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Raigarh Couple Lends Light to Local Theatre

2010-08-13T19:04:00.001+05:30

This particular piece was published in The Asian Age, New Delhi, on 13th August 2010. Written by Vatsala Shrivastava. Thought it would be great to share it. :)

THE BOUNDARY of the place is no constraint for creativity. No area can restrain the creative seed from growing giant enough to pierce the high-rise sky. Small-town dreamers have mastered the art of picking up dew drops and placing it high in the sky which shines like stars even against the bright moonlight. Usha Athaley and Ajay Athaley, the theatre activists of Raigarh, a kasbah-style town of Chhattisgarh, have picked and placed many such drops to create their galaxy in the universe of Indian theatre. Chhattisgarh can pin its hope on this “consistent couple” when it comes to leading the culture of state theatre, post-Habib Tanvir.

Their workshops, festivals, symposiums and productions have placed Raigarh on the national canvas of theatre.
Usha and Ajay, who have given a new pace to the stage activities of their state, lead the Raigarh chapter of the Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Born to Marathi theatre activists of Bilaspur, Usha started her journey as a child artiste in mohalla plays and graduated to Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh in the late ’70s. Her politically-sensitive appro-ach and desire to express inspired Usha to join Bilaspur Ipta in 1983. She moved to the Raigarh unit of Ipta after tying the knot with Ajay. It has been more than 26 years, but Athaleys have never let the theatrical flame die in the region despite various adversities.

“The biggest problem any small town faces is not getting an opportunity to watch good full-length plays. Watching a good play is like attending a practical class of any subject. We had no experienced directors or trained artistes to come up with high-quality productions. When we revived the Ipta unit here, our main focus was to ensure the availability of good productions,” says Usha.

Athaleys’ emphasis is more on doing and being than on getting and having.

They started organising workshops in association with the National School of Drama since 1994 for training their group members and other theatre enthusiasts.

They also organise yearly eight-day theatre festival with participation from all over India.

The emphasis is on interaction among groups and local theatre enthusiast.

Ajay stresses on the need of intellectual stimulation for developing a long-term vision for theatre. “These days people shy away from thinking hard. They come unexposed to great stimuli that could have made them active thinking human beings. Here comes the role of symposium and seminars. We invite critics and activists and discuss the present trend. It is very important to have a vision,” says Ajay.

Lack of female artistes and auditoriums are other major practical issues Usha points out. “Hassle-free female participation on the stage is still a dream. We keep our rehearsals in the evenings and girls are not allowed to go out of their houses after sunset, or stay out till late in night. In Raigarh, Ajay’s family is well-esteemed, so people are a little comfortable sending their girls to work with the daughter-in-law of such a reputed family, but the mindset must change. Any small-town theatre activist has to spend a lot of time convincing the parents and guardians of girls for allowing them to work on stage,” says Usha.

Another important issue she raises is the lack of auditoriums. “When we organise festivals, we do it in a ground by covering it from all sides. We must find reason of doing things instead of cribbing over what we do not have. These adversities have never stopped us from exploring the creative horizons around us,” she says.

Athaley’s family life also revolves around stage with their son, Anadi, equally interested in this alternative world. They recall how their seniors convinced them to be life partners. Ajay calls it “lovely arrange marriage” with common dreams. Usha’s involvement in backstage and Ajay’s dedication to direction give a complete picture of their rapport.

Their eyes, sparkling like “alive and coloured pebbles” on wave-washed sea shore, are in constant search of creative drops waiting to be turned into shining gems on the stage.

Opposition: To what? and for what?

2010-06-06T10:42:00.000+05:30

'To gain something, we need to lose other things', this might be true for many a things. We have been watching our country grow and reach new levels. It is progressing. The growth rate will soon be more than 8%. We will soon be a super power. Then, why is there opposition to industrialisation? Just yesterday, on the World Environment Day, I saw a large gathering shouting slogans against some big industries.

I have been thinking why these people oppose industries. As someone had pointed out, if you want development, you need to give up some things. Isn't it as simple as this? Then, why shout slogans on the road, when the temperature outside is 49 degrees. Our main question is still unanswered. Why this opposition?

To understand what they are opposing, we need to first understand what made them oppose. Ten years ago, my hometown was a green mountainous region. There was a beautiful stretch of the Satpura ranges, where many prehistoric caves were safely preserved, one of them being Singhanpur. These caves hold sketches which are around 2, 500 year old. Today, right in front of these caves is a sprawling industry, called Monnet Ispat Limited. Around 20 villages are affected. There is a loss of vegetation is this region. The singhanpur caves are just caves, there are no sketches, just rocks. Surely, there are roads, a developed highway. The cost people paid for this development: 20 villages, trees, forest, water and historic caves.

The same can be seen with numerous industries, this is just one example. But we missed out on very important aspect. Where did the people from these 20 vilages go? They are still there, living next to the industry. Where else can they go? They have been paid around one lakh each, for their lands, which was taken up by the industry.

