tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26160549851153396782024-02-08T08:31:37.805+05:30Sunshine LandYears ago, I got nick-named as sunshine. The alias stuck. The world is my home and so Sunshine Land it is!PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-72452652804386846622017-09-29T22:14:00.002+05:302017-09-29T22:17:49.924+05:30Raj Kumar Singh - Being Good, Rickshaw Driver, Mumbai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFzCZzNCz3SV3-IvnnT00E8cPUm-FcG6AkZy-6fFnfbfTAe1eTT4W9bV4Smaf4Ouulv8XaLjlIBKmm2rcrL-YIZRXA3xINm6zqoEqApPG4vTQwz8rRD-mF9sx8E8O2aR0q-U-4EHNFhGX/s1600/Screenshot+2017-08-25+12.57.45.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFzCZzNCz3SV3-IvnnT00E8cPUm-FcG6AkZy-6fFnfbfTAe1eTT4W9bV4Smaf4Ouulv8XaLjlIBKmm2rcrL-YIZRXA3xINm6zqoEqApPG4vTQwz8rRD-mF9sx8E8O2aR0q-U-4EHNFhGX/s640/Screenshot+2017-08-25+12.57.45.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">While getting off a rickshaw saddled with a few heavy bags last afternoon, I heard a sound of something dropping and so turned to look back into the rickshaw. I checked the seat, the floor and around the rickshaw. Not finding anything and wanting to relieve myself of the weight I was carrying, I hurriedly rushed into my building. It was then that I realised, that it was the sound of my phone that I had heard being dropped. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">I ran, calling out to the receding rickshaw but to</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"> my dismay he was far gone despite my enthusiastic sprint. I didn't take the rickshaw number and obviously didn't know the driver's name. I reached home all huffed up and dolefully narrated the incident to my son. We quickly tried calling my phone but it rang for a few minutes and after that a pre-recorded message from the service provider said that the phone was switched off or unavailable! My battery was at 1% before I had got off the rickshaw - so clearly the battery had died out. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">"Don't worry Mama, it happens! Maybe he will call back if he finds it." I rolled my eyes and called my service provider to inform them of the loss so that there could be no misuse of the card. I also took out a spare phone and got a new SIM put into it, which would get activated the next morning as there were some technical errors in the backend. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">So here I was phone-less and going about my evening, when at about 7.45pm my husband rushed into the room saying, "Priya your phone has been found by a rickshaw driver called Raj Kumar Singh, in Bhayendar. Call him back on your own phone number immediately." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">I jumped with joy and promptly dialled the number - it was the same driver that had dropped me off. "Madam, aapka mobile hamaari gaadi ke kone mein mila. Dukaan par aana pada ussey charge karne ke liye kyonki battery mar gayi thi. Lekin ab main Bhayendar main hoon toh aap kal tak wait kar sakte hain, kya? Main aapke paas lekar aaoonga." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">He was unfamiliar with an <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/iphone?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">iPhone</span></span></a> and so had to go to a store to charge it. He then called a random number in my contact list who in-turn gave him my father's number - Papa then called my husband. And sure enough next morning at about 11.15 am he coordinated the address details till Andheri and came by to my building to drop off my phone in perfect condition. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">Three cheers to MH.47.C.2076 and Mr. Raj Kumar Singh for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/beinggood?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">beinggood</span></span></a> <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.fbom8-1.fna.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="true" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;"><3</span></span> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rickshaw?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">rickshaw</span></span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mumbaipublictransport?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">mumbaipublictransport</span></span></a>#beinggood <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/peoplearegood?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">peoplearegood</span></span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/goodnessstory?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">goodnessstory</span></span></a> <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=678802543&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/priyasharmashaikh?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Priya Sharma Shaikh</a> <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=1343913402383358&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/beinggoodstory/?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Being Good</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">Do check out the video too - </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While getting off a rickshaw saddled with a few heavy bags last afternoon, I heard a sound of something dropping and so turned to look back into the rickshaw. I checked the seat, the floor and around the rickshaw. Not finding anything and wanting to relieve myself of the weight I was carrying, I hurriedly rushed into my building. It was then that I realised, that it was the sound of my phone that I had heard being dropped. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">I ran, calling out to the receding rickshaw but to</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"> my dismay he was far gone despite my enthusiastic sprint. I didn't take the rickshaw number and obviously didn't know the driver's name. I reached home all huffed up and dolefully narrated the incident to my son. We quickly tried calling my phone but it rang for a few minutes and after that a pre-recorded message from the service provider said that the phone was switched off or unavailable! My battery was at 1% before I had got off the rickshaw - so clearly the battery had died out. </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Don't worry Mama, it happens! Maybe he will call back if he finds it." I rolled my eyes and called my service provider to inform them of the loss so that there could be no misuse of the card. I also took out a spare phone and got a new SIM put into it, which would get activated the next morning as there were some technical errors in the backend. </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here I was phone-less and going about my evening, when at about 7.45pm my husband rushed into the room saying, "Priya your phone has been found by a rickshaw driver called Raj Kumar Singh, in Bhayendar. Call him back on your own phone number immediately." </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I jumped with joy and promptly dialled the number - it was the same driver that had dropped me off. "Madam, aapka mobile hamaari gaadi ke kone mein mila. Dukaan par aana pada ussey charge karne ke liye kyonki battery mar gayi thi. Lekin ab main Bhayendar main hoon toh aap kal tak wait kar sakte hain, kya? Main aapke paas lekar aaoonga." </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He was unfamiliar with an <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/iphone?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">iPhone</span></span></a> and so had to go to a store to charge it. He then called a random number in my contact list who in-turn gave him my father's number - Papa then called my husband. And sure enough next morning at about 11.15 am he coordinated the address details till Andheri and came by to my building to drop off my phone in perfect condition. </span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three cheers to MH.47.C.2076 and Mr. Raj Kumar Singh for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/beinggood?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">beinggood</span></span></a> <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.fbom8-1.fna.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="true" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;"><3</span></span> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rickshaw?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">rickshaw</span></span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mumbaipublictransport?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">mumbaipublictransport</span></span></a>#beinggood <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/peoplearegood?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">peoplearegood</span></span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/goodnessstory?source=feed_text&story_id=1385127424928622" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm">goodnessstory</span></span></a> <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=678802543&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/priyasharmashaikh?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Priya Sharma Shaikh</a> <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=1343913402383358&extragetparams=%7B%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/beinggoodstory/?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Being Good</a> </span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">Do check out the video!</span><br />
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-75502152357436092502017-09-29T15:50:00.002+05:302017-09-29T22:16:38.548+05:30Musa Qadri - Being Good, Rickshaw Driver, Mumbai <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXZzffybyNUZBnorRm_IJuxq5ovVhVIEyb3-Pop9iDJsaub1uNg6TSuUWZnxD2ggbstoDz6kxnFdiSY2zzI3mPDqkej23uDnOdoTOj4wKaWB2im8V2XGHpoUZz33gF6s-91-2hKxYaNjg/s1600/Screenshot+2017-09-29+15.49.13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXZzffybyNUZBnorRm_IJuxq5ovVhVIEyb3-Pop9iDJsaub1uNg6TSuUWZnxD2ggbstoDz6kxnFdiSY2zzI3mPDqkej23uDnOdoTOj4wKaWB2im8V2XGHpoUZz33gF6s-91-2hKxYaNjg/s400/Screenshot+2017-09-29+15.49.13.png" width="284" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><b>In search of the divine, we lose ourselves, when all we need to do is look within!</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">I was scheduled for a meeting in Bandra,and since I was unsure of parking there I decided to take a rickshaw. I tried hailing one and got rejected by over 10 of them. The sun was beating down and making me anxious as I looked at my watch. A rickshaw driver turned into my building to drop off a passenger. I called out to him, 'Bhaiya, Bandra?' He nodded indicating that he would return shortly and disappeared into one of the wings of my building. Meanwhile, I continued to try m</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">y luck to hail down a rickshaw, but to no avail. I covered my head with my dupatta to save myself from the sun and just then a rickshaw stopped on the opposite side of the road and the driver stuck his head out and looked at me, 'Bandra?' Before he could respond, I heard some desperate honking behind me and I see that it was the same rickshaw driver that had gone in to drop off the passenger.<br />'Madam, I rushed to get to you.'<br />'Achcha,' I smiled and sat in, 'Pali Naka, Bandra.'<br />At Star Bazaar on Link Road, he suddenly stopped, and said that he had just seen his brother and had to say something important to him - he said he'd take 2 minutes. I got irritated as I didn't want to get late so I said, 'Jaldi kariye bhaiya.'<br />I checked my message feed and browsed around, and then after over 5 mins I looked around for the driver - he was chatting a good distance away, with a man on a bike. I half leaned out and screamed, 'Bhaiya!! Late ho haha hai, hum doosra rickshaw le lete hain.'<br />He frantically waved his hand at me, hurriedly finished his dialogue that seemed kind of apologetic from a distance and scurried back to take his seat and get on his way, 'Sorry Madam. Boss tha mera.'<br />We had barely gone some distance when my phone rang out.<br />'Hello Priya, sorry but we will have to reschedule. Can you make it tomorrow?'<br />'Oh ... okay sure. Same time?'<br />'Yes same time, same place.'<br />I hung up feeling disheartened and then called out to the driver, 'Bhaiya sorry, wapas le lo.'<br />The driver started laughing - 'Arreyyy Madam, kya hua?'<br />'Cancel ho gaya meeting.'<br />'Madamji lagta hai uppar waale ki yahi ichcha thi ki hum dono na jayein. You were not getting a rickshaw and my boss didn't want me to go to Bandra and then you got a call to cancel. Jo hua achcha hi hua.'<br />We both laughed out aloud and he then said some amazing truths about life and more shared in the video below - Musa Qadri - Huge respect for your spirit and intelligence <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.fbom8-1.fna.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/fed/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="true" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;"><3</span></span> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/ilovemumbai?source=feed_text&story_id=1415915381849826" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">ilovemumbai</span></span></a> <span class="_5afx" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; text-decoration: none;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rickshawdriver?source=feed_text&story_id=1415915381849826" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">rickshawdriver</span></a> </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/incredibleindia?source=feed_text&story_id=1415915381849826" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">incredibleindia</span></span></a> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/beinggood?source=feed_text&story_id=1415915381849826" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">beinggood</span></span></a> <span class="_5afx" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; text-decoration: none;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/goodnessstories?source=feed_text&story_id=1415915381849826" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">goodnessstories</span></a> </span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">Do check out the video too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-81336642590998177842017-08-13T15:26:00.002+05:302020-12-05T15:35:49.500+05:30Being the mother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcayXMMbCtb0Xw3tP16PyzyNFg2wwO8gTb0yoFFmAawmNneUSrgPL_KPVqX_pK-5NGIUuDrwxomc7GJTgHuvKgR0zqYGqXJqAtznxPc_6pAiSbJ6fpsxrZJn2nBop1iqMNAdmP6oJw3An/s1600/2017-05-29+08.29.54.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcayXMMbCtb0Xw3tP16PyzyNFg2wwO8gTb0yoFFmAawmNneUSrgPL_KPVqX_pK-5NGIUuDrwxomc7GJTgHuvKgR0zqYGqXJqAtznxPc_6pAiSbJ6fpsxrZJn2nBop1iqMNAdmP6oJw3An/s400/2017-05-29+08.29.54.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">A mother has an intrinsic hunch about her child's needs, be it nourishment for the body or the mind, and she provides naturally knowing what is best for her child. </span></span></div>
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As a child I would wonder how my mother knew that I was up to mischief even though I would take all the care to hide my clandestine acts. So, whether it was stealing money from her purse to go and buy myself an ice cream from the local tuck shop or </span>not finishing my homework feigning some illness or lying to stay over at a friends place for homework when actually it was for a party; mama somehow managed to get wind of things and quiz me in such a manner that would slowly but surely make me confess. </div><div style="clear: both;"><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">What was awesome was that she never punished me. Yes, she made me aware and then proceeded to counsel me asking me why I did what I did and what the consequences could be for me to deal with. Eventually we would collectively conclude that I would not to do whatever I did again; and a lesson was entrenched for life!</span></div>
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When I became a mother I adopted the same philosophy of upbringing and added to this the freedom to question the ways of the world allowing them to make their own life's decisions on the value principles they wished to adopt. And I did so without judging my children or without an over bent bias. I did answer questions if they came to me for advice but largely I have let them take flight on their own terms. I did caution them of my fears and put things in perspective from my point of view but eventually let them ride the waves with their own skills and intellect. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I trusted my upbringing and although there were times that their judgement proved wrong but dealing with that itself has been an education for them and they have come through stronger and with a larger belief in themselves and the confidence of soaring higher.</span></div>
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-90038059149525920142017-08-13T14:14:00.001+05:302020-12-08T02:01:30.071+05:30India wants more<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Indians are a curious people. They have </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">an unquenchable thirst for more. We believe in the word MORE, more than any nation. And this I believe is because we are used to plurality. For example, consider the number of languages, cuisine, cultures, clothing, Gods & Goddesses, customs, terrain, colour of skin etc. we have within our subcontinent. Clearly, variety is the name of the game and the people of this expansive land despite their strong individual belief have been accepting of the co-existing varieties that abound. And because there are so many types more often than not, in an average day you will witness or experience something new. The wonder of India is that there are are just so many types of Indians and ways of Indian<i>ness</i>! This typically Indian trait of wanting to see more has been captured beautifully in the #Amazon campaign <i>"Aur Dikhao Aur Dikhao" </i></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">This desire for more amongst Indians has grown multifold with the opening of markets and the internet. </span></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Today even the lower income group Indian is suddenly in touch with the world through handheld smart phones, sponging the juice that the world has to offer with an urgency like never before. It's almost like wanting to keep pace with the speed at which the world is forging ahead. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Indians are an intelligent lot and have proved this on the world stage enough and more times.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">And yet there was a lack of exposure before the outburst of telecom across the country. With the onset of this revolutionary industry, the tiny screens have been made into a window to all that is happening in the world beyond. And we Indians are lapping it all up,</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> learning from others, around</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> the world. </span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">However, although it is great to ape the world for the amazing ways of life that they have achieved, Indians have to do so by sifting through what they see, hear and experience so that their minds and eyes open wider and they are willing to adopt newer ways of life that will enrich their otherwise rich culture and topography manifold. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The quenching will </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">undoubtedly </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">take time but it will be sooner than later and before you know it they will be at par if not ahead of the world, as their desire for more ..will most certainly make them achieve more. </span><br />
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</div>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-71969266426149067182017-02-14T20:10:00.001+05:302017-08-13T13:28:27.125+05:30Carnival Colors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAd8uBgZjODGqD8Iho7WNcNNfMlb796qPdxHeOUA7fgNC88EzZiekQR0k5aIkW7xCiI4OMCB7yZ2vNZPx9xmXKvE03wSUhJCIFcvgNM5-6wCh_B3KXc2EdDjFtdBiH3xBjlpUhh4qK3ol/s1600/529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1208" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAd8uBgZjODGqD8Iho7WNcNNfMlb796qPdxHeOUA7fgNC88EzZiekQR0k5aIkW7xCiI4OMCB7yZ2vNZPx9xmXKvE03wSUhJCIFcvgNM5-6wCh_B3KXc2EdDjFtdBiH3xBjlpUhh4qK3ol/s400/529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Spectacular floats adorn the streets with people dancing
without inhibition in their brilliantly coloured costumes while rainbow coloured
masks and feathers adorn the faces of passers-by. Scores of entertainers from
diverse lands and color are aplenty and the atmosphere is that of merry making
twice over. Eager tourists can’t believe their luck as they take to their hand
held smart phone cameras trying to capture the perfect ‘SELFIE’ and update
their joy on social media saying – ‘It’s that time of the year again!’ We’re
not describing the popular festival <b><i>Mardi Gras</i></b> in New Orleans. We’re
talking about our own version of it, here in our very own backyard – <b><i>The
Goa Carnival.</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Easily the biggest festival and unique and exclusive
to Goa since the 18<sup>th</sup> Century, The Goa Carnival is celebrated before
the commencement of the 40 days of Lent; which is a period of fasting,
abstinence and spirituality. It was introduced by the Portuguese, who ruled
over the state for more than 500 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Although the three day festival is predominately
celebrated by the local Christians, it has evolved to include some traditional
Hindu flavour over the past decade as well as western music and dance form.
