Watching

I am watching you watching me...
I am waiting for you to make your move!

Picture by Munish Aggarwal

Take Me Home

Take Me Home....please!

I don't like it here

In a box

No open spaces, 

No woolen ball,

 Makes it hard to bear

No friendly faces,

No one at all.

I don't like it here

In a box

No shoe laces to pull

No one to pamper me

There's so much of lull

There's lack of glee

I don't like it here

In a box.

I have been here, All my life, 

Not too much of a memory,

Not much of an open sky,

Dont feel no happiness

However, much I try

I don't like it here

In a box.

There's no friends here,

No one to play,

No mices here, 

During my entire stay.

I don't like it here

In a box.

I want to play too,

On the green grass,

Under the sun,

With wool tangled in my paws,

Escape the dreary

conundrum,

Of my life in a box!

Kala Ghoda 2012

The Kala Ghoda Art Festival has always been on my priority list whenever it happens...but somehow, this time, I was not able to spend as much time over there as I would have normally done :-(. Yeah - no excuses!!!! But have been keeping pretty occupied. No - its not about work, but somehow my weekends have been even busier then the weekdays. I found myself wanting for some 'me' time. Have not been able to do a lot of things since the last few weeks and that has left me a bit restless. But, but, but....don't want to start a cribbing session here. 

Went to the Kala Ghoda festival last sunday. Landed directly at Cross Maidan. That was a 'musical' evening. The performance by 'Band, Baaja, Bachhe' stole my heart :-). The kids belonged to the Salaam Bombay Foundation and gave an impressive performance. It was the first performance. There was not much of a crowd then. So lesser encouragement. Sometimes, I wonder, why such 'special' performances are slotted with the popular category of performance. Since its a 'not for profit' Art festival, these performances where it could actually make an impact to the lives of these children, should have been highlighted. But I guess - the organizers would have thought about that aspect.

The other "Star" performers of the evening were "The Other People", "Raaga Boys" and "Susheela Raman".  I quite like the music the "The Other People" play but somehow I felt, there was an audience mismatch. They were really good... but the audience was I guess more towards the hindi - bollywood music types!!! 

The Raaga Boys is a Pakistani Boy band and belonged to the 'Patiala' Gharana. Out of the 3 brothers who were the main lead, only one of them could sing properly. Felt there were too many people on the stage at the time of their performance. And well - they advertised their lineage a lot of famous uncles and cousins!!!!! And last but not the least, there was a performance by Susheela Raman. I think, I would have definitely liked it, provided I understood the language. She was singing in Tamil!!!! And she kept on singing in Tamil!!!....

Some Pictures I clicked....

The Other People

An exhibit

Raaga Boys

I would have loved to see more of Kala Ghoda, but paucity of time kept me away from it. It was by sheer coincidence that I met a fellow blogger Purvesh over there. 

Kala Ghoda Art Festival has played an important role in what makes Bombay "tick". I thoroughly enjoy what all it offers to the Mumbaikars as well as the artists. I hope it continues forever and does not have to deal with the string pulling as a lot of other festivals go through!!!!

Cast in Stone

We,

Stand alone, 

Cast in stone,

Staring at the passers by,

The rustle of the leaves that dry.

The hurrying wind so cold,

To play along - we are told!

The trees that sway with the wind

Flutter of the pigeons that sing

Silent, stony notes are rhymed

There is no track of time.

We are captured for the nth number

Are we awake or in slumber!

The pose we strike, Angles alike, 

The picture stays, memories linger!

Of us, 

Cast in stone,

We stand alone!

Taj Mahal

It has been written about scores of times. Endless amount of praise, endless amount of debate, endless amount of politics and the romance around this monument. Books written on it. Movies made on it. Songs sung for it. And yet all of this does not prepare you for the splendor and beauty that hits you when you see the Taj Mahal for the first time.

