La Pensive

Saiyaara

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 02:17:00 +0000

Its rare for us to go out for a Hindi movie in Melbourne. This time the opportunity presented itself after 4 years, I think. N had gotten into the songs way before the movie's release even in India. And when he likes some music, he really gets into how it was made, so I kept getting trivia snippets from him about it. I think that built up some expectation about the story, and I'm glad I wasn't disappointed. One interesting trivia - they have used different singers for each song. And it makes sense in the story, since he is a new singer finding his voice.

A love story! That can never get old, right? i wonder why Hollywood or Bollywood have almost stopped invest in them. Saiyaara is a refreshing one. Saiyaara means wanderer.

From the trailers, I went expecting something like Rockstar (which I hadn't liked) or Dil to Pagal hai (which I like despite the hero whom, not so much) . Saiyaara has a bit of both in the story but so much more. A recent love story unfolding over music I had enjoyed was Bandish Bandits. Yes, there's some of that in this, but something else that works as well. This is a movie that creates an impact without over-the- top action, item numbers, objectifying women, remixes or abusive words. Its such a relief, it restored faith in Bollywood for me.

The actors Aneet Padda and Ahaan Pandey @ahaanpandayy are both fairly new and have done so well! Their overall acting and dialogue delivery is good and effortless. Aneet is gorgeous in this scene - simple, elegant. This is my favourite look of hers, although I liked her throughout the movie.

The story is a tearjerker, but it will leave you feeling good. The Director @Mohitsuri does a good job weaving the story together without the typical Bollywood masala. They have nicely shown the contrast between the two characters.

Saiyaara come on Netflix soon I believe, but go watch it in the movie hall if you can. Theatre magic has been restored for me by this one. I'll give it 5/5 stars.

#Saiyaara #BollywoodReview #MohitSuri #AhaanPanday #AneetPadda #YashRajFilms #HindiCinema #MovieReview

Visit to Satyanand Ashram, Rocklyn (near Melbourne)

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 07:04:00 +0000

The Rocklyn Ashram is situated in the Wombat Forest near Daylesford. A few of us friends decided to pay a visit this weekend. The weather was foggy and dreamy as we started our journey.

On the off-road, I saw a sign that said Satyananda Ashram. I was intrigued by the name, but then thought - it can't be! Swami Satyananda Saraswati from Bihar is my Guru Anna Vyavahare's Guru! His disciple Swami Niranjananand Saraswati is one of my Gurus. I wondered whether this was the same Swami Satyananda Saraswati, or maybe another one. I held these thoughts in and took in the serene, dense forest. A tiny Kangaroo crossed the road in front of us and was joined by 2 more on the side road. Beautiful birds on the side brought us closer to nature.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the Swamini who runs the ashram and were told about our schedule and Ashram rules. Within minutes, I discovered that it is indeed named after our Swami Satyanand Saraswati. The Yoga magazine from Bihar School of Yoga, which was available to read in the lobby was the first confirmation. I also saw pictures of Swamis Satyanand and Niranjananda adorning the walls of the Yoga Hall and the canteen. Ghantali Mitra Mandal's website has the same picture of Swamis Statyanand and Niranjananda Saraswati on their website.

In the Yoga Hall, we attended a one hour Yoga Nidra Session, which brought back memories of all the Yoga Retreats I have attended in India led by Swamiji and his disciples. To all my students reading this - please practice the below Yoga Nidra when you have time. Let me know how the experience was by commenting on this article once you are done.

Yoga Nidra By Swami Niranjanananda In Hindi

Lunch was a simple affair with Khichadi and organic veggies from the Ashram's own farm. The herbal tea was delightful.

I led 3 bhajans for our group - Manasa Satatam - a song fit for karma Yogis, Karo Raksha which is Swami Niranjananda's favourite prayer and Aim Hrim Kleem - also a dhun that reminds me of Swamiji.

Karo Raksha

करो रक्षा विपत्ति से न ऐसी प्रार्थना मेरी

विपत से भय नहीं पाऊँ प्रभु यह प्रार्थना मेरी

मिले दुःख ताप से शान्ति न ऐसी प्रार्थना मेरी

सभी दुःख पे विजय पाऊँ प्रभु यह प्रार्थना मेरी

उठा ले भार तू मेरा न ऐसी प्रार्थना मेरी

बनू समरथ उठाने में प्रभु यह प्रार्थना मेरी

मदद पर कोई आ जाए न ऐसी प्रार्थना मेरी

न टूटे आत्मबल डोरी प्रभू यह प्रार्थना मेरी

सुखी दिन में भजूं तुझ को, दुखी अंधेर रात्रि में

न आए तुम प्रति शंका, प्रभू यह प्रार्थना मेरी ।

प्रभू यह प्रार्थना मेरी, प्रभू यह प्रार्थना मेरी

We had a fruitful sattvik discussion as a group in our free time. Then we attended a Yoga session which also reminded me of Swamiji's session. When the rain took a short break, we went for a walk around the lake on the property.

The evening Mrityunjay Havan was amazing. The positive vibrations of the mantras last with you for days to come.

The booklets they used during the Havan are also true to the Bihar Ashram ways, including the Sankalp (resolve) at the beginning of Mrutyunjay manta, Gayatri Mantra and Durga Namavali.

Strolling after the Havan, I was delighted to walk into this quaint Shiv Mandir on the Ashram premises. The architecture in all these structures was remeniscent of India.

Like the Himalayas, the Ashram life also calls you back. We will definitely visit again. Hoping to go back one day with all my Yoga students as a group.