Though it originally started as a celebration by the local population, it has
crossed all geographical and cultural barriers with thousands of people thronging
from all over the country and the world take active part in it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Taking place between the 25<sup>th</sup> and 28<sup>th</sup>
of February in 2017, the carnival will kick off with an order to start
partying, from the legendary King Momo, or the ‘King of Chaos’, a character
derived from the Greek God, Momus – The God of Satire. Following him, in
procession, are flocks of dancers, bands, folk singers adorning costumes of
fortune tellers, hawkers, older men and women in brightly coloured clothing and
many more such delightful imagery and entertainment to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The three days that follow is a time of unbridled
festivities among the masses. Day long parades, accompanied with live bands,
dance troupes, party goers wearing masks and costumes, sports competitions and
colourful floats. It’s also a great time to treat your taste buds and indulge
in the sinful local delicacies and wash the food down with a glass or four of
the local Goan spirit, Feni. If you’re a late riser, don’t worry, you won’t
miss a moment of the celebrations as they go on late into the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMlAXakrxKqFE9N5wcmUZyRxzai33tg7ewI9eiocxHc1xe1GpBsnZdi7b0kyRENOuwPoBPGIm8qQPmwN5qXDOyQ1mKG7CSVVgvNQkCHBaJkN51xkh_KgeNMZpUUzoDcrMVVyXcoBVk3Gd/s1600/carnival4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="567" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMlAXakrxKqFE9N5wcmUZyRxzai33tg7ewI9eiocxHc1xe1GpBsnZdi7b0kyRENOuwPoBPGIm8qQPmwN5qXDOyQ1mKG7CSVVgvNQkCHBaJkN51xkh_KgeNMZpUUzoDcrMVVyXcoBVk3Gd/s400/carnival4.jpg" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Back in the day, the procession would enact battle
scenes, with boys and men armed with fake guns, loaded with coloured powder.
There was no shortage of firecrackers that were lit in harmony with the beat of
the drums. Local boys eagerly waited for the Carnival, as it became an
opportune setting to profess their love for the girl of their dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The festivities culminate with the ‘Red and Black Ball’
that has women dressed in red tops and black skirts while their male
counterparts adorn red shirts and black trousers – this is held at the Clube
National in Panjim and is a gala event attended by multitudes of people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So if you are planning a trip to Goa plan to be there around
</span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The
Goa Carnival</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image credits: planetgoa and jattdisite and globalvisiontours</span></span></div>
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-60420894454548464152017-02-11T15:38:00.000+05:302017-08-13T13:31:02.825+05:30Beautiful Strokes<div class="MsoPlainText">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVLi6WRVWIcRvjxyHFSsjZb98fp2DvX1HHqTS3KcZJjp_ipiLKGdjv8tO5wWjCAHKaWeI-JWqD7MotGH0v3iQMRVB_ZRDkNwninCANsvufaTMCWTbRrgUJLR90P8EEwMLlv_qB9N9m1U-/s1600/IMG_0690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVLi6WRVWIcRvjxyHFSsjZb98fp2DvX1HHqTS3KcZJjp_ipiLKGdjv8tO5wWjCAHKaWeI-JWqD7MotGH0v3iQMRVB_ZRDkNwninCANsvufaTMCWTbRrgUJLR90P8EEwMLlv_qB9N9m1U-/s400/IMG_0690.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It is common in the US and Canada for artists to hone
their craft by going to different locales, which inspire them in different
ways. They also find the exercise more interesting and inspiring, and hence when
they find locations in other countries, the trip becomes a holiday too. <i>Suzanne Northcott,</i> an artist from Canada,
recently conducted one such art workshop for a motley group of art learners at
the Aashyana Lakhanpal, Goa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The group largely spent most of their time painting and
doing yoga at the beautifully set Yoga Pavillion but when their schedule
permitted and their curiosity got the better of them, they toured the culturally
rich and social hobnobbing spots of the city where people from across the world
took on the gay and languorous vibe of the city. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The experiences they enjoyed were many; they particularly
enjoyed the performance of a <b>RUSSIAN
SINGER, </b>who<b> </b>crooned beautiful
renditions of Mozart, Bizet etc. on the very first evening of their stay at
Aashyana Lakhanpal. The <b>WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
BAZAAR </b>at <i>Anjuna</i> Beach, which originally
started as a flea market during the hippie era and has continued to this date
on a larger scale. Shopping was a key attraction here. This was followed by a
trip to the <b>SATURDAY NIGHT MARKET </b>at
<i>Arpora</i>, which is similar to the
Wednesday market but differs by having a large international food court with live
music and dancing, making the night a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Located in the industrial area called <i>Pilerne </i>is<i> </i>the new <b>MUSEUM OF GOA</b>
created by a Goan artist – this visit gave them a peek into the colorful history
of Goa. One morning they took a <b>BOAT
TRIP</b> on the Mondavi River where they caught glimpses of the city and its
vegetation and concluded the day with a spectacular sunset. No trip to Goa is
complete without a viewing of <b>OLD GOA. </b>So
one morning they took a day trip to the <b>SPICE
PLANTATION</b> and on the way back they witnessed the architectural beauty of
old Goa and the <b>BASILICA OF BOM JESUS </b>where
to date lie the mortal remains of Saint Francis Xavier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A <b>COOKING WORKSHOP</b> was organised for them
with Meera Chinai, who in a couple of hours gave them the basics of Indian
cuisine, more specifically the Indian <b>DAL</b>.
She shared with them the importance of TADKA (known as tempering in English)
and also demonstrated how tadka was done in India. Since they were so intrigued
Meera also taught them how to cook the simple and popular south Indian snack
UPMA, the ingredients of which are easily found in all western countries and
the method is quite simple. They found it easy to use and thoroughly relished
the snack after tasting it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">LET’S MAKE SOME
UPMA!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">INGREDIENTS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 cup of semolina<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 tbsp cooking oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ tsp channa dal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ tsp udad dal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">½ tsp of mustard seeds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 onion finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2 green chillies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4-5 curry leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 glass of water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">5-6 stalks of coriander/cilantro<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1 lime cut into long wedges<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">THE BURPY TO-DO:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Roast the semolina in a pan on a medium flame
until crunchy – this should take about 10 minutes. Once done take it off the
fire into a plate to cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Add the oil to the same pan and once heated add
the mustard seed and when they sputter add the udad and channa dals and stir
them until they are slightly brown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Toss in the onions, green chillies and curry
leaves and stir till the onions soften.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Add the roasted semolina to the pan and stir
well for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Add a glass full of water to the pan (watch out
for it sputtering) and stir quickly to avoid formation of lumps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Cover the mixture for about 15 minutes on a low
flame – the water will dry up and once the consistency becomes paste-like your
Upma is ready<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Take it off the fire and serve in a bowl –
garnish it with fresh coriander/cilantro and wedges of lime<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Suzanne and her
students thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Aashyana Lakhanpal and have plans to
come back again next year.</span>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-24974526054377779682017-01-25T01:11:00.000+05:302017-09-29T17:06:26.600+05:30Nesting of a different kind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gGCXeARaJMfvRfwnGmCX-f9KCxFSsj7qprNf0PfdP4Y-vs-QSqPvrszro96GO7pV969RfaGMkb7PALfMSgA2OpEaO-qAtHTsO_2bYQs9mHJXZDWoOTN395Mivx7CGq-CCKe8_relqt8I/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gGCXeARaJMfvRfwnGmCX-f9KCxFSsj7qprNf0PfdP4Y-vs-QSqPvrszro96GO7pV969RfaGMkb7PALfMSgA2OpEaO-qAtHTsO_2bYQs9mHJXZDWoOTN395Mivx7CGq-CCKe8_relqt8I/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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North Goa, has become synonymous with crowded beaches, hippie markets and a crazy nightlife, and it is usually difficult to find a quiet, homely and comforting space around it. And yet, in the milieu is an oasis like no other that intrigues the curiosity of the keen traveler.</div>
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In the early 80’s, Ajai Lakhanpal bought a home for himself in the inimitable North Goa, and over the years, has meticulously added science and magic to it, to create a paradise so inspiring and beautiful that he was compelled to share it with the world. Over a decade ago the treasured property, opened its doors to travellers that were looking for a unique escape from the mundane, and ever since, guests have poured in from all over the globe, to experience the harmony within themselves and that of AASHYANA LAKHANPAL.</div>
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The property inherited its name from Ajai’s family homes named ‘Aashyana’ in Jallandhar and Mumbai – the meaning of which in Persian is <em>bird’s nest</em>. Just as a bird builds its nest with precision and detail to ensure the comfort and care of its hatchlings, Aashyana Lakhanpal perched on the pristine Candolim beach, is built with utmost care and thought under the supervision of Ajai himself, keeping in mind the comfort of his guests.</div>
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It is perhaps the only shaded coconut grove in the world from which you can step directly on to the beach. You can lose yourself they say, in the wonder of its unmanicured ambience, where nature is allowed to be its amazing self while the simplicity and uncluttered décor in the villas bring a touch of finesse to one’s experience. Life imitates art, and Ajai himself curates art from pieces he has found and brought back from his travels around the world. These individual and unique pieces can be found around the property and in each of the rooms, while Buddha statues and 7 hand carved granite altars at the entrance axis of the house, hold place of pride for each day of the week.</div>
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While guests are being pampered and taken care of, Aashyana Lakhanpal also takes care of the environment by harvesting rainwater and feeding it back with the help of four aquifers on the property. This has benefited the property and perhaps neighbouring homes too. The garden also employs a permaculture framework that regenerates soil naturally.</div>
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<em>“Aashyana Lakhanpal’ beauty has attracted distinguished artist camps with the likes of Bhupen Thakkar, Nalini Malani, Nilima Shaikh, Rekha Rodwitya, Navjot and the late Altaf and many others gracing its spaces to create wondrous art pieces, while besotted loved ones have read their vows under the bows of its fauna and corporate honchos have inspired their teams to have strategy discussions like never before. I believe we have truly created a haven, for the world to experience,”</em> said Ajai as he looked on at the expansive natural habitat surrounding him.</div>
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The renowned art curator and philanthropist, OP Jain fittingly described the property after his visit, <em>“Aashyana Lakhanpal has the comforts of a palace and the silence of a monastery; it has the silence of Humanyoon’s tomb and the grandeur of the Taj Mahal“</em></div>
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Indeed the perfect balance of a natural habitat coupled with the attention to detail and warm hospitality makes Aashyana Lakhanpal the destination of choice for many of its visitors, bringing them back for more, to rekindle old memories and create new ones too. </div>
PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-90260180970025006772016-01-25T01:07:00.001+05:302017-08-13T13:20:03.584+05:30Sports Heroes Anthem<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheivJzgXMuzAJhM6aOgpeONsg3lVJjI9gGccEMAjd33qX4k-NiSCMmL8unct9i2HBoxlOshI49Gs1uL7bITgfmsdXvjn4vJ_Pc-V2I1-797aJ9mFyoA8nQTEl32IqN2WXv2AH1lQnU87wz/s1600/IMG_2841%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheivJzgXMuzAJhM6aOgpeONsg3lVJjI9gGccEMAjd33qX4k-NiSCMmL8unct9i2HBoxlOshI49Gs1uL7bITgfmsdXvjn4vJ_Pc-V2I1-797aJ9mFyoA8nQTEl32IqN2WXv2AH1lQnU87wz/s320/IMG_2841%255B1%255D.JPG" width="180" /></a>Earlier this week I received a call from my friend and ex-colleague Rasika Kulkarni. She sounded excited, as did Nilesh Kulkarni - they are both the Directors of the <b>International Institute of Sports Management</b>, Mumbai, India. Without exchanging the usual pleasantries they asked me to block my diary for the 24th of January 2016 for a very special milestone in their lives ... they were launching the #sportsheroes national anthem enacted and supported by 8 of India's sports heroes @sachin_rt @dhanraj_pillay @ibaichungbhutia @Maheshbhupathi @WrestlerSushil @MirzaSania @gaGunNarang and the great Sunil Gavaskar @excricketr ... the anthem has been conceptualised by Nilesh and Rasika and is written and directed by Abhijit Phanse, music direction by Ram Sampath, Photography by Sudeep Chatterjee ... tremendous team effort with an outcome of a 3.10min video that strung the right chords giving the traditionally dressed audience goose bumps and moist eyes.<br />
