Religiously Speaking

Ah.....after all that chaos and mad rush its back to basics with kids. As a mother I try to inculcate certain values in them. The other day I was telling my younger one to recite some mantras. I told her that by chanting some Durga mantras she will get budhi (intelligence). She was getting late for school and very reluctant to chant those. She spoke in a very matter of fact manner, " Mama, budhi toh mil jayegi, school bus nahin".

Ha,ha, ha. Well, school bus is important too. There is mantra to get that too...that is by "early to bed, early to rise".

But then that is the most difficult part. The night birds will agree!

Wishes....of faith and hope

Hi, its been long I have been away from my Fortified Quirkies....and I missed it. I was just too busy putting up and then watching my interactive installation....Wishing Tree shape up. There are lots of emotions and feelings with those wishes up there. There is fun yet faith and what goes on inside the human mind is reflected through those words scribbled on just about every bit of paper. Even when I spoke to people about it, about a month back, the responses left me thinking. So some of those responses which were raw, unpretentious, simple and basic in nature made the opening statements on the Wishing Tree. The scribblings were like graffiti and the paints were used without deliberation in order to not intimidate but invite people to create a dialogue between the audience and the wishing tree, which by now could communicate.

The response had been amazing. The responses will find a place in my article and the blog and may be in a series of paintings on the canvas.

The Kala Ghoda Festival is on till 12th Feb. Go, make a wish! :)

Wishing Tree

 Wishing Tree

By: Mridual Kalia Bhatnagar

"Why a wishing tree? Because there are many theories about the world coming to an end by 2012. There is negative sentiment but still so many believe that the world won't end.  There is a kind of chaos but despite that various people walking this earth have different aspirations for this year and after, and it will be very interesting to represent wishes of the common people. 

I invite people to write their wishes and the same would be hung on the tree. 

'ख्वाहिशों का पेड़'

कभी यह हाथ उठते हैं दुआओं में,

कभी पेड़ों पर मन्नतों के धागे बाँधने के लिए.

जिंदगी के सफ़र में जितना भी मिले कम लगता है,

जब तक सांस है, दिल करता है मांगने के लिए.

२०१२ के बाद साल ज्यादा हो या कम, अभी मौका है 

 आप की कई ख्वाहिशों को एक पेड़ पर बांधने के लिए.
 

मृदुल कालिया भटनागर



writingdoll@hotmail.com &  writingdoll@twitter

NO TV??? Give me the internet!

No TV DAY?? The news paper I subscribe to had me bowled over the idea of No TV day. Not that my kids are glued to TV on other days. Don't just think something like how sweet n all. Of course my kids would want to go on and on, on Animax or Pogo or just about any other channel on TV but I play the 'Mugambo khush hua' after turning it off or just jerking the smart card (tuner card) out of the set top box when I step out of the home. Ha, ha, ha. Oops, my little one is reading it right now and quipping, " Khud ko Mugambo samjhte ho!"

So, yesterday we decided to do some of the things that Hindustan Times had been advertising for over a fortnight. While some activities are part of our outings already there are some others which we can do even later, for which I have preserved all the related write ups and probably we will have a NO TV Day once a month. We decided to start our day with cycling to the Gateway of India. For my daughter it was her first time ride out of the cantonment. Once at Gateway, we looked for the Cyclists from Bandra. We could not. Probably missed them. My daughter was so charged and excited that she beamed, "I want to go to Marine Drive" So we went there. The dog lover that she is, she played with some dogs and befriended some. Then we rode back home in 25 minutes flat. Isn't it fast?

Then we readied along with the younger one for a Heritage Bus Ride from Jahengir Art Gallery. It was a long wait out there but it was worth, with the funny guy who was our guide. He showed us Sachivaliya...and said yahan upar se neeche tak koi sach nahin bolta... and that Vidhaan Bhawan was the WWE of the ministers. His narrative was hillarious . Though SoBo has very familiar sites, the bus deck gave a completely different perspective for me to take some good pictures.

After this we went to Ballard Bunder for a exhaustive trip to the The Indian Naval Ship Vikrant which is now a museum ship. The Naval guys were so cordial and good guides. People loved sitting in the cockpit of the Helicopter, a part of display in the museum. So did my girls. Par...yeh uda nahin...haha!! HT guys, next time please take me for copter ride over Bombay. I really want to take some good aerial shots.

More??? Are you crazy? Where was the strength left. Too much packed in one day. We headed straight home as I was craving for my good cup of lemongrass tea. Kids??? OMG, they were so tired. So everyone sat silent and then my younger girl suddenly picked up the remote to switch the TV on. "No!" I shrieked.
"Please mom I want to relax."
"Read a book No TV today, today is NO TV DAY."
"It was no TV day, now it is night."
"Sorry, the day will end at 12 midnight."
"Didn't we have a no TV week?"
We actually did but then today it was like a promise.

"Whatever! Please no TV today". That one came from my barely one and half year older to the younger one yet many years wiser elder daughter who is otherwise a avid TV watcher of Animax's Inuyasha series. That is on days when I don't play a Mugambo!!!

..........................and wait here's more, the little girl is a die hard negotiator. She said," OK, Can I have the internet then?"  ................................Abhi toh,  Momma has to turn Mugambo!!!

Mango Man celebrates Republic Day

Today I did not see the President taking a salute. Did not feel like watching those political criminals mocking a pseudo-patriotic emotion. I wanted to be a part of common man...mango man...aam aadmi's celebration and here it is how.