Why is there an opposition? and why is there an opposition to private industries? Why are people not protesting against NTPC and SECL? Why only these private players? The answer lies somewhere here, the government owned NTPC delcared that it will soon be arriving at Raigarh. This was six years ago. They bought land, gave compensations to the people nearby. Six years down the line, there are sprawling trees in the area, and the project office is in the middle of this plantation. They have just started building the factory now. Their whole process starts with planting more trees, growing them into thick forest, building the project offices, then the arrangement for the accomodation, other facilities and then the industry.

Now, this is just opposite in case of the private players. They would buy the land, pay less compensation, make false promises. Cut the trees, dig the land. Put the industry, start polluting first. Build the project office. Then the accomodation. By this time, atleast five years have passed. The area is under extreme pollution. Since they are too late for some damage control, they'd plant Gulmohar trees, which would grow tall in just six months. But sadly, these trees wouldn't help in curbing the pollution. By this time, there would be loss of lives due to pollution. Their industrial waste would be dumped on open grounds, which would further risk the lives of the people.

But why is there so much opposition? Well, the chhattisgarh government goes on signing MoUs with the industries, because someone has asked them to be the number one state in India. So they blindly sign MoUs, screw the environmental regulations of the country and put the lives of 2 crore people in risk. All this is done, with extreme secrecy. Even the public hearings are a secret, where there is no public. And then, to top it all, the chief minister gets the 'Best Chief Minister' award by several agencies and news corporations.

The chief minister comes back, he has a new found energy now. He signs another thousand MoUs and eventually sells the state, converting it into industrials parks. But, where does the land come from? It is the forested land, some of it protected by tribal laws and some by the forest ministry. Now, the tribal laws are easily played with. How? Well, by showing that there are very few tribals there after all. In Raigarh itself, we found that during the last ten years, atleast 5 lakh tribal people have disappeared in the government records, and many areas have been declared non-tribal lands on this basis. And the environment ministry does not even come to Chhattisgarh, it depends on the Environment Reports by the state, which of course is tampered with.

In Bolivia, according to the mining laws, the people of the affected area are hold 20% shares in the company. The country has recognised and realised, that if you build an industry on someone's land, you cannot employ them, you are indebted to them, and hence they should be your stakeholders and not your servants.

Now, why is there an opposition? What did we gain out of all this? We gained the naxalite problem. Why do you think the tribals largely support the naxalites, even if they are afraid of them? Do you think they find naxalites less dangerous than the government? Well, it might be true, who knows.

And then there is Mr. Chidambaram. He says, lets send army to this region to control the naxalite problem. If it happens, it will do irreparable damage to the state and the country. But have these people ever thought about what is the root cause? What is the opposition about? Why is the opposition at all? Why? Does the government want to solve the problem? Does it even care? Does Mr. Chidambaram even bothered where the country is heading to? Is mere condemning the deaths of thousands or offering to resign a solution to this? Is offensive a solution? NO, it is not.

The opposition is against reducing the value of human lives to money and compensation. The opposition is against the 'take-it-easy' attitude of the rest of the country towards a destruction which might happen in their part someday. The opposition is against vested interests. The opposition is against pseudo-democracy and the pseudo-democratic-government, and not against the Indian state. The opposition is against atrocities being forced on the voiceless people. The opposition is by the voiceless, who have finally started voicing themselves...'By the people, of the people, for the people', isn't this what the democracy stands for? Why is the country opposing this then? Why?

The N word...

2010-04-11T23:58:00.002+05:30

Of late, I have been discussing a lot about what happened in Chhattisgarh few days back. I have been asking a lot of questions and have been asked many. Many of the questions we discussed were who is responsible for the menace? What is the solution? Should we support the government or should we be with the maoists? Should the government use CRPF at all? Is the government right? Are maoists right? What is the root of the problem? And the last question which was asked to me was this: "Are you even Indian?"

I would start with the last question. I am Indian. Very much. But I do not support the government in what it is doing in these states. And if I do not support the government that does not mean I support the maoists. They are different things. Moreover, If I do not support the government, also does not imply that I am against India. Government and India was two sides of the same coin, and hence not the same.

And regarding the situatiion in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, we need to understand this situation in a much more deeper level, instead of proving our points. It should be noted that naxalism is a result of years of negligence and nonchalance of the governments.

Provoking people into armed struggle is not a joke.

When the naxal movement began, it was not what it is today. It actually was a people's movement. With time, the natives started mistrusting government and started helping the maoist, which turned into a liability. But, the government still did not budge, neither did it care. The naxal movement grew, spread to different states and became much more violent, because the newer generations naxalites did not even know what they were fighting about.

Until recently, government thought that some action was inevitable. What action do they take?

'Salwa Judum.' It is one of the most ridiculous solutions any democratic government has ever come up with. They armed the villagers to fight against the maoist. What kind of vulgarity is this?

To add to it, many villagers lost their lives in this armed struggled, supported by the government. This led to more mistrust, which helped the maoist to cash in.

And then, the government finally woke up and it decided to send the CRPF into the jungles. Don't you think it was a ghastly mistake by the government to take such an action? Why put so many people's lives at danger?