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Dhanraj and Sachin were the only two of the eight sports heroes that were present at the event held at the #TajLandsEnd. Both of them spoke with humility and emotion about their sport and the flag and the joy they have felt each time the #indianflag was unfurled in a foreign land because of their win.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpHoBYKAIKf1Ax9qp2wbgOZ7JZSKWzHr1AwoMgJugczKS0HyrcM6UIZmarFEEyMK2DEUoeSH1a0z_-WSebNzZt28PYaIfpAefIBd0nW5CBrflksZSfbbHlPukNLAFyB7_vmKqU0eQW404/s1600/IMG_2834%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpHoBYKAIKf1Ax9qp2wbgOZ7JZSKWzHr1AwoMgJugczKS0HyrcM6UIZmarFEEyMK2DEUoeSH1a0z_-WSebNzZt28PYaIfpAefIBd0nW5CBrflksZSfbbHlPukNLAFyB7_vmKqU0eQW404/s320/IMG_2834%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The beautiful sentiment of<b><i> </i></b><b style="font-style: italic;">'Apne bachhon ke pairon ko apne desh ki mitti lagne do'</b> was given by Sachin, Dhanraj and Nilesh. It was portrayed with beautiful imagery of children playing gully cricket, marbles, sprinting, catapult and many such. The key message of the anthem was that all the eight sports heroes shown in this version of the anthem, are people from very humble beginnings and today they are on the global arena playing on behalf of #India making us proud by winning and unfurling the #indianflag across the world - and this is possible by each of our children too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWe9V1XEfJJt5MuGaHB5raDMZtvvbqRcKAnRJdJ1kBtDCveXpZw_S8rHtQjqrR6uFFNh8j0W43BMHQYI5Bn8qQcdTzsLINt7MDbOgR4AVHmj4Aj-D5XMukQ1RPTwirkBTVJEGI_nuVaz0/s1600/IMG_2835%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWe9V1XEfJJt5MuGaHB5raDMZtvvbqRcKAnRJdJ1kBtDCveXpZw_S8rHtQjqrR6uFFNh8j0W43BMHQYI5Bn8qQcdTzsLINt7MDbOgR4AVHmj4Aj-D5XMukQ1RPTwirkBTVJEGI_nuVaz0/s320/IMG_2835%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a>As a child I remember playing all kinds of games in the open spaces with my friends. Games like kity-kity, lagori, robs&cops, dabba-i-spy (it was pronounced as dabba-ice-spice), goooooooldspot, hopscotch, fire-in-the-mountain, climbing trees and eating guavas and shehtoot and badams, swimming, cycling, racing, badminton, gymnastics, throwball, basketball, high jump, langdi, phugddi, kho-kho, hututu (kabaddi), four corners. We would leave home at about 4pm and not return until 8pm in time for a wash and dinner with the family. Getting dirty in the mud was a given. Falling and scraping our hands and knees was common place as was getting back to the madness after a tear or two -- that thrill and joy I felt in those growing years is unmatched.<br />
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Playing a sport builds our strength, teaching us about team spirit, about the victories and losses that one faces in life and how to toughen up and accept defeat and then get back and try again the next day. Sport doesn't care for your color, caste, wealth, religion ... all it cares for is your talent. And if you can convert that talent into a passion and maintain your focus and instill a culture of self discipline and hard work it is most certain that the world will salute you in return ... and you too will have the opportunity to watch the #indianflag unfurl as you stand atop the victory stand with a lump in your throat, a tear in your eye and a billion+ cheers to back you up! Go India go ... #winforindia<br />
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0759837 72.87765590000003618.5931982 72.229462400000031 19.558769199999997 73.525849400000041tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-83464871566692404602016-01-02T00:50:00.000+05:302016-01-24T08:22:23.143+05:30#2016 - #Newbeginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Is it that time of the year again?<br />
For reflections of the months gone by,<br />
Where masking the tears, were the smiles aplenty.<br />
A cuss under the breath and the avalanche of intolerance spilled, and<br />
In the dark of the night rising cries of pity. No. Anger, into the pillow.<br />
Resolve for an affirmation of change,<br />
Beginning from me - the fingers pointing at me no longer.<br />
When thought out resolutions are copious, assuring life anew,<br />
A time for hope they say; that numerology may help!<br />
<br />
Plans to meet who, when and where - the Marina or perhaps the Corniche?<br />
For pretty dresses to impress - He likes the color blue, he said.<br />
<div>
But, 'Sorry we don't have an open slot Ma'am'</div>
The polish has a smudge and there is no repair,<br />
The blue one isn't showing my cleavage enough,<br />
The beauty spot needs to show - the red one is short too,<br />
My eyes trace the slit and the red reflection smiles.<br />
<br />
The sea of yellow and red is growing bigger.<br />
Oh, I wish they would hurry!<br />
But will I be able to focus on me<br />
The regime of Yoga. No, he said Zumba!<br />
And no whites; for how long would that be?<br />
And the phone is ringing and I do not hear.<br />
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I am late, as always he says.</div>
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Be good - And who is saying that?</div>
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I should have worn blue!</div>
And us...<br />
Is that a light?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIk5F3wCZR-i8PTTu5m3ymZHNb8hyphenhyphenzZDWpgxepPfiXNRclr66NvRcvadyGAOwJ-wKbC0KI2QuAXwfySMSsY1dGIiLOl2ZBaxbuNjO5R4j5Js95nZb_d1P63aO8mwVIh-Um-q4bU6gbu9-/s1600/IMG_2606%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIk5F3wCZR-i8PTTu5m3ymZHNb8hyphenhyphenzZDWpgxepPfiXNRclr66NvRcvadyGAOwJ-wKbC0KI2QuAXwfySMSsY1dGIiLOl2ZBaxbuNjO5R4j5Js95nZb_d1P63aO8mwVIh-Um-q4bU6gbu9-/s640/IMG_2606%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Shades of the new year at Carter Road Bandra last evening with massive crowds of people took to the roads with friends, kids, elders and family were an interesting first time experience for me. People of all kinds Indian and foreign; tiny and huge; modern and conservative; young and old hugged, smiled, laughed, Selfied, lit crackers, wore caps and red illuminated horns and let go of balloons and floating lanterns into the dark sky singing Happy New Year ... it was a time for cheer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLs_7pgY7hWjRdRLUfJtKOKRYmBSpsZoid60Kz2AtEIE8hYH2eOiU0sene0rGQ9ZzpoBWu04lE0thwuzzgF8lmT16vugy_YgqMMogDP832NZoGyLLraEPuwR4m23DimZtfF_urO8dtbVt/s1600/IMG_2616%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLs_7pgY7hWjRdRLUfJtKOKRYmBSpsZoid60Kz2AtEIE8hYH2eOiU0sene0rGQ9ZzpoBWu04lE0thwuzzgF8lmT16vugy_YgqMMogDP832NZoGyLLraEPuwR4m23DimZtfF_urO8dtbVt/s640/IMG_2616%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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At the traffic signal was an efficient cop on duty directing traffic. I extended my hand out at him saying 'Happy New Year Sir'. He smiled and gave out and then on second thoughts pulled back his hand. smiled and said 'Happy New Year Maam' and went on with his job at hand ;)<br />
<br />PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-17677527678980258282015-12-30T23:24:00.000+05:302015-12-30T23:24:22.740+05:30The Mantra of Empowering Young<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Recently Rekha </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">and Inderjit Sharma, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">75+ year old</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">senior citizens of Mumbai, India had a manifestation of their continued efforts towards empowering young girls - daughters of a rickshaw driver, or a vegetable seller, or perhaps a cobbler or cleaner; where their education is the least priority and restriction is norm.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">It is to such girls that they provide support by encouraging them to continue their studies, teaching them to communicate in the world language 'English' an</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">d alongside facilitating them with the skill of sewing garments for children and women using sewing machines and fabric donated by friends and family. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkTsRAJZ99chTF5vkEGU1OVaf4YdUXSpjgQiO0T_Kv82uBEcpThoTZybke_XZYZIOiIA2hbU9FDhr8zAxHk-sKZRLvAzViRjiFGOskehuIv4yFDubwdEPNcTUz7T39OwV9CZ-yWsTcRCy/s1600/IMG_2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkTsRAJZ99chTF5vkEGU1OVaf4YdUXSpjgQiO0T_Kv82uBEcpThoTZybke_XZYZIOiIA2hbU9FDhr8zAxHk-sKZRLvAzViRjiFGOskehuIv4yFDubwdEPNcTUz7T39OwV9CZ-yWsTcRCy/s400/IMG_2371.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The year long effort of sewing and coaching concluded by facilitating them with a platform to experience public interaction. This was made possible on two occasions - The first being at the annual exhibition of the <b>Dilkhush Center </b>at Juhu where they set up stalls of fun games like 'blow in the cork' and 'how steady is your hand' - both the games were made by the children and taught them to apply their learning of physics. Needless to say that the experience of trying to blow the cork in and keeping the hand steady while carefully taking the wired loop across the twisted band to avoid touching it and sparking the beep brought a load of delight for the challengers - collecting the coupons and donating the same to the school taught the children how to give without expecting anything in return.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The second interaction was at the <b>School of Life </b>at Andheri Versova Link Road where the sewed garments were first displayed on hangers with price tags, the team was taught how to respond to queries about the garments, complete the transaction, packing and finally taking feedback. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JaglrX5Wf298VDEoeLkscFO3PQTwZ7R-WXuVxJt_BOM85S_PXQ46ZNHMmz33R7WI-XfFEovg1Apw7VzJrd6usqGbVNz5zNw9L_gKaraLiX0MeCVuu2qVkQzWAaf_cYLwBRd-rkmH5Rjf/s1600/IMG_2386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JaglrX5Wf298VDEoeLkscFO3PQTwZ7R-WXuVxJt_BOM85S_PXQ46ZNHMmz33R7WI-XfFEovg1Apw7VzJrd6usqGbVNz5zNw9L_gKaraLiX0MeCVuu2qVkQzWAaf_cYLwBRd-rkmH5Rjf/s400/IMG_2386.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The simple objective of this exercise was to empower the young girls with the confidence to interact in society, acquire a skill that they can use to earn a livelihood and learn the intricacies of what it takes to create a home grown venture.</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The result was heartening as most of the garments flew off the hangers thanks to the enthusiastic visitors who encouraged the girls for their efforts and hard work. </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The smiles on their young and hopeful faces when the exhibition came to a close were priceless; while for Rekha and Inderjit their minds were busy making plans of how to fulfill new dreams </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">in the new year</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">.</span>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-67015419085805991462015-12-30T22:42:00.000+05:302015-12-30T23:25:32.933+05:30Social Entrepreneur - Can you be one?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHkQAzUzHVa3vzk3moi0QEL7sGFJ1abNBbqvPYDek6jyaLllA5eHd74UaNziap-nzMd5Ae7p4ZmK83XAMfN-ysjH96e_5spjtTMX9L591Rjlwni3LF14fLQPeYmms-Q70W7F8uKxTpkRu/s1600/feature-social-entrepreneur.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHkQAzUzHVa3vzk3moi0QEL7sGFJ1abNBbqvPYDek6jyaLllA5eHd74UaNziap-nzMd5Ae7p4ZmK83XAMfN-ysjH96e_5spjtTMX9L591Rjlwni3LF14fLQPeYmms-Q70W7F8uKxTpkRu/s400/feature-social-entrepreneur.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Entrepreneurship normally is
a form of work that people with leadership qualities easily take to, and if the
leader is inspiring and has an incredible idea or innovation that makes life better,
he or she naturally attract followers to believe in their passion and co-create
wealth for stakeholders. Now imagine a leader that has a passion to create
wealth with a social mission as its epicenter – a mission that is viable while
effecting change, that is inclusive of people living at the fringes of society and
that can reach out to people across the globe; a business leader of such an
enterprise is called a social entrepreneur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">They both create
opportunities – but there is a difference. The regular entrepreneur thinks only
of his enterprise and donates in retrospect while the social entrepreneur
thinks of how his enterprise can change the lives of people by empowering them to
be a part of the change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Years ago, I had the
privilege of working on OASIS (Old Age Social Income Security) a project initiated
by a small company called Invest India Economic Foundation, under the aegis of
the Ministry of Social Justice – we endeavored to develop a pensions framework
for retired people of India by encouraging them to systematically save money
into a professionally managed pension scheme during their work lives so that
they can continue to live with dignity in their golden years – our team </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">led by Gautam Bhardwaj </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">worked
tirelessly and passionately initiating research papers, conducting conferences, meeting stock market experts, insurance and mutual fund heads, government officials and bureaucrats for several years; more often than not having cost over-runs - the result of that project is the recently
launched </span><b style="font-size: 10.5pt;">New Pension Scheme</b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Around the same time I got
acquainted with the phenomenal work of Mohammad Yunus, the economist from
Bangladesh, who created the unique ideology of micro-finance and formed the <b>Grameen Bank</b>, which helped the poorest
of the poor to break out of poverty by providing loans to entrepreneurs who
could not qualify for regular bank credit – loans were given in solidarity
groups that ensured repayment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">In the United States; Leilah
Jenah started the <b>Sama Source,</b> which
works effectively to uplift communities across the globe - they simply understood
the billions-of-dollars-worth business process outsourcing model and turned it
into an enterprise that used technology to get thousands of poor people to be
part of projects and gave money straight into their hands. <b>Goodwill Industries</b> popularly
associated with charity, employs marginalized people, recycles donated clothing and helps corporations with
doing their events and managing their relocation - they </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">earn store revenues amounting to $3 billion</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Closer home the <b>SEWA Bank</b> formed by Elaben Bhatt works successfully
with poor women with the mantra that they are 'bankable' as they are economically
active; and not to be forgotten is <b>Dr.
