तो हसत होता

मी चालत होतो. भोवताली अंधार पडायला सुरुवात झाली होती. दिव्यांची लखलख होती पण हा भाग तसा अंधाराच होत. वातावरणात चांगलाच गारवा होता. थोड्यावेळापूर्वी पडलेल्या पावसामुळे पायवाट ओली होती. अंदाजे मैलावर असलेली प्रकाशाने न्हाहून निघालेली इमारत माझी मंझील होती. तिच्याकडे पाहत कशाचीही परवा न करता मी चालत होतो. 

आजूबाजूला अगदी तुरळक वावर होता. चुकूनच एखादा माझ्यासारखा वाटसरू दिसत होता. जसा जसा उशीर होत होता तसा माझ्या पावलांचा वेग वाढत होता. मोठ्या स्तंभाला मागे टाकून मी आता परावर्तीत तळ्याच्या काठावर आलो होतो. तळ्यामध्ये एका बाजूने स्तंभाचे तर दुसर्या बाजूने इमारतीचे प्रतिबिंब पडले होते. त्या प्रतिबिंबाकडे पाहत मी क्षणभर स्थिरावलो. सभोवती नीरव शांतता भासत होती. गजबजलेल्या रस्त्यांच्या जवळ असूनही या वातावरणात तुमचे मन शांत करणारी जादू होती. या जगावर हुकुमत गाजवणाऱ्या नगरीत इतके शांत ठिकाण असावे याचे मला आश्चर्य वाटले. जर जमीन ओली नसती तर मी तिथेच थोडा वेळ बसलो असतो. आजकाल अशी शांतता फार क्वचितच मिळते. मनात कुठलेही विचार नव्हते. जणू त्या निर्मळ पाण्याने माझ्या मनातले सगळे विचारही कुठे तरी दडवून टाकले होते. 

पण ती इमारत मला परत खुणावत होती. मी पुन्हा चालायला सुरुवात केली. पायऱ्यांवर गर्दी दिसत होती. मी मात्र त्याच्या चेहऱ्यावर लक्ष देवून पुढे चढत होतो. आणि एक क्षण आला. तो भव्य दिव्य पुतळा त्या तळ्याकडे पाहत बसला होता आणि मी त्याच्या समोर उभा होतो. कुठे तरी मला वाटत होते की तो माझ्याकडे पाहून मंद हसतो आहे. त्याचा तो करारी चेहरा सांगत होता जरी तू या जगातील सर्वात शक्तिशाली व्यक्ती झालास तरी तुझ्यासामोरील संकटांच्या रांगा संपायच्या नाहीत आणि या संकटात सुद्धा तू तुझ्या विचारांपासून ढळू नकोस. अशा कठीण समयी तुला नेहमी काही पळवाटा दिसतील. त्या तुला खुणावतील - सोडून दे तुझ्या कल्पना आणि तुझे उद्दिष्ट. पण तुझा निश्चय कठोर कर आणि त्यांना नकार दे. जर तू हे करू शकलास तर खचितच एक परिणामकारक व्यक्तिमत्व होण्याची ताकद तुझ्यात आहे. 

माहिती नाही पण लिंकनला जेव्हा बूथ गोळ्या घालत होता तेव्हा लिंकन नक्कीच मंद हसला असणार - त्याने त्याचे ध्येय स्वतःचे बलिदान देऊन पूर्ण केले होते - अमेरिकेतील एका मोठ्या समाजाला गुलामगिरीतून मुक्त केले होते - आणि या स्वतंत्र देशात खरोखर स्वतंत्रपणे वावरायचा हक्क दिला होता. आज जवळ जवळ दीडशे वर्षांनंतरही त्याचा तो संदेश माझ्यापर्यंत पोहोचला होता आणि माझी पायपीट खरोखर सफल झाल्याचे समाधान मिळाले होते.       

       

Experience at Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. 

Ratatouille - Anyone can cook!!

Going back to roots of my cooking experiences I wonder how fascinating was the time when I was just a kid siting on the kitchen table while my aunt and grandma cooking and watching them cook. Cutting - chopping - washing - heating oil to the right temperature and measure it by cracking of mustered seeds - frying onions and potatoes - adding spices - coriander (cilantro) to garnish. All these things caught my attention when I was young just as Chef' Gusteau's show does the magic on Remy the rat - our hero of the story.