PS: Just 4 days after this visit, my good friend Suvarna Newalkar shared Swami Niranjananda Saraswati's latest podcast interview. He shares beautiful memories of his early years with Swami Satyanand Saraswati. Here is the link - make sure you watch it. It feels like a candid one to one with Swamiji. I believe he has spoken publically after very long.

https://youtu.be/-4wD6SzjSJY?si=h2M2R3vwYipDIztD

Toy Story 4

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 12:20:00 +0000

A great watch. Here's my order of favourites

Toy story 1
Toy story 4
Toy story 2 and 3

I loved watching woody's character's story track in this one. Actually this series can do without villians.. they should stick to the cute storyline of love between toys and their kids. Can't wait for the next one.

Bridget Jones's Baby

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 11:36:00 +0000

Finally! A wonderful, funny, thought provoking beautifully made movie. Well.. why underplay it? A phenomenal, hilarious, poignant smashing hit it is!!

As far as sequels go, one of the best!! I cannot believe they could come up with something better the second time round, that too so many years later. Recently saw 2 mediocre sequels after really enjoying the first parts. Dumb and dumber 2 and my big fat greek wedding 2. Both seemed to have tried really hard to be as gripping and funny as their prequels. But Bridget Jone's Baby really got it right. The characters have somehow become more endearing. And oh Darcy! What a brilliant brilliant way to keep this character alive. I got it, the way the character stays true not just to the erudite Mark Darcy in Bridget Jone's Dairy, but to the elegant proud Mr Darcy who Colin Firth first played in Pride and Prejudice.

Each and every character in this movie is endearingly funny without being over the top. Just the right pinch of British humour, without making it a Jerry Springer-ish horror. Everyone is entitled to their emotions and turmoils beacuse of the borderline slapstick situation they find themselves in, but they come out of it with grace and elegance. I especially enjoyed how Bridget's mom gracefully accepts her daughter's blunder and turns her political campaign around to accommodate her daughter's situation. Really well written and well directed.

Oh and the new cutipie in Bridget's life... well done, Bridget. Wonderful character once again and what a dish that actor is!

The movie was an evening well spent. Makes me want to get my hands on the books. Something tells me I won't be disappointed. What are you waiting for? Go see the movie! Its ideal for a ladies nite out, as well as a laugh riot with the man.

Liane Moriarty

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 05:29:00 +0000

I like to read relevant, contextual books. So when I'm in Paris, a romantic novel about Paris, when I'm on a trekking trip, something like Jeffery Archer's 'Paths of Glory'.

And so, in Australia, living the Aussie life, I am really enjoying some Aussie authors with their incredibly Aussie references. I loved 'The Rosie Project' by Graeme Simsion. Its based in Melbourne, so can't get any closer to home than that. I also liked short stories by Monica McInerney, and a random book I picked up called best Aussie short stories 2014.

But the author I'm really starting to respect is Liane Moriarty.

Her stories are brilliant, entertaining and always end up teaching me something. The references to Melbourne are not as precise as Sydney.. her characters always go on a work trip to Melbourne but live in Sydney. I can tell that Liane must have lived in Sydney herself.... Melbourne references are vague enough to confirm that. But her characters are delightful, you can't help loving them. I often decide to write about her books after I've finished them, but this time I finally got to it while in the middle of one.

So far, I have read The husband's secret, Big little lies and 'What Alice Forgot'. All very well written... ah I'm smitten. Just started 'The hypnotist's love story' ... and what can I say... its a hypnotic love story for sure. With a combination of romance, real life drama and an element of suspense too.

Ellen, the hypnotist herself, has a vivid imagination, which reminds me of Nina from the TV show Offspring (also based in Melbourne), which in turn reminds me of Ally McBeal.

Happy happy...will write more once I finish, I'm sure I won't be disappointed by the ending. All her books have that in common. All stories brilliantly tie up in the end... making you go. ... Yes! More pease, Moriarty.

Yoga and SAP

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 13:38:00 +0000

Yoga and SAP? Apples and Oranges? Maybe. But let's look closer. Maybe, there's more parallels than what first meets the eye....

So why examine Yoga and SAP together? It's never been done before, that's for sure (trust me, I've looked :)) Well, mainly because, tomorrow, I have been asked to explain Yoga to a group of SAP Consultants. And Yoga and SAP are, after all, both integral parts of my life. I am a Yoga teacher and an SAP consultant. So, here is my attempt at using SAP analogies to explain Yoga.

"SAP is an ocean", Ram Sir (from Wockhardt IT) used to say. Well, so is Yoga. It is vast, all-encompassing and easy to get lost in without a proper guide. SAP has several modules, and it depends on each client how many of the available choices they decide to implement. It also depends on the client which project team they choose for implementing SAP. A poor implementation results in blaming SAP as a product. Yoga is similar in that has multiple limbs too. The ultimate goal of Yoga is Kaivalya - we can call it enlightenment for simplicity, but each limb serves its own purpose too. An organization may decide to do without certain modules of SAP like SAP QM - Quality Management, for example, and can still have a full functional solution that helps it achieve its goals. Likewise, a practitioner of Yoga can decide to do without a tough part of Yoga like Yama-Niyamas - the rules of personal and social conduct which include moral guidelines, and can still get a lot out of Yoga to enrich their lives. Ultimately it depends on what you want. Aside from the limbs of Yoga, there are several specialized, customized modifications of Yoga, like Yoga for Pregnant women and Yoga Therapy. SAP -- IS-U, need I say more?

And to explain how some Yogis can still have sugar-cravings, how about an IT contradiction to match that? People with a six sigma black belt and and ITIL Certificate can still have a sloppy desk, can't they?