Verghese Kurien’s</b> white revolution </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">gave livelihood to millions making </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">India one of the world’s largest producers of milk and</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> made </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Amul a household name.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">All the examples mentioned
above are successful social </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">entrepreneurship stories </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">led by great minds that kept
their mission of <b>effecting change in societies </b>as their epicenter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9jAGsvVPDZPsuUrL1rAuwu1iIOXJOT4-rjCcv01LWwArQ95UzmGsJrzZGdrIAnrRqyuwxyaTtJcD0ryRuZL8m5PzNK1P-luazdoOxCbXd8SoLYBHZRESZiKiHK1hYP1wZ8P_DJlzOmbN/s1600/IMG_1915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9jAGsvVPDZPsuUrL1rAuwu1iIOXJOT4-rjCcv01LWwArQ95UzmGsJrzZGdrIAnrRqyuwxyaTtJcD0ryRuZL8m5PzNK1P-luazdoOxCbXd8SoLYBHZRESZiKiHK1hYP1wZ8P_DJlzOmbN/s640/IMG_1915.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Among</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> the many global problems, poverty is one that leads to personal misery and frustration. Poverty is the result of lack of opportunity to make a livelihood for loved ones. 'An idle mind is a devils workshop' is an old adage that has never been more meaningful in today's times than before, as all of us belong to the global village with connectivity and awareness of what we can have and can't because of or the lack of, our financial capacities. This stark reality of the poor is more in our face today and yes we feel guilt but don't take time out to empathise because we are too busy with our personal endeavours to do better, thereby widening the divide between the haves and the have not's. This divide aids angst against the better endowed and often results in crime and unrest. </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Social entrepreneurship today seeks to provide occupation to those educated but idle minds, thus reducing the divide and being an essential ingredient to pave the way for global peace.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDJLo-2a3yHT36XFICjpo-hSBuPaocivTGM76E22dARhIU0Qz4YC1hPpydCBDv6SODEAgkzNkc8LfKICXkcTw55BcJ6qlauF9izfG66cC7ywsU013yxHFBZymWpYOTKCQLLmmPnEXwPHP/s1600/homepagephoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDJLo-2a3yHT36XFICjpo-hSBuPaocivTGM76E22dARhIU0Qz4YC1hPpydCBDv6SODEAgkzNkc8LfKICXkcTw55BcJ6qlauF9izfG66cC7ywsU013yxHFBZymWpYOTKCQLLmmPnEXwPHP/s400/homepagephoto.jpg" width="398" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">What further aids social
entrepreneurs’ today is the new but popular ideology called <b>impact sourcing, </b>which is sourcing
based on social impact and quality. Procurement Managers from corporations have the option to choose the partners they wish
to work with through the year for their business related needs and are also </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">are conscious of the companies corporate social responsibility #CSR targets.</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> There is a
growing trend to consciously work with organisations that have an explicit
social mission. By choosing to work with such enterprises they ensure that their
allocated budget is actually being used to address issues like poverty alleviation. This way of reaching out to people and aiding their lives is far more effective and real than donating money to an NGO at the end of the year or hoping that a fraction of the tax one pays is collected by the government and appropriately disbursed to improve the lives of the needy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">#socialentrepreneurship is one of the important keys that can make each one of us have a meaningful role to play and feel the responsibility of making </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">our world a truly global village and us a truly global family.</span></div>
PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-12852702670194037052015-12-23T01:34:00.001+05:302015-12-23T01:52:14.798+05:30#KOD #EEMA Treasure Hunt!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met with Vijay Arora, Vice President #EEMA North three
weeks ago at his beautiful office. I was meeting him on behalf of Kingdom of
Dreams, India’s ultimate live entertainment destination. As ingenious as he is,
he suggested that we host the 2<sup>nd</sup> EEMA North Treasure Hunt at
#KOD. We mutually decided on going ahead with the idea and Saturday, 19 December
2015 was set as the date for the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#EEMA North led by Vijay Arora swung into action putting
together an expert team of Mandeep Singh, Sachin Talwar, Anushree Agarwal,
Amanveer Singh, Rajesh Varma and Sharad Mathur who discussed elements and allocated
tasks for the event. They soon did a #KOD recci, engaged vendor partners and
talent, created the communication pieces, announced the event to its members
and before you could say oompa-ga-loompa the day of the event was here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a flurry of activity from the wee hours of the 19<sup>th</sup> with the KOD operations, F&B, technical and stage management teams
– menus were set and executed, dry and technical runs were done and dress codes
were decided. Then came in the #EEMA production team for the venue set up at
the #KODcourtyard – mojos barricades, stage, truss, lights, speakers,
generators, sound/light/AV consoles, décor and branding were put in place; and
the Treasure Hunt control room team were connected up to the and we were
finally all set to welcome the guests!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a day of fun and frolic for the event managers -
people that work, tirelessly day in and out to meet their clients’ needs and
ever changing deadlines. It was our endeavor that they all let their hair down
and have a blast and for a change be a part of the fun. The day’s activities
included a treasure hunt that would be flagged off from #KOD and take the
participating teams across the city doing some crazy tasks and finding clues to
finally complete the race back at #KOD.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the guests were flagged off from the huge parking lot
I got call from Sharad Mathur, “Priya, my family will be privileged if you
could join our team in the race … Please come quickly to gate No.2” I had just
ordered some lunch at #Culturegully and the food hadn’t yet come to the table
plus I was unsure whether I was required to be a part of the evening
arrangements – however when Sumit assured me with confidence that he would
manage just fine, I jumped at the opportunity and rushed to meet Sharad and his
lovely wife Saroja and their sons Shubh and Shaurya – they welcomed me with
open arms as they made place for me in their Mercedes.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QmDrFxzFdv5HdCUPWCAlvY-7NcbBlFY9o5qCywYe-frM9ywPM_QLjAtwsX0dpl0V1HNWXA150o-NT6nZRo3srlE2P933mJYJwMg_uxd3uuTzBohbctykmxCfBbkd3dhKPEL9TUPDcmE/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0QmDrFxzFdv5HdCUPWCAlvY-7NcbBlFY9o5qCywYe-frM9ywPM_QLjAtwsX0dpl0V1HNWXA150o-NT6nZRo3srlE2P933mJYJwMg_uxd3uuTzBohbctykmxCfBbkd3dhKPEL9TUPDcmE/s200/IMG_2465.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each team would be given clues and tasks that need to be
unraveled and completed and the proof of which was a selfie with all the
members being present in it in front of the destination or while doing the task
had to be sent to our Marshall by WhatsApp from the registered mobile number
only – any queries or assistance would result in negative marks. The first clue
took some time to come in as I tucked into the snack box that had been given to
each car. The first clue came in after a few minutes and from then on started
the race across the city, racking our brains over the tricky clues being doled
out to us – arguing about the possible correct outcomes – searching </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Google
Kaur</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> again and again and again – reaching the destination of the clue
(in our case we had Rustoms, Polaris, Trillion, Showtime office, Bikaner) and
clicking the necessary selfie – sending the selfie to our Marshall as proof –
receiving a CORRECT from her and cheering with shrieks in the car...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizutkRtLyyBloF5T2Nm28aJ9XNl31tlv3TrmEadHnNiWeK63Sc-WEbbWh1qrl5Uk0elT8BScILiQqIg_BeXMkp8FzBF0r5ugptOaeknCiA5aBp7QHqlDbSDuTTCwK9lpWpm6whRmGjInIa/s1600/IMG_2461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizutkRtLyyBloF5T2Nm28aJ9XNl31tlv3TrmEadHnNiWeK63Sc-WEbbWh1qrl5Uk0elT8BScILiQqIg_BeXMkp8FzBF0r5ugptOaeknCiA5aBp7QHqlDbSDuTTCwK9lpWpm6whRmGjInIa/s640/IMG_2461.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">,,, and then
waiting for the next clue/task, jumping out and into the car to perform the
crazy tasks (click a selfie with a traffic cop, get Michael’s visiting card, do
a video donating money to a beggar, buy some booze at a BYOB thekka, buy Santa
caps and click a selfie) and then charging into KOD to complete the race. The
kids were besides themselves with joy as were Saroja and Sharad and couldn’t
stop saying what a wonderful experience they had together … and I was on top of
the world as I had been a part of an awesome treasure hunt with a lovely
family!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC4bVWgFjkoDfgtTqmOokudL96mXgzEiDmzvwmzoBqAxw5WV0gN7NN__yOtWtRnNnwrKDmmFLr0w3Bljd5wULiJrEZO-2dq6F3KXhuAMyepqLaXiVHJH6TtgOe_vHUrtAEZt3_Cw3PCMy/s1600/IMG_2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC4bVWgFjkoDfgtTqmOokudL96mXgzEiDmzvwmzoBqAxw5WV0gN7NN__yOtWtRnNnwrKDmmFLr0w3Bljd5wULiJrEZO-2dq6F3KXhuAMyepqLaXiVHJH6TtgOe_vHUrtAEZt3_Cw3PCMy/s200/IMG_2469.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The evening saw the guests reassemble at #KOD where they
were treated with some fantastic starters and food, soulful music by Shukraan
and Mehak followed by thumping retro tracks and DJ music that had the crowds
hitting the floor ... heads of the companies were dancing with teams and their family members - I couldn't help feel joy for each of them as they let their hair down just having a fun time, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGYwBOg9PjUHPdpASD4jAMM61OGIBrKQUraUtcF-1mEeJBjaLncYFBwjMidejYbTpeA6bdfrIX4ejawpTJWc02MbD5qGItjn6Kcd2eWCtrqQAZRzE37w3J_1uOHezRRcU9-zLH1SZrHGg/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGYwBOg9PjUHPdpASD4jAMM61OGIBrKQUraUtcF-1mEeJBjaLncYFBwjMidejYbTpeA6bdfrIX4ejawpTJWc02MbD5qGItjn6Kcd2eWCtrqQAZRzE37w3J_1uOHezRRcU9-zLH1SZrHGg/s640/IMG_2433.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Qdbdl0-qHXrOET_5OFWr5OAle3GsE4YIDUWp9COhLJ3wNnDaVh_VvQtJrcySC9Tc732riRtnpyoE48jY3Po71e8I2HS0h7O8BgK79LYdQSX-OZHCaDm4Vk7t1y0ugXTP9dTdiusmj1B/s1600/12391173_10200969882007017_4726845838727686170_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Qdbdl0-qHXrOET_5OFWr5OAle3GsE4YIDUWp9COhLJ3wNnDaVh_VvQtJrcySC9Tc732riRtnpyoE48jY3Po71e8I2HS0h7O8BgK79LYdQSX-OZHCaDm4Vk7t1y0ugXTP9dTdiusmj1B/s200/12391173_10200969882007017_4726845838727686170_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The MC Shilpa Bhasin was brilliant and thanks to her sharp wit and creative quips she totally held the audience throughout the day and evening making the celebrations even more enjoyable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally it was time for the prize distribution and the first prize was given to STORY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our team stood third - the boys were thrilled when our name was called out and they went up on stage to receive the trophy with smiles and cheers led by their enthusiastic parents dragging me along as they insisted that I was also a rightful winner - toooo cute!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I bid them goodbye with warmth and when Saroja said, <b>‘Abb
aap hamari family ki ho gayi hain. Aaap agli baar Dilli aayein toh hamaare ghar
zaroor aayiye,’ </b>I hugged her warmly saying, <b>‘I will be a pleasure.’</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I retired for the day that night I reflected on the days events and smiled ,,, what a beautiful day it had been ... and a time truly well spent with perfect organisation thanks to the KOD team and loads of fun thanks to the EEMA North organising committee ... </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When a day like this passes through my life, my faith in this world is reinstated.</span></div>
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-34662263798766877912015-12-14T01:38:00.001+05:302016-11-01T23:45:58.507+05:30My color is #PINKA<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The
best memories I have of studying at the Cathedral & John Connon School,
were of the numerous activities we had from day one of a school year all the
way to the last - so apart from the studying and social service students had to
do, they also did dramatics, music, art, debates, elocution (English &
Hindi), basketball, gymnastics, throw-ball, track events, cricket, tennis,
rugby, badminton, chess and the MARATHON ... simply superlative opportunities
for the students to hone their respective skills. And as a student then, I take
pride in saying, I took part in most of the above activities except for tennis,
cricket and rugby; and of all of them, the toughest but the most fun was the
marathon we ran amidst the wilderness for our respective houses (mine was
Barham) to win the big chunk of points that would result in the glorious house
cup at the end of the year. That was 33 years ago ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Early this morning I broke routine and jumped out of my snug
fleece blanket to wake up at 3.30 AM, got dressed, had a banana and some
almonds and at 5 AM sharp drove with Aparna, Priyanka, Lata, Meenu, Nishita and
Lipika to Bandra Kurla Complex to be there at 5.30 AM. My excitement
was not unlike that of a child, as I had registered myself for the 10 km
marathon at #pinkathon Mumbai 2015; <span style="background: white;">an event to encourage women to make the choice of an active healthy
lifestyle & by example, inspire their loved ones to do the same.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>This was a race for women and this
morning 11,000+ women stood tall with me to do their bit in their own
unique way to set an example to their families and friends and above all
to themselves. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Nostalgia and mixed emotions ran through my body as we
were flagged off from the starting point at 6.30 AM amidst DJ music playing on
the huge speakers and women dancing the Zoomba; the brand
ambassador Milind Soman looking charismatic and appealing as ever in his
salt and pepper hair waving and wishing the squealing women luck and assuring
them that he would be waiting for them at the finish line; the MC screaming instructions
while shutterbugs desperately clicked the action and paparazzi did their spiel
with their backs to the runners; volunteers waved flags shouting 'Go Pinka go'
as the Naval band played their drums and trumpets with much gusto and the time
mapping machines beeped as each girl passed it ... and to add to all
this cacophony and jamboree were of course the Pinka's - the pink
sisters ... the 11000+ GIRLS who were screaming cheers of excitement, poking
fun at each other, giggling, clicking quick selfies, dancing to the beats,
then walking, then jogging and finally once they were out of the 100 m
noisy corridor at the start, the real running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And run they did, as did I!
The streets of BKC were pink this morning with girls of every size, age, social
status and religion. There were girls who were 75+ and under 5; girls wearing
hip sports shoes to girls running in chappals and bare feet; girls in trendy
and very sexy sportswear to girls in saris, salwar kameez, hijaab's and pink
burkhas; girls with perfect fitness to fat girls and very skinny
girls; girls in corporate Tshirts (Kotak Bank, Nomura, ICICI Bank, KPMG etc.)
and girls dressed in the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">white </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">event Tshirt; girls with
earphones and girls with music playing on their phone loudspeakers some playing
soulful Atif Aslam music, Mika and retro 80’s hits of the like of Bryan Adams,
MJ; girls seriously running and girls ambling along as they clicked selfies,
photos and videos at every milestone; girls who were young mothers walking with
their babies strapped into a shoulder harness to a girl with a
prosthetic limb and a girl with crutches; girls with their boyfriends on
roaring bikes showing off their unnecessarily dangerous skills and girls with a
boy running along with them pushing them to go on; girls running alone and
girls running in groups; girls silently running and girls chatting ... errr ...
about this and that and that and this, and then and now and now and then, and
who and what and what and who and … God alone knows what not else!</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Although I have been
walking as a daily form of exercise, this was my first run after so long, so my
run went something like this … Jogging – Running - Slow jogging - walking –
attempt to run and back to walking – slow jogging and so on. And hence without
having a choice in the matter, I was privy to a variety of conversations of the
enthusiastic Pinkas :) ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"I'm already tired"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Seriously ... and its not even one kilometer!
