It was in the late seventies or early eighties that televisions first appeared in India. Until then, we were vaguely aware of these magic boxes that showed moving pictures at home, thanks to Archie comics or some other western comics. The first tvs we saw were large boxes that bulged out from all sides. They came with huge knobs and yes, believe it or not, there were no remote controls. What? What?I can see half the youngsters gaping in fright already. No remote control? Then how does one operate the television? I can imagine youngsters in a huddle,...
Monday, 31 December 2012
Another New Year comes along. But this one feels different. It feels more purposeful, more heavy. It's a delicious feeling, as if there's a gift awaiting me that I have to unwrap. Starting tomorrow!A Happy New Year To All - Pic. Satish NargundkarAnd there is much to be thankful for as I sit here and type. My life, my health, my work, my talents, my gifts, my home, my family, my friends, my hopes, my opportunities - ah there are just too many things...
Recap of some of the stuff I did in 2012.Saw snow for the first time in my life at Auli. Enjoyed the all-boy trip with Vasu, Ranjan, Koni, Kiran and Vasu's son Aditya. We assembled in Dehradun and drove into the hills. On the way back from Auli we stayed overnight on the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh.Other places I visited this year were an interesting hillock near Jadcherla and a Hanuman teple in Hayathnagar which were both Koni's discoveries, Bangalore, Mysore, Chandigarh, Pune and Shivthargal (near Pune). One short visit to Delhi and to Ghaziabad...
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Here are movies that I watched at home or in the theatres and reviewed. I watched 53 this year, liked some and did not like some.In January (10) I watched - 'Color of Paradise', 'My Friend Pinto', 'The Peaceful Warrior', 'Shagird', 'Dhobi Ghat', 'Memento', 'Ra One', 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' and 'Chillar Party'.In February (11) I saw - 'Dirty Picture', 'Money Ball', 'Rhapsody in August', 'The Way', 'The Smurfs', 'Throne of Blood', 'Reincarnation of Peter Proud', 'V for Vendetta', 'Ghost Writer', 'Rabbit Proof Fence' and 'Zelig'.In March (6)...
Reread this old classic to check for the change in perspective, if any. What George Orwell's classic showed me when I read it this time was that things are frighteningly the same - in 1945 (when he first wrote it) as in 1985 (when I first read it) and in 2012 today.118 p, Rs. 110 Sample this. Manor Farm is a farm run by Jones the farm owner. All the farm animals are made to work hard in return for very little. One of them, Old Major, a boar, tells...
Saturday, 29 December 2012
This year (2012), I've read 47 books so far. Much of history has been read and appreciated, much of non-fiction too and some wonderful fiction as well. Next year is the year of the classics for me.In January (6) I read 'Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You' by Marcus Chown first. Then, 'The Monk, the Moor and Moses Ben Jalloun' by well known film maker and now writer Saeed Akhthar Mirza, 'Iceboys in Bellbottoms' a debut novel by by Krishna Shastry Devulapalli, 'A Calendar too Crowded' a book of short stories by Sagarika Chakraborty, 'Creators' a non-fiction...
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Till late eighties or even till the PCO (Public Call Office) boxes appeared all over the place, the only way of communicating privately with one another was either to travel and meet them in person or to write to them. Here is where the postal department came into use big time. The post offices were amazing for the simplicity with which they worked and till today, I find that it is one of the most underrated and undervalued departments we have. Through the postal department you could reach anyone, anywhere in India. And the world. The modern...
I must mention that I did one of those out-of-comfort-zone things and went to watch a play all by myself a few days ago. What's the big deal you may ask. The big deal is this - firstly, I don't watch too may plays and secondly, not alone. (My style for watching a play is that I must be led to it dragging and kicking which is not possible if I go alone.) But this play sounded interesting and the poster that Huma forwarded through the email looked promising - 'Khichdi Khatta Kheema Productions invites you to Hamari Potti ki Shaadi'. The place...
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Worth thinking about. Do you play to win. Or do you play not to lose. Or, let me put it another way, a more general way.Do you want something. Or do you not want something and hence pick whatever is left.Clarity - Pic Satish NargundkarThe first thought of wanting something shows clarity of thought and thereby, purposeful and well-directed action. The second thought leaves you slightly indecisive and unsure in your thought and action because you have...
The Radio and its smaller sibling, the pretty little Transistor, were the prime source of all real-time connection with the outer world in those growing up days. That was how important they were! To look for a suitable example, perhaps these two instruments were as important as the mobile phones are these days - they not only provided news but also entertainment of various forms such as music, poetry and I remember, once hearing only the dialogues of films. Imagine your life without a mobile phone these days!The one source for all this audio content...
