Where's the treasure?

Porque donde esta tu tesoro, alli esta tambein tu corazon

This is Mexican for, 'treasure is nowhere but in your heart.' And the above picture is the graphic expression of the thought. Alfredo Castaneda graphic artist of Mexico is the mind behind this masterpice that has been shipped from Mexico's Kyron Archive and put on the walls of Lalit Kala Kendra in the display of Mexican contemporary prints.

No one could resist the temptation of this work and stood for long admiring the piece of art that was beautifully presented in a shining wooden frame.

The catalogue of the exhibition is worth devouring , it is special to me and why? The embassy himself gave it to me and the secretary said, "There were eight catalogues and you are the only one here who is getting it." Ellan, Mexican Ambassadors wife said, "We were looking for you as His excellency wanted to give the catalogue to you himself."

Oh God why am I glorifying this?? ;)

Probably these little things add to the treasure in my heart.

When is Sisters Day??

I don't know why it is coming so late, this post on my sisters should have ideally been the first one to be written. But better late than never, since it is my 25th...silver jubilee post I can dedicate it to someone special that's for my sisters. Without thinking of what others will say I take the charge of announcing that Sisters Day should be celebrated when the three of us, "Ambreen, Aqsa and Me," realised that our togetherness is our strength that can withstand any adversity. I still remember how I cribbed during my early teens, "Why don't I have a Best or bestest friend," to this my sports teacher said you have but you haven't realised, "You are looking for a friend, when you eat, sleep and breath with Ambreen and Aqsa, probably they are the ones' who are meant to be your Best Friend." At that time I dismissed the thought as , "How can I be when I fight with them, cheat them on the Maggie by eating theirs after having mine, sipping more of frootie from their can than they actually allowed." 

But now when both of them are away and I haven't seen them long months I have been getting the pangs for writing an ode to them and celebrating sisters day. It's everyday at home when I have to eat my dinner alone, mix sugar and horlicks in milk alone, settle my wardrobe alone, listen to mom and dads instructions alone and go to food joints alone. Deep inside I know it's the vacuum that has been created by their absence which no one can fill. Now that the two of them have postponed their visits to next year...Jan 1 2009. I am getting impatient to hug Aqsa while sleeping and talk about our dream man with Ambreen.
I am not ashamed in saying that I have learnt a lot from them, whether it is Ambreen's indifference to favouritsm, to people who constantly compare her with fairer sibling, or brighter batchmate. She doesn't give a damn, with patience she dealt and weaned them out of her life. Today they cry for her affectionate glance. One more thing that sets her apart from others is, 'If you have messed with me then she will take it personally so much so you would think, "But I didnt wrong her." Hurting me was enough for her to dissociate herself with you. This is one reason why I don't reveal many of my insensitive friends to her. (I know she will be very happy after reading this after all the Leo Lioness is getting the attention) From Aqsa what I have learnt is, 'Do not worry,' it has now become an anthem we actually say this to motivate eachother, to put a certain demand at a suitable time and to curb the desire of having a frock of frills because it is just too expensive. She is one such person who is living in the future seeing me as her kids' Amma Khala, who will pamper them. Her imagination sometimes becomes difficult when she says, "Eram Apa I can imagine how good you will look after losing weight. You don't love me because if you did you would have lost some weight," now how can that be associated with my love for her. Please help!

I adore them and when they are not there I read for long hours, I stay in office for long , I get in touch with people who I would not attend when they are around.
You see I have finally found not one but two best friends, something that Aqsa insisted on always, "When we are together we don't need anyone." Touchwood!!

One Two, cha cha cha!

There are visibly two categories of people I have met so far who dance to the tune of life, One Two Cha cha cha!! in their own way
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One: Who find faults
Two: Who work against all odds
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One: Who have no clue
Two: Who exactly know what to do
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One: Who run after others
Two: Who make others run after them ;)
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One: Who are news breakers
Two: Who are news makers
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One: Who fall in love
Two: Who rise in love
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One: Who would say the same thing again and again
Two: Who would say the same thing differently
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One: Who notice you for your tie, perfume and shoe
Two: Who notice you only if you have some sense and IQ
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One: Who will write off you
Two: Who will write History with all that they do
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One: Who take life so seriously that they crib, bitch, gamble and hoard money
Two: Who find life so short that they prefer hoarding friends, laurels and a partner a'la Honey
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One: Who hunt for happiness outside home
Two: Who find it residing just in their adobe
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One: Who fight for the peice of land
Two: Who lend for the peace in land
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One: Who quitely wait for their turn
Two: Who are always out of turn
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One: Who will be forgotten
Two: Who will be remembered for what they've done.
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SEEKING SECRET

D has tagged me to reveal 10 top secrets about myself....let me tell you that it's not easy for a confused person of my ilk to share 10 concrete truths about himself. But just for you D i will try

1) I pretend that I'm not interested in getting knotty, But honestly I am. Will continue to show disinterest, "That don't impress me much," till the time I'm not convinced that he's the one, "Who can keep me warm in the middle of the night."

