A lot has happened in the world of cricket. But this time it’s not about the nation loosing Tri-Series to Srilanka, or Virendra sehwag getting into top-10 ranking. It is much bigger & bitter. The match - fixing scam in the ongoing Pakistan - England series.
News has been spilling over on the involvement of few fellow nation's players in this. And, the cricketing officials, ICC and PCB have been busy trying to sort this out. They eventually will. But who sill solve my dilemma? One that has surfaced out of this act of disgrace.
I am a passionate about this sport. Whether a day and night match, or matches played on foreign grounds, I have been a spectator (a player too) of cricket from childhood. During tournaments, I used to be glued to the television with my brother and cousin. When mother would call for dinner, I wouldn't listen. All my attention was on what would happen on the next ball. There were sleepless nights, casual fights with family members on who would win.
That’s the magic of cricket. But it is fading. The personal desires of some of these stars have gone beyond self esteem, beyond nation's prestige, beyond the spirit of the sport. Otherwise, why would they produce fake show? Being one from the audience, I feel duped. It is we, the audience, the fans, that cheer teams, each one of us has an idol amongst the players. The kids complete their hoemwork fast and run for cricket. Young, old, rich, poor, and housewives; and everyone from paanwala to the polished loves this sport in India. And such a treatment of game not only hurts our sentiments, but beats the trust factor. I watch next match, how do I know it is real?
This is not the first time a match has been fixed in cricket. Remember Hansie Cronje? The talented captain of South Africa? I admired him for his captaincy; he was one of the good game leaders during that time. A major match-fixing scam was unearthed then and he was banned from playing. Further then, matches didn't excite me much. After a dormant period, chord with cricket struck again. The recent ignominy, however, for yet another time, is trying to dampen my love for the game.
Talking about realism, what all is authentic in today's time? The reality shows on the television- dance, music and others are earning big money. There was an enthusiasm initially; it still is in some programs. But there are few where verbal fights are staged to set their TRPs roaring.
God knows what else is wearing the facade. When will a man stop dancing to the tune of money. The audience in this whole picture seems to be looked upon as a puppet.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Blooming at Night
While the sun goes down and stars shine up, silence crawls in. Everyone's asleep. Except me. Have been longing to listen to R D Burman's music (yester)day. Grateful to hubby, he downloaded a few of the music composer's songs. He was charged up too then and added more songs to the playlist.
Its half past twelve at midnight. As they say, " Old is Gold", it is so true. The music is very soothing, light to ears. The lyrics have depth, one likes to hear each word of the song. The music composers have rendered lyrics soulful. I feel as if, the world lay asleep on my command, so I can enjoy silent moments all by myself. And I am savoring each second, minute.
Like others, while travelling, I do, occasionally though, listen to music with headphones plugged into ears. But the joy is more now, than in the daylight which is filled with noise from all sorts of communication channels. Music goes in ears in the day, but in the night, it goes into the heart. And the heart blossoms.
Good bye friends, its two AM. Will catch some sleep!
Its half past twelve at midnight. As they say, " Old is Gold", it is so true. The music is very soothing, light to ears. The lyrics have depth, one likes to hear each word of the song. The music composers have rendered lyrics soulful. I feel as if, the world lay asleep on my command, so I can enjoy silent moments all by myself. And I am savoring each second, minute.
Like others, while travelling, I do, occasionally though, listen to music with headphones plugged into ears. But the joy is more now, than in the daylight which is filled with noise from all sorts of communication channels. Music goes in ears in the day, but in the night, it goes into the heart. And the heart blossoms.
Good bye friends, its two AM. Will catch some sleep!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
On request
The day couldn't have been more lovely. Here is one beautiful leaf from the past on request by....well you will find who when you dive in here..
Beguiled by Goa...
--Apr 2005
Aaj mauka aaya hai hone ka sang-sang
Holi aane ko hai, chidkenge doston pe rang
Lekin...lekin... suroor isi ka hai,yeh nahin hai laazim
Jannat ki raah mein jab chale pade ho kadam
To har din hai baharon ka ek naya mausam
Har dhun ek meethi sargam..
Phir kaise....kaise na chedhe hum ye nazm....
So the adventure began....with Kafiya among the Kafila. Remember movie "Khubsoorat"? A small family of three, perky people, always talking with each other in Kafiya mode. We got inspired and decided to learn something new. This was it. Totally charged up, that we were, you can see here:
Swapna(tired of waiting for the bus-Paulo Travel): Are kab aayega yeh Paulo?
Mohini: Ayega Ayega abhi aa jayega
Satya: Humse bachker kahan jayega!!!!
Though "bachker" was silly above, it was so appropriate for what was to happen. We'd already bought the tickets, and now he was asking for more:( But were we giving in? Not at all! So we explained and argued with him that, it was not right and we won't give. We won! )
One more here , see it as our earnest attempt to learn by hook or by crook:)
Sadhana(holding Mohini's hands and pointing at bangles): Kyon pahni hai tune yeh chudi?
Satya: Mud na kahin kalayee teri!!!!
Ok, a bad one. But our efforts never stopped, and so did the driver's efforts for a smooth ride in the bus :). Finally Goa welcomed us, after long and comfortable :( journey!
