GROWING UP AGAIN! - What flashes your mind if you have to interpret this statement?
Well it is true that there are more than one ways of construing a text, and each way can hold a different meaning. Our interpretations vary with our experiences and the meaning of each statement differs for every individual based on his past life experiences. Growing Up Again – A mere statement which (to my surprise), MS WORD does not term as a fragmented sentence can have a deep meaning for someone, while someone else might simply call it an imagination which can never occur! It is indeed very interesting to read how our writers dissect a mini statement to make sense to themselves and express their version of “Growing Up Again!”
“What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth. Your truth is important. Yet it is not The Truth.” – Linda Ellinor. Well, “The Truth” is something we all struggle with, celebrate, mourn, rejoice, train and get trained about, work towards, inform, and learn everyday in our lives! Our lives are filled with situations and experiences – good and bad, which are the truths or so to say the facts of our lives which we are constantly dealing with. But each of us has our own world of imagination where we dare to dream and live the idealistic life! In this parallel life we as individuals are the centre of all activities and every thing and person revolving around us is a character either real or fictional living a life with us which is our imagination! Some of us are able to fulfill a few episodes out of this parallel script we write in our lives, while for some; the script merely remains to be a written script. Well I don’t know how true it is, but it could be a good reason for the many funny and unreal dreams or nightmares we see while asleep!
Throwing such an imaginative topic to our writers was an attempt to tear a leaflet out of their script and wander into this imaginative wonderland that they all have created for themselves. Fiction always makes for an interesting read, because it surpasses all boundaries of reality. Not always! But it definitely has the ability to beat what is true and glorify an imagination.
This Diwali, we present to you snippets out of the imagination of a few of our PP friends’ minds! Each of them has interpreted “Growing Up Again!” in their own unique style, giving all you readers a plethora of engaging content to read. We wish this journey of all our writers does give you all readers a new perspective than the ones you have designed for yourself. If not, I ensure you can get a sneak peak into their imaginative minds and treat yourself to some great articles to read!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Diwali Issue Oct 2011 - Growing Up Again!
Growing Up Again!
It was a usual Friday Night weekend party at a friend’s place. After all the ‘hungama’ and ‘masti’ with half of the crowd falling asleep, just before sunrise some of us started playing the game “Truth or Dare”. The most entertaining and deadly “DARES” did their usual rounds with all of us, and then it was our turn to finally play the TRUTH game! Some of us got away with some easy questions while some of us were cornered with some embarrassing and trying moments. With a closely knit group, there is never a need to lie but sometimes remembering a past moment in our lives can be rather embarrassing or at times an eye opener! One question that was etched in my mind even days after the party – “Tell us three things / events in your life you repent the most!” Well an ideal answer that we all like to give is “I repent nothing in my life, as I have learnt something from every experience of mine!” yes, this is a great answer probably in an interview for a job, but does this answer seem true to any of us? I am sure we all have some actions or events to repent in our lives which we never like to admit and keep covering them up by saying - “yes I admit it was a mistake but I don’t repent it as I learnt a lot from it!” Well that sure is a brave front to take and I am sure we learn a lot from our mistakes, but I am also sure of this that there are some mistakes that we wish we never did!
I would have never gone back in time to relive my past, had it not been for this article. “Growing Up Again!” – What an optimistic thought. I look at it as a chance to live my life again! Well that is technically impossible, but imagination can be as wild as that! And if I have to imagine this then some of these mistakes I would like to undo. Yes of course many of my mistakes did teach me a lot, and were definitely required to mould me into the person that I am today. Imagine what a wonderful feeling it is to have the maturity of a 30 year old and still have the ability to change or undo certain actions that I did in my adolescence or may be childhood! Life would be so perfect! But these imperfections in life itself teach us the path ahead! Those sweet mistakes which accidentally introduce us to the love of our life, or which cause a fight between two thick pals only to bring them closer together, would never see the light of the day! Those days of hiding a Mills & Boons behind the science text book pretending to study, and then crying over a low percentage, those days of splurging our pocket money in the first week of the month, only to beg and borrow for the remaining weeks, fighting with our dad for a low pocket money least realizing that it is silently teaching us to plan our finance, those days of cribbing over not having a room to ourselves only to grow up and realize how much we miss sharing the bed and secrets with our siblings, those days of envying older cousins on having their independence waiting for the day when we will start working ourselves, only to realize that childhood was that golden period of our lives which will never return, etc. etc. these are experiences, and sweet mistakes which are worth every tear, smile, frown, and sleepless night they bring along with them. But even today when I introspect, I remember certain situations which probably haven’t affected me much, but have troubled someone else in many ways! These are mistakes I may have committed unknowingly which may have hurt someone and in the heat of adolescence I must have never bothered to even make up to that person! Today as a 30 year old my reactions are far more calculated and thought over, but as a teenager I know I must have hurt a friend, or a loved one least bothering about his or her feelings. These are some of the spoken words, or actions that I would like to undo if I get a chance to live my life again!