Well well, more than a page full of analogies! Not bad! Maybe I should try explaining SAP to my Yoga group next :)

Birthday wish for my friend Seema

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 13:33:00 +0000

There are many kinds of people we meet
Some we remember and some we delete

And then there are some that just make that impact
We both met just briefly and hit it off just like that

You became my friend and so far away from home
You made me feel just at home

I felt that you really would care
Whenever I had something to share

You leant an ear when I wanted to pour my heart out
And gave me a new perspective to think about

Sweet Seema wish you a very Happy Birthday
May all your dreams come true today

High up high

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 05:04:00 +0000

At the park near Cheenu dada's place
Ishan, Mumma, Sulu mavshi and Cheenu dada went
Each and every corner Cheenu dada would climb
And Ishan would follow not far behind

Finally Cheenu dada picked one high spot
And off he went - soon he was atop
Ishan at the bottom gazed up high
And decided he too would give it a try

Two year olds shouldn't set their goals so high
Trying things 4 year olds are better suited to try
Mumma wisely tried to explain
But soon realized her efforts were in vain

There was her little prince now perched up high
'How will you come down now? ' She said with a sigh
Panic and drama seized her now
Proud calm parenting exited with a bow

Up she went to rescue her baby
A fine sight for passers-by surely!
High above now Mumma sat with Ishan
Still unsure of how to get him down

Finally Sulu mavshi gave a hand
And Ishan was able to safely land
Fine adventure it was for everyone
A day at the park and so much fun

A tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam - Written by Dr Sujata Joshi Patodekar, Nanded

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 08:33:00 +0000

एक उत्स्फूर्त आणि मनोज्ञ श्रध्दांजली ....

समर्पण

नावाड्याच्या पोराचे
खडतर बालपण,
स्वप्न ध्यानीमनी
संशोधन,उच्च शिक्षण।

स्वदेशी अग्निबाण
अंतराळी उड्डाण,
यश संपदेला
विज्ञानाचे अधिष्ठान ।

कुराण आणि गीता
अभ्यास समसमान,
नाही कदापि वृथा
धर्माचा अभिमान ।

बालगोपाल मेळ्यात
विरघळले मोठेपण,
राष्ट्रपती भवनी
उजळले साधेपण ।

अध्यात्मिक आचरण
जपले शुद्ध माणूसपण
"स्वप्ने बघा मोठी"-सांगत
देह झाला समर्पण ।

-डाॅ सुजाता जोशी पाटोदेकर.नांदेड.

9421987915.

New Zealand!

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 10:24:00 +0000

Every Aussie family has at least once done a trip to New Zealand. There are 2 broad categories of trip-planners - the easy going relaxed site seeing variety and the adventure seeking kind. Our group, however, fell into a mixed blend of the two categories - the easy going type out on the unique adventure of travelling with 3 infants. It was an adventure of its own kind, that started right from the phase of packing - a mom who has already traveled with her child once can keep adding stuff to her travel list even after the trip ends!!!!

There were 9 of us on this adventure. The Jetstar flight was eventful to say the least. Aussie PR holders don't need a visa to NZ, but one couple in our group somehow didn't show up on NZ's database. An hour and half land a call to the NZ embassy later, we were on board!! Three babies on a night flight - between us we kept pretty much every person on the flight awake. On arrival, it was early morning in Auckland. The sun was just rising when we boarded our mode of transport for the next 4 days - a huge Thrify vehicle with 3 baby seats.

Day 1- Auckland- Hamilton Gardens- Lake Taupoe- Rotorua - Tuck Inn

At first glimpse, Auckland was spectacular...starting with the beautiful pine trees near the airport. We had breakfast at a burger place where the lady was kind enough to tweak the menu for 7 vegetarians in the group, Our friend from Auckland Dr Pravin came to meet us. We managed to get his help and buy one important item we had forgotten to pack - sunshades for the car. And then, we were off! The rhythmic movement of the car soon lulled the babies to sleep, and us ladies soon followed suit. The drive is picturesque - here are a few captures by the guys.

A road-sign that's unique to NZ

We reached Hamilton Gardens at around lunchtime. Had a walk around the lake, and a delicious lunch at the bistro overlooking the lake. Blissful! There are various themed gardens there, but kids were getting a little restless, so we took off soon after lunch. Lunch was idyllic in a cafe overlooking the lake.

Next stop was Taupo lake - the huge lake whose other end you cannot see. On the way we saw a smoky exhaust emitting from a pipe and were surprised that there could be any kind of pollution in this pristine landscape. We presently found out that they were in fact hot springs - all natural!!

Taupo Lake

Finally we reached Tuck Inn- The picture-perfect farmhouse that was to be our home for the next two days. Owners Kathryn and Marcus made us feel welcome with a sweet message on the board, and fresh warm bread on the kitchen counter.

Tuck Inn

There were a lot of fascinating fixtures in the house- They add to the charm of this place. There are so many cute things with messages on them - I couldn't resist clicking away!

The unique weather forecaster hanging in the kitchen of Tuck-Inn

And it was so happy to be turned over :)

A rock that met us at the door of Tuck-Inn

Milk bottle - The message inside says they will fill it up with fresh milk from the cows at the farm if we leave it outside in the morning!

We had a restful sleep at night. There were plenty of toys for the kids, they had a nice play before they retired for the day.

Day 2- Waitaki hot springs and Waiotapo Mud Pools

We had an early morning visit from Kathryn - she told us about the things we could do around the area, She has beautiful informative brochures in the kitchen too, and we all unanimously agreed on the Waikite valley thermal pools and the Waiotapo volcano. They were quite close to Tuck Inn- just a 30 minute drive.