Shit ya ... what if I faint!? Aye you better take my photo at the
finish line where it is written 10 km okay." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Arey why bother, lets take a photo of you lying
at the 1 km milestone ... we'll add a zero for you. Itni toh dosti
nibhayengey" (laughter and backslapping)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"We are looking best in these red Tshirts
yaar", said one of the Kotak girls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Yes we are the best."</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Yaar signal nahin hai"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Tera Vodafone hai na ... Idea laga ... dekh mera
network full hai"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Chal selfie lete hain - dekh 1 KM aagaya - FB pe
mujhe tag kar"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The KPMG girls bursting into a sudden sprint
"Come on yaar, stop walking ... run run run" giggles as they all
followed suit with their ponytails swishing behind them<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Skuze me .. can you please take our photo?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Sure"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Please take a full length"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">An middle aged more than plump Pinka to the volunteers
at the water station<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Koi buscuits nahin hai kya?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"You will get at the finish line maam"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Tch .. arrey but mujhe abhi chahiye na --
chakkar aaraha hai"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Maam aap please baith jao"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Here have this sweet" said an onlooking
Pinka<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Oh ... thank you"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Modi ka latest video
dekha tuney? Arrey awesome hai" "Nahin, bhej mujhe - baad mein
dekhoongi - tch phone theek se charge hi nahin hua ... aur selfie kheench
kheench ke battery aur bhi marr gayi hai" giggles</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Salman aur kaun ... " <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Mera toh Shahrukh ... only shahrukh - Dilwale first
day first show jaoongi" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Bol toh aise rahi hai jaise tera boyfriend
hai"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Haan toh hai na... tu jal matt khali peeli"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Mama godii"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"No darling no godii ... see Pooja and her mama
have already gone so far - you want to come first na? Come on walk fast"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"...aur compound ekdum mast hai toh roz walk ho
jaati hai"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Lucky yaar - apne yahan to chalne ke bhi waandey
hain"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Toilet .. chal na susu karna hai mujhe"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Tch .. phir se? Chal jaldi kar yaar"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Do minute baba"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"You are the only boy I am seeing in this race -
very good!" said a Pinka to a young boy running alongside a young Pinka<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Thank you ... actually I'm just with her - to
encourage"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">His Pinka girl giggled <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"You are still a boy only okay"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Ya .. so? ... I am a boy ... come on run
faster!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Where is this Kamala ya" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"God alone knows"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Has she gone ahead?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"I think she got left behind at the turning"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Should we wait?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"No no ... we'll meet her after the race"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"You have been running for one hour and twenty
minutes, you have completed 8 km and burned 1500+ calories"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Hey what is that?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Oh that is my phone - its an APP called
Runtastic, that tracks progress of my walk/run routine - You can download it
too"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Cool"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">... and so on :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
Until 6 km I was doing fine, but after that my body started dragging itself and
I had to really push myself to keep going walking, jogging, walking quick
spurts of running for what seemed like an age and I finally saw the last 100 m
mark. The cacophony began again - C'mon you can do it - its almost over - Pink
Pinka Pinka - Awesome job - keep it going - last few steps - claps - more claps
- naval band playing - screaming MC cheering us on - music blaring in the
speakers - shutterbugs contouring themselves to get the best possible angles
... my 10 km run finally came to a close at 8.05 am - it had taken me
1 hour and 35 minutes to complete the race and I was pooped to the last bone in
my body, but my heart and mind were rejoicing at the fact that I had finally
pushed myself to complete the race and I believe despite the chatter
and ambling and clicking so did the rest of the 11000+ pink sisters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As promised, Milind Soman
was on stage in all his glory ... prizes were distributed to the winners,
dancers came on stage to celebrate with the girls as they danced along. The
only photo booth had a thick snaking line so I decided to ditch it and stood in
line for my medal, certificate and refreshments as I stretched my limbs to
avoid breaking into cramps. As I was slowly moving forward I surveyed the
milieu of girls around me and saw tired but smiling and happy faces discussing
their respective runs. And then I saw the little girl who wanted godii finally
in her father's godii as her mother animatedly narrated their experience to him
... and when he looked on with pride at his two special girls I couldn't help
but smile ... </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It was my turn finally and I took my refreshments bag,
which included a tiny bottle of RAW fresh juice, digestive biscuits and a Kiwi
... AND a Pinkathon medal!?$#@ (which unfortunately was the only disappointment
as there was no distinction from one race' medal to another) ... I wore my
medal, drank the juice, chomped on some of the biscuits and slowly limped back
to the car to get homeward bound with a firm resolve to be back again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0759837 72.87765590000003618.5931982 72.229462400000031 19.558769199999997 73.525849400000041tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-1383553058909366192015-12-04T00:27:00.001+05:302020-12-03T00:34:40.243+05:30Veteranism at weddings by a perfect gentleman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnv2bxjF7PdDUMJZLZRRXW0L0TmWrXPz8AgasceJMkaffbYYIPdB_XGx6j60MgMMtfn1gRexGVdGNXnuuP4qeW1xWT-fk97koLMBwdvD16EYelwE8pARwIFQWwC76pZk5NboH-hFJWBU-/s1600/o-INDIAN-WEDDING-GOLD-facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnv2bxjF7PdDUMJZLZRRXW0L0TmWrXPz8AgasceJMkaffbYYIPdB_XGx6j60MgMMtfn1gRexGVdGNXnuuP4qeW1xWT-fk97koLMBwdvD16EYelwE8pARwIFQWwC76pZk5NboH-hFJWBU-/s640/o-INDIAN-WEDDING-GOLD-facebook.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I had an interesting meeting last evening at a friend's daughters wedding reception at a five star hotel in town.
I took my place in the long queue behind an elegantly dressed lady, waiting for my turn to wish the bride and groom on achieving their big milestone.</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">And along came a fine looking gentleman chewing something. He immediately stretched out his right hand to greet me while he covered his mouth with his left "Sorry ... (while chewing) Good evening," he said after he finished chewing, "You know it is good to chew on something while we wait because you never know how long this could take. You see I'm a veteran at attending weddings in this city."
</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">He took his place behind me and so I turned to smile at him, "Good evening and what makes you a veteran?"</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Well I have attended an umpteen number of weddings in this city and so I have now figured out the art of making it as pleasant an experience despite the frustrations that one is forced to deal with. In the first place getting to a venue is the most infuriating as most wedding receptions start at 7.00 pm and that is the peak hour for traffic. So, although my home on a traffic free day is 10 mins away, this evening it has taken me 45 mins to get here. This could have been 2 hours at the minimum had the venue been in the suburbs."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"I can't agree more - traffic in the city is a nightmare!"</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"So, when you finally reach the venue, much flustered most of the time depending on the mode of transport you have used, you first need to go to the wash room to freshen up and touch up as it has been a while since you have been on the road. Then you find out directions and get to the designated banquet hall, where as you enter you first need to figure out the layout of the hall and what the rest of the guests are doing. Is the couple ready to meet guests on stage or they yet to arrive? If they have arrived on stage before you arrived it is more than certain that there is a line to meet them on the right of the stage. So instead of approaching the stage to wish the couple, you have to master the art of containing your enthusiasm and like a civil guest find the end of the line, take your place in it and then patiently wait for your TURN. And of course depending on the number of guests invited and your luck it could take anything between 45 mins to an hour before you actually get to meet the couple by which time you are sweaty again (if it is an open air venue) and your stomach is growling with hunger."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"That is so true," I said "In fact I often duck the line when it is really long and go straight for the food counters ... specially if I don't know too many other people at the wedding, and go about the greeting later."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It was about 8.30 pm by then and my stomach was making demands of "FEED ME" to my brain with repeated ferocity. Finger foods were doing the rounds at a slight distance from us and so I signaled to one of the waiters. Thankfully he caught my eye and moved in our direction with a tray of Chicken Tikka and a practiced smile.</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">My newly acquired queue friend (I'm going to call him QF) looked on animatedly as I poked at a piece of chicken with a toothpick, dipped in the green chutney bowl and popped it in my mouth. It was delicious so I quickly grabbed another piece from the tray and looked at QF suggesting that he should try some too, "No thanks, I will go with vegetarian."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Oh okay... can you send some vegetarian snacks please?" I said to the waiter. He nodded and moved on. I too am a preferred vegetarian, I said in my mind. I couldn't get myself to say it aloud though, since I had just merrily stuffed my face with chicken tikka pieces!</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Another gentleman who seemed to know QF well walked up and greeted him and they began to exchange pleasantries so I looked ahead and beyond the many heads in front of me to guesstimate how long it would be before it was my turn. There were at least 20 people ahead of me and that meant anything between 25 to 30 mins more!</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">QF cleared his throat behind me, as if to indicate that he was ready to continue his piece on being a veteran and so I turned and smiled at him again, "The waiting is made easier by engaging in a conversation with someone enchanting like yourself. Actually it is best to take weddings away from the city. My wife and I did so for our daughters wedding. We had it at an offsite location for which we called a select group of people who were there with us for all the ceremonies ... there was no traffic or waiting. On stage we had a band playing and the newly weds were walking around meeting the guests."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Oh that sounds beautiful"</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Indeed it was. Another important thing about the waiting is that when my turn finally arrives I meet the couple, who invariable doesn't know me from Adam ... clearly it wouldn't make a difference to them whether I am here or not. I am here of course because I know one of the parents. Are you known to the girls or the boys family?"</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"The girl's mother is an ex-colleague," I said</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Okay ... and once this is done there is a bigger line at the food counter, which takes yet another 30 to 45 mins at the minimum depending on the variety on offer.</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">At this point along came a waiter with some Mutton Sheekh Kebabs and QF quickly took a piece using a toothpick. I immediately stopped him mid-stuffing his face saying "Hey that is non-vegetarian" to which he said, "I prefer vegetarian, but that doesn't mean I don't eat non-vegetarian" :)
</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I was really amused by now and enjoying this conversation and almost wanting my TURN to take longer.
"Ah one thing that is key to being at a wedding - to remember to give the envelope. I often forget and am embarrassed ... so I will have it sent later with a note done by my wife," he chuckled and at this point he called out to the lady ahead of me and introduced her to me as his wife. She turned and smiled at me and I was like ... "Oh hello ... it is good to make your acquaintance."</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I smiled to myself trying to make out "What just happened?" and then I realised ... QF my dear new found friend, had been chatting with me for the past 45 mins about his veteran-ism on weddings without me having a clue that he was at the wedding with his wife. He had basically arrived at the line after me and instead of joining his wife ahead of me he respectfully stood behind me, and engage in a conversation with me that actually turned out to be delightful. So very uncharacteristic of the usual person that would have just walked past me and joined his wife ignoring me completely.</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"What is your name?" he asked.</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Priya Sharma Shaikh."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"There's a story there I'm sure ... what do you do?"</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I nodded and smiled, "I am an event management professional."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Well, then you must be very used to all this."</span><br />
<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Yes I am," I said, "but it is always good to hear a guests perspective."</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">He nodded and joined his wife to go on to the stage to meet the couple.</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It had taken me precisely 45 mins to get to meet the couple and the girl's parents. The mother, friend from some years ago was thrilled to see me and looked proud of her new status as Mother-in-law. I felt happy to see her happiness and I hugged her warmly. The bride looked beautiful and nothing like the gawky teenager I had met over a decade ago. She was quickly given reference of me and she smiled warmly as I hugged and wished her and her handsome groom and his parents ... and I was almost done and then I remembered to handover the envelope.</span><div><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"Please do eat dinner Priya," my friend called after me. I looked over my shoulder and bid them goodbye and headed to the left of the stage for the stairs to get off. It had all lasted less than five minutes in all.</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When I finished my turn QF and his wife were still at the left of the stage (they were ahead of me right!) waiting to say goodbye to me. I was humbled. I thanked him for making the waiting so very special.</span><br />
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<span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">And before I knew it he was gone leaving me smiling ... and that was that!</span></div>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-43541363195522499512014-05-10T23:49:00.001+05:302016-11-01T23:55:34.693+05:30Hungover for life...If I am to look back at the last 3 years of my work-life, that required me to teach apart from my other responsibilities; my face invariably breaks into a smile as the beautiful memories of interaction with EACH AND EVERY ONE of my young and hopeful students across India, come flooding into my mind! Well my dears ... at the outset know this for a fact that I have loved these three years of my life the most, because of each of YOU! This post is to share my thoughts on the eternal question that I have been asked several times by quite a few of you 'Priya Maam, which is your favourite batch?' So here goes...
Although I joined during the last quarter of the academic year of <b> 2011</b>, I spent only a small amount of quality time with the students and that too only with the full time events batch, and hence it is their faces and that of the young trio Deepak, Jimmy and Nowshir, the founder Directors (Deepak reintroduced me to the company after my first outing with them in their year of inception in 2002) that come to my mind, whilst I am in reflection mode... with a reasonable amount of hand-holding and industry interaction, the batch was successfully placed and on the emotionally charged graduation day held at the IES College Auditorium, a much tearful Deepak also moved on leaving me behind with mixed emotions of what lay ahead...
<b>The Class of 2012 </b> was my first complete year of interaction with young minds; and sharing with them my experiences and perspective on life and the event and experiential marketing industry was fantastic. It was clearly a year of learning and what a roller coaster ride it was! As the students absorbed all that they could from each of the faculty members in class and all the wonderful LIVE experiences that the industry had to offer them, I too built a bond with my students by taking lectures with them, not only in Mumbai but in Kolkata, Indore, Pune and NOIDA too... my friends list on Facebook shot up and I would have all kinds of students in-boxing me on their experiences, woes and adulation.
As an event manager I had the privilege of hosting some amazing national and international events; but creating and implementing an event with a bunch of young event enthusiasts was a different ball game altogether as the passion and eye for detail was at a different level altogether. So, when the annual in-house event took off in full swing around the middle of January of 2012; I could never have imagined what the future had in store for me. There was a flurry of activity and insanity reigned with the small but enthusiastic team that was trying to tie up all the MANY loose ends of the event... My cabin was transformed into a makeshift site office and I had students thumping up and down the stairs to my office and walking in and out, squatting around in any space they could squeeze themselves into, at any time of the day/evening to discuss roadblocks, status, monies and the way forward... we were all breathing and worrying for our event. D-day finally arrived and 03-04 February 2012 saw the event concluding successfully thanks to the collective efforts of the Class of 2012, despite all the possible odds... and believe you me, that it was a true wonder as 1 day short of the event date we still had quite a few unsolved pieces in our puzzle!
Soon after the event, I tripped off with a motley group of close to 50 students, most of them less than half my age i.e. 18 years and upwards, by road to Goa, the land of beaches and everlasting memories! As I tried to catch a few winks while struggling to get warm in the over chilled cabin of the bus, I was thinking to myself, 'What am I doing on this bus? I hardly know these people and I'm going to be so out of place!' But destiny it seems had other plans. I rediscovered Goa from the eyes of these youthful people -- driving around the narrow lanes, relishing the seafood, dancing and singing aloud at high volume to 'Tennu main love karda' the song that became an anthem of sorts; and strangely, I found a unique friendship in all these people. Seeing the students having a fun time was awesome and the countless rushes of emotion, the love and the affection I gained in those three days, gave me an unforgettable emotional connect! I had been to Goa over twenty five times before this, however this trip stood out as the most EPIC trip ever...