2) I want to lose weight without a strict diet regime. People say it's not possible in this janam. But trust me I visualise myself as a sexy mom and m convinced that these extra kilos are guests who will vacate the room soon.

3) I believe I'm great! and I dont know why, even after rigorous episodes of de-moralising i have gone in early phase of my working life nobody could convince me that i write "shit." On the other hand I think they don't understand.

4) I genuinely want to write biographies. Topping the list is......please don't laugh .....dreams do come true......issss Aamir Khan. I want to I want to and I want to a thousand times, Not becuase I have this fresh crush on his bhanja, Imraan Khan but because I think Aamir has a life worth being recorded.

5) I love my sisters. when they are around rest of the world fades into oblivion

6) Find young guys yummy

7) I love travelling and have not gone beyond delhi......sob! sob! Probably my honeymoon will be one travelling experience. Amen!

8) I'm not sociolable.....

9) Wow! i can tell 8 secrets about myself

10) it's done. good job

all the secrects are out.....

HOW DO PEOPLE REMEMBER YOU?

It's important for one to create an impression that can be etched in the memory of 'the others' and thereby those recipients of your persona can remember you like that. From pigtailed schooldays to adrenalin pumping college life I without realising had created an impression on my juniors with which they remembered me.

No this did not dawn on me with Gabriel descending with the dictate to write on this, but it was for my gift shopping for a special friend that I bumped into one of my juniors with whom I had been on 'hi' and 'hello' terms. I was so engrossed in picking a right fabric with an easy price tag that I didn't notice her queueing on the cash counter. Suddenly I heard her soft and surprised voice calling my name, 'Erammm..' Hey! and it went on to hows life and wassup. As a part of conversation I said, 'Congratulate your sis on getting married,' but then i thought and even said, 'it's been seven long years wonder if she remembers me? ' To this she smilingly replied, 'Who can forget the bell-ringer (yes i was the official bell ringer of my college LC) with golden colour worn out ringing bell in one hand and melting orange bar in the other." (oh what a picture) This just deported me to that world which I had forgotten in the daily cribbing, grinding and nibbling of working life. But I was glad that I am remembered for what I did and what I was i.e my bell signifying my dedication and ice-cream my spirit to live life even if the scorching heat of summer melted my daily bread, I mean my daily orange bar

So how do people remember you?

THOUGHT FOR THE MOTHERS DAY

"Here's to the happiest years of our lives spent in the arms of other men's wives.

Gentlemen!- Our Mothers."

Edward Lutyens

LIFE OF SIXTY MINUTES

While going for a walk my colleague asked me an impromptu question, "Eram if you get only an hour to spend with your beloved what will you do to make it memorable?"And my reply was...

Lie in on his lap, oh so soft,

ruffle my hair on his feet, may he be besot,

look deep in his eyes, oh so lost,

hold his hand warmly, and beat the frost,

make him decipher my murmur, a secret let out,

entangle him in the enigma of my talk, then laugh at his doubts,

kiss him and mollycoddle his soul, will start with the supple pout,

I Love You, a feeling that will echo lifelong after the shout,

Pull his cheeks, make demands, let him say where's the wand,

make him think how to fulfill, and grow more fond,

crack jokes with no funny bone, but elicit a response laugh lorn,

with all this and more those sixty minutes will be gone,

But will have happiness till eternity,

a memory etched with tinges of affection and divinity,

a desire for more such sixty minutes and pray for their longevity.

YOU ARE YET TO DREAM!!

Till the time others don't laugh at your dreams, Tom you are yet to dream,

Till the time eyes don't pop in disbelief saying, "Those achievers were different," Dick you are yet to dream,

Till the time they don't say, How will you go about it? Harry you are yet to dream

The time you elicit these responses you will be out of being Tom Dick and Harry.

Close your eyes and just ask yourself when did you last fly on the wings of your far reaching dreams. And it will explain whether it was a fling with life or genuinely an affair to remember.

WHAT SHOULD I SAY!

God kneaded damp mud to create man and then blew his spirit in him.