Waitaki Hot Springs

The place is beautiful! For the minimal entry fee of 12$ a head, you get access to 6 all-natural hot pools at a delightfully maintained temperature. Idyllic and peaceful. The visitors were sparse and non-intrusive. Our group spent most of the time in one particular pool with the mountains in the background. The kids had a great time too - they were allowed more time in since the weather was so perfect.

We ate at the cafe - vegetarians had Tomato Soup and potato wedges. We were famished by the time we had our lunch, so everything tasted just divine!

A cute sign at the cafe

After the late afternoon lunch, we were to head to the volcano, it had looked quite attractive in the pictures, But just on the way back to our cars, we saw a sign that said scenic walk, and everyone spontaneously decided to go for it. It was gorgeous - walking along the boiling river.

The Boiling River - Waitaki

The colourful volcanic site of Waiotapo was our next destination. But we found upon reaching there that the site was to close at 5 in the evening, and even the shortest walk was more than an hour long, and probably not something fun with 3 prams and tired infants in tow. We had to reluctantly drop the volcanic area from our plan- and this after a tourist told us that she had seen many volcanoes in the world and this had been the most beautiful one ever. Here's a reason to come back! We definitely want to do this the next time. She told us that we could, however drive further down and look at the mud pools - they don't close. So, that's what we did, and what a sight! I had never seen something like this before. Bubble bubble toil and trouble!! It was meditative and serene and just amazing. The word mud pool definitely does no justice to this volcanic natural phenomenon before us. Good thing Abhishek decided to chat with this tourist lady!

Volcanic Mud Pools- Waiotapo

We missed our friend Rashmi who always has great photo-pose ideas while clicking away later at the mud pools.

Upon reaching home, we had a cheese making workshop with Kathryn. She had had a busy day, but was kind enough to make time to teach us how to make the best Mozzarella I've ever tasted.

What a luxurious breakfast we had the next morning!

Home-made bread, farm-fresh milk, and cheese on the side made by us!!

Day 3 - Good-bye Tuck Inn - Mata-mata- The Shire (Hobbiton)- Auckland

Good-Bye Tuck Inn! These are a few things we will always remember.....

The 'Who Cares' Clock

The breath-taking view from our bedroom and living room

The visitor book at Tuck Inn

My entry in the visitor book- Thank you Kathryn & Marcus!

Here's a fun fact.. Woolworths is called 'Countdown' in NZ. And we get some unique home-brand products in NZ, which I am yet to see in Australia. Like these rice crisps.....Perfect kiwi snacks for the car!

Yum!

Mata-Mata

We soon reached Mata-Mata - from where we boarded a bus for the tour to Hobbiton. That's Anderson Farms, converted into a movie set for all parts of The Lord of the Rings. Its a costly tour, but definitely worth it, especially if you are LOTR fans.

The Visitor center at Mata Mata- styled to look like a hobbit hole. Don't miss this atleast, if you can't make it to Hobbiton

Near the visitor center at Mata Mata

Anderson Farms or Hobbiton on The Shire

Hobbit Holes in Hobbiton

Samwell Gamjee's Home in the Shire

The Party Tree

Party Tent - Near the party tree

The Hobbit Family- You can dress up in hobbit clothes at the Tavern

After a lovely time at the Hobbiton, we made for Auckland, which was to be our destination for the next two days. We were to stay with Pravin and Smriti, who were kind enough to let 3 couples and 3 kids invade their home. We reached at dinner time and had a delicious fusion dinner of Tandoor Paneer Pizzas from Pakurango's. Oh why don't we have such delights at Melbourne?!! A perfect end to a perfect day.

Day 4 - Omaha Beach, night playing Mafia

Pravin suggested we go to a beach they like, and that's what we did. We stopped in the city for an Indian brunch. Another great find.. I tell you, NZ is the place for vegetarian Indian food.

All natural strawberry ice cream at a place called..well... Ice Cream :D

Fun With Photography at the beach

The beach was fun, with more nutty poses and pictures - good company, good times - Great memories. At night, with all the kids tucked in, Prashant hosted and taught the newbies the mind-game of Mafia. Its so addictive that we were at it until 3 am.

Day 5 - The Sky Tower, Auckland, Evening flight back home

On day 5, we shopped for some souvenirs, paid a visit to the sky tower, and had another dinner from Pakurango's before heading back home.

The Sky Tower - Auckland

Another memorable trip with a great group of friends. We are waiting for your visit to Melboure now, Pravin & Smriti.

Half Girlfriend

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 13:03:00 +0000

Here's another book from Chetan Bhagat... called 'Half Girlfriend'. After 2 States, (which was a romantic comedy) he wrote Revolution 2020 (which had a social issue at the front seat and romance on the side). So, from his pattern, I expected this one to be a light romance with a little bit of socially relevant matters thrown in, and was not disappointed. Chetan Bhagat's genre is what I like to call the male version of chic-lit. And since Bollywood has started taking up his stories to turn into movies, I feel he's started making it easy for them, since most of his newer novels are like Bollywood movie scripts. But still quick and light reads that satisfy both, the romantic in you, as well as the side of you that wants to, or at least wants the characters you meet in the world of fiction to do some social good.

I have been reading all sorts of genres since I moved to Australia, and was pleasantly surprised to see a Chetan Bhagat number in the 'Our Recommendations' section of Preston Library, Melbourne. Speaking of 'Chetan Bhagat numbers', have you noticed that all his books are quite literally just that?! Run all the titles in your head, and you'll see what I mean.. all of them have a number in them. Five, three, one, 2, 2020, half.