With attachment comes worry and so on our return journey as I mused over the time spent, I also wondered if these students were ready to face the challenges of the world, our bus was jolted to a halt to encounter a near death accident in the middle of the night on the highway. The students rushed to the aid of the wounded and screaming passengers, fearlessly helping them evacuate from the upturned bus, providing first aid, calling the highway police, distributing their own blankets, water and food and counselling the emotionally broken until help came for them. Seeing the amount of solidarity that was shown by them towards the pain and suffering of the victims; gave me the heart-warming belief that these were event managers in the real sense; boys and girls who were hands-on in trying to do the best possible to manage the situation at hand, ready to face the danger of the unknown and wanting to do whatever it takes to get things under control and I am proud to say that they did!
After we came back from Goa, the internship cycle was upon us and soon all the students were taken up as interns within the industry! Coming to office was never the same again as seeing the empty Classroom No 3, made my eyes well up for reasons unexplained and I would yearn to hear the familiar chatter and laughter or see the faces of my new found young friends that I had grown to love so much. I have always had an open door policy and hence thankfully (for me) students would call in once in a while to report the fun they were having, my heart would skip a beat each time I received a message from any of them about some angst they were going through or wanted some advice in a situation they were in.
The internships finally concluded and soon came the final exams and the Placement Cycle. I would have students individually sneaking up and getting emotional about their interview experiences, wiping their tears of rejection, seeking guidance, conducting mock interviews with them, giving my feedback to each of them on their strengths and weaknesses, reviewing their CVs, talking to parents, sorting their minds of the confusion on whether they should take a job in a large company or small one, whether they should take Production or Client Servicing or Concept or in the case of advertising whether they should take media planning or copywriting or client servicing or account planning; placating fears of the upcoming graduation and life ahead; and as I handheld each of them through this emotionally trying time, I knew that I would have to soon let go. Each of these young friends of mine would have to fly the nest and that I needed to encourage them to choose their path and stock them up with the best advice and knowledge reserve as possible so that they achieve their dreams.
Graduation Ceremonies are tearful as they separate a body of people that are used to being with each other over a period of time and then at the end when they take on new paths that don't meet any more, or that often, the separation creates an emotional void that at the start seems difficult to fill. And so, came the Graduation Day of Class of 2012 at the Blue Frog with much fanfare, speeches, awards, music and dance and a lot of tears and I bid adieu to all my students across India as I travelled from one city to the next, watching all of them rejoice and cry in the same breath and moving on to carve their lives ahead.
Just as they would have found newer people and situations to deal with I too learnt to cope with their absence as along bounced into campus the Class of 2013 and a year later Class of 2014; both with a lot of gusto and enthusiasm and undoubtedly some amazing bodies of talent and capability. Leaving emotions at bay in both these academic years, my team across India and I worked really hard to ensure that the students got the best learning experience possible.
In fact each of the last three years were a mixed bag indeed; Interaction with some amazing thought leaders like <b>Roshan Abbas, Martin D’costa, Michael Menezes, Atul Nath, Jateen Rajput, Brian Tellis, Thanush Joseph, Sabbas Joseph, Viraf Sarkari, Venky, Ramki, Nisar Merchant, Vinod Janardhan, Tanaz Basrur, Tabassum Modi, Sameer Tobaccowala, Rahul Gomes, Nishant Parasher, Rajesh Verma, Rajeev Jain, Ankur Kalra, Arnob Mukherji, Jairaj Jathar, Mani J., Swaminathan, Rachna Khanna, Zarina Poonawala, Satish Bendre, Bhakti Ledwani, Rasika Kulkarni, Tejol Kolwalkar, Mayank Mishra, Sweekar Mathkar, Kamal Punjabi, Ninad Shah, Anjali Talreja, Jeroo, Vandana Kakar, Sukanti Ghosh, Vaneeta Sreedhar </b>and many more; interacting with the industry at <b>EEMA</b>’ fun-filled annual events, creation of the newsletter, the in-house events of no drinking and driving and of course the NO TOBACCO (BTW, I have a secret wish that all of you would just stop smoking somehow … Sigh… so if you ever do, please do remember to inbox me so that I can feel happy and send you some more of my power blessings) and of course the convocation last year with <b>my super-duper team of students from Vashi </b>at the Canvas Lounge was awesome… what creativity, detailing and passion and what a grand ending of yet another awesome academic year! Again the emotional connect with the franchise heads in Delhi, Indore and Bhopal and their respective team members and students and all my students and team in Mumbai have given me an unforgettable HIGH that I am never going to get over.
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My own children often ask me which one of them I love more and my response to each of them is always the same… ‘I love you the most and you mean the world to me.’ I seem to have taken up more than 3/4th of this post writing about the Class of 2012 and you might think that they are my natural favourites over the other batches. Well, the reason to talk so much about class of 2012 was because that year' description encapsulated all the possible experiences that I have had with the rest of the batches too (with Goa being the exception in their case) and so my response to peoples general assumption of my favourite batch being Class of 2012, is a NO … and here again is applied my treatment to my own kids. Each of you have been instrumental in making my journey special and have taught me so much during my time with you; and hence each batch in its own unique way is my favourite for reasons unexplained and too private to be shared in a blog post. And whether or not it is reciprocated, I love you all dearly and often say a silent prayer for the well-being of each of you wherever you may be.
I have seen that special spark in so many of you that I get goose bumps when I think of the possible success that you will achieve in the future and that I hope I am there and have the sanity to feel your joy; but I am superstitious and an emotional fool and so I am not going to mention any names and jinx things for you… instead I am sending you my ‘power blessings’ that will follow you around like a guardian angel to ensure your success! Your life has just about started out my dear friends and you have miles to go, so make your journey sincere and never fool yourself about your weaknesses. Be consistent, despite all the obstacles that might come your way and keep on the character of a curious cat to keep adding to your knowledge and if you do so, I promise, you will soon find ways to get ahead and claim what is rightfully yours. Lastly, always be humble about whatever you achieve and guide your juniors and colleagues to grow along with you.
And yet, despite all the love and respect and care I have got from each of you and all my attachment for these emotional yearly cycles, that were so much a part of me; a month ago I took a decision to move on from the work place that connected you with me… Having that behind me now, I would like to sign off by saying that your relationship with me is for a lifetime and I am a phone call or an inbox message away if and whenever any of you need me. God bless and love always … PriyaPRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-84196610333846070952013-06-09T13:19:00.002+05:302020-12-03T00:15:24.110+05:30Mumbai is raining down ... again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-4SVD4FIQB8mNBPdri651lQ2DyDAXT_Kw7LYxz7Qbk5shHn8yLmwALSJzUg45c5FhJMXPMFm_2C7-dR6cXfogcxCc4vFguxaD4sPaX65XRendaxzYGsnPy4LllWD6Hvc9T5byfe2zFhL/s1600/mumbai+rains.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-4SVD4FIQB8mNBPdri651lQ2DyDAXT_Kw7LYxz7Qbk5shHn8yLmwALSJzUg45c5FhJMXPMFm_2C7-dR6cXfogcxCc4vFguxaD4sPaX65XRendaxzYGsnPy4LllWD6Hvc9T5byfe2zFhL/s1600/mumbai+rains.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The rains are here finally and the city is awash with the beauty of natural greens, wet roads, flowing bodies of water, fresh fruit and vegetables, relieved faces peering out of windows and grills with their arms extended to feel the rain drops on their palms and soaking in the fresh smell of wet mud … Nu and I plan to go for a walk and have pakodas and hot chai this evening…
I usually try to look at everything positively but somehow or the other when I see the first rains of any year my thoughts go back to the floods of that horrible date of 26 July 2005, and the horror haunts me for a while again. What a nightmare that day was … Nature equaled us all despite all of our created partitions of religion, caste, creed, wealth, beauty, position in society etc…
Yeah we were all submerged in the same cesspool of garbage and human excreta… and my family was separated from me; Raunaq somewhere between home and school, Roshni at home by herself and Nu on the roads somewhere in town inching his way through an endless snarl of traffic and water.</span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">When we all re-grouped next morning it felt like we were reborn again.
And despite the suffering we all went through as a family, the moments of humanity that were displayed by all the people, invariably bring back a smile and a tear to my eyes even to date - the city had come together in that moment of mutual helplessness, shock and grief. People helped passers-by with food, shelter, guidance; holding tight when someone stumbled through the snarling streams of water; pushing floating cars and its stranded occupants to a safer spot; speaking words of kindness.
That day humanity won the fight against nature. </span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">After returning from a fun walk in the rain and indulging myself in pakoras and chai I reminisced, at how despite so much destruction and emotional loss the city had come together as one human force that fateful day. And <b>AMCHI MUMBAIKAR JANTA</b> had </span>resurrected the very next day with some levels of awareness and humility, until the mad rush and speed of the city enveloped them again hounding them into a never ending race to become; forgetting that all they actually need to do is just BE authentic, BE in the flow and BE in a balance with the elements of life </div><div><br /></div><div>I do wish the force of humanity would arrive and become aware of the wisdom to unite and be a single people ... truly resurrect by keeping their self-created at bay and loving all humankind purely ... because we live just once, so why not leave behind the sea of hatred and divide and evil.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some day we will cure our world...</div><div><br /></div>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-8927581285789932382013-05-13T21:19:00.000+05:302013-05-13T21:19:40.495+05:30Welcome into my life Wall-e :)I am thrilled to have bought my very own laptop for the first time in all of these 47 years of my life .. its not that I haven't bought a machine before -- I've got one each for the kids but never got one for myself as I've always had a machine from work. BUT these recent times have made me feel like having one for myself to my tinkering n blogging n surfing with ... I feel guilty using the office machine for personal nonsense ... I believe my madness should be at my expense ... SOOOO since I got tired of squeezing time from the kids lappies and guilty of using the office one I went in for the splurge ... Woooopieedie ... the engineer cam and activated it today and so here I am blogging away from my own lappie ...
Its got a silver coloured body, is anti glare, 1TB HDD, 6 GB RAM and an akin to I8 processor ... i.e. an AMD processor ... Its a SAMSUNG ... for me its called Wall-e ... loooove it!!!
Have been trying to figure out the function of OneNote!!!?? Does anybody know watttzziss about?? Dhuuhh??!
Love all the people ... including the crabby ones :)PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-4739297709025458322012-02-27T20:40:00.003+05:302012-05-02T13:43:19.411+05:30Jawaan Shaadi - 21 years of madness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4SXfTlPaVO-udg46bnD1XL0fWwc8W0cvFn2vfEdwM_PV2S3KmDbedobE1D0WpCb2vREODbSAyVHe0ahRoaO_yhLH3y1Nv401TnTg8CMposXuzhyEdZ0nodswEtNe12R0ms1ckFJPZgfu/s1600/nu+n+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4SXfTlPaVO-udg46bnD1XL0fWwc8W0cvFn2vfEdwM_PV2S3KmDbedobE1D0WpCb2vREODbSAyVHe0ahRoaO_yhLH3y1Nv401TnTg8CMposXuzhyEdZ0nodswEtNe12R0ms1ckFJPZgfu/s400/nu+n+me.jpg" /></a></div>I started writing this post precisely 7 months ago and somehow it got left behind and just didnt get posted although I wrote it in much excitement because we had completed 21 years of marriage ... I am getting old I guess!!? <br />
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On the celebratory date of our saat janmon ka bandhan as people called in to wish us starting 12 midnight we realised the significance of the number of years we'd done together and couldn't help smiling ki hamaari shaadi akhir kar jawaan ho gayi hai. Yeah ... 21 whole years of togetherness and although most of the double decade seems like a blur there are the fun times that stand out clearly ... we talked of all the crazy times together as we sipped our cuppa morning chai ... and the milestones kept coming back in a natural sequence ... 214 Laxmi Industrial Estate, Lazor-Hegde-GM Singh, VT Lab, the Worli TV Tower Bus-stop, our bike rides and old hindi songs, our sweet nothings into the wee hours of the morning, learning to drive in Hegde' Van on Worli Sea Face, HongKong and Exchange Square, the court marriage, the receptions, Manali, Telerate and Four Seasons, Srishti and the eternal regret of letting it go, Roshni, Raunaq, Alica Nagar and the relief of letting it go, Royal Classic, America and so many smaller things in between ... great years NU and great moments of joy ... love you and hope to grow old with you and only death do us apart...PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-91589347941072187212011-04-16T15:52:00.001+05:302011-04-20T15:11:08.203+05:30Bleed BLUE Saturday :(I consciously don't work on Saturdays so that I can make quality time with my FAMILY. It is a Saturday morning and here I am typing away at my keypad all by myself, while the kids are out with friends and Nu with his brother … C'est la vie… I had a plan (in my head) to check out the summer workshop offering at Prithvi with the kids this morning. Well we did sleep late last night so I got up late and the kids got up later!! So, despite my day off and interesting plans for the day they bounced out of the house saying 'Mama, I have plans … We'll go some other time ... please!?' <br />
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Sigh … somebody said that this is the WHATEVER GENERATION that does whatever they think is right! I sense that I shall soon be left to my own devices and it is perhaps then that I will take to my true calling!? Will I ever write that book … make the film … the story is in my head and a few words are on paper too but ... I cant get myself to complete it. What stops me? An inner voice, my destiny proclaiming that this is not the right time or is it plainly just my laziness? I keep trying to put together a VISION BOARD in my head but never do in real … why do I procrastinate so? <br />
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Since the family was away, I skipped breakfast and had a dull and hurried lunch too; cleaned up the house as the maid didn't land up thanks to the conjunctivitis bug; after which, I thought I would watch Vishal Bhardwaj' 2007 film 'The Blue Umbrella' or get my hair done at the parlor or just go chill at BRU World. I logged into my blog instead and started typing … this is what you call a truly lazy day! <br />
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The only highlight was that I figured how to add the FB thumbnail at the bottom of every post ... that really felt good as I struggled a lot thru the settings to figure it out! But apart from that its been BORING … This is what you call a Bleed BLUE Saturday!!!<br />