(Copyrights: Pixar)

Ratatouille (rat.a.too.ee) is the movie about a rat who is captivated by the magic of cooking and is always doing different experiments for improving the taste and smell. In the initial sequence, in one experiment, for lightning touch he actually uses lightning to cook the cheese. Humor aside but it fortifies his passion about food and cooking. After separation from his family he lands in Gusteau's kitchen where his subordinates are trying to save the sinking ship after his tragic death. Remy befriends with the Linguini and uses him as his pupate to create crowd favorite dish. A dreaded critic Anton Ego visit's the restaurant and Remy serves him Ratatouille which takes him to his mom's kitchen from childhood and astonishes him. After meeting the "little chef" Anton writes his review and praises Remy.

The plot is simple with many more complexities with visual fair experiencing romantic Paris and French food. But the most important message this movie gives "it doesn't matter where are you coming from - you can still be a great artist - if you have the right passion!" . It also tells you to be yourself and not to worry about all the odds coming between you and your mission. Director Brad Bird makes it very clear from his narration and tells you even a small rat can be the finest chef in Paris if he follows his passion. I like this movie because of it's message and also portrayal of great dishes!! I would really suggest if you want to spend some good time - watch this movie - you will definitely have fun!!

Enjoy!!
       

Songs: Doors to the memory lane

Have you ever wonder, there are certain cues which take you back to the memory lane - protray the emotions and surrounding in front of your eyes and leaves you with a smile of satisfaction or a lingering sadness !

Songs work as those cues for me and if I'm not wrong for many of you. There are certain songs when I hear them my sole flies back in time. As I remember songs of Mukesh, my father used to listen, and whenever I hear those songs I bacome a small child listening curiously that mesmerizing voice.

As I started growing the Bollywood songs captured me with their charm. Listening songs of Tridev and Hero shows my childhood with my friends and my aunt. The entry of the legend Rahman was a great impact. Songs from Roja take me to a town of Chalisgaon when I was in fourth standard. I see my grandparents, a big tree in front of their house and summer evenings spent under that tree.

Songs of Judwa and Mohabbatein take me on the stage of Drama theatre in Sangamner where I performed in high school annual program. They also show me the practice sessions in evenings and having fun with friends.

I moved to Pune for my engineering studies. And songs of Saathiya take me to my room and sleeping listening to "Chupke se" every night. After college moving to Mumbai was a big change. Still the songs were with me. Song "it's magic" Kareena Kapoor reminds of my friend Vibhor and Akshay is reminded by song "Hey shona" from Tara rum pum.

Song of Delhi 6 takes me to winter nights of Fargo and club songs take me in my lovely car and I remember listening fm y94.

There are other memories and persons attached to songs and they flash in my eyes when I listen those songs. The Most memorable song is the lullabies of my grandma singing "Dev jari maj kadhi bhetala" for me!!

I guess this is time to close your eyes and see if the song is taking you to any place or person. Don't forget to post your experience in comments! !

I hate airports!!

Every time I sit on an airport waiting for my flight or to pick somebody, this comes in my mind, I hate airports. There are many places I love, I like to sit there, I like to observe people. But airports are certainly not in that list.

Railway stations, people are waiting for their trains. But there you see a certain attachment. I don't know why I feel a bliss of love there. The smell of oil, burnt things, diesel, snacks, fruits ... It gives me a sense of care. There is a lot of drama on the railway station, you can see the movie Hugo and imagine such countless stories happening all over the world.

Bus stations are bit distant in nature. Still they take me down my memory lane. Sitting on bust station, waiting for the bus to come and take me to my grandma's house. It feels like you make a bond with everybody sitting around you. It might be a love, hate, curiosity, or just he/she is so ugly bond.

But on airports, I feel I don't belong here. This is some alien land. A way too clean place. No love and everyone is seeing you with suspicion. Nobody cares for the other person and everybody is so engrossed to catch something else in some other city.

But when I see a 50 years old daughter meets her 75 years old father - they hug and go home, I feel actually airports are not that of a bad place. I wonder if this trend continues I may start loving airports too!!

शेर Sher!!

I am not a Shayar but it just came in mind and I thought it is an okay Sher so posting here.

बात जुबान पर है - लेकीन कह नहीं सकते !

कमबख्त इश्क कमीना है - इसे सह नहीं सकते !! 

It says: I have words on my tongue but I can't say them - this love is a bad thing that I can't take it anymore!!