we had to park the car outide the resort and we took a three wheeler to go inside the resort.
The white glassy sands were shaded by the patches of sunlight that filtered through the rows of coconut trees.
Major part of the afternoon was spend at the sea shore, combatting the wild waves against our skin.
It was a wonderful day spend eating, chatting and enjoying the cool sea winds.
The ten days trip to Dubai was an eventful episode. It was to celebrate my cousin's 50th birthday. I love to spend time with my family and since all my family is scattered all over the world, I get to meet them whenever they come to India, or when here is some family wedding then we get time to meet. But during weddings, we are too busy attending occasions and we hardly get time to chill, not really…all our time is spend in visiting saloon or dressing or attending some or the other parties. During the wedding, there is loud music that silences our conversations, and the notes are normally exchanged in groups of three or four. We wanted to spend quality time together, to meet some place, out of India, where we could just be together. The opportunity finally arrived. My cousin decided to celebrate her birthday in Dubai.
My nephew lives in Dubai, so it was perfect place for a venue away from home. He has three BHK apartments. The family that was to arrive were Rajni from Chicago, Suresh from Texas, Chandru and Meena from Hongkong, Laju from Lome, Reza from Bahrain, Gitu, Asgar and Neha from Lagos, Rani, Raju, Devkadidi from Pune and me from Mumbai. Then there were the family residents of Dubai that included Nikki, Dina, Karina, Sanjoo, Danisha, and Vinesh, thus we formed a group of twenty and the fun had begun.
Except for Sanjoo’s family of four, all the rest of us wanted to live under one roof. Gitoo and Rajni, (who were first to arrive,) headed for shopping and purchased the air mattresses that promised a comfortable dreamy nights. As the family arrived, one by one, the rooms filled with laughter and joy. Mornings were spent chatting and joking that were laced with other odd jobs like preparing breakfast, making beds and washing dishes. Nobody told anybody to help, but there was a special pleasure in working together. Although we were so many of us in one house, we didn’t feel crowded. Nikki’s hall is huge and airy with a large open balcony. He has two easy chairs, two rocking chairs and el-shaped couch, then there is a huge square shaped dining table with twelve chairs. Under the glassy top of the dinning table there is a beautifully carved slab of wood that had mosaic of gold colored, square metal chips The centre of the table is laden with a huge globular vase that contained fresh flowers. A fish aquarium, side table and a bar complete the room. Most of our hours were spend in this room.
After idle mornings, we would get ready to go for lunch and to visit malls. Dubai has beautiful malls with clean, large alleys. The shops gleam with merchandise. It is possible to visit only one mall a day, there is too much to walk and too much to see. We did go for desert safari, which was fun, roller-coasting through those sand dunes at break neck speed and late evening enjoying the Arabic dinner under the spells of the magic shows and belly dancing. We also enjoyed a boat ride on another evening and watched the sun set from the upper deck of the boat. But most of our days were spent visiting malls and trying the food at fancy restaurants.
We enjoyed the long drives through the city. We had rented a 17 seated vehicle, which was perfect for our group; we shared our stories and comments as we drove through the city. My cousins related how the city has grown in last five years. There were constructions everywhere, a new shiny glass buildings were mushrooming on all sides. We saw Burj Dubai, the super-tall structure, the final height of which is being held as a closely held secret that will feature residences, commercial space and retail space and hospitality elements including the world's first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences. With over 160 storey now, the most number of livable floors in any building in the world, Burj Dubai is already pushing the frontiers in architecture, construction and engineering excellence.
The ten days passed quickly and the quality time we spend together is the time etched in our memory for many years to come….
Early morning I heard the laughter of kids who were playing with color in the building compound. There were sounds of children running, shouting, and giggling. After saying a short morning prayers, I went to my bedroom balcony to watch the children play. Happily they sprinkled colors on faces of their friends, red, blue, green and the festival had arrived with vibrant hues and the celebration of life was here again. Hoil, the festival of colors, mischief, pranks, a day when you get away with any practical jokes and yet dance to a loud music.
