Sleeping beauty

(This story started as a random prompt but I see the potential of growing further... )

I woke up... It seemed like a peaceful morning... I was not yet ready to get out of the bed... I could hear the early morning noises, the birds chirping, the gurgling noises of the stream nearby, the temple bells ringing at a distance... The aroma of filter coffee from the kitchen managed to further wake the lazy-me and I slowly turned to my left. That’s when I saw her, sleeping next to me, a sweet serene smile on her face… I smiled back mesmerized by the beauty, only to suddenly wake up completely and recoil in horror – who the hell was this sleeping beauty, and what the hell was she doing here?

Then I looked around. It was a nice airy room, natural air breezing in and out through the open windows. Elegant white curtains fluttering at the window softening the morning sunlight giving a dreamy feeling... Some odd knick-knacks around me - a hand-painted odd colored vase, different shaped candles all set up nicely on a work table. A Butterfly adorned framed where I could see a snap of the beauty next to me - and then a voice chimed on my right - "Oh good you have woken up! You were so dead tired yesterday .. and why not, you had a terrible journey" I looked at the voice of my bestie - who I had met after a decade. 

Last time we met, she was all decked up in Wedding clothes and the Constant Reception smile wasn't quite reaching her tired eyes. 

Oh, we were in touch all the time, had heard her heartbreaking when she found her new husband was in an affair and had married under parents pressure. Had heard her confidence shaking when her in-laws - in spite of knowing about their son's negligence, expected her to be the traditional bahu of the 1950s and let her job go for their "Gharane ki ijjat". I with a few other friends also supported her when she decided to break the chains and move to a new city on her own. Heard her horrific tales of men ogling and thinking her a fair game as she was alone. But for a year, due to my own priorities, hadn't been able to connect more often or hear any tales. The final wake up call for me was cleaning up my old cupboard and finding a photo of us both with a note: Twogether we live, Twogether we smile! And I had started on my unplanned trip to meet my bestie - Savitri who was living 800 km away in a small town in Karnataka. The tales of travel - some other time!

"So did you meet my little Abha?  You were sleeping soundly, and Abha sleeps soundly when she has someone to snuggle. I woke up early, so thought will make you some coffee and breakfast.. your favorite paneer paratha with a little bowl of honey " The words bowl of honey had Savitri's familiar frown with it and all the years between us washed out! 

"Abha! She is so radiating like her name.."  That was the name of the beauty sleeping with me... As I was gathering words for the multitude of questions, the sleeping beauty woke up and Savitri got in a fussing mode in a way mothers do to their child... A look from her told me, hold your questions and she introduced me to the shy, approximately-5-year old beauty... 

"Abhu, see here who has come.. your favorite  Abhilasha aunty is here .. and do you know I called her Abhu when we were in college, come on let's brush teeth and give a sweet kissie to aunty"

Abha shied more but still looked at me with her big eyes.. 

"I want a kissie right now.. and I will take more once your have brushed.. I want to see which one is sweeter " I smiled at her and called her out. That did the trick and she tiptoed me to give a little kiss. I held her close and any misgivings I had vanished in that embrace. I was ready to hear Abha's story without any prejudice.

(..to be continued)

Making it up on the go..

It was just a trial..  To #rhyme up a rhyme based on #Devanagari letters.. #Konkani being my mother tongue, it was easier..so here is my creation..
Mind it, there is not much poetic value, it's for kids and hence simple and since its mine,  it sounds sweet to me

क क कमळ, ख खयि दोक्कुनु हाडोया
ग ग गणपती बाप्पाक घ घ घराकडे हाडनु चोढोया
च च चवथीक छनछन् कोरनु येत्तलो,
जय देव जय देव करुया अनि झोकालीरी झुलोया।
टण टण करता घांट ठण ठण करता जघांट
डमडम करता डमरू अनि ढमढम ढोल वाज्जोया ।
पार्वतीले फुल्लाक,बमबम भोले ल बाब्बाक
म म मोदकाचे नैवेद्य करुया ।
ताट करी जेवणाचे थाट करी ताटाचे दया करी आम्चेरी
ध ध पाय धरुया।
न न नमन आम्मी तुक्का करताती, यो रे यो लवकरी,
वयि आम्मी तुक्का शरण आयिली।
सुख अनि समाधान, षण्मुखाले आशिर्वाद,
हे देवा क्षमा करी ज्ञान अभय दी आम्का!