It was really foolish of the government to underestimate its enemy. Further more, the demand for dialogue is extremely hypocritical. The government allowed the maoists to develop a parallel government over the years and now it wants to have a dialogue with them. On top of that, it even expects the maoists to be moral and support the government in its dialogue process, unarmed!!

Why would the people or the maoists (I do not mix them up too) even trust the government? What has it done for them apart from signing MoUs with Tatas and Essars for polluting a beautiful state and destroying forests? Oh, I forgot, it has also forged reports of the public hearings and has passed many projects which had no support of the people: The collectors and DMs have even said this: "People do not know what is good and bad for them." This is an example of gross underestimating the people. (I was present at one such meeting and I have seen this bizzare thing happening, where the collector passed the project amidst an extremely audible resistance, following which people broke chairs, stage and even microphones)

The point is, till what extent can you test the patience? People living in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa are also human beings..

On India and Democracy

2009-08-09T12:14:00.002+05:30

Its been two long months that I am a graduate. It is not very thrilling, though. I have been contemplating a lot and have been trying to figure out what democracy actually does to people, and how does it work in the west.

Shaz, Ram and I have been discussing this for a long time now. Democracy has been a failed system. But as Churchill puts it, "it is the worst form of government, except the others." And this is what precisely prompts me to think about democracy and study its theory, if at all it exists.

Democracy can be compared to communism. It looks excellent on paper, but does not really evolve as an efficient system. Essentially, a democratic system may work efficiently when almost every citizen has near similar mental maturity. Mental maturity is simply a person's mental level and attitude. According to a study by Henry Goddard, the average mental maturity in the world is 13. That means an average person thinks like a thirteen year old teen ager, which brings us to the question, can we hope to have a successful democracy where the average mentality is thirteen?

I had been introspecting on these questions lately, when yesterday I came across some material about the Indian Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi. And my first thought was: Democracy doesn't suit India. India badly needs a dictator who can just bring everything back to order.

India being a "multi cultural" country, finds it hard to bring every one at a standard mental level which may enable democracy to function well. And this is precisely one reason why we lag behind.

As Ashok Bajpai puts it, "None of us are purely Indian, we have different cultures, and all have been inter-mixed, making each individual a colourful cocktail of distinct cultures". Democracy faces its biggest challenges in India. India was never meant to be a single country, we are different countries in one. It is an Indian Union, very similar to the European Union. We hate each other to the core. We do not generally adjust with people from other states. We do not like each other's cooking style. Nor do we accept any other Indian language. We are divided at different stages.

Talking about our flexibility, we Indians are least flexible. We cannot follow traffic rules, we cannot stand in queues, we cannot let a single penny slip out of our pockets, and if does, we make sure we make the most of it, we loiter our train coaches and expect it to be clean and fresh, we spit everywhere, we pee everywhere, and complain that the municipal corporation doesn't do anything, we feel paying taxes is the biggest loss, we want all the rights but we do not want to perform our duties, we love to put the blame on putting everything on the television and media but are not ready to pay higher prices for good quality content, we call 'saas-bahu' soaps immoral and senseless but every evening stick to them.

And, we are hypocrites, we Indians want other people to do everything, but we would not change our ways. We want good roads, good traffic system, but we wont follow signals and wont walk on the footpaths. We cannot wait if there is a traffic jam, we would fill every inch of free space with our vehicles and scream at the traffic police. We blame electricity boards for bad management, but do not care to declare our A/Cs to them, so they may install a heavy duty connection, as it will cost us more. We want things to be smooth, yet try to escape the driving test to get a driver's license. We love to demand, but never care about giving it back.

We Indians have turned into selfish people, we blame the politicians, but never take up an initiative to clean up our neighbourhood, we do not separate our garbage ourselves, the shopkeepers throw their garbage right outside and expect the muncipality to clean it. We throw all the garbage outside the train, on the tracks, but cannot take the pain to get up and walk up to the door and put it at the dustbin.

According to Andrew Hacker, "the word 'democracy' used to describe this harmonious society is simply a name based on one perspective of its structure -- the emphasis is on administrative power, which is in the hands of the people. But if we look from a different perspective, we might call it something else, such as in the distant past in India when such a political system was called samaggadhamma, "the system of harmony." The emphasis here is different -- the relationship between people. This is the real heart of a democracy and is what ensures its stability and success."

The relationship needs to be strengthened, we need to cooperate. We all are equally responsible for all the things which are wrong in India, because we do not take up the initiative to do some good for the nation. Precisely because we do not consider India as our country, we consider it a land which can be exploited to the core, to earn a lot of money, because caring about the society is a "failed socialist concept". We need to develop ourselves to the mental level which is quintessential for a successful democracy.

And lastly, people like Ramdeo baba should be asked to define what Indian culture is, and he should be asked to give documentary proof about what he talks. Because for people like him, India still believes in the politics of hatred.

Help! Help! Help!

2009-02-02T16:48:00.003+05:30

Rahul Bose is coming to Manipal to inspire all of us to switch of our lights before going out of our rooms.

