Sunday, February 27, 2022

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Jaipur Journals- A walk along the road

Gulbarga. February.2022

A bird knows when to take a leisurely flight into a panicky flight. I woke up this morning way before the sunrise and had tough time getting out of the bed. 

Low lights are the best times to take strolls. The slight chilled wind pushed me to stick to bed. The warming sunshine tempted me to get out of the bed. In the doubts, I dozed for a while and missed to see the dark blue sky turning into the palette of pale orange colors. 

I got ready and walked out to watch the moon at the same place, slight above the building, shining bright in it's own way. Actually, I had to tilt my head more to look at the moon. It may have changed the position in the day but, it doesn't matter to me, as I have to put the same efforts to watch the moon. Tilting the head. 

I walked out near the gate and this time security, wasn't there to open the gate. The gate was already opened. Another reminder to self, that I'm late than yesterday. 

I swerved left. As I took hundred steps forward, the same milk van which I saw yesterday, showed up taking it's three big grey cans. Without any music, the milk van was heading to it's destination. This is the same milk van who goes on  la la ride returning with the empty cans, enjoying loud bass EDM music. 

I took the edge of the road to run. At far sight, I saw the mild Sun kissing the golden brown dry grass and green trees that were yet to form strong shadow on the leaves which has a lot of dew on it. Looking down at my steps, there's a quite contrast from black Road. A lot of bright yellow flowers along the edge of the road. 

Had good time jogging along the road on a sunny morning. 

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Book- The Story of Wipro


I love the coffee table books. I know the story of the foundation but, do not know wipro's journey.  This book gives a good picture of the whole  journey. I loved the way, the book got started. 'Why this book?' Anurag writes how it started with a large wooden table. A table that has seen a lot of meetings and it became the part of the wipro. 

From there, came the urge of documenting the history of Wipro. It has a lot of pictures of the whole journey. Glad to see the DKR in young days. It's good to be part of the large team.Good work teams. Cheers to the whole team who could pull it off. Good work Westland. 


 

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Stories on Wheels- Day Light Journeys

In the month of August, I thought to take a long train journeys in India. Though, I planned and I never executed them to the full. Thanks to Azhar's birthday, I impulsively got on a train on a sunny afternoon and began my journey.  

As soon as I got onto the train, I found five boys accompanied with an energetic uncle occupying my berth. "We'll get  down, can you please sit here." he requested in Hindi. I obliged his request and continued to sit near by. "Kya yaaro, itna tandh thi Delhi mei," the boy at the window exclaimed about about the winters in North India. I could get those Hyderabadi vibes. 

"Kaha Jaare hai aap?" I asked. 

"Ajmer." the uncle replied. "Hyderabad se hai kya?" I asked immediately. They nodded their heads in silence. "I'm also from Hyderabad." I carried the conversation forward. 

The questions were darted continuously from the elder person. "Accha kaha rahte?" "Chikkadpally mei rehte the?" "Ammi papa Kaha hain?" And the conversation went on. We broke the ice and the energetic uncle introduced his gang. He's traveling to Ajmer URS along with his sons and other nephews. 

                       

All the boys began to taunt the youngest by how he acted at Delhi Railway Station on a wintery morning. 
As the boys got out of train at Delhi railway station, they were feeling too cold to step out. The boys weren't prepared for this cold. A few in slippers, a few in tee-shirts were strolling in the AC coach. Before they could unpack their bags and wear winter clothes, the train got stopped and they had to get down. They got down and wore all the possible winter wear. The youngest of all, who couldn't bear the cold wanted to reach the hotel as soon as possible. In a mix of words, he went and demanded the auto driver"Afzalganj jaana hai baap." 
"Arre tairo. Hazrath Nizammuddin ke paas jaana hai." Jaldi chalo yaar, the boy was throwing his tantrums. Listening to the whole mess, "Kaha jaana hai  batao bhai?" the auto man asked furiously. 
"Jaao yaaro. Hazrath Nizammudin, the uncle pleaded taking five of his boys." 

Looks like the Delhi cold has shaken the youngest lad brains.  

Spending a few hours with them and watching the Rajasthan from the AC coach, they were expecting  to see some desert in between. 

After them came Mehboob at Ajmer station, who is going to his home Rajkot. He's fun. Soon after some time, he finds me near the wash basin and offers me a cigarette.  'Nahi peethe ho?' he was curious and wanted to offer one. As I rejected his offer, another person came in and was afraid to pick one and shared his concern, "What if TT comes and asks for fine?" "Paise nahi hai! Keval Beedi hai boldo," the Rajkot lad assured another guy and shared the cigarette. 

When he had cigarette, why did he mention, 'keval Beedi hai' is still an unanswered question.   