Krishna-Radha meet in Swarg..

Came across this wonderful piece of work.. Not sure it's a poem or a prose..

स्वर्ग में विचरण करते हुए
अचानक एक दुसरे के सामने आ गए

विचलित से कृष्ण ,
प्रसन्नचित सी राधा...

कृष्ण सकपकाए, राधा मुस्काई

इससे पहले कृष्ण कुछ कहते
राधा बोल उठी "कैसे हो द्वारकाधीश ?"

जो राधा उन्हें
कान्हा कान्हा
कह के बुलाती थी

उसके मुख से द्वारकाधीश का संबोधन
कृष्ण को भीतर तक घायल कर गया
फिर भी किसी तरह अपने आप को
संभाल लिया

.....और बोले राधा से
मै तो तुम्हारे लिए आज भी कान्हा हूँ
तुम तो द्वारकाधीश मत कहो!

आओ बैठते है ....
कुछ मै अपनी कहता हूँ
कुछ तुम अपनी कहो

सच कहूँ राधा जब जब भी
तुम्हारी याद आती थी
इन आँखों से आँसुओं की बुँदे निकल आती थी

बोली राधा ,
मेरे साथ ऐसा कुछ नहीं हुआ
ना तुम्हारी याद आई ना कोई आंसू बहा
क्यूंकि हम तुम्हे कभी भूले ही कहाँ थे
जो तुम याद आते

इन आँखों में सदा तुम रहते थे
कहीं आँसुओं के साथ निकल ना जाओ
इसलिए रोते भी नहीं थे

प्रेम के अलग होने पर तुमने क्या खोया
इसका इक आइना दिखाऊं आपको ?
कुछ कडवे सच ,प्रश्न सुन पाओ तो
सुनाऊ?

कभी सोचा इस तरक्की में तुम
कितने पिछड़ गए

यमुना के मीठे पानी
से जिंदगी शुरू की
और समुन्द्र के खारे पानी तक
पहुच गए ?


एक ऊँगली पर चलने वाले
सुदर्शन चक्र
पर भरोसा कर लिया
और दसों उँगलियों पर चलने वाली
बांसुरी को भूल गए ?

कान्हा जब तुम
प्रेम से जुड़े थे तो ....
जो ऊँगली
गोवर्धन पर्वत
उठाकर लोगों को
विनाश से बचाती थी
प्रेम से अलग होने पर वही ऊँगली
क्या क्या रंग दिखाने लगी
सुदर्शन चक्र उठाकर विनाश के
काम आने लगी

कान्हा और द्वारकाधीश में
क्या फर्क होता है बताऊँ
कान्हा होते तो
तुम सुदामा के घर जाते
सुदामा तुम्हारे घर नहीं आता

युद्ध में और प्रेम
में यही तो फर्क होता है

युद्ध में आप मिटाकर
जीतते हैं
और प्रेम में आप मिटकर
जीतते हैं

कान्हा प्रेम में डूबा हुआ आदमी
दुखी तो रह सकता है
पर किसी को दुःख नहीं देता

आप तो कई कलाओं के स्वामी हो
स्वप्न दूर द्रष्टा हो
गीता जैसे ग्रन्थ के दाता हो

पर आपने क्या निर्णय किया
अपनी पूरी सेना कौरवों को सौंप दी?
और अपने आपको पांडवों के साथ कर लिया

सेना तो आपकी प्रजा थी
राजा तो पालक होता है
उसका रक्षक होता है

आप जैसा महा ज्ञानी
उस रथ को चला रहा था
जिस पर बैठा अर्जुन
आपकी प्रजा को ही मार रहा था