I thought of his books then, and now in India, I discovered he'd written a new one when I read in the Times of India about how they are already planning to turn it into a movie, and how Aliya Bhatt is being considered for the role of Riya. I was wondering how I could get my hands on this latest book that hasn't even been launched in Mumbai yet, when my friend Aditi came over, with a copy she had already pre-ordered from Bangalore where it's launched. I grabbed it from her before she could start it, and didn't put it down until I finished it. Well, its not unputdownable like some murder mysteries can be, but holds your interest and you want to be led through the story in Chetan's usual style and pace.

The lead character Madhav, is not very likable. Fresh from Bihar into the world of English speaking sophistication, he is a complete outsider. And one thing he says to Riya made me want to stop reading. Shallow loser. You become skeptical about how a story told from his perspective can work, but trust the author to make it click through the course of the tale. Riya, the dream half-girlfriend, is the typical rich un-reachable spoilt princess. She's likable, but her ice-princess behavior is too stereotypical. And...one of the characters in the story is Chetan Bhagat, playing himself!!! Hahaha I'm sure he's going to want to play himself in the movie too.

I really liked one line that Madhav's mom would tell him as a kid. "Beyond a point people want money to buy respect. Respect, however, cannot be bought. You have to earn it."

How true!

Overall, I would give this book 3 and half stars out of 5. Read it once.

Reccofriend- The app that pays you

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:42:00 +0000

So..What's this new marketing revolution that's got everyone talking? Reccofriend. Its a brilliant conceptualization of the simple idea of getting paid for recommending your favorite brands, restaurants or ideas to your friends. The logo is cleverly made too.. what you say can pay.

Whenever I need a good recommendation, I always rely most on what people I know have already tried and tested. So, what if recommending good choices to friends could pay you? This is the basic idea behind Reccofriend. Word of mouth marketing that pays.

This video explains how you too can start getting paid.

Go give it a try, Melbourne! Its surely the next big marketing revolution.

Cheers,

La Pensive

आई

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 03:56:00 +0000

A beautiful poem I received from my friend Madhur, upon becoming a mother.

आई

आई …वेगळीच असते.
डोळे मिटून प्रेम करते ती प्रेयसी असते.
डोळे मिटल्यासारखे करते, ती मैत्रीण असते.
डोळे वटारून प्रेम करते, ती पत्नी असते.
आणि…
डोळे मिटेपर्यंत प्रेम करते, ती आई असते.
खरच... आई किती वेगळी असते.
आई साठी काय लिहू
आई साठी कसे लिहू
आई साठी पुरतील एवढे शब्द नाहीत कोठे
आई वरती लिहिण्याइतपत नाही माझे व्यक्तिमत्व मोठे
जीवन हे शेत तर आई म्हणजे विहिर
जीवन हे नौका तर आई म्हणजे तीर
जीवन हे शाळा तर आई म्हणजे पाटी
जीवन हे कामच काम तर आई म्हणजे सुट्टी
आई तू उन्हामधली सावली
आई तू पावसातली छत्री
आई तू थंडीतली शाल
आता यावीत दुःखे खुशाल
आई म्हणजे मंदिराचा उंच कळस
आई म्हणजे अंगणातील पवित्र तुळस
आई म्हणजे भजनात गुणगुणावी अशी संतवाणी
आई म्हणजे वाळवंटात प्यावं अस थंडगार पाणी
आई म्हणजे आरतीत वाजवावी अशी लयबद्ध टाळी
आई म्हणजे वेदनेनंतरची सर्वात पहिली आरोळी

Paintball!!

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 08:54:00 +0000

Paintball at Snipers Den Melbourne

Who says games are only for kids? Here's one game that's just for grown-up!
I'd first heard about Paintball in Big Bang Theory, and knew that it involves making war-like strategies and tactics. BBT of course had a funny take on it with Sheldon's brave sacrifice, but watching it made me feel like I definitely wanted to try it one day.

Sheldon's Sacrifice for his team - Big Bang Theory

I'd wanted to do it, and was afraid at the same time. I'd think...who would want to voluntarily hurt themselves? Yet this year, in March, I suggested to hubby that we should all go play paintball for Holi. Ha ha.. by the time we finally did it, it was December. Still, a good idea for Holi away from India - the only activity outside India where you can splatter others with colours and not get arrested :)

So, coming back to our plan. Hubby's the planner - always so organized and reliable. He got together a mixed gang of 17. Someone from work had told me about a deal where they were offering paintball passes valued at $25 for just $1. We knew there would be catches in it, but didn't expect what was coming! It comes to about $70 a person, no matter what deals you get. With a few cancellations, we were a group of 14, with Faisal joining in at the last moment..

3 Agashes, 3 Nairs, 2 Patodekars, 2 Chitales, 2 Diwadkars, Ashtosh & Faisal

Oh yeah, you need proof of identification when you sign the consent form that you are responsible for any permanent damages to your body. I had nothing on me to prove that my face has my name. Luckily a scanned copy was ok for them, and we all could play!

None of us had played at Moorabbin before, and only Ashutosh and Ashish had ever played paintball elsewhere earlier. Ashish tells us on the morning of the game, after we meet that the gear they give us will not protect our clothes. Most of us are wearing clothes for a rough day, except the Agashes who arrive in jeans and Jhelum who comes wearing sandals. Luckily for us, the place we went to gave awesome gear, full army overalls, and vests for women. Jhelum managed to change into sports shoes in time. Men have to buy crotch protectors, and they sell extras like gloves separately for hygiene reasons (their take) or extorting more from innocent first timers (our take).