It would be unjust, not describing the comfortable journey in the bus, before stepping on the sands of Goa. So let me play the previous night’s movie first.
Comfort did prevail for some of us sitting in the front of the bus. They jumped less than the rest, we were sitting in the last seats. But, no regrets. Because they missed the fun. As we talked on, down fell the shoes, a hanky and a purse of the family occupying the topmost berth. An indication, probably, they wanted to give us to stop making noise! The best scene of the movie was when one of us was acting out a movie title. “Darna mana hai” – as the rest of us let out to guess it right, the lady at the top, asked us – “Aur kya kya mana hai, abhi bata do”.:) Fun continued as we played Antakshari, cards, Kafia…. anything and everything!
In Goa. We started for the Co-Co beach on the first day. Being on the seaside, one always feels good, isn't it? But, there is fun in reaching there too. Driving on the not-so-really wide roads, watching the series of bungalows with variety of trees around each. And then, there was this erratic land-of-sand, which made you feel more like a safari experience. On either side of this sandy road, there was a farm or a barren land.
Back to, on the beach then, we watched Goa by boat. The Dolphins made us chase them for quite a while, just for one view of them. We did achieve success in capturing them in eye frames, but not in the camera frames! The Prisoners were waving at us from the Central Prison, built long ago, on the rocks at the edge of the sea. There stood the exquisite bungalow of a diamond merchant Jimmy Guzder, again by the sea. And, Vijay Mallay's "Indian Princess" was elegantly dressed in white.
One advice for all those, who are planning to go for a boat-ride on this beach. We managed to get the boat for Rs. Seven hundred for 1 hour, where originally he had asked for a Thousand & five hundred Rupees. Thanks to our Bambaiyya bargaining skills!
After this one-hour of See-Goa-By-Boat, we drove to the Aguada Fort. The name "Aguada" comes from a 225 feet cistern, holding 2,376,000 gallons of water of the fountains within the fortress. The ships would berth here for shelter and bunker of water for the long voyage. This is the technical definition that we would remember, but will fondly call it as the DCH point - because...Dil yehi chahta hai! And as a Tea lover, I would not forget this fort for the Rose flavored tea - a spirit reviving experience!
Man made history and God made Nature. So, we marched towards Calaugute beach to enjoy pleasures of nature. But it disappointed us, one for the abundant crowd and other for an incident. A little girl, a foreigner, in her mother’s arms, with a beautiful scarf tied on her head, was eating an ice-cream and we wanted to take her snap. When we approached her father for permission, he replied - "Sau rupiye"! Our obvious reaction was - Shocked. And we left. For other destination - The Baga beach. En route we kept talking about and analyzing on why the father acted that way, knowing also in mind we wouldn't have any answers.
We didn't spend much time on the beach. The moment our driver informed that Vagator beach was the best one for a dive in the sea, we were in all alacrity to go there. After all, we shouldn't be " Returning from Haridwar without a holy bath in the Ganges!" He was so true...standing on an altitude, we saw the beach down there, so tranquil, drawing us towards it. And we allowed it to. After playing dodgeball for a while, some of us plunged into the blue sea. With every tide gradually hitting me, I sensed a joy.... For, the waters, calm as they were, were making me serene too, giving me an opportunity live those moments, to relish the beauty of the nature.
I had dreamt of running across the shallow waters of the sea, and that was a wonderful experience too. Infact, there was a race, close to fifty meters, which Geeta won. Later, we relaxed on the rocks, eyes gazing at the expanse of the sea, as if asking a question - “Who is at the other end of the sea? May be a group of enthusiasts like us and who knows, they would be thinking the same....That was the highlight of the day, and, after the sun went down the sea, it ended up with a cozy dinner.
"We'd been to Goa" - when friends used to tell me, instantly, frames of sea shore would start moving in front of my eyes like a movie. But, the city has more, which is shadowed by the beaches. I am taking about Basicila of St. Xavier in Old Goa, which has preserved the body of St. Francis Xavier. History has it, that, when the priest died, he had a wish his body be brought there. People of Goa revered it. And you can see up there on the right side, inside the church, body of their Holy father, resting in a decorated coffin. This holds true, that, till today, there are many eyes that shed tears remembering him.
The vicinity of the next church was appealing. Especially, the triangular shaped trees bent at almost ninety degrees. The last church was St. Augostine. Aging from beautiful monument, to ruins today, hasn't decreased its splendor. As a matter of fact, in this "ruins" form, with all the asymmetry, the church was fascinating. One, among the ideal places to click the camera.
We continued to seek the blessings of God in the temples of Mangeshi and the Shanta-Durga. Where we also learned the fact, that, people of Goa are devotees of Lord Shiva and all over the state, are spread temples of this God, with his different names – Shiva, Mangesh, Nagesh, Ravalnath.. And some among these devotees were seen in the spirit of Holi, playing with colors, playing the drums.
