Image from a card I made - cant post the animation here but certainly can post the image :) If the image is not clear it says "Have a refreshing year ahead"
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Happy New Year!
Image from a card I made - cant post the animation here but certainly can post the image :) If the image is not clear it says "Have a refreshing year ahead"
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Christmas Spirit!
There is a very beautiful saying in Marathi –
Denaryane det jave
Ghenaryane ghet rahave
Gheta gheta ghenaryane denaryache haatach ghyave.
Simply translated this means –
The giver should keep giving,
The receiver should keep receiving
And while receiving, the receiver should take a giver’s hands or in other words should himself become a giver!
What thoughts! While what we did for Christmas at office this year is not as magnanimous as this saying, it was certainly a pleasant way of celebrating the Christmas spirit. This year around, the idea was to give gifts to children at some NGO. A local NGO- Akanksha's Muskan centre was zeroed in where they teach underprivileged children from the surrounding slums. Notices were put up and announcements made asking for gifts that could be handed out to these children. The response was overwhelming. While plenty of gifts were received, those who could not get gifts gave generous cash contributions. Then it was time to hunt for good gifts. This was an exciting activity where thought had to be put into the gifts that it would make them suitable for a child, gender neutral (no girl activity kit should be handed to boys etc) and that no bulk-ordering-everything-is-the-same-kind gifts. Each gift was hand picked and the store employees did a great job of wrapping each gift in a very short time period. Then a whole bus load of us from office which included carol singers, volunteers, volunteer photographers et al went to the centre. Our visit was kept as a surprise and the children were busy in their activities. That is when the carol singers, all adorning Santa-caps entered the hall.
The carols were accompanied by some good music, claps and for the well known carols, the children joined in the singing.
Denaryane det jave
Ghenaryane ghet rahave
Gheta gheta ghenaryane denaryache haatach ghyave.
Simply translated this means –
The giver should keep giving,
The receiver should keep receiving
And while receiving, the receiver should take a giver’s hands or in other words should himself become a giver!
What thoughts! While what we did for Christmas at office this year is not as magnanimous as this saying, it was certainly a pleasant way of celebrating the Christmas spirit. This year around, the idea was to give gifts to children at some NGO. A local NGO- Akanksha's Muskan centre was zeroed in where they teach underprivileged children from the surrounding slums. Notices were put up and announcements made asking for gifts that could be handed out to these children. The response was overwhelming. While plenty of gifts were received, those who could not get gifts gave generous cash contributions. Then it was time to hunt for good gifts. This was an exciting activity where thought had to be put into the gifts that it would make them suitable for a child, gender neutral (no girl activity kit should be handed to boys etc) and that no bulk-ordering-everything-is-the-same-kind gifts. Each gift was hand picked and the store employees did a great job of wrapping each gift in a very short time period. Then a whole bus load of us from office which included carol singers, volunteers, volunteer photographers et al went to the centre. Our visit was kept as a surprise and the children were busy in their activities. That is when the carol singers, all adorning Santa-caps entered the hall.
The carols were accompanied by some good music, claps and for the well known carols, the children joined in the singing. After a few carols, entered who else but Santa Claus! Excitement broke out and there was a lot of cheering. There was a rainbow of emotions – joy, delight, excitement, cheer, and awe on the children’s faces when Santa handed out the gifts to them. Santa’s elves handed out a packet of crayons and chocolate bars too. 
What is worth noting here is that though the kids come from slum areas, all of them were very neat and clean and more importantly well behaved.
It was very difficult to leave and some of us wanted to stay back and play with the children but alas, there was work to do back at office and we had to return.
And nay sir, we didn’t come empty handed. We received a very nice thank you card from them – handmade!
What is worth noting here is that though the kids come from slum areas, all of them were very neat and clean and more importantly well behaved.
It was very difficult to leave and some of us wanted to stay back and play with the children but alas, there was work to do back at office and we had to return.
And nay sir, we didn’t come empty handed. We received a very nice thank you card from them – handmade!
To say the least, it was a very humbling experience. I am ready to bet that the joy on the faces of our group was no less than the joy on the children’s faces. We received manifold and this has by far been the best way we have spent Christmas at office.
Photocredit: Our official photographer Ms.UK (thanks UK)!
Friday, 19 December 2008
The Last Sparrow…
(image is not mine- I oculd not find a sparrow even to take a picture. it is from somewhere on the Internet)I hope not. Here is a simple sight that made me happy today. I saw some common sparrows! And I thought they are all extinct now!
As kids we used to get a lot of these teeny tiny visitors. They used to be everywhere – on the trees nearby, on our balcony railing, in the hallway to our home – just about everywhere chirping their merry songs. We used to leave food grains out on the window ledge or the banisters for them and it used to be fun to watch them pick the grains. There is a tree in very close proximity and these birdies use to come and gather soft twigs for their nests. So all was well then.
Then sometime about 2-3 years ago I realised I had not seen a sparrow in a long time. I even discussed this at home and everybody agreed. True the trees around were almost gone. The only exception of this huge fig which still lies in close proximity to us. In fact it is so close that we need to sometimes trim it thru our window so that the branches do not grow inwards(towards our house that is). So coming back to the main subject, we all began missing the sparrows and used to wait for a sighting which used to be so common.
I still miss them. I was reminded of this because a couple of days back I spilled over some wheat grains on the floor. Now we didn’t wanna use them so I placed them on a platform outside my door. 2 days hence, the grains are still there. I am ready to swear, this would not have happened had it been a few years ago! We must be doing something verrrry wrong to drive out these harmless little ones don’t u think?
Now I wish to say –
Long Live the Sparrow!