Yes - in the break before joining my new job, I had the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal. The mention of it here --> Report Card is not exactly justice to the visit and the monument. It makes me wonder, why didn't I visit it before during my innumerable visits to Delhi to meet my innumerable relatives and friends. But anyways, better late than never. 

I don't think I am good at taking pictures, but I try nevertheless. Missed my DSLR here but got my fill with the digital camera. Not sure, if the output would be as great but nevertheless. Visited the Taj twice - in two days. Once during the evening and the very next early morning. We just kept staring it. 

Even after going to the Taj Mahal twice in a row, didn't feel it was enough. There is one view yet remaining. The one from across the river Yamuna on a full moon night.

Perhaps, some other time :-)

Warsaw, Poland

Had gone to Warsaw, Poland as part of work earlier in January. Just after finishing off the new year celebrations. On the night of 1st January, I took off on a 9 hour flight to Warsaw. Nice, quite place. Neat and Clean. Fewer people on the roads (which was almost a cultural shock for me). It was pretty cold. Temperature ranging from 2 deg till 5 deg. Travelling alone is not much of my preferred activities but when you are travelling for work, you got no choice. In your free time, one's got to do his / her own R&D. 

A giant Christmas Tree welcomes you along with the spirit of Christmas. The streets are lit up and you can come across odd groups of people singing carols on the streets in Polish of course. Further down, groups of students running to catch the last bus home. Sometimes, there is a drizzle. Indication of snowfall just around the corner. Which just makes you yearn for a hot cup of coffee and cookies. I loved the bakeries there. Fresh, oven baked muffins and waffles. Would grab some, especially on my way to work in the morning. 

Over the weekend, paid a visit to Krakow. Once upon a time the capital of Poland during the Nazi rule. Very similar to Warsaw in terms of architecture and history but found it more livelier. Especially the market square. Reminiscent of  eras gone by of the kings and the queens!!! Went to the St Mary's church of Basilica, the art musuem, Schindler's factory, the Jewish Ghetto and the fort of Wawel. Couple of hours in a day were just too less. 

What was common between Krakow and Warsaw was the strong impact of World War II and the end of the communist regime 30 years back. The art, the museums and majority of the conversations express the history of war the nation had to face. Sometimes, war is all people have to give to their children. The remnants of War become the stories to pass on by. Because everything was razed very systematically by the Nazis when they left the country. 

But also on a lighter note, what was common between Poland and India, was an artist (read sanyasi / baba) managing to position itself in the air!!!! ;-) Just the way our famed choti wale, saffron clad, barefooted babas do :-).

There's so much to write about my two week stay over there, but I guess I wont be able to do justice to it. But will keeping posting intermittently about the people, culture and comparisons. 

Mercedes Benz

Christmas is round the corner...festivity is in the air...love the month of December...celebration of 'birth' of a son, a new year and new dreams. My wish list ain't much but I'd like to share this song which I had heard long time back. Only if...it came true ;-)

Lot of versions are available for this song and even where Janis Joplin has sung it. But yes - I totally loved the way of expression.  Coming on to my new job :-), I am liking it here. Well - in a different way. It does not have the same familiarity like a small company where there is always a personal touch and where everybody knows everybody. Its a different setup. Totally different language. A different ball game. I am liking the change. The team size is pretty big whereas till now I was a loner in my team. I and only I was responsible for the work that I was doing. Over here, things are slightly different.

I had made new year resolutions at the beginning of 2010 and had also done a series of posts pertaining to that. But the point is, my new year resolutions dont carry beyond the new year. They are forgotten pretty much in the first month itself :-P. 

There's not much of a plan in place to celebrate the new year. Most probably there will be a house party. I am not much into getting sloshed in huge party places amidst rowdy strangers with obnoxiously loud music and pathetic food. Ya - call me boring. 

But Yes - I will definitely pray to the good Lord to grant me and my near and dear ones his blessings, inner peace and a MERCEDES BENZ :-)!!!!!