It was noon then. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. After offering our prayers, it was time to move now to Sanguem to see the plantation of cashewnuts, and other vegetables. With a lot of distance to cover, our journey continued in the festive mood , with the "keris", "kakdis"& "jamuns":) Before we reach there, let me tell you that we were invited to visit this farm, and it was none other than Mohini's aunt. And we thank her. And you will know why.
Getting down from the vehicle, we walked a few steps in the field and reached a small hut besides which, was a sitting area. We had a warm welcome from Uncle, Aunty and Mohini's Mom. The "Nimboo pani" cooled us down a bit. Gulped down the "puffs". Even tried the big cashew fruit and the "pheni". But it was bitter and strong, too strong I realized as it slid down the throat. Meanwhile, looking at all of us, from one corner was this little cat, wondering who these new guests were!
They showed us various vegetables and fruits they had in the farm. Also, how "pheni" was made. While departing, some of us even took a couple of vegetables. All of us had lunch together besides a dam. Wonderful moment.
Flop spot – we’d named our next destination - the "Budbud" pond. It is heard, that, making sound there causes ripples in water. To see this wonder, we traveled. Veering from one lane to another, sometimes in the wrong direction. Didn't miss out asking anyone on the way if he knew how to get there. Patience for the rest of us, was at peak, with Geeta' song - "Do me a favor lets play Holi" looping infinitely as the lanes. The loop ended. We reached. We clapped and we shouted. Alas, no results, except occasionally some wrinkles did appear. Wrinkles in water and on our faces. Unsatisfied, we chose to depart.
On our way back, after lunch, Uncle & Aunty pressed for Tea at their home. We couldn't resist. Their hospitality continued. "Pannah"(drink made from raw mangoes), Tea, "Sheera" and "Pakodas", one after the other we had there. Relaxing and refreshing ourselves, and expressing gratitude from deep down our hearts, we said good bye to them. Truly lovely people.
The sun was setting. After meeting lovely people, let us remember two people in love. Dona and Paulo. Lovers were they, and probably loved each other deeply. When they found out they couldn't stay alive together, they ended their lives. Jumping off into the sea.
We went there, on the sea side known as "Dona Paulo". The sun had set by now. We climbed up the stairs to take a good view of the sea. Moon , in its complete shape , was up there looking at us. It was cool. It was romantic. Just as nights always are...I still wondered why the lovers met this fate......It was time to dine and get some sleep. So we made a move. This time to a Vegetarian restaurant, unlike the previous days:) And then to home finally. With the curtains coming down the second day, some of us were happy and some complaining. Why? Because the Non-veg lovers Had to eat Veg!!
The place "Dona Paulo" left us spellbound with its glamour. But I must say that, the effect was seen much on Sadhana, who unknowingly renamed the spot as “Paulo Dona”!!
The last day. Or should I say, half-day. We went to "Dona Paulo" again. To see its beauty in the daylight. It turned out adventurous this time. Exhibiting our ebullience, we walked down from home for 1 - 1.5 km. Waiting for ferry, had tea and biscuits. The ferry took us to Panjim, on the other side, free of charge. The private bus took then, to the desired stop. Those buses were small, as compared to our Mumbai ones. Among standees, only one could stand. The faint letters, painted on the one of the windows read - "For ladies". But the guy didn’t get up. Why? The Uncle standing on left clarified – “There is no rule like this in Goa”. So, may be in the past it was followed, we guessed.
At "Dona Paulo" we drove the scooter first. And it was a frisson, beating the sea as the wind beat me. When all our turns were over, we got ready for the snap of the trip. Like a family photo, like the Team India (Men in blue) photo. Clad in gray T-shirts, showing our love for the Garden of Eden, we clicked some photos at the top of the structure built near the sea. The same place where we stood on the night, the day before. But this time, as the sun shone, the tiny bright yellow sparks in the sea, enhanced its beauty, just as diamonds do for a woman!
On our way to the market, we got a glimpse of the Miramar beach. It was gorgeous too! Further, the letters "L&T", written in gold embossed letters, attracted our attention. It was a guesthouse, certainly. Our shopping started and went on for an hour or two. Dry fruits and Bibinca (a special cake of Goa, we were told). Luck smiled on Geeta, as she finally bought the Wraparound she was craving for and on the rest of us too as it didn’t turn out as "shop till you drop":).
Completely beaten by the heat, we did manage to visit one more church during shopping. Lunch followed as our half- day came to an end. Packing the bags, we waved Aurevoir to beaches and the city, and started off again for Mumbai. This time Mohini's Mom was also with us. A very simple, calm and shy lady, as I came to know while clicking her snap. As the bus kept moving in the direction of Mumbai, the other colors of Goa came vivid on the canvas of my mind. Enjoying the Pooran-poli(Thanks to Mohini's sister),the movie "Main Hoon Na" and the dreams that night, the journey came to an end.
But the story hasn't. I haven't written about the people of Goa. They are friendly, like our driver - Sanjay. He was our guide on the first day. He also went beyond his way to show some of the places, which we might have missed out, had we been on our own. Mohini's Uncle, Aunty, Mom and Sister. Warm people. I am short of words in their praise.....
