Relish Small Pleasures

Longing

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 08:43:00 +0000

From dream to dramatic, that's how I will describe my 2016. It was a glorious, adventurous, full of uncertainties and a transitional year for me. While watching the last sunset of the year, I felt as if the whole year flashed through my eyes. In the gleaming rays of Sun, I can see the reflection of my own bright moments, in the darkening of the clouds I can visualize when I was gloomy and depressed.
Having to deal with reverse culture shock of coming back to my own country after spending more then three beautiful years of living a peaceful and free existence, shook the core of our well-being as a family not because we came back to the same country where we opened our eyes, took our first step or uttered our first words but because it is deteriorating gradually. Here, if you don't conform to the set rules and regulations then you don't belong here and if you don't belong here then people are quick to judge and lable you.
I long for the place which we called home all these years, where my younger one took his first breath. The faces that we can never forget, the people that were once a part of our daily life. The routine, the lifestyle that I was accustomed to and the views that my eyes might have taken for granted at times, I left a part of our heart behind. And when I remember those lazy lunches with friends, those long walks alone, myriad hues of unpredictable weather, trees coming to life in spring with new colors and happiness vibes but ready to shed off as soon as the fall hits and standing naked baring their soul.
I am filled with nostalgia and a deep longing and desire to be there, stand on that street, bask in the afternoon warmth. I want to say hello to that shopkeeper who always greeted me with a smile, the cleaning lady ready for the day with her lips painted fiery red exactly opposite color of winter Sun, the taxi driver trying to do small talk in his best English, friendly, ever-smiling and always helpful strangers. I am yearning the moments of using google translate endlessly, the struggles of online shopping, figuring out the food content with the picture on the packaging, plethora of smells, sights and shops. I miss it all!
Was it a dream? Was I hallucinating? Did the last Sun of 2016 already set? Then, I heard a soft giggle, some heartfelt laughter, a loud shriek of achievement by two little kids having able to build a house with concrete, stones, mud and sticks.
It's already dark and people are celebrating as if there is no tomorrow. Sun has done its work for the day with a promise to rise and shine on the first day of 2017 and everyday thereafter. As I shrug off the dirt on my clothes and look at the darkened hills up there beckoning one and all with open arms, I get nudged and brought back to the reality, 'Mommy, it's time to go home.’

Terrorism and Hope for Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 04:40:00 +0000

I am writing this as a concerned mother of two. In the aftermath of Paris attack, the immediate thought haunting my mind; is this is the world we are making for our kids? The attack brought into attention Beirut, Baghdad, Syria and other countries reeling with the Terror effect. I am ashamed to admit that when I read the news of any terrorist activities in Arab countries, I hardly try to get in the details of the news dismissing this as a part of their daily struggle. Things changed after this Friday the 13th as the terrorism, ISIS related news and articles formed the huge chunk of my news feed and a larger part of discourse as well. It made me sit and take notice and delve deeper into the subject. As I was reading about Syria crisis, (though Arab Spring was a part of assignment I did together with my students of Mass Comm way back in 2011) I was shattered by the images of refugees, almost 50% of whom are kids. Kids, the future and hope of a better and improved world are left without any family members and friends alive, they are forced to live a homeless, education less orphaned life. I looked at my children and shuddered at the thought of having them to live such a life, if something happens to us and this is not an unfathomable reality considering what the world is going through at the moment. Any zealous fanatic in the name of religion, God whatsoever can do that.

France and Syria might be on the opposite end of a spectrum in terms of the countries they are but the tragedies incurred are the same in terms of innocent lives lost. In between, there may be issues like Oil, Ammunition, Propaganda and Religious Extremism involved but the bitter question is how will that family less, homeless child be able to get its innocent, carefree childhood back?

As I go through the daily rituals of taking care of my kids-sending them to school, preparing hot meals for them and safely tucking them into the security and warmth of their own beds, I think of those children faraway, did they get something to eat? Are they sleeping well? What is the hope for them to live? I don't have the answers and I am scared about the future of my kids and all the children worldwide. Is this the hope and vision of the world we want to build for them?

The basic premise of 'all of us are born equal' that I try to teach them perhaps exists in my Utopian world. The discrimination of the people based on gender, color, race, religion and caste may be far fetched reality for them now but sooner or later they may experience it and the idea of an ideal world would shatter into million pieces. Do I want them to grow up in the global environment of violence, hatred and 'eye for an eye' attitude. We, as the citizens of this world share a collective responsibility to make it a beautiful place for our children. We are sailing in the same boat. Can't we give peace a chance for the sake of our future generation or is it too much to ask for?