We had to reach by 10:30 for our game at 11. The briefing, and the decking up etc takes a while, so it is a really good idea to be on time, if not early. We girls were nervous by the time we were geared up, and had decided to call it quits even if one of us said so. And our war strategies involved bribing our hubbies to go easy on us or else (no dinner etc)

They gave us a semi training, all with test shots et al, and we were all set!! They divided us into two teams - Red and Green.

Team Green

Our coach/refree told us about the ammunition at our disposal - Apparently the guns we were handling were the AK56s of Paintball :), and gave us the rules of the game. The objective of game 1 was to get a white ball on the other team's side, without getting shot. Easier said than done!! Nikhil - Team red, kept getting shot by his own team members, until he decided to shout "I am Nikhil!! Don't shoot me" to his team. Amogh from the opposite team (Green) got the brilliant idea that they could penetrate Nikhil's team, and easily move unharmed if they just shouted "I am Nikhil don't shoot me". Haha guess which team won that round!! Green!!

The objective of game 2 was open fire and defense Team red won with flying colors, calling the match even. The last round was terminator round - no teams, total annihilation. The unlikely winner of this round was Vrisha, who managed to have ammunition till the end, and be the only one standing. By this round, all our fear of getting hurt was gone.

Game over! None of us could stop talking about it!! And we are still at it, discussing our injuries like war veterans.
Playing paintball reminds us of what our soldiers really play on the battlefield.
Lest we forget them... signing off with these lines sent to me by Ashutosh..
"Jab Desh Mein Thi Diwaali
Wo Khel Rahe The Holi
Jab Hum Baithe The Gharon Mein
Wo Jhel Rahe The Goli"

Go play it once! Conquer your fears!

Cheers,

La Pensive

The Big Bang Theory

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Just love this one! Remember how we would say in a childhood fight.. "I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off me, and sticks to you"

Well.. meet Sheldon Cooper.

Here's how he fights with Leslie Winkle: Yes, well, I'm polymerized tree sap and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns on its original trajectory and adheres to you.

Enjoying The Big Bang Theory to the fullest! Thanks Nikhil for introducing me to it!

Mausam

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Ohh this movie is so 'no fun'!!

Well...what matters is how you look at it. There is an interesting suspense angle to it.. the big question being... how on earth can none of the characters be exposed to cell phones with good network? Even when the movie FINALLY ended, I found myself saying.. Now I'll never know whether this defunct couple ever gets a cell phone, or ever learns how to leave each other accurate messages on voicemail/answering machines. Thats the suspense...the director keeps you guessing till the end!

There's comedy too.. especially the train scene in Switzerland where he comes running for her. Then the tragedy.. this heroine is there facing the music for each calamity that took place since 1993!

In the first half, nothing happens. They don't even speak more than 3 lines to each other. Ohh so flat! There's no scope for good acting, and both Shahid and Sonam have promptly given it a miss. And yes! The mystery.. You'll never guess, even after the end credits start rolling, why this 3 hour ad for a mobile network was called 'Mausam'.

Ho hum. Atleast the mystery of why they used the tagline 'a timeless love story' is solved. They make you lose track of the year that's being depicted with their mindless anachronisms.

Happy Independence Day

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Here is a story I received as a forward. I don't know who wrote it, but its beautiful!

In the line of fire

Vivek Pradhan was not a happy man.. Even the plush comfort of the air-conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi express could not cool his frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and still not entitled to air travel. It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason with the admin person, it was the savings in time. As PM, he had so many things to do!! He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time to some good use.

'Are you from the software industry sir?' the man beside him was staring appreciatively at the laptop. Vivek glanced briefly and mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care and importance as if it were an expensive car. 'You people have brought so much advancement to the country, Sir. Today everything is getting computerized.'

'Thanks,' smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a look. He always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young and stockily built like a sportsman..... He looked simple and strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town boy in a prep school. He probably was a railway sportsman making the most of his free traveling pass.

'You people always amaze me,' the man continued, 'You sit in an office and write something on a computer and it does so many big things outside.'

Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naiveness demanded reasoning not anger. 'It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it.'

For a moment, he was tempted to explain the entire Software Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement. 'It is complex, very complex.'

'It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid,' came the reply.

This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence crept into his so far affable, persuasive tone. 'Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we have to put in. Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just because we sit in an air-conditioned office, does not mean our brows do not sweat. You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and believe me that is no less taxing.'

He could see, he had the man where he wanted, and it was time to drive home the point.

'Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized booking centers across the country. Thousands of transactions accessing a single database, at a timeconcurrently; data integrity, locking, data security. Do you understand the complexity in designing and coding such a system?'

The man was awestruck; quite like a child at a planetarium. This was something big and beyond his imagination.

'You design and code such things?'

'I used to,' Vivek paused for effect, 'but now I am the Project Manager.'

'Oh!' sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over, 'so your life is easy now.'

This was like the last straw for Vivek. He retorted, 'Oh come on, does life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I do not do it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality. To tell you about the pressures, there is the customer at one end, always changing his requirements, the user at the other, wanting something else, and your boss, always expecting you to have finished it yesterday.'

Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with self-realization. What he had said, was not merely the outburst of a wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while defending the truth.

'My friend,' he concluded triumphantly, 'you don't know what it is to be in the Line of Fire'.

The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization. When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that surprised Vivek.

'I know sir,..... I know what it is to be in the Line of Fire......' He was staring blankly, as if no passenger, no train existed, just a vast expanse of time.