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Hopefully the evening will be better as we have dinner with Nu' family ...PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-69888893825815491052011-04-01T23:45:00.005+05:302011-04-20T15:24:58.155+05:30Nobility Calling...There comes a time when you feel you want to give back … the time has come and the joy of all the people that count in my life has been unbounded!!! <br />
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I am happy to start new beginnings … I invoke Lord Rameshwara' blessings in taking the right baby steps … Thank you my Universe for giving back to me … Thank you my dear dear Rameshwara! Thank you my dear Family - Roshni, Raunaq, Mama, Papa, Nu, Malee, Anj, Baji, Vir for your love and prayers. <br />
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I am happy to be a part of the EMDI Institute of Media & Communication - General Management, Teaching and Interacting with young minds, and working closely with some of the best industry minds and practitioners in the media and event industries is music to my ears and makes my face break into a perfect 'Battisi Smile' :)<br />
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We celebrated with Vanilla and Watermelon flavors of Natural Ice-cream!PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-17922523313505898282011-03-26T01:47:00.000+05:302011-03-26T01:47:39.035+05:30All the people - RashidLife and people in this beautiful city of Mumbai never seize to amaze me and today was one such chance meeting with a man called Rashid.<br />
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As I stepped out of my meeting at Lower Parel I gave Raunaq a call and confirmed that I was on my way home. He said he would wait for me for lunch and so I quickly jumped into a taxi urging the cabbie to speed up towards Bandra. I got off 20 mins later at the Linking Road KFC corner and quickly hopped into the Habit Shoe Store (my favorite shoe spot) just in case they had something interesting ... after browsing and finding nothing I jumped into a rickshaw and headed towards Andheri. I thought of Raunaq being hungry and reached into my bag for my phone... and reached ...and reached ...and reached ... it was not there!? Yikes -- Dam yaar Priya how do you manage to do this each time? <br />
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'Bhaiya gaadi rokiye hamara mobile kahin chooth gaya hai, aapke paas mobile hai kya?' 'Nahin Madam'. He stopped and I frantically looked around while my mind raced for ideas on what to do next. I saw a puny looking man standing next to a car with a mobile in his hand - he was the driver of the car. I requested him for his phone and he gave it to me a little reluctantly. I quickly dialed my number and it rang and rang ... nobody picked up. I was crestfallen! I breathed deeply and dialed once more and after a while a man' voice at the other end answered, 'Hanji boliye'. 'Dekhiye yeh hamara mobile hai ... ap kaun hain!?' 'Ji main taxi wala hoon .. agle passenger ney humko aapka mobile diya aur woh hamarey saath surakshit hai - aapko mil jayega. Lekin abhi hum Dadar ja rahe hain aur uskey baad hi wapas bandra ayengey. Aap hamein 45 minutes mein phir sey phone kariye toh hum aapko wahin KFC par milenge ... hamara naam Rashid hai aur hamari taxi ka number 921 hai'. I thanked him and gave the phone back to the puny driver and thanked him too.<br />
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I had 45 minutes to kill and I desperately needed to go to the washroom too. So I went to Sanju-Vanita' place in Khar and after using the Loo I called my son and apprised him of the situation and asked him to carry on with his lunch. I then spent some time chatting with Vanu -- she fed me some yummy lunch and chai. Exactly 45 minutes later I called Rashid on my mobile again. This time he was close to Bandra and said that I should meet him at KFC in 10 mins. I said quick good-byes and thankyous to Vanu, Sanchu and Utsie and sped to KFC.<br />
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Outside KFC, I waited and waited and peered had at every cab that passed by but there was no sign of Taxi 921 for more than half an hour!! I requested a lady dressed in a burqa sitting in a rick to lend me her phone and she willingly gave me her phone when I told her that I had left my mobile in a cab and that I was trying to trace the driver, 'Arrey baap rey, aapko yakeen hai ki wo phone waapis zaroor deyga?' 'Haan mujhe yakeen hai'. I called Rashid once again on my mobile ... he said he was stuck in traffic at Bandra masjid and should be there in a few minutes. On impulse I rushed into KFC and bought a Chicken Zinger and a Cooler.<br />
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A short while later, I saw Taxi 921 drive up thru the crazy traffic and I waved out. Rashid waved back and I smiled. I rushed to his cab and thanked him profusely as I he handed me back my mobile, 'Aapke husband ka phone abhi aaya tha ... aap unko phone kar leejiye'. I gave him the burger and cooler and some money for taking the trouble and burning his gas for me in the terrible heat on aamchi Mumbai and then finally I took down his car number and full name ... Rashid Kalu Ansari Taxi No.JA-921-C-01 saying that I would inform the Taxi Union of his goodness.<br />
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I left bidding goodbye and blessing Rashid for a great life ahead ... feeling tired but relieved I called my husband, my son, Vanita and my parents (I had seen a received call from Mum - she also must have spoken with Rashid)...and I then called the lady in the rick and the puny driver and told them that I had traced my mobile ... they were happy and I think they felt good that I called to let them know ... and then smiling to myself and thanking God for saving the day I finally reached home :)<br />
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I called my friend Vidyadhar for the Taxi Union' numbers. I spoke to Mr. Quadros the Secretary of the Union and he was very pleasant and heard out my experience and said that I could write an appreciation note for Rashid and fax it to his office and that they had a system of rewarding such members. I did so immediately and felt good ...<br />
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Like I said, every one I met in this day was supportive and helpful and amazing in their own little way ... and I felt that I had completed the circle. God please bless each of these individuals and in some way make their lives happy :)PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-72122232242854827682011-03-21T10:04:00.102+05:302016-11-02T00:00:58.870+05:30Golden Era' Everlasting Beauty … Waheeda Rehman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOjT6dS0cFRQlnDhiDmc0WmyM0eUtivRThmiHS9PcFrMmIEMKFAe-PJnk-NFprV7TCKfE1sTFc2uEsECw0iMtIzOjHlp87qAocO1k24F2eAvIx94kIkW4MB95N8uaadO9MtTOnWfw73Xm/s1600/waheeda1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOjT6dS0cFRQlnDhiDmc0WmyM0eUtivRThmiHS9PcFrMmIEMKFAe-PJnk-NFprV7TCKfE1sTFc2uEsECw0iMtIzOjHlp87qAocO1k24F2eAvIx94kIkW4MB95N8uaadO9MtTOnWfw73Xm/s400/waheeda1.jpg" width="324" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLVEXC9zsr7Fq01XFotqkZkZSpJUOJxnjhzo06cAhSkwe3jEKEBRKYdSe_W8PpF0tOxjUirJveoQouLK8kNFRemjBDzItWuAtf25Qwqj8bN5Ke3S-EBwlNLJLO2A2ryfaKFpwaLZIWYpb/s1600/waheeda-rehman-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLVEXC9zsr7Fq01XFotqkZkZSpJUOJxnjhzo06cAhSkwe3jEKEBRKYdSe_W8PpF0tOxjUirJveoQouLK8kNFRemjBDzItWuAtf25Qwqj8bN5Ke3S-EBwlNLJLO2A2ryfaKFpwaLZIWYpb/s400/waheeda-rehman-1.jpg" width="350" /></a></div>
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These beautiful B&W shots of Waheeda Rehman are from the suhagraat scene of the film 'Chaudhvin Ka Chand' … Guru Dutt her newly wedded husband asks her to take her time to open her ghunghat for him (he has never seen her face before); he however cautions her that she may as well get a look at him as he is this grotesque guy with ugly teeth etc… she panics and lifts her ghunghat to reveal the face shown in the picture above … and her husband gasps and says 'Subhaan-allah' and when she sees his handsome face she breaks into a smile :)<br />
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This morning I watched Guru Dutt' 1956 production and Raj Khosla' directed hindi film, C.I.D. the unforgettable musical treat, with hummable songs that are often sung in antaksharis across generations even today ...<br />
- Boojh mera kya naam rey nadi kinarey gaon rey, peepal jhoomein mere angana thandi thandi chaon rey<br />
- Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahaan zara hat key zara bachch key yeh hai Bombay meri jaan<br />
- Aankhon hi aankhon mein ishara ho gaya baithey baithey jeeney ka sahara ho gaya<br />
- Ley ke pehla pehla pyar bhar key aankhon mein khumaar jaadoo nagri sey aaya hai koi jaadugar<br />
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… and just as the suspense of the murder of Editor Srivastav is being followed by Inspector Shekhar (played by Dev Anand), he is taken to a palatial home of a beautiful mysterious lady called Kamini (the vamp of the film) played by the young and nubile Waheeda Rehman -- she looked stunning and gave a flawless supporting actress performance and was also picturised in the unforgettable song 'Kahin pe nigahein kahin pe nishaana' … The film made an interesting watch and towards the end Waheeda dominated the screen space with Dev instead of Shakila (the heroine of the film). After I completed the viewing I did a rerun of the songs … and in particular Waheeda' kahin pey nigahen … not only was she graceful and beautiful but the expressions too were perfect … her first hindi movie appearance clearly showed the glimmer of a star about to be born!<br />
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My curiosity about her grew and I surfed to view some of her unforgettable song performances on YouTube from films like -- Guide, Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Gulam, Khamoshi, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhvin ka Chand, Reshma Aur Shera … and then I chanced upon a catchy Telugu ITEM song 'Eruvaka Sagaro Rannooo Chinnanah' from the 1955 film Rojulu Maraayi, beautifully danced by none other than Waheeda accompanied by two men playing dhols … I was pleasantly surprised to watch the young damsel move gracefully to the tune and couldn't help tap my feet as I watched it again and again … as Waheeda has said in past interview it truly is a lovely song and indeed very hummable. I havent stopped humming it even as I type this blog … Waheeda appeared only in this song in the film but it is this song that became a super hit of its time … and it was after watching her in this film and learning the fact that she also spoke Urdu that Guru Dutt decided to offer her a role in his next film … shortly after he casted her in C.I.D. as the vamp Kamini and the rest is history … Go ahead and paste the following link in your address bar to watch this first visual treat of Waheeda <b>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtR9RWIYno</b><br />
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Born into a muslim family one would have thought that her parents would object to any form of creative art .. however her parents were of different mettle. Waheeda born on 14 May 1936 in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India, started learning Bharatnatyam, an Indian dance form, at a very young age along with her sister from Guru T. K. Mahalingam Pillai, doyen among nattuvanars. They performed on stage on several occasions too. However her father, who was a District Commissioner, died while she still in her teens and hence never saw the success his daughter achieved … even though it was he that set the foundation for her career -- it was after all her dance performance in Eruvaka that gave her career the start.<br />
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Her first ever film as a heroine was a 1955 Telugu film release called Jayasimha with the great South Indian mega star NTR (N. T. Rama Rao with over 350+ Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films in his acting career), which was a modified Hamlet <b>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz0wA8Jb59E</b><br />
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Her most popular releases were in the decades of 1950-70s. With her film 'Guide' in 1965 her career peaked and she won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her emotionally complex rendition of Rosie -- in this film in particular her two song sequences of the famous cobra dance and the song 'Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai' are my favorite watches of Waheeda. Her performance in Neel Kamal (1968) and Reshma Aur Shera (1971) also accorded her Filmfare and National awards respectively. And although she has given some memorable performances in her films Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Gulam, Khamoshi, Kaagaz ke Phool, Teesri Kasam and Chaudhvin ka Chand she did not receive any awards for them. A few of her films failed at the box office too. In an open discussion with fans and media in Seattle and Washington October 2004, she stated that her most memorable films have been Pyaasa, Teesri Kasam and Guide. Her most successful film was with Rajesh Khanna Khamoshi while her most romantic scene ever was the song sequence 'Waqt ne kiya' from the film Kaagaz ke phool.<br />
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There is much talk of the romance of Guru Dutt and her and I can imagine why they must have had a relationship if at all. His work shows that he was an emotionally sensitive man but undoubtedly depressive (even Dev Anand had remarked that he being young and so creative he should not make depressing films) … but the fact was that he was married to Geeta Dutt (again my favorite singer of all times) and maybe that was the reason that things did not go further with them. Guru Dutt died in 1964 and a few years later so did Geeta Dutt. <br />
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The 1964 release of Shagun where she starred with Kamaljit did not do too well at the box office however it provided the base of her marital life -- it was during this time that Kamaljit (the hero of the film) proposed to her … they however married a decade later on 27 April 1974 and had two children Sohail and Kashvi. <br />
