My dear sadness

My dear sadness,

Just recently I read some piece by Frida Kahlo; “I drank to drown my sorrows, but the damned things learned how to swim.” These words took me to think about some things in the darkest of the alleys, about an emotion we dread to face; the most unappreciated and the most misunderstood emotion that we face; the emotion of sadness.

As we all want to come out of it, there are times when we want to relish those solitary tears. Sadness is the only emotion with us when we are lonely.  We think we can find peace and joy in its absence, but it is the reason why we appreciate.

It’s ok to be sad, it’s ok to feel the pain, and it’s OK to be lonely. It’s a reassurance of being human and a gentle reminder that I am just a human.

I have begun to understand what Tolstoy wrote and the background behind the most talked about opening lines of a book in a literary world. In his famous book Anna Karenina he writes "Happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in it's own way". There is diversity in sadness, and diversity is good. Happiness looks the same. Sadness has an individuality, a persona. It helps you grow, to create, to achieve; to go beyond self. It keeps you grounded. 

Happiness is a high.
The way towards happiness is much better than the destination itself. 

Dear sadness, yes, you matter a lot. Good that you've learnt to swim and thanks for being there for me!

उठा उठा चिऊताई!

मी लहान असताना माझी आई मला एक गोड कविता म्हणून उठवायची, आज एकदम ती कविता आठवली,
आज ती कविता इंटरनेट वरून संपूर्ण मिळाली... बहुतेक या ओळी कुसुमाग्रजांच्या आहेत..


उठा उठा चिऊताई
सारीकडे उजाडले
डोळे कसे मिटलेले
अजूनही अजूनही !

सोनेरी हे दूत आले
घरट्याच्या दारापाशी
डोळ्यांवर झोप कशी
अजूनही अजूनही !

लगबग पाखरे ही
गात गात गोड गाणे
टिपतात बघा दाणे
चोहीकडे चोहीकडे !

झोपलेल्या अशा तुम्ही
आणायाचे मग कोणी
बाळासाठी चारापाणी
चिमुकल्या चिमुकल्या !

बाळाचे मी घेता नाव
जागी झाली चिऊताई
उठोनिया दूर जाईभूर भूर भूर भूर !

जुनी आठवण

तो टुण्णीकपळ्ळा हेम्माडुक्की,

हेब्डाळीच्या बुळात शाळूबाई,

शबस्क डबड टण्णण मम्म,

बुळ्याकबुळ्ळ्या मौनिक हैया.

Spelling!

For a long time now, I have been meaning to change the spelling of my name... I have no idea how to go about it... Every time when I write my name I get irritated with the wrong spelling I am using...

I spell my name प्रज्ञा as Pradnya...
Instead it should be Prajna. Pra: प्र and Jna ज्ञा

Should be formally changing it soon!

स्वातंत्र्यदेवतेची विनवणी

बरेच दिवसांनी परत ही कविता वाचनात आली. कुसुमाग्रजांनी १९९६ साली ही कविता लिहिली होती. आजच्या समाजाचे वर्णन यात आहे आणि स्वातंत्र्यदेवता जनतेला उद्देशून मांडलेली ही व्यथा आहे. तुम्ही नक्की वाचा आणि इतरांनाही वाचायला द्या.  

पन्नाशीची उमर गाठली अभिवादन मज करू नका। 
मीच विनविते हात जोडुनी वाट वाकडी धरू नका॥ 

सूर्यकुलाचा दिव्य वारसा प्रिय पुत्रांनो तुम्हा मिळे। 
काळोखाचे करून पूजन घुबडांचे व्रत वरू नका॥ 

अज्ञानाच्या गळ्यात माळा, अभिमानाच्या घालु नका। 
अंध प्रथांच्या कुजट कोटरी, दिवाभितासम दडू नका॥ 

जुनाट पाने गळुन पालवी नवी फुटे हे ध्यानि धरा। 
एकविसावे शतक समोरी सोळाव्यास्तव रडू नका॥ 

वेतन खाउन काम टाळणे हा देशाचा द्रोह असे। 
करतिल दुसरे बघतिल तिसरे असे सांगुनी सुटू नका॥ 

जनसेवेस्तव असे कचेरी ती डावंूÀची नसे गुहा। 

मेजाखालुन मेजावरतुन द्रव्य कुणाचे लुटू नका॥ 

बोथट पुतळे पथापथावर ही थोरांची विटंबना। 
कणभर त्यांचा मार्ग अनुसरा वांझ गोडवे गाउ नका॥ 