Holi is a festival of universal brotherhood and happiness. The bonfires that are lit on the eve of Holi are in reminder of the value of true faith in God. Many years ago, we would lit the fire in the lane and all the neighbors would come with coconut, sweets and water, and we would walk three times around the bonfire, break the coconut, sprinkle water and red color powder and then we would play games like antakshri or dumbsheras till late nights. This year I went with my sister to the corner of the street and watched while my sister went closer to the fire to pray. Didn’t want to risk walking around the bonfires, was afraid that I might slip on the wet ground and harm myself.
Many years ago, we looked forward to these festivals and took part in all the festivities. We were young then, our vocal chord had higher decibels. We knew all the bollywood numbers and a great stamina to keep awake all night with friends and sing and laugh. Now, Holi is a day to celebrate with family, enjoying lunch, chat and play a game of cards with family and friends.
I like to watch children play Hoil, like to watch youngster dance to the loud music and do rain dance, I enjoy this festival, but now I watch it from a distance.
Not that I have become old, it is just that now my priorities have changed.
When I lived in Spain, what I hated most was doing the odd jobs at home like sweeping, swabbing, dusting or washing clothes. Therefore,when I returned back to India, I started to enjoy the comfort of a helper which is easily available in India' I appointed Shalini to help me clean my house.
Shalini worked in my house with a salary of just Rs500. Having her help in the house was a blessing I enjoyed and I was kind of living in luxury. She worked in four different houses in my building, doing the same job, over and over again, and seven days a week. I would ask her to take a day off and she would refuse telling me that she would be bored at home. Every evening, she would come to my house and make me a
cup of tea, and while she and I sipped the tea together, she would relate to me the stories of her life and her family.
Shalini had no husband and her family had cheated her out of the family property and she had been forced to work as a housemaid, because she was not educated nor qualified to do any other work. She had one daughter, Rupa, whom she would take with her everywhere because she did not trust the neighbor for her daughter's safety.
While she worked, Rupa would sit and watch her mother do cleaning and swabbing at other people's houses.
One day, Shalini's employer suggested that she educate her daughter, because she felt that her daughter was very pretty and education would do her good. On the insistence of her employer, she enrolled Rupa in the municipal school. Rupa would be seen following Shalini with a book in her hand. Rupa would get help in her studies from the children in the building, all the used books, and clothes were passed on to her from Shalini's employers.
Rupa started to enjoy the attention she was getting from all people in the neighborhood and she took more interest in her studies and was getting good result. Years passed, Rupa grew up, educated and graduated. Shalini would tell me the stories of how people had helped her financially to get her daughter educated and how proud she was of her pretty, educated daughter.
One day, she told me that Rupa had got a good job, she didn't know where her daughter was working but she said that she had started working in some office which was open all night and she had comapany transport at her service. I guessed it must be some call centre. While her daughter lived in style, she was still travelling by bus and doing menial work.
For next six months, she would tell me about her daughter earning good salary, and improving her standard of living. First came, radio with stereo, then telephone, 24 inch TV, sewing machine, furniture and then washing machine....and she told me that her daughter wanted her to stop working as house maid, as she was making enough money to support her. But Shalini was a proud woman and she didn't want to live on her daughter's expense, so she continued to work in four houses, doing the same drab work that she had been doing for 25 years. Her own clothes were washed in the washing machine at home, while she washed people's clothes at work.
I would wonder if her daughter was proud of her mother for getting her educated or was she ashamed of her mother, doing the menial work and earning only ten percent of her daughter's salary.
She was a very good maid; she worked hard and was very honest. Many other employers did not want her to leave them. They were afraid they would not be able to replace her and therefore they discouraged her for their own selfish comforts. They were happy that she was a self respecting woman who did not want to live on her aughter's expenses. I ask her to leave the job and rest at home and tried to explain to her that she deserved to live comfortably because she had made an effort to educate her daughter but she would not listen, telling me that she would be bored at home. Her daughter got married and forced her to stay with her and it was her son-in-law who finally cajoled her into leaving the job and start enjoying the comfort in her old age.
I lost a good maid but I was happy that her efforts had paid off. She visits me sometimes, and I feel happy to see her proud smile and glow on her face when she lovingly talks about her daughter's success.