I have been very fortunate to have had a wonderful, secure and happy childhood unlike many people I know! Childhood comprises of those formative years of our lives where the experiences and learnings actually mould us into unique individuals. Although we were 10 people living in one house, our family extended over a larger group with other cousins living in the same building as us. We were a family of almost 30 living under the same roof! In school I remember telling my teachers on various occasions that I live in a joint family, least knowing that mine actually was a unique joint family with almost 30 people living in the same building sharing, playing, celebrating, cribbing and crying together! We had the most wonderful vacations and never needed friends to spend time with, as our cousins were our best friends! We had what many children could only dream of - A financially and emotionally secure childhood! But what I appreciate today, I took it for granted as a child. At that time, at any given time, I could walk into any of my uncle’s home and find someone to talk to or play with right from a 75 year old to a 5 year old! Today I miss having all those people around me. On the third floor of our building all flats were occupied by our family, so often in the evenings, the main doors of those flats would be wide open and we would walk in freely and move around and play wherever we like. As a kid I used to hate to see those doors shut and would always assume that it is against the family’s tradition to keep those doors shut, but today, I am eagerly waiting for all of them to just come back in the re constructed building to live together not even bothering about those doors open or shut! When my parents decided to leave that flat and settle in Vikhroli, I visited my empty home many times before relocating myself…. But many years later recently when I saw pictures of our building terrace posted by a cousin on Facebook, I realized that I missed giving a last visit to that terrace which is witness to some of the most memorable moments of our lives. It was our cousins’ so called ‘adda’ where we have celebrated all festivals, played holi, organized fun n fares, had our birthday parties, in fact some of us must have celebrated all our milestone events on that terrace right from our own naming ceremony to birthdays to wedding sangeets, to baby showers and probably completed the circle with our kids’ naming ceremony too! This ‘adda’ cannot be replaced by any other hang out area in the world; still as a kid I never really appreciated it as much as I do today! Such a wonderful childhood probably could have just bettered had I appreciated all these things while I experienced them! If I have to grow up again, I would want to live exactly the same childhood with the awareness of being given life’s best childhood and the ability to appreciate the same at the same time!
Growing up again! – In a matter of a few hours I could relive my complete life and imagine what I would want to retain and undo in my life in a jiffy! Imagination can surely reveal some truths that we often overlook in reality. Well many situations and experiences in our lives happen out of our own or other’s actions and reactions. But there are some experiences that are led by fate and are not governed by anyone’s actions or reactions. Are we destined to see happiness and pain in the degree that we actually do or do we decide that degree ourselves? Can we rule our destiny? If I have to grow up again, Can I make that small change in my life, where I can plan my destiny? Can I undo an event when I have lost a dear one? Can I undo a mishap in the life of a close friend? Is it possible to evade a natural calamity? Will I still see that much pain in some other form, if these events have to change? May be yes, or may be no! I don’t really know the answer to this, but it would be great if in my second chance of growing up I could edit my life in such a fashion that I could contribute in a larger way towards my fate not merely through my actions and reactions, but by changing certain patterns in life which seem rather unpleasant. I know this isn’t possible in reality, but imagination need not be bound! It is only in our mind’s eye that we can see fiction and wishfully think of living it someday! Alas! Growing up again does seem to be a great option, but is not a reality… we are here to live just ONE life, and we must do all we can to live it to the fullest!! Here’s wishing all the readers a very Happy Diwali and as we step into the New Year, I wish another healthy, happy and prosperous year for all of us to live to the fullest!