As I began to munch on some biscuits, he offered me Paan this time. "Nah" I replied. 


Kuch bhi nahi lethe ho? He was surprised again, he continued having paan without a company. While the sun rays hit the berth, he managed to get some sleep. Sometimes on phone. sometimes he was silent staring at he opposite empty berth.  

I was on my laptop working, writing, listening to songs. and staring at the scenery watching Beawar rocks. Got reminded of Satvir's words about these rocks. 

As the sun has set, I watched the plain fields under the natural light and enjoyed standing at the door rather than in the coach. In no time, I arrived at my destination and got down. 

From now, I'll try to plan for the day light train journeys. It's fun. 


Saturday, February 5, 2022

In dialogue with Arun Uncle

Swathi suggested me to stay over at her home so that I can catch up with Amoolya for breakfast on next day. Swathi lives in US now. I cherish the in-person conversations we have whenever we meet. So, I stayed over to spend some more time with her and her family. 

Next day, on an early morning while Arun uncle was still in his blanket, I walked into the room wishing him, “Good morning uncle.”  Swathi mentioned that they have a roof top garden which uncle has started a few years ago. As the (Rajasthan)house I currently live in  also has a roof top garden, I got interested in it.

“Uncle can I see the garden?” I asked. He heartily accepted the request and took me for a visit on a foggy morning.  The central space of terrace got occupied with all these beautiful plants. Uncle managed to grow sugar cane on the rooftop garden. A sugar cane on a rooftop garden! I consider it as quite an achievement. “Yeah, we need to cut this soon ma. The green shoots are coming up. This will suck up all the sweetness,” he explained looking at the sugar cane, he managed to grow it on his terrace.  "All the work is done by aunty and Uma." he credited where it's due. "I started it but it’s aunty and Uma who does all the work." He was honest.

He got different varieties of Chilli. A chilly that turns black to red and another green to red. A few more Chillies looked like cherry tomatoes. A lot of hot Chillies to spice up the day. "We get at least 2 meals a day in a week from our garden." he shared.

Swathi challenged me to guess what this material could be. I tried hard scanning what it could be but, Alas, it turned out to be the antenna cover. I  could never imagine it. The plants are planted in water bubbles and curd buckets and what not. Talking numbers and stories behind it, Uncle shared how he got all these buckets from Sanath Nagar market. 



The blue drums were cut vertically horizontally, customized the stands for them. A lot of effort and thought has been put. Looking at the coconut tree, Swathi mentioned how his dad wants to climb the tree but they don’t let him. "Why don’t you try hiring some person to cut them," she asked. Uncle in his signature style analysed the cost and said how it’s ineffective.

Talking about trees and plants, there are a lot of stories that are entwined to the building.  There's this small tree that's as old as this house. It is protruding from the front wall. The whole space has been not touched to let the tree grow.  "I want to do my best and save it ma." He pointed out to me the other tree. 

A tree that unearthed walls. "The trees know how to accomodate. It's us who needs to accomodate with the nature." He means his words. There's been a lot of effort to not cut the trees. 

Talking about a few more trees, uncle suggested Swathi, "After going to U.S plant a curry leaf tree, you will save a lot of money by not buying five twigs for $5. I got reminded of the curry leaf tree I got right in front of my back yard. "We had two Curry leaf plants," uncle shared the story. 

"We had this trees, when my dad was here. A boy used to come and collect all the leaves packing it in a big cloth and pay 80 rupees to sell it off at the near market. Every two to three months, he used to visit us and take all the leaves." Uncle recollected an episode. He narrated. "My Dad once asked him, Yenabi rupayalena?- Will you only pay eighty rupees. The boy replied, "Naaku ganesh gudi daggari ammithe anthe isthaaru saar" When I sell this at Ganesh Temple, I get only this much sir. 

Thinking of those two trees, uncle shared how those two trees had their end. "One tree had to be removed when I was building the first floor because of drainage constructions. Another tree was not growing after a few years. We cut a little hoping it revives  but, it never revived. 

Continuing the story with the boy who pays 80 rupees, uncle shared, "My Dad passed away and after 12 years, the boy came and told me sorry. "Saar mee naana gariki, 80 rupaayalu ivvali. Nenu ivvaleka poyanu."  The boy who paid 80 rupees every time he took Curry leaves couldn't pay the last due.  Thanks to inflation. The curry leaves are costly and 80 Rupees is nothing. However, the boy didn't forget the due he has with uncle's father. "Not all people are cruel naana. See, after twelve years, he still remembered and managed to come and tell me. Ippudu kuda taluchukunte, I'm teary eyed, he reinstates believing in humanity. 

I told him, " Either you use it or donate it in the Ganesh Temple where you sell the leaves."