Prahlad Kakkar is on his way to Manipal to share his tricks with us on Advertising.

Sankalp Meshram is heading to Manipal to give us an idea of what the magic of syntax in Film making is all about.

3rd thought entertainment is flying to Manipal to amuse us with their brilliant experiments in the field of art and communication.

Would you like to be a part of this History?
Wouldn't you like to screen your films, ads, graphics, animations and what-not in front of these big shots?

Wouldn't you like to discuss and debate with them on Media Management?

If your answer is yes, Register with Article-19, the annual festival of the Manipal Institute of Communication, here.

or visit us here.

Education System - Observations...

2008-12-10T10:36:00.003+05:30

Of late, I have been pondering on some very simple events that have occured in last two weeks....I was on the other side of India few days back. So, coming back to these 'things' which I have realised, many of them are my observations on education system specifically dealing with my college...

We had six subjects this semester, which was supposedly the most hectic semester till date. Many subjects were practical ones, but were taught in a classroom.. It's the syllabus to be blamed...frankly.

Another subject, which I think is ill-suited for my course, was practical in nature. The syllabus is such that you learn it only in the 5th semester, with no time to learn the editing aspects - no time (you see) and fault of the 'syllabus' again. You learn various shots and lighting aspects theoretically because the syllabus doesn't give you a scope to learn them in practice. It is indeed really sad that the syllabus doesn't deal with how to actually make a film, rather it deals with 'what-not-to-do-while-making-a-film' or 'things-to-be-kept-in-mind-while-making-a-film'. The quick guides which comes with hardwares now a days follow these 'syllabi', may be. I think such a syllabus doesn't serve a purpose, as we only become mere bookworms than professionals.

I have learnt a lot in these subjects:) The most striking feature of these subjects was the absence of Indian Context. We had data pertaining to US newspapers and media, but not India. Analysis of Western theories, but nothing related to Indian media. I think the syllabus has to be blamed for such blunders. Living in India, if we analyze Indian media from a western perspective, i think it will lead us to horrendous conclusions. Moreover, I read about many concepts and found myself and many others trying to understand them in brief - which will be an understatement too. Its all syllabus which needs to be changed. Seriously.

Apart from these, we also had subjects which became highly irrelevant, as we only thought about marks and words, about pages and Aristotle - who supposedly uttered many bland statements. Many dealt with products and services which had to be imagined and we were forced to overwork to come up with something which we weren't good at. :(

We also had a subject taken by two teachers, the first one gave it an international perspective and the other changed it into a total 'disciplinary training' class. This semester was really an eye opener - the syllabus is to be blamed, not the students(may be they are), not the teachers(not at all) and above all not the people who run the educational institutions...

Body Language (Limited Edition)

2008-11-14T00:31:00.003+05:30

You'd think why am I writing such sentimental posts these days. Well, it is all about discovering things. The moment you discover few things, you feel like sharing those. Ofcourse, these are things which I cannot tell people right on their face, it would be either too rude or too subtle.. or may be too hard to digest, either ways it is difficult. So I choose blogs as the medium.

Very interestingly, I have learnt new ways of studying people. My dad had long back gifted me this book on body language and signs. I had ignored it till now. I finally finished the book in one go. And today I feel enlightened.

When a person is hell bent on making you feel guilty, it means he/she is jealous. How true. You may very well observe it near you. These people would portray themselves to be very politically correct and want to show that they are learned and intelligent. This is one peculiar kind of personality.

Some people have this habit of freaking others out and trying to attract attention. Cleanliness and Hygiene becomes a big tool in proving these points. Many a times, you would know what the reality is, but the best would be to keep your mouth shut and enjoy the show.

According to this book, it says the best ways of controling your anger and patience is to laugh and go on laughing. But it also says that one of the best ways to control your anger is to understand the fact that anger only harms you and not others.

It is not easy, but if you keenly observe a person, you will know things beyond the simple observations. For example, you can see what a person does when they are not comfortable. Usually, a person would start fiddling with their mobile phones. Many people give missed calls to some people. Many go away with some excuse. And the mojority would make faces and sit...how true.

On the similar lines, one could also observe the body language. When usually bend to listen to someone they are interested in the person. You tend to rest your hands on such people. These are some affectionate signs.

The book has a last chapter on reactions, which I really found funny and really interesting. A person who says "I don't care" actually cares a lot. (actually I know few who do mean it, like the one who is gonna comment very soon). Many people who say, "Uh...how irritating" are very content with 'the irritating thing' which irritates them, how else can one rant? :)

It also goes to the extent of people changing colours...they are VIBRANT! in all senses..lol...

..the book is called Body Language by Julius Fast Limited Edition for Beginners :) Do read it.

A small whiny blogpost..

2008-11-01T10:47:00.005+05:30

Not very often I find myself pondering upon things like life, career, relationships and so on. But at this point, I'm confused.

I find myself wondering over extremely small things, right from the most basic things. Very recently I was wondering why the coffee-anna next to my room, sells coffee for Rs 6 and why I go and buy it, when I get better coffee at KC and College for just Rs 5.

