives By conducting workplace accessibility audits
You can help bring this light into more people’s lives.
• Help me spread the word, visit the Esha site www.braillecards.org Bookmark it, twitter it, share it on your Face Book or Orkut profile or write a blog post about Esha.
• Ask your boss or HR department to get your visiting cards ‘Braille enabled’. You can also request them to have an accessibility audit at the workplace.
• Take part in other activities of Esha, like its theatre workshop.
Esha does not ask you for any monetary assistance. All it asks for is an open heart and a desire to bring light where it is needed most.
Remember what the candle said to the night, “the darker you are, the brighter I get.”
कल दोपहर मैंने बसे-बसाये घरों को, उजड़ते देखा कुछ बेजुबाँ ख्वाबों को बिखरते देखा कल दोपहर मैंने एक जवाँ उम्र का गुज़रना देखा एक साया जो था सरों पर, उठते देखा कल दोपहर मैंने, गली के मोड़ पर वो जो एक पेड़ था पीपल का, कटते देखा
i tried but could not translate it. maybe it cannot be. so here is a brief detail of what the poem tries to convey. it tells you how last afternoon i saw some homes getting uprooted; some silent dreams being scattered; saw a life snuffed out in its prime and a benevolent presence over our heads leaving us for ever...how the afternoon yesterday, on the corner of my street, i saw a beloved peepal tree getting sawed.