Cross posted on another blog on 'Unchaai – Crying for Love’ at http://unwantedgirlchild.blogspot.com/2008/03/true-story-of-hope-and-determination.html
Dark eyes and long eyelashes
She might even have a sparkle
that will reflect on her mood
When her lover to her beckons.
She will have a colorful make-up
If for a feast, there is an invite
But on warm and lazy summers
She stretches till late nights
She is a woman of leisure
Who has no rules nor any plans
Each day for her is different
Dependent on her beloved friends
Today I finally finished my painting ‘Women of leisure’ it is done in acrylics. What I like about acrylics is that it dries faster and therefore, it is easier to finish it faster. The jewelry and the curved border is done with em-seal and painted with gold. It took me 2 months to complete it. It is added to my collection. Hope I will be able to sell one day. Till then, it sits perched on the top of my cabinet…
It was quite an interesting event with the attendance of over one hundred ladies and it also included few men. Most of the women came loaded with their own pockets of grievance, hoping to find solutions to their problems that related to their property rights We had different speaker that included Adv. Y.P.singh, ADV. Arvind Jain, Dr Mahendre Mehta, Adv Rajesh Mudholkar.
Dr Indu Shahani, the women ‘Sheriff of Mumbai City’ was the chief guest. She is the driving force behind women’s empowerment and she has coordinated with various NGO’s in addressing the various problems of women. She has started a helpline (call 1298) for women who are facing sexual or violence harassments. She pointed out to the powers of the youth and how they can be encouraged in redefining leadership.
Dr Shashi Sharma, WGG Chairperson, expressed the need for the mind set of the society to change, citing different examples about how a girl is programmed to work and help in the housework while boys are encouraged to study or to play. The division of the responsibility and difference in sex privileges are marked out at early age. She stressed the need to change this mind set and believed that everybody could be encouraged to perform to their best of their ability, irrespective of their sex preferences
Advocate, Ms Flavia Agnes, chairperson of MAJLIS, spoke about the different sexual and violence problems that women are facing and leading them to commit suicide. The issues of dowry death, sexual harassment and violence have not increased over the years, but it seems so, because initially many of these crimes would go unreported. There is a vulnerability of the women that subjects them to crime and violence. They are afraid to report because they are blamed for the crime. She argued that women would not commit suicide if she is educated and independent and has her own bank account. She believes that woman should not marry under the pressure of family and society; she should first be educated and independent and marry only when she is ready to marry some one of her choice. It should not be mandatory but it should be a decision of one’s free will. She stressed the fact that if woman is educated and has a position of power, nobody can touch her.
General scenario of property laws for women was discussed by advocate Arvind Jain. After 56 years of independence, woman is still discriminated in becoming an heir to the estate on par with her counterpart man. In fact, discrimination, though unconstitutional in the face of sacred Article 14 of the constitution is not uniform and does not guarantee that no citizen shall be discriminated on the basis of sex. Needless to say, thus, the laws which aim at empowering the vulnerable section of the society must not be read down.
After the delicious, vegetarian lunch of assorted vegetables, snacks, ice cream and sweets, second segment of the seminar continued.
Adv Y.P. Singh focused on women's denied rights and how we could deal formally/ informally/legally with them. He stressed the need for ‘Right to Information’ he said that it is very important to be well informed of all the assets and the liability of the family wealth and weigh the options with a open mind. Woman of the house should know her financial and the property status of the family.
Dr Mahendra Mehta discussed the need for woman to know her rights. She should know about all the assets that are owned by the family such as shares, mutual funds, art and paintings, silver/gold/diamond ornaments, cash, real estate, etc. She should be aware of her property status, investments and retirement plans and she should have a proper understanding of taxation and various legal issues. He enlightened us on the financial issues, its understanding and methods of savings/long term plans.
Adv Rajesh Mudholkar discussed the importance of 'Will Making', reading the finer prints and understanding the details which could help in facing the pressures of relatives.
There were question/answer sessions which were discussed in great details and that added color and hue to the meeting.
The seminar that lasted for over eight hours was not enough to satiate the curiosity of the empowered women. It was an interesting debate to drum the men’s minds and chew their brains for many more days, thereafter….
