Returned from Pune

Returned from Pune today. Not very exciting one but I needed a break. But I am not definitely in good spirits as I simply hated travelling in 3rd Ac as it was so congested and the berths so low that I kept bumping my head everytime I moved it.

Visited PL Deshpande Udyan and found it fascinating. It is styled according to the philosophy of traditional Japanese gardening . It was so very peaceful.

Met Dilip Chitre, first time after he was taken seriously ill. He looked weak and has lost plenty of weight. But he is recovering. I know he is a fighter. I really admire that man. He can be unpleasant but he has this thing for taking out best from the people around him. He asked me if I still write poetry in English and what I was translating. Very inspiring. He had an exhibition of his paintings at Pundole and this man painted two more paintings on the very day I visited him. He told Mohan Borse that he paints at least two canvasses a day! Thats the spirit. I look up to him as my teacher, a stern one no doubt, but from whom I have learned a lot.

Met my Marathi poet friends Mangesh Kale, Saleel Wagh and Sandip Deshpande. Had a good time. I visited Saleel at his place as he had injured his feet. Mangesh as usual was brimming with ideas and plans.

Pankti and Vispi are very enthusiastic about Landmark Education programme and have kindly gifted me the membership for July 2009 Forum. Now as I am willing to go anywhere for improving my well being, I am going to give it a shot- remember my tryst with Past Life Regression? It is part of Aga Aga Mhashi phenomenon.

Brought many Marathi plays and films on dvd from Deccan Gym. I watch Ghashiram Kotwal and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. It again reminded me of Handoo's Palace Paradigm. Must say Tendulkar's plays are more complex than his political beliefs. The play ostentetiously refers to the post seventies manipulation of Shiv Sena by the Congress Govt to crush the socialist communist trade union movement, but the play however is more complex and universal. It shows how resistance is most often co-opted by the power structure.

My computer again is not keeping well, I will have to change its RAM. Yogeshbhai, my PC wala came and recommended me to change the RAM...

Neways.....

Stressed Syllables

Stressed Syllables

Planning to leave for Pune on 20th May and attend many weddings but plenty of assessment and exam work on hands and hence I am under lot of stress to finish things. The heat wave is on but seems to have softened a bit. The general elections results would be out tomorrow and everyone expects a hung parliament again. The defining feature of the post nineties national politics is the reality of the hung parliament. It goes hand-in-hand with the end of ideologies and probably even the end of ideas.

Pankti is extremely enthusiastic about the Landmark Forum workshops her entire family is taking. Vispi and Pankti want me to undergo the forum too. I dont mind at all, given the ` aga aga mhashi' philosophy which I have already mentioned once on the blog. I am willing to go anywhere and do anything to gain physical and mental health.

I restarted my swimming lesssons after a break of almost a year. This start- stop method is taking me nowhere. What I want now is good consistent practice to improve my hands, legs and breathe co-ordination.

Watched a good number of films too. Good ones are `Martian Child', Halloween, and Pulp Fiction. Films like Halloween and Pulp Fiction convince me that the Western society is essentially mentally deranged or even psychopathic. Mindless violence. Comedies are a big relief. Martian Child was very impressive. Princess Diaries and Runaway Bride are extremely funny. Loved them.