Friday, January 16, 2009

Dear friend,

Dear friend,
How I wish I had never met you,
Never had spent those beautiful moments with you.
For now I curse myself for being so nice.

What I did wrong oh my dear?
That you found me dead in bundle of tears.
I cried and cried but you didn’t hear.

I searched for you everywhere.
But you were to be seen no where.
How am I to see you when you are so far?
No distance between us but only clouds.

We always appreciated for what we have been
But still this distance had to come in between.
If I had guts I would jump in the well.
Why would I jump when anyways I am in hell?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Medium beyond words

Art is not natural. It is made and developed by man. We have to learn and understand art if we want to appreciate it. Cinema is a modern art as it cannot be made without the help of machine, Science, and Technology, said Shri Sudhir Nandgaonkar, General Secretary of Film Societies of India, Mumbai (FFSI). He was speaking as a resourse person on the occasion of a film appreciation workshop conducted by the Department of French and Francophone studies, Goa University on 14th of January. Shri Nandagaonkar further said that it took 30 years for cinema to develop as an art form. Initially it was called ‘marvel of the century’. Cinema is the medium beyond words. Cinema is based on images. The monopoly of words was taken over by the monopoly of images. After the discovery of moving images the tyranny of words was over. The language of images is the language beyond words and to understand the language of images is film appreciation.

I was very happy to have attended this workshop. I would say that instead of me attending this workshop I was somehow made to attend it. First of all even when the notice was put weeks ago, I just happened to read it while going for the class on the same day. In the class I was thinking whether I should bunk the lecture. Fortunately sir came late that day. On coming to class he said that both the lectures for the day were cancelled on an account of singing competition organized by Goa University and a 2 day seminar to be organized by the department of Sociology. I was still wondering whether I should go for the workshop as the last date of application was over long back. I decided to take a chance. Just then a friend of mine exclaimed “hey Preeti, don’t go ya we’ll go for singing competition…”After hearing that I came to the conference hall where the workshop was being conducted.

The workshop concluded after watching a film “Children of heaven” and discussion on it.

Jaipur fun cont.

I am sorry. As told in the earlier post, I could not keep up my
promise of writing on the blog. But now I am in a mood of writing
so let me go on.


One thing I noticed in Jaipur especially in the University of Rajasthan was there are lots of pigeons and squirrels. I have been hearing since my childhood that if you see a squirrel your day goes well. I dont know how far it is true but my days were quite okay.
I liked Rajasthani music and food. One speciality about Rajasthani music I would like to say is that it just keeps its audience awake. Unlike lectures which are boring and often put you to sleep (atleast I find lectures boring and I learn that people of my age generally do) the music is traditional as well as gets its younger generation interested in it.

What shall I say about food. It is just awesome. Only for your information, the ghee which was used in food for one day could have been used throughout a year in a Goan household.I just wished I could have a photo of one food item to put on the blog. But unfortunately the battery used to go off just when I found a good shot. May be the camera has its own wish and can get lazy when I think it can't.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Fun and fun in pink city Jaipur

Its been more then a week now since we returned from Jaipur and I am thinking how lazy I am to put up all the exciting things we did in Jaipur on this blog. You must be wondering what I am talking about. Let me explain you a bit.



We, a group of 10 Goa University students from the department of Sociology accompanied by our 4 seniors had recently been to a Sociological conference held in Jaipur, Rajasthan. We were not accompanied by any professors. The entire responsibility of us (though we are adults and all that stuff...) was taken by Shoaib.

The journey began on 25th of December, 2008. I thought I will write something about the preparations of going for the Conference on 25th. This time I was not lazy , but net frequently got disconnected.

We began from Madgaon railway station at around 9:30 p.m. after which we had great dinner in the railway. Next day we reached Bandra station. From there we caught a train to Jaipur. We reached Jaipur on the day of the Conference i.e on the 27th. We came to the University by hiring a rickshaw. 2 days of travel in the train and no accomodation on reaching there. We managed to attend the inaugural session with the stink in a posh hall with posh people.




Feeling lazy and tired again. Will write about more exciting and crazy things and about how we got our accomodation tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Futi Filmistani

Night had fallen. The street lamps glowed lazily over Ayeshaa theatre where the ‘Jade Buddha’ and ‘Ramu’ waited in silence. They were a decoy for the person most unwanted by friends.

The guy came riding his Honda Eterno. It was a rare coffee night out with friends. “Hi guys!” and then he spoke his signature sentence “Hey Ramu, u got the movie named….?”

Movies, parties and backing off from risky things at last moment. That’s ‘Futi Filmistani’ in a nutshell. With his electronic beggar’s bowl-an eight GB Kingston pen drive, he frequents the residence of anyone who can give him a movie, a computer game or a good software application. This man is officially rejected by friends. He is not a part of our group. Unable to find a different group, he pressurizes some of us to accompany him to multiplexes for a movie or two. The tolerant, calm Jade Buddha, a stressed out Ramu and me are his main victims.

One night, we had planned a trip to some place and were counting on Futi’s presence. When he learnt that it would take until 2 am to return home, he was mad. Still we took him with us. All was well until Futi got a call from his home and suddenly started screaming “Ab meri futi…baba meri futi (now I am busted….I am so busted!). He took his bike and frantically rushed home alone in the middle of the night. From that day on, he bears the nickname Futi.

Futi is actually a guy with a golden heart. Having tried his luck enough in education, he joined his dad in their hotel and catering business. It is difficult to assess him because he seldom talks about serious things. I have already mentioned the three things on top of his agenda. He is seen helping his dad in his work but is known to leave it halfway. Pure of heart and deeply emotional, I see him everyday dying to recruit friends. Not us, friends in general. His generosity provides a glimpse of his high end lifestyle. Very few people know that Futi is a man with a full wallet and a pro at handling business. He has cooked and fed the customers at his restaurant without anyone’s help.


Sometimes I think he is a child who has forgotten to grow up. Let me get this clear. At some point of our life, we are all influenced by movies. Again, all of us have understood where fantasy stops and reality begins. Futi is a young adult caught up in the mentality of a teenager. He knows about business, cash management, he has the capability to take risks and get through. The only thing he has always feared- yes I am using the correct word- feared, is taking responsibility. People have hinted time and again but the hints have failed to reach him. His parents taunt him all the time and he finds solace in movies.


Warm at first, friends started avoiding him as they got busy in their careers. A distressed Futi then turned to our official spiritual guru the Jade Buddha. Not for a way out of his immaturity but because he thought he could easily subdue JB into wandering with him. I had just left MA and was pondering over my future. A cunning JB directed Futi to me and got himself out. Being Futi’s next door neighbor, I couldn’t get rid of him. I told him I had my audio studio to run. Futi however found that I entertained friends better then I treated him. To control his discontent, I agreed to give him a treat at a local ice cream parlor. The party was full of surprises. Not for him, for me. There, Futi gave me an offer to invest Rs. 5000 in the share market. A movie addict talking of share market? I was shocked.

Then came another shock. While his dad ran the restaurant, Futi had expanded their business into dealership in cashew nuts. He did not hang out with friends because they were nocturnal creatures and he had a shop to open every morning.

He knew that his well doing restaurant might go to his brother currently pursuing commerce in higher secondary school. The cashew business was his alternative. A third shock. He knew! The movie-talk was a deception. He left his restaurant neglected to secure his cashew deals. His brother would have to deal with the turmoil in the restaurant. He was quietly testing the share market for capital. Global economic downturn meant availability of shares at cheaper prices. Bleed now, gain later.

He was not a bumbling movie addict; he was a brilliant market analyst.

The guy I thought was a cat, is actually a tiger.
.