Goans like nature. They like to live amidst the green leafy trees, vibrant flowers. You can feel it, when you see a Goan's residence. One surrounded by the verdure, the juicy and feral fruits and the aromatic flowers. While moving in the city, I saw plenty of land, green land, unlike other cities where you can see only tall buildings. Good aesthetic sense - houses by the beach. One of which has made a forever impression on my mind - "Tom's Dream". This was a bungalow besides the Co-Co beach, colored in yellow. I just loved this name. A man with a passion, this Tom would have been. To build this house and name it on his dream. That’s my guess.
The story still doesn't end here. Without mentioning the names - Mohini and Swapna. Our colleagues and friends. We thank them too, for being our expert guides and showering their affection and care for us.
The story ends. But, if you are wondering what happened to the Kafiya initiative, well; it has just begun.
-----* In the narration above,”WE” are: Ria, Shambhavi, Dipa, Jayashree, Mohini, Swapna, Geeta, Sadhana and Satya. *----
Beguiled by Goa...
--Apr 2005
Aaj mauka aaya hai hone ka sang-sang
Holi aane ko hai, chidkenge doston pe rang
Lekin...lekin... suroor isi ka hai,yeh nahin hai laazim
Jannat ki raah mein jab chale pade ho kadam
To har din hai baharon ka ek naya mausam
Har dhun ek meethi sargam..
Phir kaise....kaise na chedhe hum ye nazm....
So the adventure began....with Kafiya among the Kafila. Remember movie "Khubsoorat"? A small family of three, perky people, always talking with each other in Kafiya mode. We got inspired and decided to learn something new. This was it. Totally charged up, that we were, you can see here:
Swapna(tired of waiting for the bus-Paulo Travel): Are kab aayega yeh Paulo?
Mohini: Ayega Ayega abhi aa jayega
Satya: Humse bachker kahan jayega!!!!
Though "bachker" was silly above, it was so appropriate for what was to happen. We'd already bought the tickets, and now he was asking for more:( But were we giving in? Not at all! So we explained and argued with him that, it was not right and we won't give. We won! )
One more here , see it as our earnest attempt to learn by hook or by crook:)
Sadhana(holding Mohini's hands and pointing at bangles): Kyon pahni hai tune yeh chudi?
Satya: Mud na kahin kalayee teri!!!!
Ok, a bad one. But our efforts never stopped, and so did the driver's efforts for a smooth ride in the bus :). Finally Goa welcomed us, after long and comfortable :( journey!
It would be unjust, not describing the comfortable journey in the bus, before stepping on the sands of Goa. So let me play the previous night’s movie first.
Comfort did prevail for some of us sitting in the front of the bus. They jumped less than the rest, we were sitting in the last seats. But, no regrets. Because they missed the fun. As we talked on, down fell the shoes, a hanky and a purse of the family occupying the topmost berth. An indication, probably, they wanted to give us to stop making noise! The best scene of the movie was when one of us was acting out a movie title. “Darna mana hai” – as the rest of us let out to guess it right, the lady at the top, asked us – “Aur kya kya mana hai, abhi bata do”.:) Fun continued as we played Antakshari, cards, Kafia…. anything and everything!
In Goa. We started for the Co-Co beach on the first day. Being on the seaside, one always feels good, isn't it? But, there is fun in reaching there too. Driving on the not-so-really wide roads, watching the series of bungalows with variety of trees around each. And then, there was this erratic land-of-sand, which made you feel more like a safari experience. On either side of this sandy road, there was a farm or a barren land.
Back to, on the beach then, we watched Goa by boat. The Dolphins made us chase them for quite a while, just for one view of them. We did achieve success in capturing them in eye frames, but not in the camera frames! The Prisoners were waving at us from the Central Prison, built long ago, on the rocks at the edge of the sea. There stood the exquisite bungalow of a diamond merchant Jimmy Guzder, again by the sea. And, Vijay Mallay's "Indian Princess" was elegantly dressed in white.
One advice for all those, who are planning to go for a boat-ride on this beach. We managed to get the boat for Rs. Seven hundred for 1 hour, where originally he had asked for a Thousand & five hundred Rupees. Thanks to our Bambaiyya bargaining skills!
After this one-hour of See-Goa-By-Boat, we drove to the Aguada Fort. The name "Aguada" comes from a 225 feet cistern, holding 2,376,000 gallons of water of the fountains within the fortress. The ships would berth here for shelter and bunker of water for the long voyage. This is the technical definition that we would remember, but will fondly call it as the DCH point - because...Dil yehi chahta hai! And as a Tea lover, I would not forget this fort for the Rose flavored tea - a spirit reviving experience!
Man made history and God made Nature. So, we marched towards Calaugute beach to enjoy pleasures of nature. But it disappointed us, one for the abundant crowd and other for an incident. A little girl, a foreigner, in her mother’s arms, with a beautiful scarf tied on her head, was eating an ice-cream and we wanted to take her snap. When we approached her father for permission, he replied - "Sau rupiye"! Our obvious reaction was - Shocked. And we left. For other destination - The Baga beach. En route we kept talking about and analyzing on why the father acted that way, knowing also in mind we wouldn't have any answers.