I wonder why I take up projects which I won't be able to finish within the deadline. I still go and take it up and can't say a 'No'. Saying a 'No' is a problem, it seriously is.

I wonder why do I have to spend so much of money, and why does ICICI bank have to charge me so much as transaction charges. I wonder why I cannot get my licence by speed post, whats wrong with it..

There are many things which dont have an answer. The most prominent ones are people. Of course, they are unpredictible. You never know how a person will behave, if you say a particular thing. I wonder why people have to smirk at things, or have to talk to me only when they need my help.

I wonder why I have to act like a technician in college, when there are people assigned for the task, why do they not help. I wonder why simple things like speaking the truth, are so difficult and hard to digest.

I wonder why people are so fond of backstabbing, and accuse others of doing so.

I wonder what would I do after college, if not FTII or SRFTI, then what? May be IIMC or AJK. If not them, then what? Would it be Symbi or XIC or LV Prasad? This is one issue which is eating my head these days.

And what about the 570 pages thick McGrawhill's GMAT for you series book, who'll go through it?

There are very few things, which are not bothering me, my relationship for instance - i'm really being myself.

I wonder why I have to cheat myself in accepting some people as my friends, when they want me to change and be what I'm not? I seriously do not get the point of wearing a mask and trying to make others feel happy, when you yourself are not happy with the idea..

I wonder why i'm writing such a whiny blogpost.

I also wonder why the airtel bill has to come so fast, it really is a sad thing. I wonder when my animation will get over, so that I can finally get rid of this semester. I wonder when will I get back home and meet my old friends..and relive those beautiful days.

But, life isn't as sad as I have portrayed over here. There is always hope for a better tomorrow, I sincerely think, things would be clear in some days, may be months. Till then, I will try relishing over this confusion. :)

Till then I will wonder...

Rains, drains and sprains...!!

2008-07-26T11:30:00.002+05:30

Mumbai has been famous for all the things that make news. My one and half months in Mumbai have come to an end.

Its been raining since last three days, and to my surprise there are no floods, only water logging in low lying areas. I always wonder why problems in Mumbai just don't seem problems. The other day I was complaining about the 'smell' from the gutters when I cross Bandra station..and the newly-built Skywalk. I was told that mumbai-kars don't even realise these things, they are so used too. That is something which is really great about Mumbai. 'The city just doesn't react!", says one of my mentors. And it's true.

Floods, Bombs or Population, they know how to put it off. The city is back to work the very next day. It is a good way to dampen the evil spirits of these terrorists who try so hard just to spread terror, but they fail in Mumbai.

Perhaps, India could learn few things from this giant of a city. It is very hard to believe how big Mumbai is. I spent most of my time, reading history of Bombay. A very rich history and very unbelievable. A small island turned into a bustling metropolis.

During my stay in Mumbai, I thought I would explore the city on my own. I did it too. The amazing potpourri of cultures is found very often here. McDonald's and Wimpy seem to be so Indian and above all so Mumbai-ya! JumboKing Vada Paos are the best in town.

There are some very specific terms only Mumbaikars use. They call South Mumbai as town. So if someone says, 'main town me hoon', dont get confused! If some one says 'koi wanda nai hai', it means there is no problem. And if someone says its nearby, I would suggest you take an auto, because the near would be atleast two kilometers away. :)

If you are new to Mumbai, better stick to autorickshaws, and avoid taxis. And after two days of rains, better be careful, the whole city becomes slippery and you may sprain your leg, like I did, when I fell down the bridge at Malad Station.

Mumbai has taught me nice things, including how to survive in unhygienic conditions. I hope Manipal would now be a much more peaceful, cleaner and greener experience.

Who will catch the fish?

2008-04-23T19:57:00.000+05:30

This is one of the posts I wrote on Campus18.com

Manipal is a publicity crazy town. It is really a hub for Publicity, Printing and Events. I was working for a college event, when i realised about the importance of Manipal when it comes to cheap printing and excessive publicity.

Relatively, publicity in Manipal is not a very hard job; it is a small area with high density of population. Moreover, very recently, I had a heavy argument with my friend about the prices for printing flex banners. I thought it would be somewhere near Rs 40 per square feet, but to my surprise, it is just Rs 13 per square feet. And that was one of those times, I was proud to be in Manipal

Well, you can see everything and anything on the flex banners. The other day I saw banners of school festivals and even inaugurations.

Recently, a glow sign board depicting models in their undergarments posing for Jockey were covered with a green cloth, because the shop keeper thought it was really not necessary to be shown in there. Well, that’s a different part of the story J

Even, the cost of printing on paper is comparatively very less in Manipal. A proper printing on a Glossy high quality paper would cost you only around Rs 16 per A3 page, which is very cheap. This is why Manipalites print greeting cards or collage for their loved ones, it doesn’t cost a lot.

One of my friends, Pallavi, was really happy to get a collage done for her boy friend, which looked ‘so!’ attractive and worth the money she paid.

