A day out with the LORD, after a long time

Vinkaya Chavithi (Ganesh Chathurdi as it is called in the Northen Parts of India) is a very big festival in Southern India. The festival marks the birth of Ganesha –the Lord who wards off all the bad things that come along in your life.

Being home for the festival after six years; that’s a long period- thanks to the hostel life for the graduate course and then, to the demanding corporates for the living :), was a great moment. The journey of 350 kms in a ‘luxury’ state transport co-operation bus (I am not naming the state wantedly) government bus in just under 6-hrs time was heavy on me. Though I was energetic about being at home for the festival, this tedious journey (if at all you could call it) took out most of the energy I had. Why else, would I doze off during those auspicious hours of early morning on bed even after instructing my brother(s) ( A close friend of mine was as well there) to get themselves ready for the Pooja? 1

All those days during childhood replayed themselves even after my selves being 20-something (Old is GOLD). Both mom and dad try to get their son up so that he could make himself tidy and clean enough so that the God Ganesha could at least see him on the auspcious day. One-hour of their hard work paid off at last, as I got up to take a oil-bath in a time – well that’s the good part – the time sufficient enough for a Michael Schumacher to stand on the podium after completing the race at his home F1 circuit. 2

After a lot of hula-bula about who to arrange what, finally the pooja started – my mind half into the kitchen of the things that I could have for lunch. Here I need to explain to refrain wrong interpretations - There is a reason for this, in India people don’t eat much (infact, they should not eat) till the time pooja is over. Then the Katha was told (the story about the importance of Vinayaka Chavithia and the importance of the GOD).

I would put in the story that was read – I really like it the same way, just the same way I liked it when I was 10-something.

Yudhistara, the eldest of the five Pandavas, during his tenure of serving the 13-year exile having lost the battle of dices (People, that’s why I say – DON’T PLAY GAMES THAT DEPEND ON YOUR LUCK, THEY COULD GET YOUR VERY LUCKY) goes to Sage Sutha for advice how to better his situation. The sage tells him that he should perform the Vinkaya Pooja so that all his bad-days become history. He also tells him, that Lord Krishna and Lord Rama had also performed the same during their difficult times – the former when the “Shamantaka” Mani (to put it simple – a diamond) and the latter during his exile from Ayodhya – to better their present.

That was the good part – the story – but the best part was about to come, the FOOD – a feast because it was a festival day. How could I be on a diet3 when I am blessed with nicely decorated mameede kaaya pappu (Simply, Mango Dal), rice with all other things made by mom. Just let my selves loose on the menu, so much so that it was really hard to stand my selves on my feet. But for my brother, I would have helped my selves to lie on the floor for the next few hours.

Off late4, any festival isn’t complete without watching a film of the biggest star in the region (read: A Chiru Film in Andhra and A Rajni starrer in Tamil Natta). Luckily, it was INDRA – the blockbuster and I treated my selves with the dance of Chiru and the tunes of Mani; all this my dad was struck in awe to come to terms with how could one be so energetic about a 50-something playing a character on the small screen – Well Dad, that’s what Chiru is all about.

I don’t want to make the saddest part even more dramatic – I returned home by an “Express” bus of the same state transport cooperation.

P.S: All the above was said so that it could make a good read, the truths are (wherever marked):
1. I usually sleep till the sun is still three-quarters away from his destination at west. And my ‘brother for-a-change’ didn’t follow what I said.
2. I usually bath very fast – even faster than Schumi completing his fast lap from a pole position.
3. The last thing I would want in life is to be on a diet – no matter if I touch the both sides of road by being at the center.
4. I amn’t sure how the festival was complete in the days of my granny’s when there was no television.

HOME - During 'those' days

Its always a mixture of feelings that I leave home with - either it has been going to college for the semester or going back to work place after the much-desired short break. There is very unique charisma about home - the bliss - all the nice things that mom cooks, all the 'nice' words that dad says when you do some of the 'best' things possible. Though everyone of us feel the same way as above, but hardly we have time for get to fulfill what we really like to do because of the highly demanding and extreme conditions that we work. How far would it be possible to do what we like (being at home for a good part of time) still remains a question to everyone though!

The moment I sit after a not-so hectic day at work (Thanks to Almighty) and think of what has been the best of my life till date – the answer comes out quick and fast – like a cricket ball out of Sehwag’s bat - its (read: undoubtedly) the days when I was a 10-15-something when the much of the pressures were restricted to get good marks in the UNIT TESTS (God, I love to use these words NOW) and the project-work(s). Had you been little lucky to attend all the classes and been just enough been attentive, that was not a big task. All the time during those days (yap, Years) parents used to tell me to study hard and concentrate on the studies. The spoilt brat I am, they didn’t find it useful to keep repeating the same thing and refrained themselves from being embarrassed.

I still am not able to comprehend why parents don’t understand and force their children to study, study and just STUDY – rather than encouraging them to adventure on the wings they have been blessed by LORD. It has been a case a decade ago (not so much with me as I said above – coz my parents knew long back that there is not much use in telling a stupid who is bent upon spoiling him selves) and still remains the same. Reading all the news about students killing themselves for just being not able to get good enough marks leads to me think – are these students products of best guys – best marks attitude society or are they are not being equipped with enough self confidence to take on the worst cases in world. Aren’t we (the system included) supposed to create the future people who are strong enough to take the failures they will face and learn from them and build better times for themselves?

The system involves – the parents, the teachers and all the other bodies involved with the students in general and the education system in particular. They have to answer this – aren’t we supposed to give the freedom a child deserves? Agreed, the freedom shouldn’t be at the hands of spoiling your kid, but should at least be given to the 10-15-something. Give out the time and the energy to the future people. Make your kids strong, bold and intelligent – let them be what they are – KIDS – so that they can as well write about their best times (read: being 10-15-something) in a far better way than this piece.

IQBAL - Dream Big, And Chase the Dream

IQBAL - a story of about a physically handicapped youngster whose SOLE (Read: desperate) aim in life is to play cricket for Indian team. His belief in himself and his never-give-up attitude towards his dream finally leads to his dream-come-true.

The story is set against the background of a middle class Indian village family (Exactly don't remember the state though). The beauty of an Indian village has been beautifully depicted on the celluloid. Nagesh Kuknoor gets across the message about the politics involved in Indian cricket, mixing it with the success of the dum-and-deaf 18-year old something.

The brilliance of the movie lies in the fact that the characters have been given all the due attention that they require and due to their performance on the screen. The characters of the GURU of IQBAL(played by Nasserudin Shah) leads us to believe that most things in the world can be changed. The best character of the movie though is the sister of IQBAL. She has just fitted to the character like "T". Also, the background score adds up to the movie depiction.

Nagesh has, hence, shown again that his so-lively way of narrating a story - the audience like in today's world.

IQBAL - A MUST WATCH FOR ALL THE MOVIE LOVERS!

The best dialog in the movie :
Nasserudin Shah : Allah tho bohut kuch booltaa hai, Mein Es Liye peeta hun, Taakee Allah joo boole mujhe sunaayee naa de (The LORD says many things, I drink so that I am not able to hear all that ! )