We didn't spend much time on the beach. The moment our driver informed that Vagator beach was the best one for a dive in the sea, we were in all alacrity to go there. After all, we shouldn't be " Returning from Haridwar without a holy bath in the Ganges!" He was so true...standing on an altitude, we saw the beach down there, so tranquil, drawing us towards it. And we allowed it to. After playing dodgeball for a while, some of us plunged into the blue sea. With every tide gradually hitting me, I sensed a joy.... For, the waters, calm as they were, were making me serene too, giving me an opportunity live those moments, to relish the beauty of the nature.
I had dreamt of running across the shallow waters of the sea, and that was a wonderful experience too. Infact, there was a race, close to fifty meters, which Geeta won. Later, we relaxed on the rocks, eyes gazing at the expanse of the sea, as if asking a question - “Who is at the other end of the sea? May be a group of enthusiasts like us and who knows, they would be thinking the same....That was the highlight of the day, and, after the sun went down the sea, it ended up with a cozy dinner.
"We'd been to Goa" - when friends used to tell me, instantly, frames of sea shore would start moving in front of my eyes like a movie. But, the city has more, which is shadowed by the beaches. I am taking about Basicila of St. Xavier in Old Goa, which has preserved the body of St. Francis Xavier. History has it, that, when the priest died, he had a wish his body be brought there. People of Goa revered it. And you can see up there on the right side, inside the church, body of their Holy father, resting in a decorated coffin. This holds true, that, till today, there are many eyes that shed tears remembering him.
The vicinity of the next church was appealing. Especially, the triangular shaped trees bent at almost ninety degrees. The last church was St. Augostine. Aging from beautiful monument, to ruins today, hasn't decreased its splendor. As a matter of fact, in this "ruins" form, with all the asymmetry, the church was fascinating. One, among the ideal places to click the camera.
We continued to seek the blessings of God in the temples of Mangeshi and the Shanta-Durga. Where we also learned the fact, that, people of Goa are devotees of Lord Shiva and all over the state, are spread temples of this God, with his different names – Shiva, Mangesh, Nagesh, Ravalnath.. And some among these devotees were seen in the spirit of Holi, playing with colors, playing the drums.
It was noon then. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. After offering our prayers, it was time to move now to Sanguem to see the plantation of cashewnuts, and other vegetables. With a lot of distance to cover, our journey continued in the festive mood , with the "keris", "kakdis"& "jamuns":) Before we reach there, let me tell you that we were invited to visit this farm, and it was none other than Mohini's aunt. And we thank her. And you will know why.
Getting down from the vehicle, we walked a few steps in the field and reached a small hut besides which, was a sitting area. We had a warm welcome from Uncle, Aunty and Mohini's Mom. The "Nimboo pani" cooled us down a bit. Gulped down the "puffs". Even tried the big cashew fruit and the "pheni". But it was bitter and strong, too strong I realized as it slid down the throat. Meanwhile, looking at all of us, from one corner was this little cat, wondering who these new guests were!
They showed us various vegetables and fruits they had in the farm. Also, how "pheni" was made. While departing, some of us even took a couple of vegetables. All of us had lunch together besides a dam. Wonderful moment.
Flop spot – we’d named our next destination - the "Budbud" pond. It is heard, that, making sound there causes ripples in water. To see this wonder, we traveled. Veering from one lane to another, sometimes in the wrong direction. Didn't miss out asking anyone on the way if he knew how to get there. Patience for the rest of us, was at peak, with Geeta' song - "Do me a favor lets play Holi" looping infinitely as the lanes. The loop ended. We reached. We clapped and we shouted. Alas, no results, except occasionally some wrinkles did appear. Wrinkles in water and on our faces. Unsatisfied, we chose to depart.
On our way back, after lunch, Uncle & Aunty pressed for Tea at their home. We couldn't resist. Their hospitality continued. "Pannah"(drink made from raw mangoes), Tea, "Sheera" and "Pakodas", one after the other we had there. Relaxing and refreshing ourselves, and expressing gratitude from deep down our hearts, we said good bye to them. Truly lovely people.
The sun was setting. After meeting lovely people, let us remember two people in love. Dona and Paulo. Lovers were they, and probably loved each other deeply. When they found out they couldn't stay alive together, they ended their lives. Jumping off into the sea.
We went there, on the sea side known as "Dona Paulo". The sun had set by now. We climbed up the stairs to take a good view of the sea. Moon , in its complete shape , was up there looking at us. It was cool. It was romantic. Just as nights always are...I still wondered why the lovers met this fate......It was time to dine and get some sleep. So we made a move. This time to a Vegetarian restaurant, unlike the previous days:) And then to home finally. With the curtains coming down the second day, some of us were happy and some complaining. Why? Because the Non-veg lovers Had to eat Veg!!
The place "Dona Paulo" left us spellbound with its glamour. But I must say that, the effect was seen much on Sadhana, who unknowingly renamed the spot as “Paulo Dona”!!