There are other ways too, in which the events are publicised. A communication fest, Article 19, did its publicity on the similar lines. But there was a lot more to it. The volunteers dressed up as young Alladin(s) and distributed pamphlets about the funfair, as the theme was to Arabian. Moreover, they also painted roads from MIT to MIC, with arrows depicting the ways to go.

Still, word of mouth is believed to be the best option in Manipal.

There are more than 200 bulletin boards, where one can go and put their advertisements. The advertisements and the bulletin boards are a success. A restaurant in Manipal also provides the wall which people can paint and advertise.

There are new trends coming up. One more fest, MMSC, has planned to play audio advertisements in some restaurants in Manipal. I’m sure publicity and marketing seem to have enough scope in Manipal, with the advent of new media and techno ways of projecting messages. With 100 SMS free everyday (!), cell phones definitely are playing a big role in personal advertising.

A Theatrical trip to Heggodu..

2008-03-22T01:21:00.004+05:30

The whole week was super-hectic! I was craving for a break since long, and finally I got two whole days just for myself.

Fortunately, One of my uncle had come down to Heggodu, a small village with exceptional heritage, so I decided to pay him the overdue visit.

So i got up at five in the morning and left Manipal by six, it took me five hours to reach Heggodu by Bus. The roads were pretty decent, and the scenery was simply amazing.

The conductor informed me that Heggodu had come. I got down, without having any clue as to where Ninasam(the Theatre Institute) actually was. I asked the auto wallah, and he told me a simple way, in a minute I was amidst lush green complex of Ninasam, a tall auditorium painted in Red and Black, with wooden scriptures and artistics clay tablets. I was dead sure, the trip was going to be really interesting.

I was a bit hesitant, not sure what to do, but I got in. There I saw them, rehearsing the performance for the evening - Mrutchakatikam. A month long workshop was held to prepare for this play. And all the students of Ninasam were part of the month-long workshop.

The director, Sanjay Upadhyay, is from Patna. He is not very familiar with Kannada. But he successfully directed a Kannada play and took a workshop for a month, which in itself is surprising for me.

We were invited at a Professor's place for lunch. After two years of my non-existent life in Manipal, I came to know only that day, that there is a particular tradition involved with eating food here. First you are served the first installment of Rice, with Rasam. Only then one can have the second installment of Rice with Sambhar. Then you are given some Carrot Sheera, fondly called Gajar ka Halwa in the north. Then you get your final installment of rice with curd. At the end of all this, you get to eat - Payasam. And one also gets pickle and bondas in between to eat with the rice.

We headed back to the auditorium after this scrumptious and filling lunch. There, I saw the timely rehearsal and then, gradually slept off on those beautiful wooden chairs, with the serene breeze brushing my hair and cheeks. I was at peace.

Thump!

The rehearsal was over, the sound was the last beat on the Mrudangam, I then expressed that I was tired and needed rest, and so I slept off happily in the room provided to us. It was one of those relaxing naps I have had in the past three months..

Anyways, I got up by early evening and got ready for the show. I thought I would not understand a single word. But the perfection, the movements, the expressions and of course, the music brought such an intense effect, that I could understand almost everything of the play, except the punches. After such an amazing play, I met many actors and people from other places, and tried my best to establish a communication bond between us.

My trip to Hegoddu opened my ears, if not my eyes, to the noisy environment amidst which I live in Manipal. The silence at Heggodu is a must-have experience for everyone who seek a complete peace of mind.

To view my Photographs of Heggodu, please click here.

Support!

2008-03-15T14:32:00.006+05:30

Hello!

You must be knowing what is MMSC, by now. If not, go click the huge banner on right hand side of my blog.

We want you to put up similar banners on your websites...plz dont say no..
will take only a minute...

We dont of course ask you to put such a huge banner, but you can atleast put this one. Plz.

Okay.. you just have to sign and go to your dashboard, pres customize. The layout screen will come. You just have to go to 'Add new element' on your side bar. The select, 'HTML/JAVA script'
and paste the code m giving...

<br /><a href="http://www.mmsc-manipal.com/"> </a><br />

and then save...and u r done...
Plz help us!

The necessary side of grooming!

2008-03-13T22:04:00.001+05:30

Life is cosy in Manipal. Especially when there is someone to do all those things you never wanted to do. Right from cleaning your room, washing the loos and even cleaning your clothes, there are people assigned in Manipal. There are these security guards aka Doberman, who sleep at nights and you can easily cross the gates without them noticing.

But the funniest experience comes with the laundry (I’m not kidding!). When one fine day you find your white shirt coloured pink, don’t be surprised. There are loads of examples where people face such situations.

And who says manipal doesn’t provide you with options? There are different laundry people who handle almost 1,500 clothes a week. There is this guy who comes all the way from a village, to collect clothes, and he loves colouring people’s shirts. When asked about the reason, it seems he can’t stop smiling. There is an instance, when I found this guy on his bike which was so loaded with bundles of clothes, that he lost his balance and fell down.