सत्ता तारक सुधा असे पण सुराहि मादक सहज बने । 
करिन मंदिरी मी मदिरालय अशी प्रतिज्ञा घेउ नका॥ 

प्रकाश पेरा अपुल्या भक्ती दिवा दिव्याने पेटतसे। 
इथे भ्रष्टता तिथे नष्टता शंखच पोकळ फुंकु नका॥ 

पाप कृपणता पुण्य सदयता संतवाक्य हे सदा स्मरा। 
भलेपणाचे कार्य उगवता कुठे तयावर भुंकु नका॥ 

गोरगरीबा छळू नका। 
पिंड फुकाचे गिळू नका। 
गुणीजनांवर जळू नका। 

उणे कुणाचे दिसता किंचित देत दवंडी फिरू नका। 
मीच विनविते हात जोडुनी वाट वाकडी धरू नका॥ 

पर भाषेतहि व्हा पारंगत ज्ञानसाधना करा, तरी। 
माय मराठी मरते इकडे परकीचे पद चेपू नका॥ 

भाषा मरता देशहि मरतो संस्कृतिचाही दिवा विझे। 
गुलाम भाषिक होउनि अपुल्या प्रगतीचे शिर कापु नका॥ 

कलम करी ये तरी सालभर सण शिमग्याचा ताणु नका। 
सरस्वतीच्या देवळातले स्तंभ घणाने तोडु नका॥ 

पुत्र पशूसम विकती ते नर, नर न नराधम गणा तया। 
पर वित्ताचे असे लुटारू नाते त्याशी जोडु नका॥ 

स्वच्छ साधना करा धनाची बैरागीपण नसे बरे। 
सदन आपुले करा सुशोभित दुसर्‍याचे पण जाळु नका॥ 

तरुणाईचे बळ देशाचे जपा वाढवा तरुपरी। 
करमणुकीच्या गटारगंगा त्यात तयाला क्षाळु नका॥ 

सुजन असा पण कुजन मातता हत्यार हातामध्ये धरा। 
सौजन्याच्या बुरख्याखाली शेपुट घालुन पळू नका॥ 

करा कायदे परंतु हटवा जहर जातिचे मनातुनी। 
एकपणाच्या मारुन बाता ऐन घडीला चळू नका॥ 

समान मानव माना स्त्रीला तिची अस्मिता खुडू नका। 
दासी म्हणुनी पिटू नका वा देवी म्हणुनी भजू नका॥ 

नास्तिक आस्तिक असा कुणीही माणुसकीतच देव पहा। 
उच्च नीच हा भेद घृणास्पद उकिरड्यात त्या कुजू नका॥ 

माणूस म्हणजे पशू नसे। 
हे ज्याच्या हृदयात ठसे। 
नर नारायण तोच असे। 

लाख लाख जन माझ्यासाठी जळले मेले विसरु नका। 
मीच विनविते हात जोडुनी वाट वाकडी धरू नका॥ 
(प्रथम प्रकाशन 'सकाळ' दिवाळी, १९९६)

I won the cup

I won the cup, a photo by Pradnya Shidore on Flickr.

A group of young cricket (the most popular game watched in India) enthusiasts sit on the footpath of the Fergusson College road after celebrating the victory of team India in ICC World Cup 2011. India beat Sri Lanka to win the cup after 28 years.

The Mystery of Vanishing Bees

Do you know what apples, almonds, broccoli, cashews, garlic, mangoes, peaches, raspberries and tea have in common? Give up? They all depend on bees to help with their sexual reproduction.

In fact, did you know that every third bite of food that you consume depends on our buzzing buddies, the bees? The busy little gals (the workers are unfertilized females) do a lot for us by pollinating plants and flowers worldwide.

Unfortunately, they're dying by the millions and no-one knows why. It’s safe to say our world won’t be the same without them.

‘No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more... people’ is a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein, though there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that he actually said it. Not that it matters. The attribution is less important than the content.

Few years back 'The New Internationalist' dedicated it's full issue on the mystery of the disappearance of the bees. The study reveals many shocking facts.

This disappearance is a wake-up call, a signal that our modern agricultural system is in deep crisis. People rightly worry about the loss of the big showcase mammals: the polar bear, the tiger, the wolf, the elephant. But the insect world may be a better indicator of the health of our natural systems. It’s not just the bees that are in trouble. It’s us.

To read more about it click here

Dry spell...

It happens sometimes... To are unable to reflect. Unable to introspect. Don't know your calling, are confused but you don't want to admit that to anyone. So, a month back, it was all this and much more...

Ideal Education

Gandhi...