The last day. Or should I say, half-day. We went to "Dona Paulo" again. To see its beauty in the daylight. It turned out adventurous this time. Exhibiting our ebullience, we walked down from home for 1 - 1.5 km. Waiting for ferry, had tea and biscuits. The ferry took us to Panjim, on the other side, free of charge. The private bus took then, to the desired stop. Those buses were small, as compared to our Mumbai ones. Among standees, only one could stand. The faint letters, painted on the one of the windows read - "For ladies". But the guy didn’t get up. Why? The Uncle standing on left clarified – “There is no rule like this in Goa”. So, may be in the past it was followed, we guessed.
At "Dona Paulo" we drove the scooter first. And it was a frisson, beating the sea as the wind beat me. When all our turns were over, we got ready for the snap of the trip. Like a family photo, like the Team India (Men in blue) photo. Clad in gray T-shirts, showing our love for the Garden of Eden, we clicked some photos at the top of the structure built near the sea. The same place where we stood on the night, the day before. But this time, as the sun shone, the tiny bright yellow sparks in the sea, enhanced its beauty, just as diamonds do for a woman!
On our way to the market, we got a glimpse of the Miramar beach. It was gorgeous too! Further, the letters "L&T", written in gold embossed letters, attracted our attention. It was a guesthouse, certainly. Our shopping started and went on for an hour or two. Dry fruits and Bibinca (a special cake of Goa, we were told). Luck smiled on Geeta, as she finally bought the Wraparound she was craving for and on the rest of us too as it didn’t turn out as "shop till you drop":).
Completely beaten by the heat, we did manage to visit one more church during shopping. Lunch followed as our half- day came to an end. Packing the bags, we waved Aurevoir to beaches and the city, and started off again for Mumbai. This time Mohini's Mom was also with us. A very simple, calm and shy lady, as I came to know while clicking her snap. As the bus kept moving in the direction of Mumbai, the other colors of Goa came vivid on the canvas of my mind. Enjoying the Pooran-poli(Thanks to Mohini's sister),the movie "Main Hoon Na" and the dreams that night, the journey came to an end.
But the story hasn't. I haven't written about the people of Goa. They are friendly, like our driver - Sanjay. He was our guide on the first day. He also went beyond his way to show some of the places, which we might have missed out, had we been on our own. Mohini's Uncle, Aunty, Mom and Sister. Warm people. I am short of words in their praise.....
Goans like nature. They like to live amidst the green leafy trees, vibrant flowers. You can feel it, when you see a Goan's residence. One surrounded by the verdure, the juicy and feral fruits and the aromatic flowers. While moving in the city, I saw plenty of land, green land, unlike other cities where you can see only tall buildings. Good aesthetic sense - houses by the beach. One of which has made a forever impression on my mind - "Tom's Dream". This was a bungalow besides the Co-Co beach, colored in yellow. I just loved this name. A man with a passion, this Tom would have been. To build this house and name it on his dream. That’s my guess.
The story still doesn't end here. Without mentioning the names - Mohini and Swapna. Our colleagues and friends. We thank them too, for being our expert guides and showering their affection and care for us.
The story ends. But, if you are wondering what happened to the Kafiya initiative, well; it has just begun.
-----* In the narration above,”WE” are: Ria, Shambhavi, Dipa, Jayashree, Mohini, Swapna, Geeta, Sadhana and Satya. *----
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Toast to the Gentlemen
This one is for my .NET Transition project team mates.....
A common score, but 41 bull's eye hits. That is what made a difference. To make Tejaswini Sawant a winner in 2010 World shooting Championship. "Master class Tejaswini!", I wished her in my heart, truly elated. The first woman winner in world shooting games. A moment for pride for the women community. And... my mind drifts to 3rd of March this year...yes, it was indeed the Women's day.
A steaming cup of tea added a sparkle to the mundane morning. The RJ's on FM seemed more excited calling women & celebrities in all parts of the country, wishing them a Happy Women's day. Waiting for the RJ to tune in a beautiful song, I picked up the English newspaper. The editor too managed to carve out a piece in honor of women. Unmoved, I flipped onto to the Sports page, my favorite and checked out the news. The tea reached at bottom signaling it was time to get ready for office.
Wednesdays, mid-week, are too consuming at work. The big pile of emails, never ending status report. And meetings are almost a daily ritual . Thankfully, the day was still colorful with many ladies clad in sarees. A twosome with sublime combination; cream with lemon yellow border, black with a light brown border, one wrapped in bandhni, reminding of Gujarat. Bright colors extended by others to striped orange, and shining blue. They were the professional divas of my team!
"Satya" , someone called. It was late afternoon. "Please come to the breakout area". And he called all the members of our team. One by one everyone gathered there looking at each other for hints of the move. The breakout area, is, as you would have guessed, "A place to chill out when you are worked out". A small area, of size of a room, with fours tables. One side was a glass wall. The ambience was bright with yellow tables and red chairs. Aligned with the radiant sarees. There was no clue yet, of what was to happen.
All the ladies were asked to surround a table while all men stood opposite to it. The men definitely knew what it was, as they carried a mysterious smile. One of them then placed a white box on the table. It took no time to guess that it was a cake. So most probably it was someone's birthday, I guessed. But to my surprise...sorry... to all ladies' surprise, the celebration was for the ladies indeed! After all it was Our Day! The Women's day!