For further reading: http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-war-on-syria-the-major-political-players-humanitarian-crisis/5473168
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/feb/16/situation-syria-is-going-to-get-worse-melissa-fleming-united-nations
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/11/paris-attacks-bataclan-hollande-beirut/

Being a Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:06:00 +0000

We all play various roles in our lifetime bearing different shades of emotions but the most crucial, difficult and demanding role in the life of a woman starts when she becomes a mother. In fact, the life of a woman can clearly be divided into two parts-pre-motherhood and post motherhood era. And, no girl in the pre-motherhood era can envisage what is in store for her on the other side because as every child is different and so is every mother. She can learn from the examples but the reality hits when she enters the battlefield or in this case she decides to be a mother.

There are numerous physical and psychological changes which starts taking place as soon as a woman becomes pregnant. Though she is showered with all the affection and care during the pregnancy phase but when the baby enters the world, the needs and desires of the woman take a backseat while baby's needs take precedence. Basic functions like showering and eating have to be readjusted to match with baby's nap time. The social circle is restricted to other parents and baby's doctor. In totality, the baby starts to run the show and parents especially mother is just a player at the mercy of mighty director. The babies don't come with a rule book and every mother goes through waves of self doubts whether she is doing the job properly or not. There is a lot of learning involved along the way which is free by the way!

First and foremost thing that any mother learns with the child is patience and self control. A great deal of patience is required when after trying for two hours the baby still doesn't want to sleep. Lots of self control is needed when a three year old insists on buying a toy in the supermarket and on being declined, starts crying nonstop lying on the floor, when a four year old doesn't like the meal, mother has cooked so painstakingly. Overall, a lot of self control and patience is required to deal with kids in day to day situations.

Expected the unexpected-this is another important lesson of parenting. Things will never go as prepared and according to the set plan. All the vacation planning may backfire when a child falls sick or you may get late for a movie or dinner when the kid wants a toilet break as you are about to leave the house. In short, do your best but be prepared for the worst.

Listening also becomes very crucial when the child starts to speak. There are infinite number of questions which mother has to answer on a daily basis. Right from, why does water make us wet and why do I have a baby brother to why is Shahrukh Khan's tummy different from my tummy (six pack abs!), there is no end to the stream of questions and every question is damn important and critical for the little inquisitive mind. The mother not only has to listen to each question carefully but also give an answer to satisfy the kid's curiosity. For instance, I remember watching a movie with my first one and he asks me where are the hero’s mommy and daddy. I said, they don’t live with him. He asks me, why? I said, ‘as anyone grows up, he/she has to leave the parents house to go for college or work. You will also leave us one day’. On hearing this, my son started crying that he will never leave his Mommy. He will always stay together with me. I felt sudden surge of emotions hearing his words.

Kids bring a lot of fresh energy and different perspective in our lives as well. Though with them each and every moment is an experience in itself; from the first toothless smile , first baby steps to first words and then later on those full blown arguments but some moments are really special. Its really touching when he waits for his father to come home to have dinner with him howsoever late it may be. His random acts of kindness and sharing towards his classmates and strangers alike fill me with complete joy and pride.

With my younger one, there are no specific moment as such because he is just fifteen months but his birth will always be cherished in my heart. He was born in South Korea faraway from family and friends. When you are in your own country you have all the support and you know everything so things become lot easier. It is when you are away from the support system, living on your own then you realize your true potential. This is what happened when our second one was born. With no one from the family around us, we struggled and learned along the way. In that sense, my boy is absolutely cool, calm and collected not giving us much trouble since he was born.

Going through all these experiences everyday without fail, a mother becomes a great manager, perfect negotiator, good policy maker and an effective communicator. Yes, motherhood is no easy job and bosses are difficult at time but they give loveliest of hugs and kisses which makes the job worthwhile.

Gujarati version of this article appears on
http://www.khabarchhe.com/magazine/complexity-of-motherhood/

तलाश

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:14:00 +0000

सागर किनारे
रेत की नम भूमि पर
नंगे पाँव चलते, शंख बीनते, घरोंदे बनाते,
चला जाता हूँ मैं,
मैं उस क्षितिझ की खोज में, जो शायद ही मुझे कभी छू पायेगा,
या मैं उसे पा लूँगा, हाथ बढाकर,
हाँ, इससे ज्यादा मैं क्या कर सकता हूँ.
ज़िन्दगी के हर पड़ाव पर रुकता रहा हूँ,
कभी थका, कभी किसी का हाथ थामा, पकड़ा
कुछ दूर जाकर छोड़ दिया...
पर ख़त्म न हुई मेरी तलाश
क्या कभी बुझेगी ये प्यास?
शायद मेरे जाने के बाद !

माँ

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Fri, 06 May 2011 05:25:00 +0000

माँ को समर्पित दो रचनाए....

