Go Green!!

I like the colour green… one of the reasons for that is how it enhances a view…turns a landscape into a classic shot… and fills your heart with LOVE….

After a hot, sweaty and horrible summer when rains give life to the dead atmosphere... the best version of the colour green comes alive… This green is soothing… calming… like a sweet lullaby… All I want to do is dance a slow dance…!!

As birds begin their romances… the heart gets filled with love… I fall in love with everything around… even this barren land surrounding the office brightens up… the office brightens up…. JJJ

Green is the colour of envy and I was wondering why would such a pleasant colour be associated with such a strong human emotion… after googling I want to believe one piece which I read... it said green is only present on the Earth... so other planets, satellites, everything that lies in the infinite space ‘Universally’ envy the Earth… and hence this is colour of envy…!

Whenever you ask someone their favourite colour the answer is generally blue or white or even black… Even my answer is red in this context… green rarely makes the cut…. but right now... as I close my eyes… and smell the earth… it is green… the love generating green!!! And as I go green with love I remember lines from my favourite poem ‘Daffodils’…

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

You may be green with envy for what someone else has.. Or the grass on the lawn in the adjoining office/house maybe greener... or greenest…

The colour green will always represent what we want to have in life... it may be out of reach… or after getting there the green maybe not so-much-greener… but if you have green in your life… you have desires….dreams.. wishes… love…. and envy too….  so Go GREEN!!

Today's Song... Yeh Hosla

Song ; Yeh Hosla

Movie : Dor

Music. : Salim-Sulaiman.

Lyrics. : Mir Ali Hussain

Singer : Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Salim Merchant (backup)

I watch all kinds of movies.. even the bad ones…. There is one category of movies which I call ‘miracle’ movies…

Aamir, Dor, Jhankar Beats, Bheja Fry, Hyderabad blues to name a few… these are movies that make you feel wonderful and also sometimes leave a new thought in your head to linger on…

Dor was a surprise and unfortunately I could watch the movie in theatre. It is a very inspiring movie and the music is brilliant too.

All the songs are different whether it is Kesariya Balam or Iman ka Asar (Shreya Ghoshal & Sunidhi Chauhan).

Kesariya and all its versions deserve another piece. For now it a folk song originally composed by Shantanu Moitra and this one is a reworked version by Salim Sulaiman.

The song Yeh Hosla has a very good video as well. It is sung by Amanat Ali Khan who is a part of Pakistani band Fuzon (their song Khamaj is superb) . His voice is mesmerizing, the perfect singer for this one. And the song… it is like lift up… soothing and inspiring…. Very few instruments are used here.. it is voice that carries it to your heart…

Yeh Hosla Kaise Jhuke, Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

In a way hope and faith are always within us.. during hard times we need more strength to find them…

Manzil Mushkil to kya, dhundla Sahil to kya,

Tanha Ye Dil to Kya.. Ho Hooo

Sometimes we cannot even see where we are headed to… but hope leads us on

Raah Pe Kante Bikhre agar, Uspe to phir bhi chalna hi hai,

Shaam Chhupale Suraj magar, Raat ko ek din Dhalana hi hai,

Do we really have the choices.. do we really decide… I think it is more like the path is there… filled with impossible looking hurdles.. our only choice is whether we stay where are and wait for the miracle or take the path and be the miracle…

Rut ye tal jayegi, Himmat rang layegi,

Subha phir aayegi… Hoooo

Those tiny moments in life which bring a smile and make us happy… yes they are there and they make you happy too… so though right now seems like an ordeal it will pass…

Hogi hame jo rehmat ada, Dhup kategi saaye tale,

Apni khuda se hai ye Dua, Manzil lagale humko gale

That vision of paradise is in our minds.. different for each one… yet the place that we want to be in…it drive us… and that is what creates the hope within….

Zurrat so baar rahe, Uncha Ikraar rahe,

Zinda har pyar rahe… Hoooo

And no matter how many times we falter… to go on is life…

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke, Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

To my friends..

