Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Ayodhya Issue

Since past one week I am seeing fear again in the eyes and talk of many. This fear was witnessed by me during the Babri Masjid Demolition. I have always said, sometimes someone starts a thing which blows out of proportion for that person also to control. The political parties for their benefit tried to rake up the Ram Mandir issue then…for the vote bank….and it backfired badly on our Country. The riots which followed after that are still reason enough for everybody to be afraid of a reoccurrence.

Now our Court of Law is going to decided whom the land belongs to. Frankly I give a damn about the land, but yes I am worried by seeing so many people worried about it. Everywhere the topic is the same. It was politics then, and so it is now. Our Government would not like any problems during the CWG games, for which they are already facing a flak for reasons best known to all of us. If the verdict comes out now, and God forbid there is some problem because of it, then whatever face it has to save by running the games successfully will be in dumps.

The Supreme Court of India, today has rejected the appeal for deferment of verdict by the High court. Too late …i feel….too convenient for the Government I feel……since one of the judge is set to retire in two days. So will the High Court give out it judgment in the coming two days. Highly unlikely I feel, since the CWG games are to be held successfully by the Government of India. Politics….Sigh!!!!!

The Owl

The owl sitting in the office
Yesterday turned out to be very interesting day. At around 10 am my factory worker excitedly called me inside the factory area….Quick bring your mobile and click the photos of an owl whoSitting below the Kadai has entered in the factory he said. When I reached there, I found two empty cans of 50kgs had fallen off from the overhead loft(the owl did this said my man). The owl had now hid itself below our big vessel.  I clicked a few snaps and then asked my people to scare it out of the window. But instead of going towards the window, it ran into another machine. We opened the door of the machine to find it neatly hidden there. From there we managed to make it go upto not one but three windows. But it was just not ready to go out. The reason of which dawned on us soon. A lot of crows had accumulated outside the window now. We were now aware that if we let it out, then the crows would surely peck it to death. Slowly we made the owl reach one of our office rooms, the doors of which we closed once it was inside. We were able to see thru the glass doors, that the owl was now sitting on the window ledge, (the glass pane of the window was closed), while the crows were pecking at the glass trying to get to it.
My  brother called up the AnimalSitting in the motor box of the machine Hospital at Parel, from where he got a few other numbers. But mostly we got the reply that they did not have the facility to take it away. In the meanwhile our habit of posting every bit of our life on facebook started a series of comments and phone calls. Some people were informing us its auspicious, while others were informing us its bad. Whatever the case, the thoughts in my mind were to get it out safe.
By afternoon a new issue cropped up in the office. There was a lot of chirping sound in our office bathroom loft. We were now worried …what if the owl has given kids over there. Finally one person climbed up the loft to only confirm that they are pigeon kids.
Thru net, we got numbers of BNHS, who informed us that they have already been informed, but were not able to help us out, and PAWS. From there, I was asked to leave the bird out only in the evening, since that is when the owl would be able to see and fly away. The dilemma was , that my office shuts down at 5 pm. sun down normally is at 7 nowadays. We got a cardboard box, punched holes on all sides and then with the help of one labour put the owl in the box.Final flight to freedom
I took it our residence. In the evening  all the kids of our building had accumulated on our terrace to see the release. On opening the box, it just gave a two second stare and flew off as if nothing has happened.
And Oh yes…my wife did some research in the night, and found that the Owl is the mode of transportation of Goddess Laxmi in the night. In the morning she uses Elephant. So it is supposed to be auspicious:)))

Friday, September 17, 2010

Art and craft bug

This Ganpati the Art and craft bug had bitten me. I had seen a show on the TV once with my kids, where they were showing how to make a small cave. I decided to do away with the “small” and make a bigger cave for decoration to keep my Idol in this year.

I started off with a cardboard box, after having secured the back with thermocol, i started making newspaper balls and using diluted fevicol stuck those paper balls on the top of the box. In the show they had used craft paper and tissue paper to cover up the paper balls. I found it unfeasible after starting. Got stuck. So then I used hessian bags to cover up the entire box and started giving the shape of a cave by using Plaster of Paris. Not being used to it, I used hand gloves, but found that they hinder the working. So started doing so with my bare hands. Daily evening after putting in 2-3 days into it, i realised that once i had put plaster of paris inside the box my height was reduced and that my Idol wont fit in. Infact I had overlooked the height factor of the idol totally!!!!

So it was back to drawing board. Now I got 50 mm thermocol sheets. but them below the box, on two sides and started cutting the centre of the box. Not an expert in mixing Plaster of Paris, some parts were becoming soggy, some parts were cracking, and the major hurdle i was facing was to prevent the front top from sagging down because of the weight. I next placed the entire thermocol and box cave on a table and right from the top of the box to the floor, i started shaping the cave using Plaster of Paris.

Support from family members was there, but then even they had their doubts , if it will look good. Finally, the entire structure was brushed using White cement with the help of a local painter on the last day.

We brought in some plants from our terrace and placed them all around the structure, lights were added.But……the main beauty came out after placing the idol in it. Ganpati Bappa Morya!!!!
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Tweet or blog

Less action nowadays on my blog. I would blame it on tweeting actually. It much easier to express your thoughts sometimes in a single line. It helps in two ways…one ..its like a dairy you are maintaining…two…sometimes you express your feelings and the load is off your head.
Many people ask me if anybody reads the blogs or tweets…for me its just like noting down what is in my head. Sometimes friends/relatives read the blogs/tweets and give their opinions, which are always helpful.
Whatever it is….I am continuing with whatever is possible with me….tweet and blog………