The team gave me privilege to cut the cake, Thank you all , and the liveliness of the room was intensified with joyful claps and smiles on faces of women, still in awe of what had just happened. Some men captured the moment in their cameras. They seemed happy too celebrating for female colleagues. But, something on their faces said the party was still not over. What came in later was a bigger box, heavy as a ton of bricks. "What is in there ?" I questioned, while being pushed down by the weight. The voices poured with guesses, as I laid it on the table and started unwrapping. All the eyes were on the box. More small boxes were discovered and by this time the ladies, couldn't hold onto their patience and one by one they came and started opening the smaller boxes. "Wow, it’s so beautiful!", some of us said as a miniature statue of woman came out. She was looking as a princess with a red rose pinned up in the black hair and a pretty sari. There was one such replica for each of the women in the team. Some dressed up in beautiful white gown , some in sari. The other boxes revealed tiny jewellery boxes, ceramic off-white decorated in golden, giving it a classy look.
The men really knew the act of pleasing women! We collected all our gifts, some of us even exchanged for favorite color.
Stumped, overwhelmed, stunned...no words could describe what I felt within. There are days declared in honor of father, mother, teacher, children and so on. I never celebrate these days, except that when I was in school, I had a taste of Children's day celebration. Mother is always very special. One may thank his mother on Mother's day for all that she has showered. But, it is our actions, karma in daily life, every moment, that truly show how much we admire, care and love these special people. I am indeed very proud to be a woman. However, Women's day, never appealed to me. Till this year. This time, the men in my team, my colleagues, made me see the other side.
That, admiration should not be concealed.
Our fast paced lives may not allow us time to acknowledge others,
So, days like these are created to bring joy , by expression
To all those whom you revere; family, friends and colleagues
That, simple pleasures should be cherished. Truly, deeply.
Thank you Gentlemen, for making it so marvelous, so perfect!!
A common score, but 41 bull's eye hits. That is what made a difference. To make Tejaswini Sawant a winner in 2010 World shooting Championship. "Master class Tejaswini!", I wished her in my heart, truly elated. The first woman winner in world shooting games. A moment for pride for the women community. And... my mind drifts to 3rd of March this year...yes, it was indeed the Women's day.
A steaming cup of tea added a sparkle to the mundane morning. The RJ's on FM seemed more excited calling women & celebrities in all parts of the country, wishing them a Happy Women's day. Waiting for the RJ to tune in a beautiful song, I picked up the English newspaper. The editor too managed to carve out a piece in honor of women. Unmoved, I flipped onto to the Sports page, my favorite and checked out the news. The tea reached at bottom signaling it was time to get ready for office.
Wednesdays, mid-week, are too consuming at work. The big pile of emails, never ending status report. And meetings are almost a daily ritual . Thankfully, the day was still colorful with many ladies clad in sarees. A twosome with sublime combination; cream with lemon yellow border, black with a light brown border, one wrapped in bandhni, reminding of Gujarat. Bright colors extended by others to striped orange, and shining blue. They were the professional divas of my team!
"Satya" , someone called. It was late afternoon. "Please come to the breakout area". And he called all the members of our team. One by one everyone gathered there looking at each other for hints of the move. The breakout area, is, as you would have guessed, "A place to chill out when you are worked out". A small area, of size of a room, with fours tables. One side was a glass wall. The ambience was bright with yellow tables and red chairs. Aligned with the radiant sarees. There was no clue yet, of what was to happen.
All the ladies were asked to surround a table while all men stood opposite to it. The men definitely knew what it was, as they carried a mysterious smile. One of them then placed a white box on the table. It took no time to guess that it was a cake. So most probably it was someone's birthday, I guessed. But to my surprise...sorry... to all ladies' surprise, the celebration was for the ladies indeed! After all it was Our Day! The Women's day!
The team gave me privilege to cut the cake, Thank you all , and the liveliness of the room was intensified with joyful claps and smiles on faces of women, still in awe of what had just happened. Some men captured the moment in their cameras. They seemed happy too celebrating for female colleagues. But, something on their faces said the party was still not over. What came in later was a bigger box, heavy as a ton of bricks. "What is in there ?" I questioned, while being pushed down by the weight. The voices poured with guesses, as I laid it on the table and started unwrapping. All the eyes were on the box. More small boxes were discovered and by this time the ladies, couldn't hold onto their patience and one by one they came and started opening the smaller boxes. "Wow, it’s so beautiful!", some of us said as a miniature statue of woman came out. She was looking as a princess with a red rose pinned up in the black hair and a pretty sari. There was one such replica for each of the women in the team. Some dressed up in beautiful white gown , some in sari. The other boxes revealed tiny jewellery boxes, ceramic off-white decorated in golden, giving it a classy look.
The men really knew the act of pleasing women! We collected all our gifts, some of us even exchanged for favorite color.
Stumped, overwhelmed, stunned...no words could describe what I felt within. There are days declared in honor of father, mother, teacher, children and so on. I never celebrate these days, except that when I was in school, I had a taste of Children's day celebration. Mother is always very special. One may thank his mother on Mother's day for all that she has showered. But, it is our actions, karma in daily life, every moment, that truly show how much we admire, care and love these special people. I am indeed very proud to be a woman. However, Women's day, never appealed to me. Till this year. This time, the men in my team, my colleagues, made me see the other side.