One more lovely evening, I attended with my Caferati folks, this time in South Mumbai, Kemps Corner, to be exact. The theme this month was on sharing notes on the workshops that we had attended during Kala Ghoda Festival in February 2008. I was surprised by the number of people who were anxious to attend. The members at the read-meets were dwindling lately, sometimes as low as five members, but this read-meet was choc-a-bloc. Writers were waiting for some other members to drop out, so that, they could be accommodated.
Was it because there were notes to be shared or was it because it was at a convenient location? Whatever, I think people always need a reason to attend, especially if they are not a regular.
And, members who attended were not disappointed. Who would? A read meet on a terrace, facing the sea, a generous crowd, who is willing to share their knowledge with people, some of those, whom they are meeting for the first time, a perfect hostess, Kareena Merchant, who made everybody comfortable with her warm chats and tasty chaats and a meticulous organizer, Suniti Joshi, who did lot of leg work alone and yet, so precisely perfect. Hats off to Suniti, who always takes extra effort and time and responds to every member patiently!
I was lucky this time to find two friends, who were willing to share a taxi with me and we reached at the venue on the dot of 5pm. After warm up and the introduction of 27 members in Kareena’s house, we went upstairs to the terrace to bathe in the sunshine amidst the cool winds of the open seas. The meeting continued with poem read by Jaya Bhandari, a fiction by Soma Sarkar and a descriptive poem by John. So engrossed was I in their readings, that I forgot to watch the sun-set. (Actually I was sitting in a wrong direction, facing the tall buildings and a cliff of the ‘Hanging Gardens’), But I saw a black bird, resting up there, on a TV antenna, who wanted an audience too, but his verses swayed in the breeze.
A short break after the readings was not very short because the snacks were too tasty. It takes time to eat Sev Puri, sandwiches, batatwadas and walnut cake and drown it with a cup of tea/coffee.
Second session started with Suniti sharing her ‘Performance Poetry’, Ramesh on ‘Writing for Children’, Samarth on ‘Screen Writing’ Archana on ‘Pastoral Poetry and Kareena on “Freelancing’.
I was aware of the time limit of the read meet, and I wanted to hear about other’s experience (and not waste my time, hearing myself speak,) therefore I had prepared notes (Xeroxed it 15 times) on the points that were discussed during the workshop on ‘Getting Published’ and I was happy to distribute it to those, who were interested. I am glad I did that, because the meeting had extended for too long, (9:30pm) and it was getting very late to reach back home. Some of the busy members had to rush off half way to attend to their other commitments, and I was glad that I was able to share my notes with them too.
This Saturday, when I visited my friend at Versova, I saw the construction right in the middle of the street. There was a huge crane digging out stones and tar. The centre of the two way road was cordoned off with the metal sheets displaying advertisement of ‘Reliance Metro’. On investigation, I discovered that the construction for metro rail had begun and the initial activity comprising trial pits and pile load tests had started.
The eleven kilometer Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor will be completed within three years by a special purpose vehicle formed by Mumbai Metro-I consortium. (That’s what they say, although Mumbaikars had witnessed many uncompleted or delayed projects in the past.) The other corridors in the first phase include 38 km Colaba-Mahim_Charkop and 14 km Bandra-Kurla-Mankhurd route.
Eleven of the 36 fully air-conditioned stations will be underground. Initially, four-car, air-conditioned trains that can accommodate 1500 passengers will run on the line-one train every four minutes. The cost will be shares by the Central and state government. This 19 months delay, caused by several problems which remain unresolved even now ((such as felling of the trees and allotments of the shops in the Malls for affected shop owners) has escalated the project cost from Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2,356 crore.
Img source of metro: http://images.google.co.in/
One word I heard myself after a long silence, during watching the film was ‘Beautiful’ I just loved the film and it really moved me. The emotions of the characters in the film are very real. It was really worth watching it in the theatre and I took my friends along who knew nothing about what they were to see. They didn’t even know that it was German film with English subtitles, but they came along, because I said so, and they too loved it. It haunted us long after we left our seat.
Winner of the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, ‘The Lives of Others’ is on one level a political thriller no doubt, but it’s also a remarkable study of human emotion.