आपनी प्रजा को मरते देख
आपमें करूणा नहीं जगी

क्यूंकि आप प्रेम से शून्य हो चुके थे

आज भी धरती पर जाकर देखो
अपनी द्वारकाधीश वाली छवि को

ढूंढते रह जाओगे

हर घर हर मंदिर में
मेरे साथ ही
खड़े नजर आओगे

आज भी मै मानती हूँ
लोग गीता के ज्ञान की बात करते हैं
उनके महत्व की बात करते है

मगर धरती के लोग
युद्ध वाले द्वारकाधीश. पर नहीं
प्रेम वाले कान्हा पर भरोसा करते हैं

गीता में मेरा दूर दूर तक नाम भी नहीं है
पर आज भी लोग उसके समापन पर
" राधे राधे" करते है

Lot of good lines in this are very touching..
I will try to translate the one I felt as the best .
Radha on her love for Krishna..
I never remembered you or never shed any tears for you..
To remember, I had to forget.. Which I never could..
And was worried that you would flow out with tears so never shed them too..

There are lot more questions that Radha raises to Krishna on the way he dealt with his life and how he went far from love.. and in the end says, the People on earth now worship the Lover Krishna and not the other roles he performed in his life.

My take: Its a beautiful piece of literature ( I came to know later that the author/poet is Sharad Joshi). Krishna was a common man when her was at Gokul and was with Radha.. When he entered Mathura and challenged the King, he stopped being a commoner and then had to lead his life more as a strategist and had to make decisions for masses at large. He was a romantic at heart, but that does not make a good strategist and hence he changed.. If we dont like change in a person after a few years - that does not mean the person will not or should not change.. Its just that our expectations are wrong.
Lot of more thoughts on this..but some other time.

Sangeet Natak.. Musical Play

Sangeet Natak.. Something I am seeing for first time..a play where everyone simply enters and starts singing :)
And yes, the story moves ahead with the songs..all of them classical songs..and sung beautifully..

For those who dont know, sangeet Natak are the way plays in Marathi started..and I guess thats where the songs in Bollywood started too..

So I watched two plays, one on Saturday and another on Sunday.. Dint know the story of "Jai jai Gourishankar" and had an idea of story for "Sangeet Saubhadra"

"Jai Jai Gourishankar" is a play that tells the story of Mangeshi-Shantadurga temple.. How Narad tries to start a quarrel between Shiv and Parvati using a game of dice.. He succeeds in starting it because the Omniscient Shiv allows it to.. and then Shiv Parvati separate to meet in Gomantak vana.. ( It was here I realised it was story of some temple in Goa, till then I was wondering whats it about) The story then unfolded to how Parvati tried to entice the ascetic Shiv in the garb of a Bhill (Adivasi). In a Sangeet natak, the story is punctuated woth Songs..after probably every 10 dialogues.. and every actor ..and I mean every actor sings.. even the Nandi and the Gana named Shundi too.. It was surely a fun..Mukund Marathe played Shiv.. rest I dont remember now..

Next day, "Sangeet Saubhadra"  was more fun.. This one had star actor-singers. Story of the marriage of Arjun and Subhadra- Sister of Krishna & Balram. Now where there is Krishna, there sure is some mischief..and thats what the story is about :) Wellknown songs sung by wellknown singer-actors and listening them live is an altogether different experience.. Anand Bhate (Lead singer in Baal Gandharva and singer of my favorite song "Chinmaya Sakal Hridaya") was Krishna, Rahul Deshpande (ex-Judge in Z Marathi Sa re ga ma) was Narad and Ajay Purkar (seen in lot of Marathi serials) was Arjun. I dont remember names of the actresses although they have also been awesome with their performance and Songs..

About the songs from these Plays.. some other time.. Just in case you get time, watch both these plays.. 

तुझी आठवण

पावसाच्या थेंबांनी मन भरून टाकलंय तुझ्या ओंजळीत रितं करण्यासाठी
पण तू कुठे आहेस माझी ओंजळ भरण्यासाठी ?
गार वाऱ्याने फुलवून टाकलंय मला,
तुझ्या आठवणीसारखा तूच पाठवलं आहेस का त्याला तुझ्या निरोपासाठी?