His mud moulding manouveres, sometimes hard sometimes soft punches made and shaped us. But I often think the pre-creation kneading and pushing continues even now in the post creation period . Every experience adds in our dough of life the required amount of moisture, dryness, sometimes sweet sometimes sour filling, making us the relishable or a desirable specie. Every incident is like that kick and nudge which we might have recieved before coming down on Earth. Isn't it? What made me talk of this thought is the eager hunt for a suitable Boy for me yaar! It is at that time I interrupted and said no. Not knowing why an improptu no to this groom hunt for me. Is marriage genuinely an important ingredient to make my dough of life fine to taste and perfect in shape. Recently I blogged on my seniors blog where I read about the fading affection in marriages after a gap of long years, and a usual promising start at the onset of every marriage bond. Some even said that single is the status to be in and I'm utterly confused what if I be what I am abhi. A single ladki!

CINE-MAA'S TALENTED CHILDREN

WHAT made 2008 great. Sorry for the delay in unlocking the brusary of the year goneby. As the trove was opened I found focus lights blinding both the 11 yr old Darsheel Safary and 65 yr old Amitabh Bachchan, and ear shutting applauses telling the world if you have it in you then you can romance the audience at whatever platform number of life you are. Whether 11 or 65.

The year 2008 defied the age adage, there was the competing spirit between the bunny teeth and tied white hair,

Darsheel smiled away into audience heart with his white protruding wealth,

Even Ghaasphus vegetatively spread greenery of love among those in their dotage,

If the expert chef tickled the love bud in his mid aged object of affection,

The cherubian from dyslexia showed deflection,

One had spontaneous questions ready,

the other had pat replies to the queries of doddering mom and sexy,

For him getting happiness was all about encircling the pillar, and for his younger half it was all about finding the pillar(Nikumbh).

All in all the brushstroke and the stirring in the bowl made a good recipe(indicative of Amitabh's craft) on the canvas (indicative of Ishaan's Art) of cinema.

FLIP FROM THE FLICKS

THEY too hopped onto the bandwagon, only to fall flat on their faces. The initial success on the BO of two reigning themes in Bollywood – Retro (OSO) and Sports (Chak De! India) – had other filmmakers too wishing to ride the wave. But while both OSO and Chak De... were highly ap preciated, the subsequent flicks in the respective genre – Khoya Khoya Chand and Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal – failed to make the same impact, despite a competing publicity blitzkrieg. LT analyses the contrast between the movies of these two genres, which rocked 2007 and those which were docked.

SPORT IT LIKE WHOM?

Shall cinema stick to sticks? Those hockey sticks wielded power and scored maximum points on box office scoreboard, while the (foot)ball was not on roll.
Juxtapose Chak de! India and Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, and you'll find a number of similarities, except their ultimate fate. Imagine a country that worships cricket accepting it's stepbrother, hockey. To the bad fortunes of its director Vivek Agnihotri, Goal came when people were already in awe of Shimit Amin's baby. The regionalism of Chak de! India was far more understandable than the racism of Goal. Rivalry between team members was more of a treat to watch than the white and black difference. While Chak De... flowed with the kudis from different regions who united on the field, Goal was stranded in the field of cinema. Despite the common thread run ning in the plot where the teams are lurking in darkness, sans sponsers and boosters, Chak de!... clicked, while even Billo couldn't play a supporting role to sell bad direction or the weak plot of Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal.
70'S BIGGER THAN 50'S?

Khan we say Khan sells? Whether it was his item number powered by six pack abs, or the 31 stars who descended on the dance floor, the rocking 70s of Om Shanti Om had the box office tinkling more than the golden era of 50s Bollywood in Khoya Khoya Chand. While Sudhir Mishra's moon got lost in translation, the intricate weaving of contemporary starlet Deepika Padukone's role with the stars of yesteryears Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt and Jeetendra in OSO was accepted with open arms. Asking for alms was Khoya Khoya Chand, which stood out for its staginess and clueless characters. OSO, on the other hand, was overflowing with energetic and vibrant performance. It is an irony that a superstitious belief like reincarnation was a hit, while the much-castigated casting couch failed to grip attention. Khoya Khoya Chand left us conjecturing whether the film was a replay of instances from Meena Kumari, Madhubala or Guru Dutt's life? On the contrary, King Khan's OSO made sure you got the 70s dose in plenty, with the quintessential gestures of Manoj Kumar and Dev Anand's swagger along with Mithun da's jiggy moves.

eram agha

(This piece appeared in Lucknow Times, for those who missed it there catch up here.)

Here's another take on life.........

"LIFE IS A GIFT TO BE SHARED AND NOT A PROPERTY TO BE DEFENDED" By Anonymous

Thought for the Lifetime

GOD SMILES AT THOSE WHO SMILE AT OTHERS...........(try it!!)

by Eram Agha