That, admiration should not be concealed.
Our fast paced lives may not allow us time to acknowledge others,
So, days like these are created to bring joy , by expression
To all those whom you revere; family, friends and colleagues
That, simple pleasures should be cherished. Truly, deeply.
Thank you Gentlemen, for making it so marvelous, so perfect!!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A Wonder Ride
Come monsoon, and every being changes its mood - The sand smells earthy, the trees go brighter, the birds get cheerful ! And so was I. In awe of the magical rains while journeying from Mumbai to Pune!
Up and down around the valley we rode
The enticing greens and soaking road
The clouds went crazy
Forcing the Sun into mazy
The tiny rain drops kissed the window glass
Oh, and they lovingly touched my heart
Was it a dusky dawn or a sunny dream?
Trees, hut, the drizzle, so pleasing they seemed
Summer, Winter, come and disappear
Now I know why monsoon is so dear
The ride in the bus was a sheer delight
When thousand silver drops came out in limelight!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Passed PMP!
Achieving PMP wasn’t by choice, but by pressure, I will admit. Pressure, coming through expectation, and scores of others who accomplished it now and then; within the organization and rest of the world. The thought of going through an examination gave me jitters.
“I passed PMP!” every time on the internet, I came across this ecstasy, the question would surface up. It would ask me in the eye “When will you don PMP? “Some day...” would be my answer, half heartedly.
Often, the question popped up, and I made attempts to push it away. But it never left me. Till, finally, I decided to take the plunge. First step, became a PMI member. And then, as you would have imagined, I was back to school. With more than forty hours of job every week, it was hardly possible to focus on the studies. The two sisters Saturday and Sunday became my friends. They helped me prepare for the hottest project management certification these days. Be it at home, or in train, Rita’s PMPPrep was always with me.
The concepts were easy to learn, since, as PMs, most of the processes we followed in projects. So, why was it still terrifying? Selecting the right answer out of 2. Why 2? Because, one could, with little effort identify the 2 wrong ones from 4. It was then, choosing 1 of the remaining, that was challenging! But Rita has really mastered the art of designing questions. They teach you how to not get trapped in a situation!
Time ticked away, the thought of failure did visit me now and then. “So what?”, the voice within would shout out and say “You will anyway pull of the PMP….Poora Money Paani (main)…ha haJ . Realized, I had a good sense of humour too…
Well then, let’s fast forward. Here I was in the Prometric Centre – or, was it a battlefield? Shot at one, then two, three…one by one all questions. Last hour was gripping. Every second raised the heart beat. After all, it was more than ten years that I appeared for a paper. Click, the last one answered and the screen went blank!
And, the moment I thought the result was there, it was, alas, a survey form L No options, uninterestingly went ahead and, there, finally when PASS exploded, my heart was steady. What a relief!
It was a learning experience, especially certain concepts and chapters which I wasn’t much familiar with. I hope I can use it to perform better in my PM role.
The centre maintained a cool temperature, as if saying to every candidate “Be Cool”. But, I will still recommend them to lower it………for, by the time you complete the exam, it turns freezing cold!!
“I passed PMP!” every time on the internet, I came across this ecstasy, the question would surface up. It would ask me in the eye “When will you don PMP? “Some day...” would be my answer, half heartedly.
Often, the question popped up, and I made attempts to push it away. But it never left me. Till, finally, I decided to take the plunge. First step, became a PMI member. And then, as you would have imagined, I was back to school. With more than forty hours of job every week, it was hardly possible to focus on the studies. The two sisters Saturday and Sunday became my friends. They helped me prepare for the hottest project management certification these days. Be it at home, or in train, Rita’s PMPPrep was always with me.
The concepts were easy to learn, since, as PMs, most of the processes we followed in projects. So, why was it still terrifying? Selecting the right answer out of 2. Why 2? Because, one could, with little effort identify the 2 wrong ones from 4. It was then, choosing 1 of the remaining, that was challenging! But Rita has really mastered the art of designing questions. They teach you how to not get trapped in a situation!
Time ticked away, the thought of failure did visit me now and then. “So what?”, the voice within would shout out and say “You will anyway pull of the PMP….Poora Money Paani (main)…ha haJ . Realized, I had a good sense of humour too…
Well then, let’s fast forward. Here I was in the Prometric Centre – or, was it a battlefield? Shot at one, then two, three…one by one all questions. Last hour was gripping. Every second raised the heart beat. After all, it was more than ten years that I appeared for a paper. Click, the last one answered and the screen went blank!
And, the moment I thought the result was there, it was, alas, a survey form L No options, uninterestingly went ahead and, there, finally when PASS exploded, my heart was steady. What a relief!
It was a learning experience, especially certain concepts and chapters which I wasn’t much familiar with. I hope I can use it to perform better in my PM role.
The centre maintained a cool temperature, as if saying to every candidate “Be Cool”. But, I will still recommend them to lower it………for, by the time you complete the exam, it turns freezing cold!!
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