It is the story of a celebrated playwright Dreyman, whose house is bugged by Stasi officer, Wiesler (backed by a top governmental bigwig who’s looking for dirt on Dreyman whose girlfriend he wants to sleep with.) in the hope of collecting evidence against him. The story is set in East Germany in 1984, five years before the Berlin Wall came down, and at a time when the Stasi, the country’s relentless secret police was closely watching everyone in the Communist German Democratic Republic.
Immersing himself in the case, Wiesler listens in on Dreyman’s private moments and chances upon enough evidence that can easily implicate Dreyman, but finds himself convinced of Dreyman’s innocence and makes significant effort to protect him.
The scene where Wiesler walks into a bookstore to buy a book, authored by Dreyman, and dedicated to Wiesler, really moved me.
The star of the film however, is its first time writer-director Florian von Donnersmarck who creates such a genius work.
Image Source : http://www.history.ucsb.edu/projects/ccws/images/livesothers.jpg
Rich parents would never allow their kids to even light a match and here we have street kids as young as five years old, lighting the fire and sitting so close to it.
We have six year old child selling her wares in the local train.
Seven year old child will do streets shows like tight rope walking
Eight year old might be the street musicians
Ten year old might be seen begging and crying of pain. Some of the kids are tortured and forced to beg.
And some of them are learning to steal at this tender age. I remember of a day, when I was traveling in an auto and I had a food packet in my hand. At one signal, one child came and snatched the food packet from my hand. The signal changed to green and my auto drove on, but I was sorry that the child had to forcibly snatch the food packet from my hand, had he asked me politely I might have given it to him.
What these children will grow up to be? I dread about its outcome
Hawkers in India are discouraged from cooking on the streets in Mumbai and there are regular inspections by police to ward them off. But they are back, after a day of rest, to do their business in an illegal way. And it is for us that they are willing to take the risk of being whisked off again and again.
But then we are always looking for an easy way out. Today, for example, during my morning errands to the market and the bank, I thought of making radish-brinjal vegetable as soon as I would reach home. As I crossed the street to enter my lane, I saw this hawker selling Vada Samber, and I was tempted to patronize him. The fragrance of the fried Vada is very tempting. My cooking plans got postponed. I turned a blind eye to the unhygenic envirnoments surrounding this hawker, so strong was the fragrance of the fried Vadas.
The pocket that was made for planting flowers, on the side of the road, was used by this hawker as a mini kitchen, where he had this huge frying pan. He had prepared the batter at home and he served the hot, freshly fried Vadas to his clients. While I waited for him to fry the Vadas, I decided to click few pictures. The hawker got panicky and hesitantly asked me the motives behind my clicking the pictures. He requested me not to make trouble for him by exposing his illegal business and even refused to charge me for the Vada Sambar that I had bought from his stall. I refused to take the free meal and asked him to relax, I was in no mood to report him.
How much easier it must be for the policeman to turn a blind eye to such illegal food stalls, if the hawkers are in the habit of providing free meals to every person, who they fear, can put them out of business?
..Just little care, and I am able to save that money for a luxurious holiday to some fancy resort. I can lay back on the easy chair and ask somebody to press the point on my foot..and all that I do is to drink my cool drink and enjoy a book near a seaside enjoying the gentle breeze….
But when I am at home, burried within the four walls of my room, I press the points on my hand and I feel quite well. My friend has given me a plastic messager which has narrow point on one end and flat rounded surface on other end (it looks like a hammer) and this is a good instrument for pressing the points in the hand. When I press a point and if it pains, it means that there is some problem there...when I had kidney stones, the centre of my palm would pain, whenever I would press that point.
I spend lot of time on a computer, But still, I can keep myself healthy by just self-message.....the windows sometimes take too long to open the page, during these spell a few minutes of these exercises really help.....to improve my concentration, creativity and the clarity of my mind...so while I am munching on some dry fruit by my side, it is a good idea to do self message.....
After all it's my life so why give the chance to others to rule my life?
The memory of Kalagoda fiesta lingers
The show comes to an end.
The Panel discussion and Coffee meetings
With workshops at different stands
I loved the gallery and pavement shows
Concerts, film, theatre, and performing dance
The lively festival with heritage walks.