तुझी आठवण पावसासारखी येते
चिंब भिजवून मोहवून टाकते
आणि मग मी पुन्हा वाट पाहते
अजुन एक सरी साठी........

(These are created a long time back when the first rains had brought the beautiful smell of the earth.. posted only now..)

Critics!

There was a man who had an amazingly gifted dog who could walk on water. He was very proud of him and took great care of him.

One day he went fishing and walked the dog along with him. There was another man fishing stoically smoking a pipe. The man with the dog wanting to show off his dog's unique capabilities told the other man "Let me show you something" and threw a playing ball far in water and instructed his dog to get it.

The dog happily ran over water and got the ball back to his master who asked the other man "Did you notice anything about the dog?"

He replied, "Yeah, your dog cant swim!"

We see such critics every day in our life who can find shortcomings of the best things. How do we react to such critics is important. Do we get bogged down by meaningless criticism or ignore it?

You know it, the best way is to ignore it.. but make sure that you don’t ignore constructive criticism..

Bear & Bunny

A bear and a bunny,

Had plenty of money,

They went to the store,

For carrots and honey..

When the bear and the bunny,

Asked, "Carrots and honey!"

The man in the store,Cried,

“Where is your money?”

How strange, and how funny!

They really had money

—And that’s how they bought,

Their carrots and honey !

( Liked this rhyme, hence posted :))

तो

असतो तो आसपास , इतरांसारखा. फार वेगळा नाही वाटंत. कोणाचा लक्ष सुद्धा जात नाही आणि कोणी ओळख पण दाखवत नाही
ग्रीष्म आला की मात्र याला धुमारे फुटतात आणि हळु हळु आपण त्याला बघू लागतो - कारण आपल्या लक्षात आलेलं असतं की अंगाची लाही लाही करणार्या वैशाख वणव्यातुन तावुन सुलाखून , सुर्यालाही लाजवणारी लाली पहरून आश्चर्यचकित करणारा हा गुलमोहर असतो

How to deal with frustration

This is something I googled for "how to deal with frustration" It sounds good to me. Link is "http://www.life-with-confidence.com/frustration.html

The emotion you’re feeling is “Frustration”.
With a capital “F”. Maybe even add in some anger because you’ve been working really hard towards your goal or on a project and it just isn’t working. Or you feel like you’re stuck in a dead-end job and can’t find another one. And you may not even really know why. All you know is that you seem to be stuck and no matter how hard you try, you don’t seem to get anywhere. You’re just spinning your wheels in the mud and all you feel is pure frustration. Sound familiar?

This is the point where a lot of people will just say, “I Quit” and give up. Before you do though, here’s 8 ways you can blast through any frustration:

1. Ask Yourself, “What Is Working in This Situation?”
Even if feels like nothing is working, look closely and you will probably find at least something that is going right. So, that’s good. You’ve found something that’s working. Now, how do you improve it? By asking this question, you’ve taken yourself out of the negative mindset of “it’s hopeless” and are back to focusing on the positive.

There's something that’s working and that will give you a clue of what direction to focus on. You may find that even if your previous issues come up you’ll be able to resolve them in the process of concentrating on your improvements.

2. Keep an Accomplishments Log
Write down everything you accomplish in a log. If you do it in a monthly format you will be able to see all that you have accomplished in just one month. You may be surprised by how much you have done. If you realize there’s not much on the list, it may open your eyes to the fact that you may be procrastinating more than working or that you are using too much of your energy going in too many directions and that you need to focus more. Hopefully, you will have lots of items on your list then you can see that even though it may not feel like it, you are moving forwards. The log will also help to highlight where you were the most effective and where you need to work harder.

3. Focus On What You Want to Happen
Go back to the big picture. What is the desired outcome? Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in one problem and trying to solve it that we forget what we were originally trying to accomplish. Try not to ask yourself, “Why did this happen?” Asking questions like that will keep you rooted in the past. It doesn’t offer a solution to the problem. The important thing is knowing the answer to the following two questions:
- What do you want to happen differently this time?”
- What do you need to do in order to get there?

4. Remove the “Noise” and Simplify
When you’re trying to solve a problem, you can get so wrapped up in trying to find a solution that you add unnecessary clutter, noise, and tasks to a project because you thought they “might” be a solution.