'What a beautiful day', thats how I felt riding on near empty roads on Republic day morning. Yes, I went riding on my cycle to Marine Drive. Met my Bandra cycle club friends. A group of young skaters came dressed wearing tricolor on their chests.

Came home and went back to Gateway Of India with my friends. Thats when we saw a stream of motorbikes  with tricolors zooming past near Regal.  At Gateway, we went from one group to another requesting them to join us for National Anthem. We sang the National Anthem with people from various provinces and states. Thanks to my friends and all those who connected right there, we had a great celebration this Republic day. Not a flash mob, because I did not want a rehearsed thing but an impromptu attempt by four of us saw a huge number of people singing together at Gateway. There was smiles all over. It was like mini India bonded together. The mango man celebrated the spirit of Republic Day.

At 4 pm, as an IAC volunteer, I am there one more time. PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN.

Jai Hind! Vande Matram!! Check out the pictures and one video on my timeline.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2555508173243

बहन जी, ढक के रखियेगा!!!

बहन जी, ढक के रखियेगा. ढक कर रखना जरूरी भी है.
आंध्र प्रदेश के पुलिस कमिश्नर ने कहा कि ढक कर रखेंगे तो बलात्कार कम होगा,
इलेक्शन कमिश्नर ने कहा की ढक कर नहीं रखा तो आचार (सहिंता) कम होगा.
खैर पुलिस कमिश्नर की बात पर तो विवाद हो गया पर बहन जी की हाथियों की फ़ौज को लबादों से ढक दिया गया.  कड़ाके की सर्दी में माया के हाथियों को गर्मी का अहसास खूब भाया होगा.

बहन जी का मायाजाल इतना बुरी तरह फैला हुआ है कि ढक ढक कर थक गए होंगे ढकने वाले. और कोई यह बताये कि ढकने वाले कपडे किस मिल से आये और उस का पैसा किसने दिया? इलेक्शन कमिश्नर ने?

भाई साहिब आप की समझ पर आश्चर्य होता है. बहन जी को मुफ्त में इतना भाव दे दिया. BSP के हाथियों को तो ढक दिया कांग्रेस के हाथों का क्या करेंगे. क्या सब को दस्ताने पहनवआएंगे? कसम से ताजुब्ब होता है कि देश किन लोगों के भरोसे छोड़ रखा है.

अच्छा एक बात और. कुछ लोग पूछ रहें हैं कि इस बार २६ जनवरी को बहादुर बच्चों को हाथी पे नहीं बिठायंगे क्या? अचार संहिता का हनन हो जायेगा अगर हाथी राजपथ पर चल दिया. क्योंकि हाथी सिर्फ मायावती का साथी बन के रह गया है.

एक गाना गुनगुनाने का मन कर रहा है. " नज़रों से कह दो आज कल ढकने का मौसम आ गया"

• Ritu Dadhwal Hath mein dastane aur paimane !!! Lekin Kamal ka kya karen ge? Suna hai chote size ke shower cap jaise kisi product ka bahut bada order place hua hai.LLLLLOOOOLLLL!!!!!!
  

  19 hours ago ·  ·  1
• 
  

  मृदुल प्रभा Has the order been placed already? I am going to start a Shower Cap making company. Actually I can start a company to make covers for all the election symbols. LOL>>>>ho ho ho ho...ho ho ho election bada sataye!!

Army Chief goes to Court against Indian Government

In an unprecedented move, the Army Chief has taken the age matter to the court. Its a disgrace to the ministry of defence and Indian Govt. PM Manmohan Singh has tried offering a carrot to the Chief by making him the Governor of Goa but Gen VK Singh has ignored the bait and decided to take the Govt head on. Congress is underplaying it but every body knows what game is being played. In any case do you think the corrupt and morally bankrupt Sonia's coterie would let an honest General continue in the office for one more year? If he does he will bring out many more skeletons, some of which may have matching DNA with the corrupt Government in the centre.

Every Indian must stand up for Gen. VK Singh. The country needs him more than he needs to continue in the office. If he stays in the chair for the term which is rightfully his, he will be handing over the baton to another very able and strong General in General Parnaik. 

sisiro A Common Man 

RT @mayaadvaita: AkAnthony wants a puppet army chief who will not question him.god save bharat frm the xian enemy within

29 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet 

syamjee Being Me... 

DOB issue of Army Chief is a creation of duck sitting by Defense Minister AK Antony, who never took any decision in his entire life...

Chellaney Brahma Chellaney 

By allowing a controversy over the army chief's date of birth to drag on since 2010, India's defense minister has showcased his incompetence

RoVatK Rohit Kashyap V 

Army Chief opposed UPA proposal to revoke AFSPA in Kashmir. That is the reason why the govt is desperate to send him out 1 year in advance

Shaelesh Shaelesh Prabhakar 

Nothing survives under Congress! One institution crumbling after the other! Now Army Chief goes to SC! Let us hang our heads in shame!

RoVatK Rohit Kashyap V 

If what the defence min says about Army Chief's DOB is right, then authorities who issued his SLC, driving license, passport, are all wrong.

writingdoll mridual 

#ArmyChiefAgeRow Holyshit! ExGenerals locked horns on national TV #IBN7 #IndianArmy what is this shame game?GenHoon sounds like a dictator.