Oh! There were too many events,
And so little, limited time
It was all over in a passing glance
But Me
I want to sit on a Black Horse
To gallop with a silence band……..
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Me
Quite tired!
All good things, like always
Have come to an end…
There were many films showing at different venues. I was most interested in watching the film that was specially made for KGAF by celebrities like Anu Tandon, Brinda Miller, Soni Razdan, Sangita Jindal, Bandana Tiwari, Ayaz menon and Tony Singh.
These were the set of short film with a common theme of the state of affairs in India after sixty years. It was amusing to watch the ‘Never Ending Story’ where people continued to watch the serial “Saas Bhi Kabbi Bahu Thi” even after sixty years. Also, I liked the one in which the world is ruled by Bollywood. There will be Hollywood stars dancing and acting in Indian film and all the Hollywood film plagiarize Bollywood stories.
Later I headed towards David Sassoon Library Garden to spend the rest of the evening watching some interesting events that included discussion on ‘Graphic Story Telling’ and ‘Poetry Slam’. The theme at ‘Poetry Slam’ was ‘Name, Place, Animal, Thing’ All the participants were very talented and it must have been very difficult for the judges to score them.
Towards the end of the show, I got my (own) two-minutes-fame, when I got to read my children’s story about cloud and wind called ‘Badli and Windy’. I had created this story during work-shop on ‘Writing for Children’ and it had some how reached the finals.
Muse Boutique was the venue for the workshop on ‘Getting Published’. Tucked away in the narrow by-lane behind Rhythm House, I reached there after inquiring about its location from several paanwallahs.
In the interior, surrounded by books, artifacts and a pleasant ambience, I learnt the secrets of ‘The Ten Commandments of Publishing World, the role of a literary agents and the fine prints of a book contract’.
While Anita Roy spoke about publishing in a real world, we had Vikram Chauhan enlightening us on publishing a book in a virtual world.
Vikram Chauhan hosts a site called ‘If I Were A Book.com’ where everybody has the right to express themselves by publishing their book. Currently, book publishing is a long and difficult process. So 'If I Were A Book.com' has made book publishing instant, easy and free!
It is a site where you can post content of your blog which you feel is book worthy or your manuscript on 'If I Were A Book.com' and watch it instantly take the shape of a book!
It is a good medium to get noticed by different publishers and knock off those long walks to different publishers for release of your work. This is the place where the only thing that matters is that you can express yourself by publishing your own book!
Late evening at David Sassoon Garden, surrounded by cool breeze of winter winds, I enjoyed an evening of multi-lingual poetry about Mumbai, that were recited by some well-known and published poets.
On a more serious note, while the kids at KGAF are having a wonderful time, painting, drawing and attending all the workshops on Clay modeling, Calligraphy and other art activities, there are other kids that I see in a local train, on my way towards the venue, which are not so fortunate.
I see this child, barely seven year old, making a living out of selling the crumbled roses to the passengers in the train. I ask him, ‘Don’t you want to study? Do you wish to go to school?’ and he growls at me as though I am speaking some gibberish words. At another station, I see this 10 year old, who has been brutally abused (there are deep knife-cuts on his face and neck and his one finger is missing), I see him crying with pain as he walk slowly down the aisle, begging for alms.
Are they aware that they, too, could enjoy those activities and that, those art and craft activities are free for all, rich and poor. On the streets of Kala Ghoda, I see group of kids performing those street shows of walking on a tight rope accompanied by the group of musician kids, and yet another pair of street kids, who ask for water from a street-side-stall but they are being chased away.
‘Surf Excel’ sponsors of the children's activities, promise to remove the stain off the clothes, but the children with real stain of poverty and dirty clothes are not inside the ring.
Today, 7th February, my friend tells me not to come to KGAF because there is a taxi strike and the fear of riots haunts me once more. The taxis are protesting against the damage that was done to their taxis during the riots and they are demanding a police protection. However, it ended quickly, and I decide to meet my friends at NGMA Auditorium for 5pm performance.
We reach there at 5pm, only to be told that the show has been cancelled. But fortunately, there is a next show, ‘Alyque Padamsee, Gary Richardson and The Mad Horses’, to begin at 6pm and we decide to attend that one.