Working on this website, I get bombarded by offer after offer of “easy ways to run your website”, “get more traffic”, “make more money” etc. They’re just noise though and usually a waste of my time even reading them. These people are just trying to make money off of me. They have no interest in whether I succeed or not. When people are frustrated by how slow the hard work process is taking, they get tempted by these “here’s what you’ve been missing” and “I’ll make it easy for you” offers. Usually, it ends up that if you do get tempted by the offers you discover 6 months down the road that if you had just stuck with your first plan and just kept working at it, you’d be a lot further ahead by now. Not to mention richer from not having spent money on the Get Rich Quick schemes. Believe in yourself. Simplify and go back to the basics. Determine what is really necessary and remove everything else. Anything that takes your time and effort that isn’t adding value, should be eliminated.

5. Multiple Solutions
You always have options. You just need to brainstorm and figure them out. Tell yourself you need to come up with 8 possible options to what you’re dealing with. Just knowing that you have lots of options will help to make you feel better. You won’t feel like you are trapped in one negative situation. From your list, figure out the best direction and go for it.

6. Take Action
When you get into serious frustration with a problem, you tend not to want to work on it anymore. It’s hard, it’s frustrating, and you’re not getting anywhere. So, anything to avoid having to be in that situation may be far more attractive. Procrastination may start to set in. If you can keep taking steps forwards, you will probably make it past this temporary hump. As Thomas Edison said, “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up” and “Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment.”

The other thing that can happen is that you start to spend a lot of time worrying. Worrying is a definite way of energy and does not move you in a forwards direction. Only taking action will. Once you start moving forwards again, you will most likely find that you worried for no reason.

7. Visualize a Positive Outcome to the Situation
A lot of times you can get stuck on focusing on what you don’t want to happen or fearing the absolute worst thing that could happen. The top athletes of the world will imagine themselves competing flawlessly over and over again. There is no room for failure in their minds. This is what you need to focus on as well. See yourself achieving your desired outcome. What will it look like? What will it feel like? What will you say? How will you feel? Take the time to visualize it and really feel it. It will inspire you to keep moving forwards.

8. Stay Positive
Things are usually not as bad as they first appear. Sometimes, things seem much worse simply because we’re tired or mentally drained. Taking a break and remembering to keep your sense of humour can also help. This time of frustration will pass. A positive mind is far more open to solutions and answers than a negative one that thinks it’s just “hopeless” and thinks “what’s the use?” A closed mind will not be able to see the possible solutions when they do come along. Stay positive.

As with any problem, the solution is to figure out what your options are, decide on a plan, focus, and then take action. By using the above 8 steps, you should find that you’re running into fewer problems and feeling less frustration. Instead, you may find that you’re running into opportunities and you know exactly how to take advantage of them.

Few quotes

Quotes that I have developed ..

There is no better motivating factor than TINA factor .. (There Is No Alternative)

Nothing ever goes wrong.. as everything happens for a reason :) (Variant of All that happens , happens for the best)

The bird

Office Canteen.. lunch time.

All tables packed and people tracking empty spaces by keen eyes.

Suddenly, in a corner there is a loud noise. A pigeon attempted suicide at one of the Big exhaust fans spluttering its tail and a side of feathers on 2-3 tables near the fan. People move from their seats. Some leave off the food , rest move a little away.

Someone washes hands, gets the water for the bird, picks it up and puts it away in a place where no one would stomp on it. He keeps the water bowl near the fowl so to help it.

The 3 tables in vicinity of the Suicide spot are empty, cleaned up by the canteen staff.

A new bunch of people enters the canteen, loves the sight of empty place at peak hour and rushes in to occupy the place.

Life returns to as usual!

Relations - 1

Boy and girl..
Girl commutes to office in company bus with a group of friends. Sees the boy everyday and likes something about him. Boy sees her everyday , she stands out in the group with her bubbly nature.