बेसन की सोंधी रोटी पर-निदा फ़ाज़ली

बेसन की सोंधी रोटी पर
खट्टी चटनी जैसी माँ
याद आती है चौका-बासन
चिमटा फुकनी जैसी माँ
बाँस की खुर्री खाट के ऊपर
हर आहट पर कान धरे
आधी सोई आधी जागी
थकी दोपहरी जैसी माँ
चिड़ियों के चहकार में गूंजे
राधा-मोहन अली-अली
मुर्ग़े की आवाज़ से खुलती
घर की कुंडी जैसी माँ
बिवी, बेटी, बहन, पड़ोसन
थोड़ी थोड़ी सी सब में
दिन भर इक रस्सी के ऊपर
चलती नटनी जैसी माँ
बाँट के अपना चेहरा, माथा,
आँखें जाने कहाँ गई
फटे पुराने इक अलबम में
चंचल लड़की जैसी माँ

माँ के लिए सम्भव नहीं होगी मुझसे कविता-चंद्रकांत देवताले

अमर चिऊँटियों का एक दस्ता मेरे मस्तिष्क में रेंगता रहता है
माँ वहाँ हर रोज़ चुटकी-दो-चुटकी आटा डाल देती है
मैं जब भी सोचना शुरू करता हूँ
यह किस तरह होता होगा
घट्टी पीसने की आवाज़ मुझे घेरने लगती है
और मैं बैठे-बैठे दूसरी दुनिया में ऊँघने लगता हूँ
जब कोई भी माँ छिलके उतार कर
चने, मूँगफली या मटर के दाने नन्हीं हथेलियों पर रख देती है
तब मेरे हाथ अपनी जगह पर थरथराने लगते हैं
माँ ने हर चीज़ के छिलके उतारे मेरे लिए
देह, आत्मा, आग और पानी तक के छिलके उतारे
और मुझे कभी भूखा नहीं सोने दिया
मैंने धरती पर कविता लिखी है
चन्द्रमा को गिटार में बदला है
समुद्र को शेर की तरह आकाश के पिंजरे में खड़ा कर दिया
सूरज पर कभी भी कविता लिख दूँगा
माँ पर नहीं लिख सकता कविता !

उड़ जायेगा हंस अकेला

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:27:00 +0000

उड़ जायेगा उड़ जायेगा
उड़ जायेगा हंस अकेला
जग दर्शन का मेला
जैसे पात गिरे तरुवर पे
मिलना बहुत दुहेला
ना जाने किधर गिरेगा
ना जानूं किधर गिरेगा
गगया पवन का रेला
जब होवे उमर पूरी
जब छूटे गा हुकुम हुज़ूरी
यम् के दूत बड़े मज़बूत
यम् से पडा झमेला
दास कबीर हर के गुण गावे
वाह हर को पारण पावे
गुरु की करनी गुरु जायेगा
चेले की करनी चेला

Prayer for 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:45:00 +0000

May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist,
your cardiologist, your gastro-enterologist, your urologist,
your proctologist, your podiatrist, your
psychiatrist, your plumber and the I.R.S.

May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs and
your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your
triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count
and your mortgage interest not rise.

May New Year's Eve find you seated around the table,
together with your beloved family and cherished friends.
May you find the food better, the environment quieter,
the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure more fulfilling
than anything else you might ordinarily do that night

May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what
others see in you delight them. May someone love you
enough to forgive your faults, be blind to your
blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues

May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls
until you finish dinner, may the commercials on TV not
be louder than the program you have been watching,
and may your check book and your budget balance
- and include generous amounts for charity

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a
day to your spouse, your child, your parent, your
siblings; but not to your secretary, your nurse, your
masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor

And may we live in a world at peace and with the
awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's
unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss,
and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.

(Beautiful lines sourced from net)

It happens only in India

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:34:00 +0000

On one hand Indian-American Nikki Hailey is making wave with her win as Governer of South Carolina, there's one interesting piece of news from a small village in Auriayya, a district of Uttar Pradesh. Bhupendra, whose first wife Sunita died two years back, let his second wife Nema Devi contest Panchayat elections in the name of his first wife, Sunita. Nema Devi not only contested but also won the polls. There is no identity proof of Nema Devi and Bhupendra says that she is Sunita but the villagers are saying otherwise.
Read for details
http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/epaper/index.php?location=30&edition=2010-11-04

World Teacher's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:59:00 +0000

Teacher's day is celebrated on every 5th of Sept in our country but World Teacher's Day falls on 5th of October. This day was created by UNESCO to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure the positive role of teachers in building future generations. In this era of information boom, teachers have a pivotal role to play in the society. With Internet, playing negative and positive roles in the learning process, teachers have to guide, motivate and pave the way for the students to follow the path of righteousness. Teaching is considered as the most noblest of all professions and students are real-time assets of a teacher. The role of the teacher is to create an understanding and awareness among the students to be able to take the right decisions and to believe in oneself with full conviction.

Animals, who?