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Percy Penguin
When: Three months ago.
I am born. After my birth, my mother has gone away in search for food. For her and for me. Before that she has safely transported me to my father. They make sure that I am protected from this cold that surrounds me and I am not exposed to the harshness that surrounds us, just yet!
Fast forward
When: 1 month ago.
My mother returns. She has food for me. I get to know my mother. I am glad she is back. I look around, some of my friends’ mothers have not returned. Some have returned to see my friends have not survived. My lessons on the race of survival have already begun. I have understood that family and friends matter a lot. My mother and father underwent through a lot of hardships – just so that I may survive! My friends /community also had an important part in my survival. We had to stay huddled together to fight the cold.
Fast forward to present.
The cold has subsided a little and greenery begins to show. I now play with my friends. My parents teach me basic skills, they tell me how to be a better penguin. Here I have climbed a rock which is my throne. Note the little gold crown on my head. I am the king! I rule!
I wrote this story for a creative writing site http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/
I am born. After my birth, my mother has gone away in search for food. For her and for me. Before that she has safely transported me to my father. They make sure that I am protected from this cold that surrounds me and I am not exposed to the harshness that surrounds us, just yet!
Fast forward
When: 1 month ago.
My mother returns. She has food for me. I get to know my mother. I am glad she is back. I look around, some of my friends’ mothers have not returned. Some have returned to see my friends have not survived. My lessons on the race of survival have already begun. I have understood that family and friends matter a lot. My mother and father underwent through a lot of hardships – just so that I may survive! My friends /community also had an important part in my survival. We had to stay huddled together to fight the cold.
Fast forward to present.
The cold has subsided a little and greenery begins to show. I now play with my friends. My parents teach me basic skills, they tell me how to be a better penguin. Here I have climbed a rock which is my throne. Note the little gold crown on my head. I am the king! I rule!
I wrote this story for a creative writing site http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Made by Me - Black Rose and a Butterfly
This time made by me comes a little late ! 
I discovered that the shadow of my cut out looks good (almost like an art in itself) so I had to take a picture of that as well!
Nonetheless, here is what I cut - from in-mail advertisements - what else!
I discovered that the shadow of my cut out looks good (almost like an art in itself) so I had to take a picture of that as well!
Monday, 8 December 2008
Slow down now… will ya?
One Saturday evening after the classes are over, our group of 10-12 decide we need a break and should all head out for a movie. This, I am telling you about college days where we do not waste a chance to freak out!
So ‘Speed’ is newly released and our whole gang decides on that one. It is only 20 mins for the next show and we have to speed! We reach this theatre ‘Alaka’ – now we were in college and with so much movie watching and partying, we could not really afford multiplexes! Not that multiplexes were a rage then anyway.
So there we reach the movie hall with about 2-3 mins to spare. With half of us parking our bikes, we send the rest to get the tickets so that we do not miss on the beginning (I hate missing the start of a movie). So we meet at the entrance and get into the movie hall just in time for the last trailer getting over.
The movie starts. There is this teenager who wants to apply for a driving licence. He somehow manages to clear his written test and for the practical, he gets a tough instructor. The cop places a cup of coffee and asks this teenager to drive, the condition being that not one drop has to spill. This guy (who was cute) does ok but as the test is about to be over and he has to park, a huge truck comes in the way and the coffee spills. This guy flunks the test. He does not tell this at home and his folks think he has the licence. With the new rage of being able to drive, he speeds and so the movie continues.
It is interval time and we discuss the 1st half of the movie. We keep wondering this movie – Speed is like a teenage flick and why so much hype! Anyway it is quite cute and we continue watching it. This guy keeps speeding and finally manages to secure a licence for himself.
The movie gets over in a while and we walk out. On coming out we watch the movie posters and lo what do we see. The poster for Speed does not have any of the characters from the movie we watched! What? Then what were we watching all this while?
It turns out we watched ‘Licence to Drive’ and the whole gang of us burst out laughing. Of course we do not leave the chance to bash up the friends who got the tickets without checking the show!
What confusion! Have you had any incident like this?
So ‘Speed’ is newly released and our whole gang decides on that one. It is only 20 mins for the next show and we have to speed! We reach this theatre ‘Alaka’ – now we were in college and with so much movie watching and partying, we could not really afford multiplexes! Not that multiplexes were a rage then anyway.
So there we reach the movie hall with about 2-3 mins to spare. With half of us parking our bikes, we send the rest to get the tickets so that we do not miss on the beginning (I hate missing the start of a movie). So we meet at the entrance and get into the movie hall just in time for the last trailer getting over.
The movie starts. There is this teenager who wants to apply for a driving licence. He somehow manages to clear his written test and for the practical, he gets a tough instructor. The cop places a cup of coffee and asks this teenager to drive, the condition being that not one drop has to spill. This guy (who was cute) does ok but as the test is about to be over and he has to park, a huge truck comes in the way and the coffee spills. This guy flunks the test. He does not tell this at home and his folks think he has the licence. With the new rage of being able to drive, he speeds and so the movie continues.
It is interval time and we discuss the 1st half of the movie. We keep wondering this movie – Speed is like a teenage flick and why so much hype! Anyway it is quite cute and we continue watching it. This guy keeps speeding and finally manages to secure a licence for himself.
The movie gets over in a while and we walk out. On coming out we watch the movie posters and lo what do we see. The poster for Speed does not have any of the characters from the movie we watched! What? Then what were we watching all this while?
It turns out we watched ‘Licence to Drive’ and the whole gang of us burst out laughing. Of course we do not leave the chance to bash up the friends who got the tickets without checking the show!
What confusion! Have you had any incident like this?
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