Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Never Miss a Chance to Enjoy Life till it Lasts.

One of my friend's Anniversary is today. His wife has sadly departed for heavenly abode some time back. Thinking that he may not like to be wished on his anniversary. However, when he reminded us of it by a post in our whats app group we wished both of them, he in person and her in metaphor. That got my thoughts rolling.

Life is but this moment that we have because next moment is not guaranteed to anyone of us. There are enough of misunderstandings, egos and what not between people, may it be between Parents and children, may it be between siblings or between friends or between Husband and wife. Let that be.

However, with the life being so short (and get cut further short sometimes due to illness and other factors) why give credence to all the problems among us. Let us change a bit. Let the differences remain (if they can not be reconciled) but remember those people (and we too) are going away permanently later (or sooner in some case).

If they are loved ones, whatever may the difference, don't let go of them. Mend fences with them, overlook imperfections, reconcile with the situation but do stay connected. Why, because, when one leaves for another world, there no communication lines between these two worlds nor that place is connected over, 2G,4G or internet.

When there is actually very little time to love and admire them, where is time to grudge or hate a loved one. Think about it before it is too late and we have no means of telling such people how much we loved them

Let us Make a BEGINING.


Saturday, November 25, 2017

Finals of 25th Marathi Commercial Drama Competition - 2012

This an old 2012 post that had got tangled with another travel blog. Untangled and reposted.

Finals of 25th Marathi Commercial Drama Competition

After many years I got the opportunity to see Marathi Nataks at Mumbai, courtsey Dept of Culture, Govt of Maharashtra.


It was the Finals of 25th Marathi Commercial (and not amateur) Drama Competition being conducted at Marathi Sahitya Sangha Mandir at Girgaum by the Dept of Culture, Govt of Maharashtra. There were a total of 10 dramas selected from about 25 entries of variety of Drama Companies. I could See Love Birds, Karun Gelo Gaon, Sukhanshi Bhandato Amhi and Mi Revati Deshpande.

It was real fun watching such quality dramas produced by these companies. The situation dead that I write the researched views about them but have no time to do research.

Let me put my quick thoughts about these dramas.

Love Birds - a thriller which holds you spell bound. the plot is superb. The struggle of Amruta Subash, the lead actress, to (so called) educate her husband (who has lost his past memories in an accident, but can remember what is taught) about his past life. One sympathises with her, the drama goes on with realisation that the hero and heroine might have killed old lover of the leading lady. As the plot unfolds, the heroine also committees one more murder. Every thing was to go as planed (for whom, guess it or see the Natak, I am not going to let the cat out) but for a private detective who has joined this plot out of sheer luck (or may be bad luck).

What comes out at the end is a action packed (emotional and not stunts) thriller which keeps you glued to your seat). The Music was good, the use of video to link up the events outside of the set, crisp dialogue delivery and acting of all the people are the strong points.

Karun Gelo Gaon - Is a marathi - Malvani (or so I thought) comedy with all the actors being natural and good. Vaibhav Mangale happens to be the pack leader. The drama had slapstick humour with all the ingredients thrown in like a tamasha dancer, a local MLA, film crazy villagers etc. There were some sutle but below the belt humour, some high quality humour and some very vital points made humorously. At the end the drama succeeds in highlighting the plight of the soul of Konkan, the land on the west coast.

Sukhanshi Bhandato Aamhi - is a serious drama with a lead role of a psychologist and a split personality patient. the doctor, an idealist as a Young boy from village has become materialistic due to pressures of his ambitious wife and the city called Mumbai. He is minting money and thinking that it is essential for him to mint to provide better avenues to his son.

He has been neglecting his mother who is still at his village, neglecting other aspects of life till this patient whom he admits in his hospital show him a mirror to make him understand that the mirage that he is running behind in his life is not happiness but rather a fight with real happiness. The doctor tries to run away from reality till his son decides to seek his Happiness!!! by leaving the doctor and his wife behind and migrating abroad. A very powerful story delivered superbly.

Mi, Revati Deshpande is a off beat drama. It is about gender disorder in a professor who has been living duel life of a lady and a man. his family always thinks very poorly of him because they think he seeks company of females to satisfy his male ego / taste without realisation of the reality. Only his female servant and psychologist friend who knew reality try to manage the rift. The rift widens by the additional affection shown by the professor to his erstwhile student and now his daughter in law, who is pregnant.