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:07:00 +0000

We have a tendency to specify days for pertinent issues and then forget about them for the whole year. 4th of October was World Animals Day which went by largely unnoticed because there was hardly any media coverage. Sample these facts sourced from International Union for Conservation of Nature:
# 17,291 species out of 47,677 so far assessed are threatened with extinction
# Of the world’s 5,490 mammals, 79 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, with 188 Critically Endangered, 449 Endangered and 505 Vulnerable.
# 1,895 of the planet’s 6,285 amphibians are in danger of extinction, making them the most threatened group of species known to date.
The world nature cannot support the pressure, we human beings are putting on it. Consequently, the rate of species extinction is 1,000 times higher than natural rate.
Discussing climatic changes over coffee is the latest fad and global warming is the new buzz word, but sustainable efforts towards animals, preservation of their natural habitat are required to create ecological balance. Or Tiger tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night; would be a difficult poem for the coming generations to understand and imagine.

जानवर

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:43:00 +0000

जब इंसान की जान की कीमत इतनी सस्ती हो, तब उस जानवर की क्या बिसात...
बेचारा बेजुबान अपना दुखड़ा रोये भी तो किससे
उसे तो सिर्फ प्यार और सहारे की आस थी
और चाहिए था सर छुपाने के लिए जंगल
पर इंसानी लालच और भूख ने उसे कहीं का न छोड़ा
बना दिया दरिंदगी का शिकार
और ख़त्म कर दिया उसका नामो-निशाँ

Zindagi hai behne do

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:48:00 +0000

Turning 77 on 8th of September, Asha Bhosle's melliflous voice has enchanted millions for six decades. It still keeps me spell bound whenever I listen to some of my favorite numbers of hers. Versatile, effervescent, lively, she is the living legend and heartthrob of millions. Her dynamism is evident in her voice as well with more than 12,000 songs to her credit. The magic that her voice created with Kishore Kumar,Gulzar and R.D. Burman is unrivaled. Having personal playlist of their songs for every mood, I can listen to them for hours and hours. I wish that Ashaji goes on forever and ever.

Balibo: Bloodshed and much more

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:38:00 +0000

Balibo, the name fascinated me enough to watch this movie. It is based on the book Cover-Up (republished as Balibo), by Jill Jolliffe. Balibo is the name of a small town situated near Indonesian border of East Timor, which is witness to the gruesome murder of five Australian Journalist on 16 October, 1975 now known as Balibo Five. The five journalist in their 20s-Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart and Gary Cunningham from Australia’s Channel Seven; Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters from Channel Nine went to cover up the Indonesian invasion of East Timor go missing from Balibo. Roger East, veteran war correspondent with much persuasion from Jose Ramos-Horta, an aspiring politician of East Timor, goes to investigates their death after four weeks but never comes out alive from the country. The official line stated that Balibo Five were killed in a crossfire. But in 2007 Australian investigation discovered that they “were shot and/or stabbed deliberately, and not in the heat of battle” to prevent them from revealing Indonesia’s invasion.
East Timor achieved independence but not before seeing the brutal killings of 100,000 Timorese. Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1996 served from 2006 as Prime Minister of East Timor until his inauguration as President after winning the 2007 East Timorese presidential election. As a founder and former member of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), Ramos-Horta served as the exiled spokesman for the East Timorese resistance during the years of the Indonesian occupation of East Timor (1975 to 1999)
The movie is a depiction of the risk faced by journalists all over the world in bringing out the truth. Unfortunately, the deeds are covered up or go unaccountable for some ulterior motives by government and policy makers. After 35 years of Balibo Five, journalists are still in danger. Each year more than hundred journalists are killed in different parts of the world (International News Safety Institute).

Doctors' Day-A Day of Introspection

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:54:00 +0000

It's the Doctors' Day today, a time to pay tribute to the entire medical profession. This is in commemoration of the birth Anniversary of Eminent Physician and Patriot Dr.B.C.Roy. First of July, 1882 happens to be the birthday of Dr B C Roy, who was born on this day in Patna. After his MBBS from Calcutta, he completed his MRCP and FRCS at London and returned to India in 1911. Thereafter, he joined the teaching staff of the Calcutta Medical College. He excelled as a physician, an educationist and as a freedom fighter, joining Mahatma Gandhi in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Dr Roy's dedication to the upliftment of Indian society led him to choose political arena where he became leader of Indian National Congress and later Chief Minister of West Bengal. After a life of work and service, the doctor passed away on July 1, 1962, on his birthday. Doctor's Day thus pays tribute to Dr B C Roy and all doctors like him, who spend their lives serving people.
Doctors are considered as Gods in our country who have the miraculous powers to heal people and not just treat them. Doctors-patient relationship is considered as a very sacred and they share a very special bond. People connect with Doctors on an emotional level and trust them blindly. This is not just an customer oriented service rendered by the physician to the patient but it goes at a more deeper and spiritual level. A Doctor cannot just be mechanical in his interaction with the patients. He has to be a part of patients life unlike fellow doctors of other more professional countries. We are an emotion driven nation and doctors are our "agony aunts" too. Unfortunately this trend is shifting more towards commercialism and patients are just considered as clients by some of the doctors. I am sure all of us have had some good or bad experience with the doctors. We still remember our friendly neighbor "Doctor Uncle" who would give chocolates every time we went to his clinic with some fake "School fever/Stomach problem". I wonder, how many of todays' kids are going to have fond remembrance of their Doctors in the future. During my research, I had the opportunity to meet some of the highly "professional" and very few "not-so-professional" doctors. Unfortunately, I was dismayed to see some of the doctors lacking common courtesy in one of the premier institutes of the country. It does not take much to talk nicely with someone specially when that someone considers you next to God. Some doctors don't have skills to communicate bad news to their patients. This incident happened with one of my close relative who was told blankly on her face that she has cancer. The way private hospitals treat poor patients leaves nothing to say. My granny was kept in ICU of private hospitals way after she was no more, just for the fat bill. Some doctors consider it their insult, if patient ask them about the causes of the diseases or the line of treatment.
The Doctors have lost their basic communication skills in their run for professionalism. A Doctor must be a skilled communicator and persuader. Patients would listen and follow each and every advice of the Doctor, if he is able to touch their heart. So, it is mandatory to incorporate a basic course in communication skills for medical students along with the studies.