Some lines for my friends on Friendship's Day...!!

This one is for my college gang...

It has been a long time
Since the lectures and classes...
Now that life seems simple and fun
Now that life seems missed and wanted...
If I could turn back the clock
I know where I would want it to stop...
Those many moments filled in between
That bring a smile.. yet sting my eyes...
I wonder how we came so far
That distances have walked in...
Time is now an expensive commodity
Gone are the days of careless musings....
Now we are standing at the crossroads of life
Holding someones hand we need to walk on...
Life will take a turn to new horizons
And as you cruise along the years...
Do remember to look beside you...
My heart would be there.... praying for you!!

This one is for our happy friday gang...

Some like being ‘Happy’ and gay...

Some experiment with tresses & spray …

Some are sportsmen from within…

Some are drawn to Hitler’s terrain…

And some hate being delivery managers…

But come Friday… the party gathers…

Bangalore, Berlin, Mumbai and Pune get closer…

They let me know… that distances don’t matter…

All it needs is just the keyboard clatter….

These are the special few always near…

That make Friendship’s day… very dear :)


This one is for my Chorus teammates, a reminisce of the crazy times...

Hum honge kamyaab… Ka naara lagaya…
But kambhakt customer ne break maar diya…
Wellington ki gaaliyon mein ‘bickering’ ke saath…
Customer ke har nakhre ko marke laat...
Madhya ratri mein tel jaalake…
Khela humne Vyapar aur teen paatee...
Pav bhaji, pasta aur parathe khayee…
New Zealand ke chape chape pe jhande lehraye..
Videshi police se panga bhi liya…
Bahut bahut bahut masti bhi kiya…
Doston bhoolna nahi un palon ko…
Jo har saal August mein yaad aayenge humko….

Happy Friendship's day to all...!!

'Real' Reality TV

I’m not a keen follower of all reality shows going around these days.. but i do watch a few follow and controversies as these make for good conversation... Even if it is simply to discuss how silly some of them are...

Last week I came across one on Zee Marathi called ‘Hafta Band’... I have seen about 3 episodes... it’s not having any twists... it has no celebrities... the contestants are people who have taken loans.. and the show format is simple... just answer questions(mostly general knowledge type) correctly and for each correct answer a percentage of the loan is paid off... so if you win you are a free man...!!

I have not seen any other show of this kind (I’m not sure if this is take from some program but I believe it is an original concept)... The participants are people who are looking for light at the end of the tunnel... peoples who’s lives and choices are all limited due to debt... just to given an example...

A contestant on yesterday’s show was a migrant from Bhed. His parents were farmers but as it is for many parts of Maharashtra farming for them is also completely dependent on the rains... so they had no choice but to send then oldest child to Pune to earn money.. And this young boy came to Pune and had to go through hardships to get on his feet, taking up odd jobs as cleaner or shop boy... And after lot of effort now has managed to setup a shop... He had taken a loan to get through some difficult times...These are the kind of participants on the show... And I think the team should be applauded for it...

In between the ‘make’ anyone a singing/ dancing idols, taking matrimony to the next level and having the truth to cleanse the souls which shake spiritual leaders, politicians etc to questions whether “Reality” on TV needs moral policing... This show makes one see the real change TV can bring to a “life”...

Rainy day...

Rains… sheets of water… falling like the sky had burst out… 26^th July… the day that Mumbai will never forgot is also a day that made me realize the strength of a “common” man, of a true Mumbaikar; so it is one of the best rainy experiences for me….

We were stuck in office… Frantic phone calls ensued and a tense atmosphere enveloped us all. People were ready to walk home as they couldn’t bear to wait in anticipation… it was a long night…

As we started receiving the updates of how Mumbai was coping with the disaster we went from shock to surprise to pride… The roads were filled, people were walking back home in neck deep water… And as the typical nature of government any sort of action was certainly absent… but Mumbaikars are self made and we heard stories of how food was provided to people trying to walk home, how help was given to anyone with complete disregard to own safety… Mumbai carried on… And within two days was back on its feet…

This was the night that I realized, that even though this age is termed as “Kalyug” we still have these brave souls, people with spirit to enlighten you, touch your life without any boisterous promises or burning “buses” in the name of religion and culture…

And though this was a very tragic day I will always remember it with pride.

