November Rains: Whatsup Monthly Roundup

November Rains

The change of Season sets a reflective tone all over. As the winter sets in the northern hemisphere, the mixed emotions prevail over somethings that have gone past and somethings to look forward especially as we have reached penultimate page of 2018 Calender. Grey images in the northern part of globe add to the blues as depicted in the great Guns and Roses Song, but same chill add ‘world famous’ romantic and invigorating spirits (Gulabi Thandi) in Pune. Festivities of Ganapati, Navratri , Dusshera and Diwali done and dusted with we now head towards year end festivities after this small hiatus.  

Festivities of Diwali was marked  with the debate on crackers. There is a repeated pattern to kind of stigmatize Indian festivals like Diwali branding it as a source of pollution while same crackers turn into festivities for year end. Dahi handi and Ganpati to create noise pollution while ignoring all political noise, honking, marriage processions etc. Holi being source of water wastage while allowing swimming pools, loose taps to waste water 24 by 7. That does not mean we should not tamper with traditions and improve them but not through consorted agenda to shame these festivals while being silent on such flaws on other festivals. This modernization has to be done by sensible leadership, internal examples and awareness. No court can have any say in matter of faith his unless actual rituals negatively affect human life and well being, safety and legal violations financially. This awareness resulted in less pollution this year. But forget this noise, lets salute Diwali Traditions which ensure creativity through rituals like Rangoli, Illumination. Food and Miniature forts. Diwali also creates awareness of cleanliness. New trends like Diwali early morning events and concerts, Deepotsav, Tourism/Trekking are in thing in Diwali and this Diwali was no exception.

Mention of courts lead to another serious issue which has resulted in creating questions over credibility of this August institution. Apart from Indian Armed forces it was the only institution in India which had respect and which was russet by masses to have sense and ensure that things are above the board  in India. But now with some curious judgments as in Sabrimala, Crackers, and some very frivolous issues, really that credibility is at stake. As a systemic fault this institution is overloaded but that requires sense of prioritization prevail which has not as shown in midnight hearing of Afzhal Pardon, out of turn hearing in Setalwaad bail, and unnecessary delay in Haywood dispute. One feels that all these years we were made to believe in efficacy of collegium system to ensure unbiased judgement but it seems most severe form of manipulation we had been living in past regimes. With new school of thoughts having power in center and most parts of India, these fractures are exposed. With Media in their pockets , past regime had made us to believing in the fairness of system. Only time will let us know but we should have concrete plan to restore the credibility of Judiciary.

Mail That Did Not Bounce

 (This is my humble tribute, mediocre effort and  poor attempt to rever and respect my favorite writers, their style , the central plot, etc . PL  Deshpande and PG Wodehouse are my Idols. Please not that thios is work of fiction and all charatcters are imaginary.)

Today Mr and Mrs Bhatavadekar are the esteemed guests for dinner at our place. I am worried about how I should face them after almost a decade.. Actually I am feeling guilty that instead of being happy and excited about the reunion with someone who had been my best friend during most of my teens and young adulthood. But I am scared about both the past and the  future. Let me take back to the past first to explain root cause of my worries in present and define effects of present in my future.

When I say past , I mean those glorious college days with lots of friends, events, treks, picnics, restaurant food, movies, dramas when in Pune and Infinite fun of hostel life at a remote place. Life was an succession of events as endless like an Ekta Kapoor serial plot where something happens all the time. The most arduous task in life during those days was attending the lectures at 8 am in the morning after waking up at 7 45am squeezing breakfast in between. The most testing times were at the end of each semester where we would attend an event called as End Term Exams. The most bizarre task was to get inside my digestive system the most tasteless, pungent smelling and uncooked food someone can ever eat. I don’t know how I could have survived without  those omelets and Maggie dishes served at Naren Da (made to sound as NOren Da in Bengal) night canteen. The best parts of the life were the summer and winter vacations in Pune.

The past which I referring to was enacted in one of those winter vacations and the protagonist was my best friend Harshavardhan popularly knows at HB pencil. The genesis of this name was his pencil like tall and thin stature and his initials. Harshavardhan Bhatavadekar is a long name and if you add middle name it becomes an infinite loop. His father’s name is Shrinivas. I wonder if he gets enough space on the forms he need to fill in. I and HB met at preschool and had been together like a pillow and cushion till we parted ways after 12 th to different Engineering Colleges. We also had few other boys and girls in our motley group. We had named our group as MTV (empty vessels) as we made lot of noise. We had Prakash the eternal  forgetful day dreamer, Sumedh aka KK Kishore Kumar , Seema the emotional fool, Pradnya the fighter. HB was the joker and they called me scholar for my scholastic skills. I parted the group to join my far off college in middle of nowhere..

As we met in that eventful vacation, I found HB always lost like a passenger waiting for his Departure gate  to be announced at an European Airport. He was very uncharacteristically quiet  like a tap in a house where the water supply is cut due to non payment.  I could not trace the reason. I tried to talk to him but the guy avoided the topic like one avoids karela sabzi in the plate . But I am as persistent as a tele-caller. Sunset is the best time and any hill around Pune is the best place for one to feel more philosophical and feel an urge to open out to someone like one feels an impulse to throw out after smelling rotten fish. But what HB threw out was expression of his love he felt for Seema.

Higher Supreme Court Order

There is a Higher Court Over and above any Man-made Institution. It has decided in favor of all, that there would be no restrictions for anyone to:

Enjoy the Festival with Near and Dear Ones.

Buying Useful things for Self and Near and Dear Ones.

Be Creative in the Decoration, Illumination, Food, and other things during the Festival.

See New and Favorite Places.

Gain Knowledge, Health, Prosperity, Recognition and Self Actualization throughout the Next Year.

Spread Love, Harmony, Peace, Unity, Cleanliness, Discipline and Charity throughout the Next Year.

Help those who need the help throughout Next Year.

Stay Happy

So Please do not Violate this Order. Happy Diwali.