This is the best show that I have ever watched in years! It is a bouquet of five recitals, and five different Shakespearean plays performed by talented stage artists like Alyque Padamsee, Shazehn Padamsee, Gaurav Chopra, Aparna Tilak, Madhuri Bathia, Cyndy Khozol and Gary Richardson.
The show starts with a ‘Tantric’ music, and we, in the audience, are asked to close our eyes and experience the rhythm of the 'Shloks recitals' at the beat of tabla and sitar. This is followed by interactive play, whereby the audience has to decide the ending of a play.
The one and half hours tick by quickly, as we are engrossed in their powerful expressions, from one recital to another, and we are immersed into their make-believe world, smiling with them, and mouthing their lines.
Later in the evening, after a brief stop at the Sassoon Library Garden, (my favorite venue to chill out), we head toward Khyber, a cozy restaurant across the street.
Over the spoonful of meals, my writer-friends and I, exchange notes on theatre, drama and speech for the younger kids.
and
Later, during the evening, I headed towards the David Sassoon Library Garden, where the discussion on ‘Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender writing in India’ was in its last segment. I missed this discussion, but I was able to attend the next two sessions, ‘The War of the Words: Science Fiction and Fantasy’ which was moderated by Devanshu Datta and ‘Getting Published: All sides of the Story’ which the moderated by Sriram, who was sitting for Urvashi.
Urvasi Butalia, who was to moderate this discussion, was not able to reach Mumbai because of bad weather, but she took part in this discussion on a phone call (that’s the technology for us) We had Kavita Banot, a literary agent, discussing about her role in the writer’s world and how it will help writers in the publishing world, but Urvasi, in her phone conversation said, that she did not like to deal with literary agents because of their pushy nature. There were more discussions on payments, pricing of the book and the rights of the author.
Since the literary program was running late, the last two programs ‘Open Mike’ and ‘Open Screen’ had to be chopped off.
Unfortunately! Sigh!
But, there was a gap of two hours between the two workshop, and there was enough time to have lunch and move around, exploring the other events that were taking place around different avenues. Although I am clumsy at making new friends, I was able to link up with few friends who were willing to walk with me at my slow pace. We had lunch at famous ‘Samovar’ and then decided to explore. The walk between the two venues of my workshop, at K.Dubash Marg, (Rampart row) was converted into a street bazaar with stalls of handicraft and food, lining down the two sides of this street.
There were NGO stalls vending various articles like handicraft, antiques, paintings and different accessories.
In the middle of this street was an amphitheatre, which had some interesting shows, throughout the day. There were different programs organized at this theatre that included shows such as folk dance of Tibet, Miracle dance contest, Capoeria, Samvrate-Manipuri Dance Ballet, Nitryamandal Dance Ensemble and Chana chai Nukkad Natak.
‘Muse fashion show’, was the only program that I was able to squeeze in between my two workshops.
But yes. I did watch the street show that was being performed by one family that included mom, dad and lots of children. One group of children played dholak and other musical instruments, while one child walked on a tight rope, and the girl lifted heavy brick that was hung from her plait. (So much for the child labor! UGH!) I couldn’t bear to watch this show and seeing the child abused. 
There were more events in the evening at David Sasson Library Garden, but I didn’t want to push myself too hard, so while my friends went off to enjoy the rest of the evening, I retreated back to my comfy cocoon.
One particular art that draws my attention is ‘De-Addiction’ that is installed by ‘Art Quest’. In this exhibition there are live-size models of paper Mache that exhibit different form of addiction such as drinking, smoking, drugs and gambling.
The couch potatoes and shopper’s delight is also quite interesting with their bright colors and their social message of addiction and bad vices, which are very boldly displayed, and draws in a huge crowd of art lovers.
Today, South Mumbai was dressed with laughter. Everybody was busy, too busy, running from one end of the street to another, the organizers were busy arranging the events and programs, participants were busy shuttling from one room to another to attend workshops and salespersons were busy putting up their stall that will display different handicraft and food stuff for sale for next ten days.. 