Be the best of whatever you are

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:35:00 +0000

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill

Be a scrub in the valley--but be

The best little scrub by the side of the rill;

Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,

And some highway some happier make;

If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--

But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,

There's something for all of us here.

There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,

And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,

If you can't be the sun be a star;

It isn't by size that you win or you fail--

Be the best of whatever you are!

Douglas Malloch

इस बार नहीं

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Sat, 08 May 2010 06:57:00 +0000

कल प्रसून जोशी कि 26 /11 मुंबई बम धमाको पर लिखी एक कविता पढी! हकीकत को बयान करती ये पंक्तिया इशारा करती है कि अब समय आ गया है ठोस फैसले लेने का, न कि दर्द को चुपचाप सहते रहने का, क्योंकी आतंक को चुपचाप सहते रहना भी तो एक गुनाह है.

इस बार नहीं
इस बार जब वो छोटी सी बच्ची मेरे पास अपनी खरोंच ले कर आएगी
मैं उसे फू फू कर नहीं बहलाऊँगा
पनपने दूँगा उसकी टीस को
इस बार नहीं
इस बार जब मैं चेहरों पर दर्द लिखा देखूँगा
नहीं गाऊंगा गीत पीड़ा भुला देने वाले
दर्द को रिसने दूँगा, उतरने दूँगा अन्दर गहरे
इस बार नहीं
इस बार मैं न मरहम लगाऊँगा
न ही उठाऊँगा रुई के फाहे
और न ही कहूँगा की तुम आँखें बंद कर लो, गर्दन उधर कर लो मैं दवा लगाता हूँ
देखने दूँगा सबको हम सबको खुले नंगे घाव
इस बार नहीं
इस बार जब उलझने देखूँगा, छटपटाहट देखूँगा
नहीं दौडूंगा उलझी ड़ोर लपेटने
उलझने दूँगा जब तक उलझ सके
इस बार नहीं
इस बार कर्म का हवाला दे कर नहीं उठाऊँगा औजार
नहीं करूंगा फिर से एक नयी शुरुआत
नहीं बनूँगा मिसाल एक कर्मयोगी की
नहीं आने दूँगा ज़िन्दगी को आसानी से पटरी पर
उतारने दूँगा उसे कीचड मैं, टेढे मेढे रास्तों पे
नहीं सूखने दूँगा दीवारों पर लगा खून
हल्का नहीं पड़ने दूँगा उसका रंग
इस बार नहीं बनने दूँगा उसे इतना लाचार
कि पान की पीक और खून का फर्क ही ख़त्म हो जाए
इस बार नहीं
इस बार घावों को देखना है
गौर से
थोड़ा लंबे वक्त तक
कुछ फैसले
और उसके बाद हौसले
कहीं तो शुरुआत करनी ही होगी
इस बार यही तय किया है

प्रसून जोशी

Thank you Ma!

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Sat, 08 May 2010 05:55:00 +0000