There's one more tree as old as the house. More about it later. 

 

 


Jaipur Journals- The long route

Old habits do not die. As I come out of my workplace on a friday night, I didnt’ wanted to go to my home straight. It’s friday! I want to chill out, I thought. I tried checking out for some places. With COVID protocols in place, every place would be shut by the time I reach. 

I cycled towards my home unwilling to reach my home. I noticed the bikers coming in wrong direction, I noticed the truck that sells huge stones of rock salt. Watching the MG, TATA showrooms, and the fruit sellers haggling under their cheap white LEDs, I continued cycling. Where do I go? Where do I go? I asked myself. If I take left, I’ll go home. If I go right, I’ll go to market place famous for their Sanganeri print kurtis.  

I continued cycling straight. I did not know where to go but, I was determined to not take the home direction. I continued cycling noticing the cart sellers who was having a lot of customers to buy the boiled eggs. A few metres ahead, I could spot the bar and restaurant. There’s a cycle store, pharmaceutical, a lot of gajak bhandaars, allen solley showroom and a lot of footwear stores. I skipped the main road, taking a swift left turn entering the small lanes of some unnamed colonies. Cycling through the busy streets while listening to Tume se hi from Anjaana Anjaani movie, the streets didn’t seem to be cumbersome. Watchful of the vehicles around me, I went around cycling. I took another turn entering some residential space. By this time, I’m unsure of my location. The only thing I was sure of, is that I’m far away from home. I continued cycling on the patchy roads where I passed the busiest streets. In those streets, the pedestrians seemed to feel like super humans. They show their hand and expect every vehicle to stop. Besides being on snail space, I ran into so many pedestrians who ordered me to stop by their hand gestures. Passing through the crowd, I entered the deserted dark streets. I had no idea where I was. I could easily take out my phone and check the maps but, I decided to not use it. Relying on my spatial memory, I began to decide the right and left lanes. Let me explore these jaipur lanes only! I thought and went on cycling. I cycled for 25 minutes and at long distance I could see the bright street lights flickering. I knew I’m leaving these dark streets for the main road. I ended up reaching the airport road. The road that takes me home. Quickly after an hour ride through the streets, I rode to home feeling satisfied by the way I spent my friday well, atleast didn’t come home easly. 

Web Series- Decoupled

 As I take a break from serious movies for a while, I caught up on this comic series Decouple starring Madhavan & Surveen. Madhavan is a writer who speaks his mind. Sometimes he's funny, sometimes he's pain in the ass. Of course, not everyone can stand him all the time. For some passive watching, this is a good series. 

I realised, we need every kind of genre as not everyone can be at same mindframe. These days, I realised I'm unable to focus and watch the cinema.  



Movie- Honey Cigar

A story of a French Algerian college going girl, discovering sexual experiences living in a strong patriarch family.

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Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Music- Manganiar Classroom


A best performance to relook at our education system. Roysten Abel's commendable work and the little rockstars' performance is a delight to watch. 

Cycling diaries- The Road Runner gets a service

 After seven months of purchasing the cycle, Road Runner Pro-d I've got ready to get it serviced. Shree Ram cycles, Jaipur, the place where I bought this beauty, does service only on saturdays and tuesdays. Since I can't afford to get it done on tuesdays, I've decided to ride 17 km, the longest route to get it serviced. 

I began cycling at 3.30PM. After a long break, I began my long distance cycling. In between the water breaks and breaks to change the songs, I reached the store. 

Clicked during the water break


A check up of screws and bolts, a bit of oiling, alignment and a precise check of pedals, it's done. A quick service. 

The man at the work

Gear Check

I loaded myself up with some pakoda and sugar cane juice and returned home cycling 17 km again. A good ride. 

Cycle Ride- 20 KM and more

I got ready for a cycle ride but not sure of where to go.  I wanted a spacious road where I could ride as long as I want on the edges of the road. Watching Dronika's recent ride, I decided to get onto the Sitapura Road. 






I quickly got onto it and went on for hours. Began at 4.30 in the evening cycled untill the road ended into a pool of sand. I went further to check if I can get a good long road to ride but, I ended up on a muddy road. Thus, I took a u-turn and returned home after riding for nearly 20KM.The sunset hues were interesting to watch. Where do I see these hues in the absence of LED lights, I thought. 


Midway, I got hungry and I turned away from main road to hit the nearest food joint, The Burger Farm. I have gained double the calories of whatever I burnt. I had a whopper meal and cycled home at east listening to Sid Sriram's compositions. 

 


 


Art- Empty Spaces-Flow

The abstract of the exhibition is out.  https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/communications/events/empty-spaces-flow-art-exhibition-abhinay-renny