Moving on, we have the general launderers in engineering college campus, they are the most expensive laundry guys and they deliver quality. And they are too stern..;) Trust me, you go to them, and they will throw so much of attitude, as if they don’t need your clothes.

And there are people in Manipal, who run this business as a household setup. This aunty behind the hostel buildings charges only Rs 2.5 per clothe. And the best thing is her smile. On an average, she handles around ‘1000 clothes a week’.

There are shops in Manipal, who on daily basis, atleast, wash 200 clothes. Apart from this, the dry cleaning is quite popular in Manipal.

And now, coming to the funniest part, people in Manipal give everything in the laundry. For instance, someone gave their shoes and undies to laundry. Now, that doesn’t portray Manipalities to be lazy bums, but the free culture in manipal. ‘At times, the clothes are so dirty, that I have to make sure they are cleaned twice’, says aunty, who wonders why these clothes get so dirty.

Talking about the whole (small-scale) industry in Manipal, Laundry is one of the well-established ones. And market is not the problem at all. Around 12 thousand students in Manipal, half of them do not have time to wash their clothes, depend on laundry services here.

Tailoring shops are not very popular in other parts of India, but they enjoy a lot of importance in Manipal. ‘I do not know how to stitch, obviously, so I have to go to the tailor. I usually, visit him thrice a month or so.’ says Prasunna, a student of Communication.

Manipal is a truly international town, which represent what crazy things students can do, when given a choice. ;)

Shattered to Pieces!

2008-03-05T19:35:00.003+05:30

He was one of the people, whom I respect most. I cannot believe, he would do all this to make his point accepted.

The question was on Ideology. Religion is my personal affair, its between me and my soul. No one has any right to ask me to review my policy, as it is very personal. But the religion I talk of has the God within my heart, and not in the temples. Temples are beautiful, I agree, even ASI does, right?

But the point I'm trying to focus is, I dont discuss my religion with anyone, its a secret between me and god. And believe me, no one can hurt me, as they do not know the real essence of it.

I thought a lot about it, after He said all this in a class, which was supposed to be a film class. I realised that the 'Sensitive' issue of Religion, is it really a sensitive issue at all? I found an answer, NO its not!

It has been portrayed as sensitive. A common man who doesnt have time for all this, why would he even think about it. He has graver issues like 'Roti, Kapda, Makaan' to think first. As a friend of mine puts forward, 'Religion teaches you love and tolerence', where is it gone?

Moreover, there are loads of things which come first, before Religion. Being sensitive about religion is becoming a fashion now a days. Its not. I don't find it par my standards to sit and discuss whose religion is tolerent and better..Really!

Okay, I stop being vague now. Mr Anand Patwardhan came down to my college for screening his films few days back. All he did was to screen, answer our questions and go. His films talked about Babri Masjid issue, Nuclear disarmament, Khalsa movement, Narmada Bachao Andolan and some music videos. It made me rethink, but then I know deep down I still believe in whatever I did, slightly in a much more rational way.

But today, there was a LATE retaliation on the part of someone I respect. He came to the class and told that 'Mr. Anand Patwardhan is a dangerous man!' And I was shocked...He also justified the demolition of Babari Masjid and talked about temples. I thought a politician was taking my class, not a person I respect so much. It was a slap right on my face, my trust and my respect to him.

I'm 20 now, I debate a lot with my parents and thats how I have learnt a lot, frankly. And now, I'm not dumb. I'm capable enough to deduce things and come up to conclusions. And as far as corrupting my mind is concerned, well, I don't think I'm that easy a person to be influenced. So I have RIGHT to form my OPINIONS! And no one can force me upon that.

And yeah, when it comes to politics my 'know-it-all' friends are never inactive. Bringing politics into classroom has become new fashion for them. Please get a grip!

And at last, I'm here, writing this blog, because i was denied enough opportunity to speak in class, because my 'know-it-all' friends were too hyper to listen. And yeah, About the person I just talked about was the man I respect, sadly...

The IWFEYD syndrome..

2008-02-26T20:47:00.000+05:30

Manipal is hep! Manipal is fun! Manipal has trends you wont find anywhere else in the world!

And one of these many trends is the IWFEYD. Whats IWFEYD? I-Will-Follow-Everything-You-Do. It is indeed a bitter-sweet situation – do you label them copy-cats, or do you call them sensible people who know a good opportunity when they see one?

The other day, I saw a poster on the librarys notice board. It stated the arrival of yet another Manipal -based website, an e-magazine to be precise. Of course I had expected something like this to happen after the huge success of The Manipal Journal (www.themanipaljournal.110mb.com), nonetheless I was amazed by this competitive spirit of Manipalites. It came as pleasant news to me - finally, Manipal receives its share of healthy competition!

When The Manipal Journal was first launched, in September last year, no one thought it would create such an impact – no one thought that it would actually start a trend, and that many more such sites would be popping up. But it has actually happened - this trend has led to the start of two new websites in Manipal - The Analyst and The Voice.