Our first touch, first love, first care, first attachment, first lesson of life starts with her. She is the one who knows us nine months prior to the whole world. No doubt, the first word that we utter is Ma. No amount of words, no amount of celebration, nothing can compare with what she does for us. For me each and every day is mother's day. Her daily phone call is like a therapy for me, sharing recipes, gossips, she telling me about life and sometimes I advising her. Being far away from her makes me realize how much I miss her. I was never senti types but the day I left my house, food cooked by Mom, her care, I realized her importance. I know, my Mom won't be reading it and I wouldn't be able to say all these things to her face. She will definitely shush me but I can't help saying THANK YOU MA! Thanks Ma for being there, for supporting me always, for making little lies to save me from Pa when I did some mischief. Thank you for putting up with my excuses when I did not want to go to school. I still remember during my Board exams when me and my bro, both of us were down with typhoid. The way you took care of us, helped me in revision and stood by us as a pillar of strength. How I used to wake you up for my early morning studies and you got up at 4 just for me. The sleepless nights that you had to endure because of my acute bronchitis. The whole night I used to suffer from cough and dyspnoea, you would be sitting by my side taking care of my needs. The way I used to say no to food when you did not make the food according to my likings.Now, I understand the importance of those simple yet precious meals cooked by you.See, that's why I have started eating everything which I detested eating in my childhood. You sacrificed every thing for us. It was as major as forgoing your needs for fulfilling our desires or as minor as leaving your favorite TV serial for our sake. I am sorry for fighting with you, taking you for granted. I dread to think of the absence of you existence in our lives. Ma, please take care of yourself for me.
You taught me everything whatever I am today. It was your love, support and counselling that got me through everything. I can't write more..where's my phone? I need to talk to you, Ma..........

From Heaven to Ekla Cholo Re..

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Fri, 07 May 2010 09:09:00 +0000

7th of May is Rabindra Nath Tagore's Birthday. My first memories of Tagore belong to Heaven poem read in school textbook.....

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

It still reverberates in the deep of my heart. And I can bet, there would hardly be any student who doesn't feel inspired and proud of being an Indian. Over the years, the thought and the gist behind the words have not faded into oblivion!
Gurudev was born in the year 1861. Winning the Nobel prize in 1913 for his master piece Gitanjali, Tagore is a doyen of Indian Culture.
Another evarlasting memory associated with Gurudev is of Ekla Cholo Re. This song has some inherent energy reminding of that era and filling the mind with the belief to always move forward, come what may. These are the Bangla words of the song along with a rendition by Kishore Kumar.

Jodi tor đak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla chôlo re,
Êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo re.
Jodi keu kôtha na kôe, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi shôbai thake mukh firaee shôbai kôre bhôe---
Tôbe pôran khule
O tui mukh fuţe tor moner kôtha êkla bôlo re.
Jodi shôbai fire jae, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi gôhon pôthe jabar kale keu fire na chae---
Tôbe pôther kãţa
O tui rôktomakha chôrontôle êkla dôlo re.
Jodi alo na dhôre, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi jhôŗ-badole ãdhar rate duar dêe ghôre---
Tôbe bojranôle
Apon buker pãjor jalie nie êkla jôlo re.

How I sacrificed something dear to me....

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:13:00 +0000

They say it takes three weeks to change habit! There are lots of thing that change over time but one thing that remained unchanged till now was my sleeping habit! Ohh...how I just love to sleep till the wee hours of the day!I always detested getting up early so much that even my board exams could not deter me from my sleep. I would always duck it for some reason or so during exams but when it became impossible to make excuses with my mother then as a last resort, I threatened her up with..."if I am getting up early to study then you would also have to get up with me". And my poor mom, she complied with my request and got up at 4 AM with me for the whole duration of exams {How we used to get all the royal treatment when we sat for our board exams}. Anyways, morning sleep is always so wonderful although you know that outside the whole world is waiting ,then also you want to sleep for five minutes more. Throughout school, college, office my love for sleep remained unchanged. Thankfully, my Ma-in-law was as accommodating as Mom, so she too never asked me to get up early. (I think this is enough to establish my love for morning sleep) Alas! One fine day, it all changed! And bouquet (or brickbat) goes to my hubby dear! He is also a lover of sleeping in the morning but suddenly he realized that he is growing horizontally (in simpler terms...gaining weight)and he need to do something for it. Then he took off his jogging shoes and started morning walks. Lo...the tummy was going back to its normal position..my hubby was getting back hs boyish charm and I had a nightmare that I have become fatso (like Ayesha of today) and he is falling for some PYT (you can read sania!)...no! I could not sleep through all this! I have to get up and don my jogging shoes too! I could not let that nightmare be a realty! And that way I sacrificed my morning sleep. Now its been six months and both of us love every minute of that one hour spend amidst nature. We enjoy walking, running, doing stretching, meeting different types of fellows (whom we have secretly given nicknames). We love getting up at 5 and enjoy our time together. Although, sometimes my love for sleeping prevails over my addiction for walk but soon the thought of fresh oxygen in the lungs, first rays of sun bathing everything, chirping of birds, wet grass, exhilaration of running fills my mind and I get all geared up! I suggest you all to please get up and go for a morning walk....as heady as a glass of chilled beer! (only that it keeps you fresh all day...no hangovers!)