The people who were really relaxed and decided to start enjoying from day one were the children and their grandparents. The easiest way to involve adults in any festival is to invite their children. Any activity that brings a smile to the child’s face will automatically bring a smile to their parents and grandparents. The colors and ambiences of the festival were child friendly. The parking island opposite Jahangir Art Gallery was converted into children’s theme park where they enjoyed various activities and learnt many things in the various workshops……..
Okay!
I am all set to attend ‘Kala Ghoda Arts Festival’ which is starting tomorrow, 2nd February 2008.
There are 12 workshops clustered around two weekends in such a way that it is possible to attend only four. I had applied for four workshops. I have got confirmation for three workshops so far, and am still awaiting the fourth one.
The workshops that I have been confirmed and attending are
‘An Introduction to Freelance writing’ which will be conducted by ‘Kavita Roa from 1030 hrs to 1230 hrs at Elphinston College seminar room on 2nd and 3rd Feb
‘Once Upon a Time - Writing for Children’ by Jane Bhandari and Marilyn Noronha from 1430 hrs to 1630 hrs at Bombay Auditorium History Society Auditorium on 2nd and 3rd Feb
‘What Every Writer should know about Publishing’ by Anita Roy from 1330 hrs to 1630 hrs at Bombay Auditorium History Society Auditorium on 9th and 10th Feb
There are five writing contest also, of which I have just attempted one contest only.
Then I plan to attend some open events and poetry slams too. My attendance to this festival will depend on my endurance and moods.
The whole list of event are posted
HERE
I have lived the most part of my life in Mumbai, but I have never ever attended the ‘Kala Ghoda’ festival.
Can you imagine that!
Psss! Pssss! I better talk softly or else I might get extradited from Mumbai community.
I have always wondered what this festival is all about, but everybody tells me it is lots of fun, and nobody has actually told me anything in details..
So here I am , going to experience this festival as much as my frail body will allow…..
This year I have decided to attend as many events as possible. This is the ‘Tenth Year’ of the ‘Kala Ghoda Festival’ and it will be held in Fort area from 2nd February to 10th February 2008.
Anybody willingly to accompany me for this festival can search for me there. I will surely be HERE attending some of the events or workshops...
So see you there!
I am sitting in a red BEST bus, similar to one you see across the street. There is too much noise everywhere of people talking loudly. I can hear the Sounds of horn goes pomp pomp pomp, Ticket collector goes tick tick tick.click, click as he tick on the ticket, making a small hole in the ticket and takes the changes. he goes to the each passenger's seat to hand out the tickets.Poeple pay according to the distance they travel with the minimum fare of Rs2 and it costs me Rs18 to cover this distance.(normally one dollar equal Rs40) buses and cars go beep beep,peep, peep,people have the nasty habit of using the horn of their vehicle even when it is not required.....The bus is quite slow at the normal speed of 40 km/hour.
During the rush hour, morning and evening, this bus is normally packed with too many people, almost to its full capacity and there may be two columns of standees of about forty people plus fifty people sitting in a crowded bus.
this shot is take inside the bus, at different bus-stops, number of standees might vary during the afternoon time
There is too much traffic on the road, all times of the day...going by bus means plugging your ears with ipod/radio and going to sleep, even a book will do, to kill the time, other wise it is pretty difficult to pass the time..you will always be stuck in the traffic and you may become irritable at the end of the journey
I am really fasnitated by this old lady who is sitting just in front of me..she must have been about ninety years old, but she has such a cute toothless smile..her face has millions of wrinkles, each making crinkle design on her face...and her ear lobe had such a large hole..and still her large, ring-shaped ear ring is dangling from a large hole of her ear lobe....when she turned to look out of window I was able to take the shot
At evey street light, in Mumbai, I can see many poeple, some are begging and some are selling things, all kinds of things are sold at the signals like toys, newspaper, books,(if you want to know which are the popular books, you can ask them, they know it all) and food stuff..here, at this signal, I can see the street urchin selling oranges.....
At the end of the trip of two hours I am quite thirsty...thank Gawd, there is a sugarcane juice vendor at the corner of the bus depot....at every bus depots we find lots of hawkers selling different things and people are always eating or drinking on the streets of Mumbai....
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I have poor memory therefore I tend to forget the good and the bad times easily. What is past is forgotten, each day I try my best that my ...