He wants to be part of her group , partly for her , but is shy and waits for someone to ask. So one day when there is some birthday in the group and as the group is celebrating, the girl walks up to the boy and offers him a piece of cake. He is happy, accepts the cake with a smile. Next day, she invites him in antakshari and he joins the group to become a part of it.

Some days later, in office, he receives an appreciation. His team forces him into giving an Icecream treat. As he is at the counter ordering icecream with a friend, she comes in there, flashes a smile at her. The mischievous friend informs her about the Ice-cream treat. She asks "Mere liye Ice-cream ?" He hands the one he had in his hand (which he had got for himself) to her.. By the time the mischeivous freind has reached back wth rest of the team sittingin the canteen and have started laughing at the boy. When he returns back , he is teased by the whole team ..
She realises he is being teased , enjoys the ice-cream and plans to increase the fun.
Next day when the boy is in canteen with the team again , she approches him with an Ice-cream in hand gives it to him and says "Thanks for yesterday's Ice-cream !" Flashes her smile and goes out .
Boy nonplussed ! Team split into peals of laughter ! and Girl out of focus...only for the scene..
Boy accepts to the team there is something between the boy and girl.. Team enjoys the affair and
spreads the word of impending engagement.. Girl and Boy are involved in this relation... :-)

{ This incident is based on a true story.. I kind of liked the way it happend and just wanted to share.. Do not ask what happend next.. The story ended here and life started .. }

Katti - Batti

आरगट्टी बारगट्टी तुझ्याशी कट्टी फू !
तुला मी खेळात घेणार नाही , चॉकलेट गोळ्या देणार नाही ,
आलास तर घेइन गाल गुच्चा अंगावर सोडीन भू !!
झुकझुक गाडी, पमपम गाडी , शेतावरची हम्मा गाडी ,
आम्ही सगळे जाऊ भूर , एकटाच राहशील तू !!!

Something that I remembered from my childhood when I read a post by a friend who wrote about her concepts as a kid...

Love Story

This isn't a story if you are looking for one.. This is about the book I came across.

Love Story by Erich Segal is a wonderful little love-story. Its a story that can happen in any country, in any decade and with anyone. A straightforward story narrated vividly!

It struck me for its simplicity. The initial sparks between Jenny and Oliver , the constant intellectual tussle between these two and the bluntness in expressing their feelings to each other. Their will to follow their heart, and then take responsibility for everything that happens after that.

Its the story of a couple who meets in their college days, starts on a quarreling note yet feels the impulse to continue to be together, slowly realises that they like each other in a different way and understand each other in the way they don't understand themselves. Due to disparities in family statuses, don't get approval from one side, and go on to marry sacrificing their dreams and then slowly start adjusting to reality and then reach a comfortable place slowly and surely. The story then takes filmy turn and the heroine gets a incurable disease and takes a graceful exit teaching her husband to love his own father whom he never respected or was even on normal speaking terms with.

The height of this Love story is the definition of love which-as it indicates-is true for every relation..

Love means not ever having to say you are sorry.

I am thankful to my friend who recommended this book to me..

I, Me, Myself ..:-)

ham apne aap mein yun gumm hue hein muddat se,
hame to jaisay kisi ka bhi intezaar nahi...
kisi ko toot kar chaahen ya chaah kar tootain,
hamare paas to itna bhi ikhteyaar nahi!

Some lines liked..

Kaun kehta hai maut ka jashna barbaad hai
Aj unki ruh jism se 'azad' hai


Zakhmon ko yun ched kar ghaav fir bhar payenge kya
kar ke apna qatl hum insaan fir kehlayenge kya
Ruh rahe 'azad' meri ibadat ye ho qabool
jo na hui qabool khuda fir pachtayenge kya

Nice one..

Found this poem.. Nice one


A year has passed, my life's the same
I still get upset when hear your name,
I close my eyes to picture your face
Still open them up to an empty space.
xxxxx
I still watch the door for you to appear,
Wanting your voice once more to hear,
Your footsteps coming I sit and listen,
The sound of your heart but the beat is missing.
xxxxx
I'll always be proud of you being mine,
For a good heart like yours is hard to find
The good and the bad I'll never forget
I'll always be grateful for that day we met.
xxxxx