Witnessed the launch of INS Chennai

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:58:00 +0000

There are some moments in life which are beyond words. One such moment that I witnessed this morning was the launch of Naval Destroyer INS Chennai, built under the code name of Project 15 Alpha. Invited by a family friend, I could not say no to be a part of it especially a Naval warship. Being wife of a Ship Surveyor has made me familiar with the nity gritty of shipping industry and I could not miss an opportunity to see how ship after building in the yard is sent to the sea. The outer structure of a ship is called hull, which could be compared withe skeletal system of the body. After bulding hull, comes the process of putting in vital organs of the body like engine, generator, purifier, piping system, propellor,rudder...each serving for the proper functioning of the ship.Ok..lets come to the event of launching...We reached Mazegon Dockyards Limited (MDL), Mumbai. As soon as I entered the premises, there she was standing in front of me with all its splendor and glory, 163 m long with a weight of 6700 Tonne INS Chennai. It is propelled by four gas turbines and designed to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots. This is India's third Missile Destroyer in the series of INS Kolkata and INS Kochi which would be equipped with Brahmos Missile, twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers. Mrs Elizabeth Antony, wife of Defence Minister A K Antony pressed the button and propelled it into the sea. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma called it a red letter day for the nation. I was very mush proud to be a part of this event and could share the joy and satisfaction evident in the faces of workers and sailors of MDL. Proud to be an Indian.

Smells and everlasting smells...............

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:13:00 +0000

A small organ known as Nose plays an important role in our lives. I am not talking about the most vital function of breathing in but it's about the olfactory function of the nose...smelling. How smelling is important can be understood from a simple fact that when we are down with common cold, we are unable to find similar taste in the food that we used to relish earlier. It's just because that our sense organ for smelling..Nose is not working properly that we cannot smell the food we are eating. Eating is not just about eating, its about enjoying the food with all of our sense organs. As I said earlier, various kind of smells provoke various emotions.How some smells make us feel happy like food, smell of freshly baked cookies wafting from the kitchen, smell of our loved ones, smell of mama's hands just after she has made delicious food for us. I still remember the smell of my grandma's hands when she used to put "prasad" in our mouth after pooja. That lovely smell coming from baby's body with all those baby powders and oils after they have been massaged and bathed. The smell of morning with all its glory, dew drops on leaves, smell of rain water on mud...aha that is a divine smell especially when the rain drops fall on a hot, muggy, sunny afternoon. Some smells make me nostalgic, like the smell of new book reminds me of starting of new sessions in class when we used to cover all our books and notebooks with brown papers. Going to a theater with its peculiar smell reminds me of our endless movie watching experience with family and that smell of popcorns and hot hot (read refried, stale!!!) samosas. Ohh...that smell of old blankets in which we cozy up with the family and eat loads of peanuts. Smell of freshly laundered cotton shirts.That sweet smell of rose...aha..and some smells we just would love to avoid as much as possible like that smell of sweat in a crowded place, smelly socks, men throwing gas bombs of ammonia (said with no offence!!!)...Ughh

Some facts about smell....
There are 6 basic types of smell: sweet, fruity, putrefaction-like, spicy, burned and paint (terebenthene).

For a chemical to have smell, it must spread its molecules in the air. That's why a cold dish smells less than a heated one: the vapors carry more of the scented molecules from the food.

Another condition is that the chemical dissolves in the water. That's why during the hot, wet weather we feel that smells are more intense. A field spreads its fragrances after a rainfall and the smell of the bath salts is detected more in a hot bath, no matter how diluted, than in the wrapping.

To feel better a smell we sniff, increasing voluntarily the speed of the air currents passing to the olfactory mucosa.

When we enter a room where something is being cooked, the smell is strong for us, while those inside do not even feel it. This is accommodation: after all the olfactory cells have been stimulated by a specific smell, they stop sending signals to the brain.

The air refreshers act by masking the smell: they do not wipe out the bad smell, but cover it, being more intense, like a loud sound covering other background sounds. How this covering happens is not known, as not all the smells can be covered; sometimes we feel the mix of smells.

From about 110,000 kinds of smells in nature, humans perceive just about 100-200. The smell of children is much finer and those working in the perfume industry can detect 600-800 smells! In women, the smell sense is strongest around the ovulation period, significantly stronger than during other parts of the menstrual cycle and also generally stronger in males.

The left nostril catches smells better than the right one. In 80 % of the people the nose is not exactly on the middle of the face, but to the right. This will enable them to detect the source of a smell, as the slight difference permits a comparison and direction detection. (like in the owls, which have their ears disposed asymmetrically to locate the source of a noise in the dark). 70 % of infections enter our body through the nose.

My documentary on youtube

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:01:00 +0000

सेल के शोर में कही दब सा गया है गणतंत्र दिवस का महत्व....