I stood in front of a crowd, my hands clasped on my eyes. I was singing “Gandhiji ke Bandar hum khele kude dum dum dum….” it was my pre-school annual gathering and I was representing the very fundamental thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi. First as a child I met Gandhi through stories told by my grandpa. Simple stories with morals, I could not sleep without them. In school I met him as the father of the nation, who brought the British to their knees, the architect of Indian independence. In college I debated about his ideas, his contribution to the world. Later as a student of Political Science my study of leadership, charisma, social movements was never complete without him.

Gandhi is often mentioned as one’s idol. His khadi becomes a fashion, his ideas become a theme of a blockbuster and his glasses are put up for an auction. It’s the liquor king Vijay Mallaya who wins the auction and brings the historical belongings back home. What an irony. Aptly shows how people have used him for their personal gains. We don’t need a Scandinavian certificate to tell us how important his thoughts were; In fact I am glad his greatness is not reduced to an award. No one can better describe Gandhi as Albert Einstein did… “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth’’.

Gandhi, as I see is not just a person, but a phenomenon.

:)

Just when the caterpillar thought

the world was over,

it became a butterfly...

I am currently Crazy about this song !

Lay a whisper on my pillow,

leave the winter on the ground.

I wake up lonely,

theres air of silence

in the bedroom and all around.

touch me now, I close my eyes and dream away.

It Must have been love....

(From Pretty Woman by Roxette)

Ring a-ring o' roses

Ring a-ring o' roses,
A pocketful of posies.
a-tissue!, a-tissue!.
We all fall down.


A tragic history :
It was interesting to find that many have associated the above nursery rhyme with the Great Plague of London in 1665, or with earlier outbreaks of bubonic plague in England.
The invariable sneezing and falling down have given would-be origin finders the opportunity to say that the rhyme dates back to the Great Plague. A rosy rash, they allege, was a symptom of the plague, posies of herbs were carried as protection, sneezing was a final fatal symptom , and 'all fall down' was exactly what happened The line Ashes, Ashes in alternative versions of the rhyme is claimed to refer variously to cremation of the bodies, the burning of victims' houses, or blackening of their skin, and the theory has been adapted to be applied to other versions of the rhyme, or other plagues. In its various forms, the interpretation has entered into popular culture and has been used elsewhere to make oblique reference to the plague.

Tired...

Tired of saying it's being a while since I have posted anything.

Tired of saying, I have been too busy to post,

Tired of saying, I have had enough of computers all day long.

Tired of saying, I haven't made any commitment towards writing.

and that blog is only a spare time activity.

excuses, excuses, excuses...

hmmmmm

Its been a while now.
as suspected !

Working in n working out kept me busy...
(interestingly, after the recession m getting more assignment)

so that's it for now !
just wanted to break the dry spell...

It no matter if ur black or white !

My fav MJ song :)

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=d99bcQaH6ts

And I Told About Equality

An It's True

Either You're Wrong

Or You're RightBut,

IfYou're Thinkin'About My Baby

It Don't Matter If You'reBlack Or White

New Year...

Happy New Year :)

My new year started with lots of good assignments :)

Hence Lot of work at hand..

First and foremost thing i need to be happy !!

So, i wish you all, that you get everything that that you need...

and may you get to do what you like !!

The Bad Dogs Diary

Blake is a loveable mongrel just trying to lead a happy life; he loves his owner, fiercely defends his territory against interlopers (including the owner's new lady friend and her cat), does his best to avoid the frequently threatened neutering and spends a lot of his time either scooting across the carpet or chasing local tail. It really is a dog's life, and Blake has kindly taken the time to keep a diary of a year in his own life - providing a hilarious, unputdownable glimpse into the mind and world of your average mutt. Adorably illustrated throughout in Blake's own hand, this book has all the wit and addictive pace of the diaries of Adrian Mole and Bridget Jones and will delight a wide range of readers and dog lovers, including fans of the successful Marley and me.

I loved it not just because of BLAKE but because he identifies a lot with my own pedigree Labrador 'WAGHYA' who is frequently labelled as "BAD DOG"

This book is not just a witty read when u want nothing to read of any 'funda' sort, but also a glimps into animal psychology. It is very useful read for the dog owners who always wonder 'what he must be thinking now...?"

Warior Of Light...

When anxious,

 the warrior of light pretends that he is tired and prepares for sleep.

People say 'Look, he's lost all enthusiasm.'

 But he pays no attention to such remarks because they do not understand his tactics.

 

A warrior of light knows what he wants. 

And he has no need to waste time on explainations.