The rift reaches a stage where all efforts of the psychologist fried and the servant fail and the professor decides to let go of the male in him and decides to live life as a female.

A complex subject handled skillfully with lead roles of Mohan Joshi as professor, Ramesh Bhatkar as doctor friend. It was well enacted drama except for where I got the seat (in the balcony) the audio was very poor.

A very unconventional story delivered with care and elan.

Monday, November 6, 2017

Peshwas of Modern Pune - Spoof

I have not been able to blog for a considerably long time for a variety of reasons including procrastination. For the last few days, withdrawal symptoms have started showing. That means I had to blog and that gives me a chance to bring out my experience in this historic city of Pune, particularly related to road users. Look at the title of the blog again. It is not Peshwa's Pune. It is the Peshwas of Pune. Now let me start.

In my long naval career, I have lived in many cities including Pune but the traffic sense that I developed is based on the traffic culture of Mumbai which is by and far the best in India. I really found the city most infamous for traffic sense, New Delhi, reasonably good for driving, primarily due to its wide carriageways.

And then, upon retirement from the Navy, I made Pune my abode. That is when I realised that this city has not one or two but many living Peshwas. The Peshwa was the Prime Minister of the Bhosala Kings of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Dynasty and were the rulers on behalf of the Bhosla Kings of Satara, of this part of Maharashtra. Obviously, rulers make the rules but they need not necessarily follow the rules. The Peshwas of modern Pune do not make the rules but they definitely do not follow the rules.

Recently there was a news item here in the Times of India that Pune Police are going to challan the pillion riders who ride (pillion) on a two-wheeler if they are without helmets. It made me wonder, so the Police are going to challan the pillion riders without helmets, Good, Very Good, but in the first place, when are the Police in Pune going to challan helmetless drivers of Two-wheelers. Is it that they are going to challan pillions and leave the riders scot-free.

I do understand. How dare Pune Police challan the riders, who are the Peshwas of Modern Pune? For information of readers, over 90 % of two-wheeler riders find it below their dignity to wear helmets, a very crucial life-saving device. Maybe they are waiting for Peshwai Pagadi (a typical headgear) or a crown.

Poor me, while parking my car anywhere in Pune, was always worried about inconveniencing other motorists. That was so till my better half pointed out to this mortal being (that is me) that I, the poor subject of this city needed to look around. The Peshwas of Modern Pune driving their four-wheelers actually parked at will, other road users be damned.

The procession of the Kings was always taken out with fanfare everywhere in India. In  Pune, the fanfare for the procession of modern Peshwas comes from the honking of the horn irrespective of the Peshwas riding their two-wheelers or four-wheelers.

Generally, kings were never bothered about Value for Money which is a concept for commoners. Our Peshwas of Modern Pune are very different in that aspect. They are economy-conscious and therefore want to maximise the return on their investment.

Therefore, with an objective of maximisation of per capita consumption of Petrol per kilometre, they do not ride one rider and one pillion. They generally ride triple seats on their two-wheelers. Bhai, economy is also important even for Peshwas of modern Pune.

Signals on the road are for traffic safety. Everyone is supposed to follow the signals. Rules, however, are not meant for Peshwas of Modern Pune. It is very common for us to find, when the signal is green for us, a two-wheeler with triple riders crossing your path (mind you, the signal is green for us) and taking a turn (for which the signal is red) and if you show annoyance, be ready to face their anger.

Another important habit they have is driving on the wrong side. After all, they are the daredevils who would like to challenge the oncoming commoners (read traffic). In Hadpsar, going towards Kondhawa, the road is split into two one-way. What makes me wonder is, that there are Peshwas coming from the wrong side of both one-ways whereas there are by-lanes at regular intervals connecting these two one-ways.

When I landed in Pune, I wondered why the speed of cars in Pune was so slow and subdued. The wonderment got over the moment I realised that was obviously in reverence to these Peshwas of Modern Pune of whom all the common (non-Peshwa) motorists were generally scared. Who would like to offend them and take on the might of these rulers of Pune Roads?

Maybe, I also need to learn obedience faster.