To me, their arrival is an indicator of how eager students of Manipal are and how creative they can get. One of the websites, The Analyst, states that "We aim at presenting detailed analysis and in-depth reporting, so that students all over India can experience news from their point of view." Sounds good to me, and as the target audience is huge, theyre actually taking a step towards taking this trend to a new level!

Even The Voice, which is a platform for finding expression to thoughts just thought & words never spoken has started working, although many of its features are still under construction. And whatever is up looks good!

You know whats more interesting than so many websites popping up in a small span of 6 months? Well, surprise-surprise! All these sites are hosted on the same free server, 110mb.com. The Manipal Journal , the site which started it all used this server when they began. Im guessing everyone who wanted to start a website simultaneously and unanimously decided to go for the same free server after that, and not experiment with others. Afterall, if its worked for them, it should work for us, no? The IWFEYD syndrome again…

This growing competition has brought these websites to a professional arena. Rediscovering Manipal, Journalism with a twist and Its not just news, it is your voice are the punch-lines they use. I really think, Manipal is going ahead, as far as creativity is concerned.

Many people have the desire to work, and it is actually a good thing that many of them are creating the opportunity for themselves. Rumours are on about more websites that'll soon be up, including those set up by Internet service providers I-On.

Meanwhile, let Manipal get inspired by the whole concept of New Media. And believe me, in Manipal, "Its work, Its Fun."

Missionairies of charity.

2008-01-03T19:10:00.000+05:30

It was a long day on Jan 1st, but, I think it was one of the eye-openers at the beginnning of the year. I went to the Missionaries of charity, situated here at Raigarh. I must admit it was one of the very rare experiences i have ever had, and it has added to the respect I already had for Mother Teressa and the nuns..

The place was very clean(it was the most surprising point, as they have around 100 leprosy patients). The useless s*** we talk about fearing god and respecting humanity, usually is a part of our overhyped hypocrisy, I dont say that we all are like this, but then, I thought I prayed to god, with all I had, but these people have actually made me believe that there is something called 'Devotion', although it is very hard for anyone to adopt.

It also added a different view to my on-going research work (thnks to Ram, for giving ideas) on domestic development model. They have a settlement of their own which has everything in place, but the things used are purely local, which makes the place comfortable...

I wish I could be there for more than a day..will surely continue visiting the place...worth going..

The Manipal Journal

2007-09-13T08:32:00.000+05:30

themanipaljournal.110mb.com

This website is designed by me and I work as a reporter for it. The website is focused on Manipal and will cover atleast ten stories per issue. Please go through the website every Monday (it updates on Monday at 2) and return you valuable feedback to us either on this blog or at

themanipaljournal@gmail.com

How 'Religious' are you?

2007-09-13T08:29:00.000+05:30

The other day I was taking a walk with my roommate, when I came across this fundamental question on being religious: Is it good or not?

Well, I always had this fascination towards god, but it never resulted in my going to temple or being religious. What does being religious mean anyway? I think it is the inner voice which tends you to have faith in someone who you consider far above you, may be which your religion considers the supreme.

I think being religious is once personal choice, and the people who call themselves atheist, do fear God. It’s just their quotes which tell us they don’t believe in God. But who knows?

I think God helps. Hope I don’t sound too religious, but I think he helps everyone when you really ask for it, you really need it. Some coincidences, or lets say acquaintances, which lead me to this conclusion have been magical. I have observed, the day I don’t offer my prayers, I feel incomplete, irritated and restless. The day I do, I feel relaxed and go along well with everyone...Don’t call it mood swings…It’s just the unknown presence..can only be felt…

Development or Westernisation?

2007-05-30T15:17:00.001+05:30

I'm working on the tribal culture in chattisgarh with my mom. The other day we went to an interior area of Sarguja..

I had a discussion with people over there, about how the MNC have intruded their lifestyles and how they live now. Many of them have got a good life, life of munching Lays and drinking Pepsi and Coke. I was pretty sure that these people are heading towards development..But as soon as i sat in the car, just about to leave the place, these lines of some author of the essay "A zest for Living" scrolled through my mind...

"Just because we think they are not happy, doesn't mean they are really not...they know they don't need what we have.."

Its us who think they are not developed. Anyways, how do you define Developement? Big brands, Malls, Cineplexes, Metro Lines or mere happiness and satisfaction from our lives?

How many of the metros in India are developed? Aren't we confusing Westernisation to Development...is it really so?

Can't India be developed without Coca Cola being sold at every carts? Surprisingly, I found these answers there itself. The tribes are happy...they don't need your finished goods, not even your electricity, your clothes or your roads....they were always happy with their own lifestyle..

Sounds wierd, what I found out was that development isn't based on roads, electricity or even facilities...it solely relies on Happiness...yes...and i found these tribal people much more developed than us...We are trapped in a constant confusion between Development and Westernisation...

Buying Levi's Jeans won't make you developed...nor would eating at KFC make you developed...it is what you want from inside...it is what actually makes you happy...may be for many Pepsi gives immense happiness...but its no solution for the rural areas...they are happy with the life they had been living since long...help them with the basic amenities...but westernisation is no path to development, may be - to consumerism i guess...