'There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the cover of the night. The enemy was firing from the top. There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom. In the morning when we finally hoisted the tri-colour at the top only 4 of us were alive.'

'You are a...?'

'I am Subedar Sushant from the 13 J&K Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a soft assignment.But, tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier? On the dawn of that capture, one of my colleagues lay injured in the snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker. It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety. But my captain sahib refused me permission and went ahead himself. He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the safety and welfare of the men he commanded... ....his own personal safety came last, always and every time.'

'He was killed as he shielded and brought that injured soldier into the bunker.. Every morning thereafter, as we stood guard, I could see him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me . I know sir....I know, what it is to be in the Line of Fire.'

Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of how to respond. Abruptly, he switched off the laptop.

It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a Word document in the presence of a man for whom valour and duty was a daily part of life; valour and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical heroes.

The train slowed down as it pulled into the station, and Subedar Sushant picked up his bags to alight.

'It was nice meeting you sir.'

Vivek fumbled with the handshake.

This hand... had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger, and hoisted the tri-colour. Suddenly, as if by impulse, he stood up at attention and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute....

It was the least he felt he could do for the country.

PS: The incident he narrated during the capture of Peak 4875 is a true-life incident during the Kargil war. Capt. Batra sacrificed his life while trying to save one of the men he commanded, as victory was within sight. For this and various other acts of bravery, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the nation's highest military award.

Live humbly, there are great people around us, let us learn!

Dhoosar

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:07:00 +0000

Wanted to write about this Marathi film before its memory fades and becomes a blurry haze in my thoughts. Dhoosar is about fading memories. It is about snapshots of a mother-daughter relationship, woven intricately into the story of how Alzheimer's slowly claims the mind and life of an ordinary woman with an extraordinary heart. It is about a stranger, who walks into the life of a single aging woman living alone and battling an evil illness, hoping to take what's hers, but ending up becoming her protector and son. It is about transformation. About photography, about legacy. It is an example of excellent story-telling.
A daughter settled abroad returns one day after 2 long years into her mother's bungalow, only to find its name-plate bearing the name of a stranger. She catches a glimpse of her mother, who fails to recognize her. She is shocked to see, after finally being allowed into her own house, that her mom's room has been painted white and her mom is being addressed as 'Avwa'- a strange word she has never heard. She is quick to grasp that her mom is ill, and conclude that the tenant who has taken over her mother's house and life is an intruder taking advantage of her ill old mother. It is only after she calms down that the 'stranger' begins to explain the reasons behind each of his acts. It is really touching how she finally grasps that the white color, the strange name and the nameplate are acts of kindness on his part, and not the results of cruelty as she had concluded. It is also touching how the story of the mom's life is slowly unfolded as fleeting memories in the daughter's eyes.
Dhoosar falls under the category of 'meaningful cinema'. Amol Palekar's films are never masala entertainers. But this one, albeit a serious subject, hardly bores you, and surprisingly is not a tearjerker. Sure, there are a few moments that moisten the eyes, but overall, its a simple story, beautifully told.

Dhobi What?!!

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 05:47:00 +0000

What? And Why?? This whole movie is like modern art. An abstract painting, for you to look at, and derive your own interpretations. Here's mine....Dhobi NOT!!

It really made me think of an indulging parent praising the work of, and even posing to be painted by a child who really shouldn't be painting at all!!! Aamir Khan should have let his lady try her hand at writing or interior decoration!

The story starts off as a series of random events in the lives of 4 of its characters, and keeps moving with the same style. The only interesting story is that of the lady who occupied artist Aamir Khan's house before him. But even that could have had a definitive ending. And the amateurish style of the video shooting to show that the lady was a novice gets on your nerves after a while. Really could have been done better - it speaks for amateurish direction, giving the movie a documentary-feel.

Overall- ok to watch @ home...you can definitely give the theatre a miss!

A cry in the night

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:59:00 +0000

This is the first time I had such a negative reaction to a book! I would read a few pages at night before sleeping, and then have nightmares! Well, the thriller part could have been more fast paced... I felt the story drag on in the middle. The tale is different, but could have been told more effectively. And even though she goes through a lot, you don't really connect too well with the lead character Jenny. If you ask me, she's too weak and helpless! All in all, I'd say you can give this one a skip..
Now I need something cheerful! Maybe I'll pick up my Wodehouse or Douglas Adams again!

Mystic River

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:25:00 +0000

Just finished this one by Dennis Lehane. I'd heard the movie's really good, but I chose to read the book first. Quite some good work there. Initially, I was a little put off by the bad language and bad grammar used to portray the crime-infested, mugger-dominated neighborhood of the three protagonists. But as the story develops, you tend to get so absorbed into it, that you really forget the language. The way the characters are potrayed is simply amazing. From when the three friends Sean, Jimmy and Dave were little kids growing up in an area in the city where innocence is lost really early on; until the time all three have become men with distinct characters - the author takes us through their minds and thought processes as they build their personalities. Same neighborhood, different outcomes. All three make something different of the collectively similar set of experiences they have.
And the story moves forward at a medium pace, engrossing all the same. Suspense is kept alive too... all in all, a very good read! Gonna catch the movie too!