Punekar (In love with Mumbai)

Learning to fly...

I like to drive… even with all the crazy traffic and no-rules roads in Pune… I like to drive…
I am a late bloomer … Long after all my friends were pros at the wheel, I bought my Activa… and needless to point that my dear Dhanno had her first crash 3 days later… she survived unscratched but then my confidence was bruised… all my friends told me that it is just not my piece of cake…. Now on the road I was more conscious of the other vehicles then my bike or the fact that I’m the one controlling it… oh… that bike is too close… I’m definitely going to dash into that bus… and if there is anything on four wheels behind, I prayed that the brakes on it were working… I didn’t enjoy the rides then… so I ventured into one only when needed…
But then Pune teaches you to drive the way no teacher could… the hurdle race in the city makes you an expert at getting through tiny spaces, avoiding skirmishes and the best skill is not having any scratches on the bike at the end of the day… Routine lessons went on and unknowingly I was learning the skill… One fine day I had to go to a friend’s place 20 kms away and all my friends were going on bikes… I got mine too assuming there would be a spare driver to take me through the ordeal (as we always have one extra boy who is without a bike and does the honours)… but Mr. Murphy decided to bless me and I had to drive…. We started at 1 pm in the afternoon via the highway…. I was petrified…. But didn’t want my friends to think I couldn’t do this… Here came the surprise…. The highway was empty… there were no vehicles as far as the eye could see… as I drove on I started to loosen up and feel the breeze for the first time… I saw the speedometer move to from 50 ahead and the bike was completely stable… I was in control and flying… I can hear my heartbeat and feel the rhythm of the wind… This feeling changed driving for ever… On getting there all I wanted to do was get back… feel the breeze…ride away…
Now I drive to office every day, sometimes there is very heavy traffic, sometimes rains, times when I see people driving past the red light or someone just about to make a stupid regrettable mistake, I watch people get frustrated… I watch people in utmost hurry… but me… I like to drive…!

Hi Me...

Sometimes it takes simply a chocolate bar…. Sometimes a SRK movie… Sometimes going through old mails…. Sometimes riding a bike… Sometimes going to the temple……. Lots of things to do to make me feel better, lighter and not so alone… when I am…. Alone…!!

But nothing is as good as spending time with good friends… doing nothing… or sharing sob stories… gossiping, cribbing, chai, coffee, tapri etc.

I have more than a 100 people in my orkut or gmail or any other contact list… I have got friends around the world….. Technology seems to have brought people closer… just a scrap or ping away…. How much easier can it be to connect…??
And as said… content matters more than the wrapping… all of my friends are gems… Just very fortunate to meet wonderful people at different crossroads in life and have them become an integral part of it…

Staying in a different country away from parents and family also makes me thank the telecommunications industry… you miss someone... Just call (international maybe costly… but who’s complaining :))…. Everyone is a phone call away….

And as you go to new places your friends list simply expands… and new people seep into your life…

30th November 2008, 11 pm… Waterfront, Wellington… listening to a ‘newly added’ friend recount his ‘love story’… I suddenly realized…. I’m alone… with all that technology can offer… with that very large contact list…with a whole family thinking about me and missing me for lot of occasions… I’m alone….
This is the loneliness that doesn’t go away even when I’m surrounded by people… Like a shadow it follows me around… sometimes engulfs me… sometimes makes me run…

That day however I let the feeling be… not fighting it… not pushing it away… not agonizing over it…. I let it pass….. I felt calm… like everything is settling down…
And then I was not alone… I was with ‘Me’… I could hear the little voice inside and I knew, loneliness is one more reason to connect to “You” and say “Hi Me”… :)