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Her recent releases showcase her as a supporting actor in Lamhe (1991), Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Water (2005), Rang De Basanti (2006) and Delhi 6 (2009) -- each of these films have been critically acclaimed. With time Waheeda has aged gracefully and it is good to see that she continues her romance with films even today… and as always it is a pleasure to watch my favorite DIVA of yesteryear on the big screen.PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-44893803661285913752011-02-16T10:53:00.007+05:302016-11-02T00:05:20.597+05:30Demi-God of Bollywood - Dharmendra<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tT1tQofVfaiDhwuXXK_OoQBiNA2ozfMIyVob9_HcnRpF6Ok3MO2ktcvlBJUpyJFStlT6yDQ3azs7pPLrN1l6WXX4Nol_eSiEAl9OJEvYXBqGTBfwcQEwkFCARR2kvEbwbOPiqtVjsiJy/s1600/dharmu.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574152618436983762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tT1tQofVfaiDhwuXXK_OoQBiNA2ozfMIyVob9_HcnRpF6Ok3MO2ktcvlBJUpyJFStlT6yDQ3azs7pPLrN1l6WXX4Nol_eSiEAl9OJEvYXBqGTBfwcQEwkFCARR2kvEbwbOPiqtVjsiJy/s320/dharmu.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 317px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nu and I have this common liking for old hindi movies, so much so that in this time and age too our favorite weekend stop is the Landmark store' Hindi movies section ... you will find us here often, lost in debate on which movies to buy for our ever increasing collection of films. And now that Moser Baer and the likes have managed to crack the high pricing of films Nu cant seem to stop himself! At home we often watch these films together on a Saturday / Sunday evening with a glass of beer and wafers doing the rounds. Needless to say, we are the kind of couple that pauses at a channel airing an old movie while surfing ... and hum along with the old favorite melodies or imitate a dialogue or smile wistfully at a romantic scene or debate a particular movie' popularity and finesse or just crack a joke over some idiocy being enacted by Mehmood or Dev Anand or Kishore Kumar or Tanuja or Nutan or Asha Parekh or Bindu and the likes; or just laugh out loud before we move on with our surfing ...BUT it is seldom the case that we have surfed past a Dharmu film and cant help but get glued the moment we spot him ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What a man he is and what films he has done; from his earliest ones when he was a nobody doing films like his first few 'Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere', 'Anpad' and 'Phool aur Pathar', to his hits in his prime years and his parallel cinema films and even the latest. He is one man that gets us weak in the knees, that makes us sigh unabashedly about his good looks and wins our hearts hands down for his acting skills ... whether it be emotion, comedy or action ... the man has done it all and not unlike us he has won the hearts of millions across the globe! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yet through his career spanning 50 years he has not been awarded a single best actor award ever ... he has been nominated several times (Phool Aur Pathar, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Resham Ki Dori, Yaadon Ki Baarat, Ayeee Milan Ki Bela, Naukar Biwi Ka) but never awarded ... In fact even his nominations are not for any of his best performances ... I find amongst my favorites of the 250 odd films that he has done till date; that whether it was Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Sholay, Phool aur Pathar, Black Mail, Aankhen, Guddi, Seeta aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Naya Zamana, Jeevan Mrityu, Jwar Bhata, Dost, Shalimar, Burning Train, Krodhi, Razia Sultan, Chacha Bhatija, Ram Balram, Metro, Apne or Johnny Gaddar; his dialogue delivery, comic timing, action rigor and romancing have never failed to impress me and yet he was never even nominated for any of these films! </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwUswvAQQGrqnGaIzlQFeWtE_pannPilSARtXyzMLCFAU1ZbyM5Z_Dqoehyphenhyphen2a88_-p9oPsYADUlJmvHAwfGCsdf-MZKQb_6b2MXU23TEd6hMtMh_7n7t576gb7qx9lU9rQIymgqOYyLBP/s1600/sholay.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574152951361123858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwUswvAQQGrqnGaIzlQFeWtE_pannPilSARtXyzMLCFAU1ZbyM5Z_Dqoehyphenhyphen2a88_-p9oPsYADUlJmvHAwfGCsdf-MZKQb_6b2MXU23TEd6hMtMh_7n7t576gb7qx9lU9rQIymgqOYyLBP/s320/sholay.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0R34ueoZd-hdfot7XD5c-AWzqBtQ2ZtlaNJX0eq245lN-1EZiWOq57js-NXj825ncNeMczqv3MDXmqNk5zSU6xaSrgX1a5GRrRQzelwXpQHTLwwW0y6ypuRnwOzpxLFNAsk8IFIQLZlV/s1600/Chupke+Chupke+%25281975%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574152957704425938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0R34ueoZd-hdfot7XD5c-AWzqBtQ2ZtlaNJX0eq245lN-1EZiWOq57js-NXj825ncNeMczqv3MDXmqNk5zSU6xaSrgX1a5GRrRQzelwXpQHTLwwW0y6ypuRnwOzpxLFNAsk8IFIQLZlV/s320/Chupke+Chupke+%25281975%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 226px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9a9m9cU28EWuCIUAzM4pO0TS1i9l4cpCk_HkEnx5MhtjDkSqC807qLAhmNl5325myD-51Fc4jvItzx8hymiCt3zst4vB00QplxzMFFn4E8LxNnuHUmXFNxQwb37J1jA4w-GPaW4HuPP_O/s1600/pratigya-wallpaper.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574157248344848114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9a9m9cU28EWuCIUAzM4pO0TS1i9l4cpCk_HkEnx5MhtjDkSqC807qLAhmNl5325myD-51Fc4jvItzx8hymiCt3zst4vB00QplxzMFFn4E8LxNnuHUmXFNxQwb37J1jA4w-GPaW4HuPP_O/s320/pratigya-wallpaper.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 233px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1975 his releases were <span style="font-weight: bold;">PRATIGYA </span>where he pretends to be the village inspector Davinder SIngh while he is avenging his fathers death with none other than Ajit and is swooning (the now remixed version) to 'Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana o rabba itti si baat na jana ke ke ke o mainu pyaar kardi hai o o saddey uttey o mardi ey' at the joy of Hema acknowledging his love -- a thrilling comedy and a great screenplay, <span style="font-weight: bold;">SHOLAY</span> the first Indian movie to have made 60 Golden Jubilees in over a 100 theaters across India where he played the ever favorite heart on his sleeve romantic Veeru showering his love for Basanti played by none other than his sweetheart Hema and where he spewed fire at Gabbar barking 'Basanti in kutton key samney mat nachna chahe meri jaan chali jaye', <span style="font-weight: bold;">CHUPKE CHUPKE</span> Hrishikesh Mukherji' cult comedy film where he played the adorable Dr. Parimal Tripathi urf Pyaremohan kidding the great Om Prakash in the guise of a Driver from Allahabad speaking SHUDH Hindi and frustrating the life out of him and his family ... all 3 great films and excellent performances by Dharmu and yet he didnt even get nominated for these films. The same year also saw releases like Aandhi (Sanjeev Kumar), Deewar (Amitabh Bachchan), Sanyasi (Manoj Kumar) and Amanush (Uttam Kumar)... Sanjeev Kumar walked away with the Black Lady for his unforgettable performance as JK for his rendition of a lover of a woman in power!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As an actor he has never failed to please ... however as a man he has disappointed me personally on two counts and since this is a piece dedicated to Dharmu here goes ... it bothers me that he must have hurt Prakash his first wife when he chose to convert and wed his on-screen dream girl Hema; although I am sure that now all must be well and that the families and wives have adjusted to each other' place in his life it is still a gnawing feeling that the man of my dreams let me down ... and the second is his habit of drinking ... Perhaps this had a lot to do with the dual life he was forced to lead due to his second marriage. And yet I have only seen love and respect in the eyes of his sons Bobby and Sunny and never so much as a twitter from Hema or Esha/ Aahana ... so he must be doing a lot of good for his families ... Sigh! My heart goes out to him and wants to hold him and say 'I love you Dharmu nevertheless and always will ...' Needless to say, both of these are private matters that we can only speculate about and hence my comments dont count! May God bless his families with happiness always!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last December 8 he completed 75 years of age and although in his recent appearance in his home production 'Yamla Pagla Deewana' he didnt really look that great the fact is that his spirit is unending and there is a renewed zeal in him to do more and I wish him the very best.</span>PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-5314809163356570982011-02-16T09:07:00.009+05:302011-02-16T11:57:51.202+05:30Summer of 69 - LIVE @ BKC, Mumbai 12 Feb 2011In January 1994 when Bryan Adams came to India and performed at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai I was indisposed due to being 7 months pregnant with Roshni and although it was emotionally the most satisfying time of my life it was also the toughest! So I just could not go for the concert. This year on 12 Feb 2011 he performed in Mumbai at the MMRDA grounds and it was Roshni that made it possible for me to share the euphoria of the 20000 odd people that attended.<br /><br />The tickets were prohibitive. The cheapest ones were priced at INR 2000 and I knew that they would be no fun at all. The INR 4000 and INR 10000 were the other options. Farrukh was not too keen to go and was humming and hawing about going. Eventually he suggested that I go with Roshni and that we could buy the INR 2000 tickets ... ah well I thought ... at least I would get to see the man LIVE!!! So Roshni took the initiative and called Varun who said he would help with booking the tickets for us considering it was a day before the concert. A short while later Roshni came to me gushing, 'Guess what Mom! We are getting 3 VVIP tickets i.e. 3 tickets @ INR 10000 a pop for FREE' ... <br />'What ... I cant believe this!???' <br />'Its true Mom, we will need to pick up the tickets from Varun' place tomorrow.'<br />YIPPPPPPEEEEE!!!! ... is all I could say and the countdown began for the moment of euphoria that would unfold the following evening!<br /><br />The next evening came and we set off at 5.30 along with Ankita ... and of course Mumbai' Traffic decided to be at its worst! We picked up the tickets and reached the venue and were zapped by the chaotic arrangements! Although we had VVIP tickets there was NO PARKING available anywhere!!! Both the girls mobiles were virtually on the blink and so I could not even send them in alone so I prayed ... 'Oh God please please please ... since you have brought us this far please just spare us one parking spot' and VOILA ... there was a spot just a car length away!! We quickly parked and ran inside as we saw Jackie Shroff giving a BYTE on Bryan Adams to the hungry press. Next we spotted Shiamak ... who hugged Roshni and Ankita with a pat on their heads when I said these are your students, 'SO sweet ... God Bless!' Amongst the stars we also spotted Aditi Gowitrikar, Raju Hirani and Preity Zinta who looked very pleased to be there! <br /><br />The VVIP area was on a PODIUM and yes it was stylish with seating and sexy round tables with drinks etc. It also supposedly had a clear view but by the time we reached it was jam packed and standing there was just pointless. So we pushed our way into the INR 4000 crowd that was thronging the area in front of the stage. Roshni pushed n pushed with Ankita and me close behind till we reached the front ... we were not bang centre but towards the side ... but it felt great to be part of the madness.<br /><br />We had arrived late and hence the crowd was already in a frenzy as Bryan dressed in black was crooning away ... he looked great and didnt at all look his age of 51 ... he had so much energy and sang virtually non-stop all the way to 9.30 making us go crazy with all the old favorites Summer of 69, Everything I Do, 18 Till I Die, Straight From The Heart, You’ve Been A Friend To Me, Heaven, Here I Am, Let’s Make It A Night To Remember, Please Forgive Me, The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You, All For Love, etc. When he started singing Summer of 69 the crowd went ecstatic and Bryan sang it with the same feeling and emotion as he has always done ... oh it was awesome!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBDb8E7qVThqdMlZ7mUCHudUyUK4HhzRpTdCovJfseyigvXdqN5I0c-lkP1mNVYHKZu4430ba1WOzyOlnsh-PixtHTXphlLeG_lJg0SRej4l3VO_Dbe_xAhLnVDGszZbChDz7g6x2K1y2/s1600/bryan_adams.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBDb8E7qVThqdMlZ7mUCHudUyUK4HhzRpTdCovJfseyigvXdqN5I0c-lkP1mNVYHKZu4430ba1WOzyOlnsh-PixtHTXphlLeG_lJg0SRej4l3VO_Dbe_xAhLnVDGszZbChDz7g6x2K1y2/s320/bryan_adams.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574147316190591826" /></a><br /><br />He then asked someone from the crowd to accompany him on stage to sing 'Baby When You’re Gone' along with him ... there was chaos as the crowd desperately tried to draw his attention and hoped to be picked up! The lucky one was a young girl called Gauri who actually sang the whole song and danced along with BRYAN. She did a pretty good job and looked great and even got a huge hug and T-shirts for her friends :) It was a cute moment and I am sure an unforgettable one for her! Before singing 'Everything I do I do it for you', he asked all of us to turn on our mobile screen lights and hold our phones up in our hands in the air! When I turned to look at the crowd it felt like the stars had descended on the ground!!! <br /><br />His latest album, Bare Bones, which is a compilation of his greatest songs has been given a gold certificate in India and it was from here that he was singing most of his songs ... The experience was truly exhilarating and of course the crowds refused to let him go ... he did 2 solos specially for us even after the rest of his band said Adieu and sang while playing his harmonica along with the guitar ... unbelievable and simply spectacular! WHAT A NIGHT ... thank you my Lil Roshposh and thank you God for making this happen!PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2616054985115339678.post-3484422171462803072011-02-11T23:46:00.009+05:302017-08-12T17:35:03.177+05:30MOVIE REVIEW: Hum Dono (Rangeen)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PHM8HpkhkxYMU0cFdz0lGNAlboV1k5wrPK8HeWVssH3J-7qNGeru1WR7aQrZjsqpUaMeoDdRat3Wk77xgswlQhhLmvM0_O0HBsSkn54pZLmSFjdAJBD9VT1T9_8PNCFNrBjHPKm_oA55/s1600/Hum-Dono-Rangeen.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573808059660925458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PHM8HpkhkxYMU0cFdz0lGNAlboV1k5wrPK8HeWVssH3J-7qNGeru1WR7aQrZjsqpUaMeoDdRat3Wk77xgswlQhhLmvM0_O0HBsSkn54pZLmSFjdAJBD9VT1T9_8PNCFNrBjHPKm_oA55/s320/Hum-Dono-Rangeen.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">RATING: * * * * *</span><br />
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Wah Dev Saab WAH!!! ... Aapke kya kehne! What a film this man has made and acted in. I saw it in BW with Farrukh a few weeks back and we didnt stop humming the songs for the next few days ... such is the nasha of this film' melodies.<br />
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Yesterday Bhabhijaan called and said that she would like me to accompany her for the new colored version of the film ... Farrukh and I had been making plans with the gang but somehow nothing had yet materialised ... yesterday being thursday I feared that I would miss the cinematic screening of this epic Dev Anand film if I said no ... so I said yes and HUM DONO rushed to reach just in time for the PVR Juhu 12.30 screening. As we were entering the screen the titles had just begun and the screen was alight with the colors and a-sung with the famous lighter melody ...ting tin ting tin ting tin ting tin ting ... this got Bima and me all excited as we groped around the dark hall and so we just sat ourselves down on the closest seats available and soaked in the beauty of the music. And then the magic began ... <br />
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Dev Anand' handsome face smiling and holding Sadhana' (Meeta) palloo with a ribbon tied to his hand, Meeta' doll like face switching the lighter on an off, Dev flirting with her in the song 'Abhi na jaao chod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin...', wooing her at the gate, her onlooking father, the proposal, the dejection, him enlisting in the army, Meeta leaving her father' home to be with his mother while he is away, him becoming Captain Anand, him shaving while looking at his reflection in the pond and then the ever favorite 'Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya ... har fiqr ko dhooein mein udata chala gaya ...', meeting DA2 Major Verma i.e. his Hum Dono counterpart with just the mooochein being the differentiating factor and of course the ho ho ho gutteral laughter and SCRAM SCRAM, a deep bond of friendship and brotherhood emerges between the two of them in a place that reeks of death and hatred, and then there is DA2' mother Lalita Pawar and wife the gorgeous Nanda (Ruma) who like the perfect bhartiya ardhangini 'jo aadmi ke adhooreypan ko poora karti hai' ... kya devi hai yaar our kya khoobsurti hai aur kya bhajan gayen hain ... 'Allah tero naam ishwar tero naam...' DA2 getting injured and becoming POW, DA1 coming back to find his Mum is dead and that Meeta has been in his home all this while, he goes to give the news of DA2' death to his family and they i.e. Lalita and Nanda and all his friends start thinking that he has returned home as Major Verma whereas he is actually Major Anand (he has got promotion after the war), Nanda falling sick and Anand being in a kashmakash of whether to tell the family that he is actually not Major Verma ... but the Doctor warns him that Ruma will not survive the shock due to her heart ailment, Meeta misunderstanding Anand and Ruma' relationship as she spots them together in the Mandir, and then Ruma' penance and eventually returning with a missing leg on crutches just as the bhajan 'Prabhu tero naam jo dhyaye sukh paye tero naam ...' concludes ... the fight between the two DA's and then the reconciliation and the expression of love between the two couples .... ooooooooh what a story, what songs and what gorgeous looking people and WHAT A FILM ... I had tears or sorrow and joy rolling down my cheeks by the time the film concluded <br />
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Thanks a ton Dev Saab for sharing this beautiful acting experience with us on big screen ... we loved it and kept feeling that there needs to be an ongoing screening of some of the best films of your era and they should be tax free so that as many people can watch and learn from them ... kyonki woh waqt ki khoobsoorti kuch aur hi thi and I wish thru these movies we could somehow keep the beautiful values and the innocence that India had ... alive ... I LOVE you DEV ANAND ... God bless you with the courage to continue to do more such acts of idiosyncrasy :)PRIYA SHARMA SHAIKHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598131902766385029noreply@blogger.com0