He's just not that into you

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 17:30:00 +0000

This movie just came and went in India. No big uproar, or maybe I missed it. But right now, while vacationing in US, I happened to visit Schaumburg Public Library for a Yoga Conference, and saw this cover, not on a DVD, but on a book. Of course I was really curious to know what could be written to fill about 130 pages on this subject. I love the saying 'When in Rome....'. So, when I'm in US, I always try to read the things that seem to be 'in' at the moment. As a child, this is how I got into Judy Blume, Sweet Valley Twins, The Babysitter's club series, and a very good novel called 'Where the red fern grows' (I later saw the movie too- amazing), and in a recent trip, one called 'What dreams may come' - by Richard Matheson. This one made it to my list of all-time-favorites-and-can-read-and-re-read-any-number-of-times books.

So..coming to this book. I was just browsing through the chapters... He's just not that into you if he's not asking you out, He's just not that into you if he's not calling you... I still couldn't believe they'd written full chapters on these seemingly pretty complete sentences. My uncle finally asked me if I wanted to check any books out, and here I was, with this book in my hand.

I finished the book in two days. Its written by the co-authors of the show 'Sex and the city'. Greg Behrendt is the funny-man author, and as his co-author Liz Tuccillo puts it, he's the big brother you never had when it comes to dating-advice. The book is written like a self-help book... and is written in the form of sarcastic agony-aunt type responses from Greg to women with dating problems. His answer to all of them: He's just not that into you if he's not head over heels in love with you and not emotionally available to you. And, in his own words, 'Don't waste the pretty'.

Erm, in an Indian context, this could fall flat, coz firstly, Indian women don't date, dump and re-date as often as dating women in New York. But lately, I've become very introspective, and it struck me that this book could be used by Indian girls looking for grooms on shaadi portals!!!! Far-fetched idea, true, but I really applied it to some of the scenarios a very good friend of mine has been in, and I felt, had she applied the rules in this book, she would have known when to shout "Next!" and move on, rather than waste her time with some really bad so-called prospective grooms. I like Greg's line "Don't waste the pretty". And also this one "Pets are God's way of saying 'Don't lower your standards'" :D What he means is, if all you're looking for is a sloppy mannerless weirdo who only wants to be fed, go get a pet! Don't settle for less. Nice message...

His writing style makes you laugh... he uses humor to drive a tough point home. In one letter, where he wants to say that women should use this book as a tool to find out whats really going on in their relationships, but caution us against overdoing it, here's what he says

'when I say tool, I don't mean a giant shovel you use to hit unsuspecting men over the head'

Hahaha..nice work, Greg :). We get it...finally in any relationship, we have to use our own common-sense, while remembering that we are worth being treated with respect and then reach a decision.

I'm gonna see the movie next! Hey....no raised eyebrows! I'm on vacation!!!

Cheers,

La Pensive

Mumbai Pune Mumbai

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 06:08:00 +0000

I saw this one with cousins over the weekend. This is what I'd call a complete success! Good direction, great acting, nice dialogues, and for once, everyone's sticking to the story line!
Its a love story. I really don't remember the last time someone made a love story in Marathi!! The story begins with a Mumbai girl's visit to Pune. Her first glimpses of Pune and the subtleties of the differences between the two cites are very nicely portrayed during her search for an address there. The story unfolds between conversations with a stranger who helps her. Both the actors have done a great job..Very natural dialogue delivery, and a very easy exchanges of ideas. I think after Pu La's hilarious Mumbaikar-Punekar-Nagpurkar....this is a very apt and modern take on the definite differences that still exist between the lives and thinking of the citizens of the two cities.
Music's nice too. There's a title track, and just one song during the movie...and what a lovely one!! Kadhi Tu.....
And of course...a sweet ending! That's definitely the quintessential necessity for making a love story successful. Go see it! I give it 4 and half stars!!

Don't Lose Your Mind...Lose Your Weight

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:53:00 +0000

I'm not the obsessive type who'd lose her mind over losing weight! But I still picked this book up, and didn't regret it for even a minute! By the way, the fact that Kareena Kapoor got her Tashn look by following Rujuta's diet plan is a great incentive to get curious and want to know what's in this book..

Here's a perky, entertaining account of the things you can do to make slight alteration to your lifestyle and diet if you want to look like a million dollars. The message is simple, what you'd keep hearing in Yoga classes or from your parents, but the way its delivered really makes you want to do it. Here are some things she says in the book:

Use your common sense while eating and exercising.
It really is possible to eat whatever you like and still stay fit, the trick is in knowing when and how much you eat
Her message in her words: Eat local, think global..
Split up your meals into smaller parts and have something every two hours
Eat more during the day and less at night
Start your day with a fresh fruit instead of tea/coffee

Her writing style is good, although I wouldn't give her full marks for grammar.... but what she has to say is nicely said, and her cheeky similes make you forget that this is a self help book. Its almost as fast-paced and entertaining as a chick-lit! Here's an example of her witty way to drive a point home.."If you eat like a dog at night, you'll behave like a b**** during the day" Ouch!! But who'll forget now, that suppers are supposed to be light?!
I'd say....Go for it! Read it, and try to apply it in your life!

Kites!

noreply@blogger.com (La Pensive) — Sun, 30 May 2010 10:32:00 +0000

That name kinda rhymes with Yikes!! Well... if you're expecting something like this picture...idyllic, sweet or just meaningful.... be prepared for a major let-down. Personally, I don't like movies where the lead character lacks character...
Its mainly about the chase... they could have really done better with the Spanish chica and Indian chora love story part. instead, they've focused on how bad life gets for them. Barbara has a nice smile, and Hritik's got style... but too bad they turned a potentially nice love story into this mess....

I would rather spend my weekend flying a kite with family :)

Hey, by the way, kite flying is not so easy... In the pic, you see my dad, who's an expert, trying his hand at it after ages... and the rest of us doing what we're good at....watching and admiring.

Ciao!