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
The past thirty years have moved on so fast technologically that several things that were essential for us to lead our lives back in the 80s are now objects that will make no sense to today's kids. Let me try and capture some of these essentials here and see if I can make a comprehensive list for posterity. If one can find these items, or some reminiscences of them, perhaps even a museum!Each one separately has to be written about because each in its own way deserves an explanation lest their importance in our lives back then is not fully understood.The...
Monday, 24 December 2012
I tried to put together a list of celebrities and heroes who influenced me and perhaps made me the person I am today by making me want to be like them or do things like they do or did.The list is in random order.1) Socrates, the Brazilian soccer skipper for his sheer coolness quotient and oodles of charisma. Ever since I saw the Soccer World Cup in 1986 I have been hooked to that event and nothing impressed me more than the manner in which a supremely confident Socrates wrong footed the goal keeper in a penalty kick that he took off two paces....
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Men are insecure. And are growing more and more insecure by the day. Whether in the guise of being 'religiously offended' or 'angered by immorality' or 'having their culture demeaned' or even 'being sexually stimulated' there are more insecure male beasts out there today in India (and abroad) than ever. Everyday the masks keep falling off from the faces of more of these who cannot operate alone, who do not have the guts to handle a confident woman, (forget it, they cannot even handle themselves) and need a mob, deadly firearms or weapons or the...
Thursday, 20 December 2012
The sequel to the 'Immortals of Meluha' did not not match up fully to the first. It picks up where the first part of the trilogy left off and goes into a tale of vengeance where Shiva is now hunting for the villain who killed his friend Brahaspati. Now married to Sati, Shiva moves to Kashi where Sati delivers their child Kartik. All the while there is a Naga warrior who is stalking Sati and it appears that he loves her and is protecting her. Then...
Continuing my series of interviews with Anjali, now a six monthly affair, we sat down today after many missed appointments in the last one month, owing mainly to a rather busy schedule of Anjali. It was only when I was close to tears today that she agreed to do this. We stuck to most of the standard questions.What do you like most these days?Watching the movie 'Chicken Little'. Days we spent with no Mamma (when Shobhs was away for 10 days in Mumbai...
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Clarity at its highest level, and acceptance, would be the same thing perhaps.Pic courtesy Satish NargundkarAnd they'd probably converge with honesty, love, courage and trust, peace and joy, gratitude and compassion.Somewhere up there, at the higher ends of the spectrum, they are all probably the same. In fact, at that level probably thought and action would be almost simultaneous.And perhaps, thought and manifestation would be instantaneous too....
Saturday, 15 December 2012
What comes between you and your best part? As I see it it's probably the ego. The I.Pic courtesy. Satish NargundkarWe are what we are. And there is a creative energy that is continuously expressing itself through us. If we let it express itself without getting in the way - we are at our best. Simple as that.When restrict ourselves by getting in the way with our doubts and fears. These doubts and fears are nothing but our ego wanting to create...
Friday, 14 December 2012
This one is a must watch. 'English Vinglish' marks a solid and promising debut by Gauri Shinde who is a wonderful story teller who takes her story telling very seriously. She does not lose her focus on her story nor her characters, displays full faith in both (and does not seek to provide any unnecessary thrills by the side), she really cares for her characters and all this shows in the fine details that go into the film. If there were two things...
Who says you have no talent?You have the capacity to love which is all the talent in the world you need.Pic courtesy. Satish NWe have all been blessed with that magic potion called love that can change all things, our very lives, and transform them into pure gold. Open it up and pour it into whatever you are doing and it becomes an alchemical process. It changes the entire reaction and lifts it to a higher state. And the more you pour of your love,...
Thursday, 13 December 2012
It is our s desire to express ourselves to the fullest. Our constant cravings for 'being free', 'for being ourselves' etc indicate our desire to express ourselves more. But what is stopping us from expressing ourselves fully?Pic courtesy Satish NargundkarOthers obviously. We'd say that people 'do not understand us' etc. Hence we cannot express (look at what happened to the cartoonist, the painter, the writer, the dancer, the actor...)What we want...
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
10 brands I grew up with that faded away (10 that come to mind now - sure there are more!)1) Thril: Cannot forget this Thums Up equivalent, a cola drink manufactured by God knows which company. It had a nice logo and maybe a nice ad too then in the early eighties. But I remember drinking it at the Bhagyalaxmi store near ESI hospital many times - in its rather short life.2) Apsa: This was a mango soft drink that the AP Beverages Corporation manufactured and marketed. i remember how they used the double decker buses that the APSRTC used to ply those...
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