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:47:00 +0000

२६ जनवरी के आसपास बहुत से रिटेल स्टोर्स में शुरू हो जाता है सेल का पर्व.... यानि उपभोक्तावाद को राष्ट्रीयता का जामा पहनाने का एक प्रयास. उपभोक्ताओं को लुभाने के लिए चमक दमक के साथ इस त्यौहार की शुरुआत होती तो नव वर्ष के मौक़े पर है, पर २६ जनवरी को वो अपने चरम पर पहुँच जाती है. सच पूछिए तो २६ जनवरी को लगने वाली सेल समापन उत्सव या 'बीटिंग रिट्रीट' होती है जनवरी के शौपिंग फेस्टिवल का. कपड़ो, गहनों से लेकर इलक्ट्रोनिक उत्पादों के अलावा प्रोविजन स्टोर में 'एक के साथ दस फ्री' का जो चारा पब्लिक की तरफ फेंका जाता है उसके जाल में फंसकर उपभोक्ता वर्ग भी २६ जनवरी को बहने वाली सेल की गंगा में हाथ धोने का मौका चूकना नहीं चाहते. फिर चाहे ये सेल उसकी जेब को हलकी ही क्यों न कर दे और शायद ही उस तथाकथित फ्री में मिलने वाले सामान की उपभोक्ता को कभी आवश्यकता भी पड़े. रिटेल कम्पनियां भी गणतंत्र दिवस के मौके को भुनाती है होली या दिवाली जैसे पर्व की तरह पर दरअसल तो ये क्लिअरन्स सेल का ही एक प्रकार है जिससे न केवल उन्हें अपना पुराना माल बेचने में आसानी होती है साथ ही २६ जनवरी की छुट्टी के दिन ज्यादा भीड़ आने की वजह से बिक्री की संभावना भी कई गुना बढ़ जाती है. पर उपभोक्तावादी संस्कृति की ये बयार कुछ सवाल भी खड़े कर देती है. ये सेल किसके लिए है और इसका औचित्य क्या है? चीनी और दाल के बेतहाशा बढ़ते दामो ने जनता की कमर वैसे ही तोड़ दी है. जहाँ कंप्यूटर, टीवी और मोबाइल के दामो में कमी आ रही है तो वही रोज़मर्रा की वस्तुओं के दाम आसमान छू रहे हैं. सिर्फ एक खास वर्ग को लुभाने के लिए लगने वाली सेल के प्रतिदिन छ्पने वाले विज्ञापनों में गणतंत्र दिवस के असली मायने कही दब से गए है. गणतंत्र दिवस का मतलब एक छुट्टी और पूरे परिवार को साथ लेकर मॉल की सैर करने का एक मौका बन गया है.

किताबें झांकती हैं बंद अलमारी के शीशों से

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:48:00 +0000

कल रात अनमने से चैनल सर्फिंग करते हुए अचानक गुलज़ार साब लोकसभा टीवी पर नज़र आ गए. उनको देखकर अंगुलियाँ अपने आप ही रिमोट पर ठहर गयी और मैं मंत्रमुग्ध होकर मृणाल पाण्डेय और उनकी बातचीत देखती रही. शोर शराबे, गाली गलौच वाले रिअल्टी शोज़ से और सड़ी-गली ख़बरों की दुनिया से दूर उनकी नज्मों को उनकी आवाज़ में सुनना किसी सौगात से कम नहीं. गुलज़ार साब की एक नज़्म जो आज के दौर में बहुत मौजूं है..पेश-ऐ-खिदमत है

किताबें झांकती हैं बंद अलमारी के शीशों से
बड़ी हसरत से ताकती हैं
महीनो अब मुलाक़ात नहीं होती
जो शामें इनकी सोहबत में कटा करती थीं.. अब अक्सर
गुज़र जाती हैं कंप्यूटर के पर्दों पर
बड़ी बेचैन रहती हैं किताबें
ज़बान पर ज़ायका आता था जो इन सफ़े पलटने का
अब ऊँगली क्लिक करने से बस
इक झपकी गुज़रती है
बहुत कुछ तह-ब-तह खुलता चला जाता है परदे पर
किताबों से जो ज़ाती राबता था कट गया है
कभी सीने पे रख के लेट जाते थे
कभी गोदी में रखते थे
कभी घुटनों को अपने रहल की सूरत बना कर
नीम सजदे में पढ़ा करते थे, छूते थे जभी से
खुदा ने चाह तो वो सारा इल्म तो मिलता रहेगा बाद में भी
मगर वो जो किताबों में मिला करते थे सूखे फूल
किताबें मांगने, गिरने, उठाने के बहाने रिश्ते बनते थे
उनका क्या होगा
वो शायद अब नहीं होंगे!

तुम

noreply@blogger.com (Ritu Awasthi) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +0000

मेरे जीवन के साथी तुम
नयी राह के पथगामी तुम
तुम से ही मैं सम्पूर्ण
तुम बिन मेरी ज़िन्दगी अपूर्ण
जब नहीं होते हो तुम पास
इतनी शिद्दत से आती है तुम्हारी याद
तुम्हारी छेड़खानीयां गुदगुदाती हैं मुझे
तुम्हारी मुस्कराहट लुभाती है मुझे
आज तुमसे एक ही वचन की है आस
जब भी जाएँ, जाएँ दोनों साथ
क्योंकि जन्म मरण के परे है हमारा साथ