It was a usual Friday Night weekend party at a friend’s place. After all the ‘hungama’ and ‘masti’ with half of the crowd falling asleep, just before sunrise some of us started playing the game “Truth or Dare”. The most entertaining and deadly “DARES” did their usual rounds with all of us, and then it was our turn to finally play the TRUTH game! Some of us got away with some easy questions while some of us were cornered with some embarrassing and trying moments. With a closely knit group, there is never a need to lie but sometimes remembering a past moment in our lives can be rather embarrassing or at times an eye opener! One question that was etched in my mind even days after the party – “Tell us three things / events in your life you repent the most!” Well an ideal answer that we all like to give is “I repent nothing in my life, as I have learnt something from every experience of mine!” yes, this is a great answer probably in an interview for a job, but does this answer seem true to any of us? I am sure we all have some actions or events to repent in our lives which we never like to admit and keep covering them up by saying - “yes I admit it was a mistake but I don’t repent it as I learnt a lot from it!” Well that sure is a brave front to take and I am sure we learn a lot from our mistakes, but I am also sure of this that there are some mistakes that we wish we never did!
I would have never gone back in time to relive my past, had it not been for this article. “Growing Up Again!” – What an optimistic thought. I look at it as a chance to live my life again! Well that is technically impossible, but imagination can be as wild as that! And if I have to imagine this then some of these mistakes I would like to undo. Yes of course many of my mistakes did teach me a lot, and were definitely required to mould me into the person that I am today. Imagine what a wonderful feeling it is to have the maturity of a 30 year old and still have the ability to change or undo certain actions that I did in my adolescence or may be childhood! Life would be so perfect! But these imperfections in life itself teach us the path ahead! Those sweet mistakes which accidentally introduce us to the love of our life, or which cause a fight between two thick pals only to bring them closer together, would never see the light of the day! Those days of hiding a Mills & Boons behind the science text book pretending to study, and then crying over a low percentage, those days of splurging our pocket money in the first week of the month, only to beg and borrow for the remaining weeks, fighting with our dad for a low pocket money least realizing that it is silently teaching us to plan our finance, those days of cribbing over not having a room to ourselves only to grow up and realize how much we miss sharing the bed and secrets with our siblings, those days of envying older cousins on having their independence waiting for the day when we will start working ourselves, only to realize that childhood was that golden period of our lives which will never return, etc. etc. these are experiences, and sweet mistakes which are worth every tear, smile, frown, and sleepless night they bring along with them. But even today when I introspect, I remember certain situations which probably haven’t affected me much, but have troubled someone else in many ways! These are mistakes I may have committed unknowingly which may have hurt someone and in the heat of adolescence I must have never bothered to even make up to that person! Today as a 30 year old my reactions are far more calculated and thought over, but as a teenager I know I must have hurt a friend, or a loved one least bothering about his or her feelings. These are some of the spoken words, or actions that I would like to undo if I get a chance to live my life again!
I have been very fortunate to have had a wonderful, secure and happy childhood unlike many people I know! Childhood comprises of those formative years of our lives where the experiences and learnings actually mould us into unique individuals. Although we were 10 people living in one house, our family extended over a larger group with other cousins living in the same building as us. We were a family of almost 30 living under the same roof! In school I remember telling my teachers on various occasions that I live in a joint family, least knowing that mine actually was a unique joint family with almost 30 people living in the same building sharing, playing, celebrating, cribbing and crying together! We had the most wonderful vacations and never needed friends to spend time with, as our cousins were our best friends! We had what many children could only dream of - A financially and emotionally secure childhood! But what I appreciate today, I took it for granted as a child. At that time, at any given time, I could walk into any of my uncle’s home and find someone to talk to or play with right from a 75 year old to a 5 year old! Today I miss having all those people around me. On the third floor of our building all flats were occupied by our family, so often in the evenings, the main doors of those flats would be wide open and we would walk in freely and move around and play wherever we like. As a kid I used to hate to see those doors shut and would always assume that it is against the family’s tradition to keep those doors shut, but today, I am eagerly waiting for all of them to just come back in the re constructed building to live together not even bothering about those doors open or shut! When my parents decided to leave that flat and settle in Vikhroli, I visited my empty home many times before relocating myself…. But many years later recently when I saw pictures of our building terrace posted by a cousin on Facebook, I realized that I missed giving a last visit to that terrace which is witness to some of the most memorable moments of our lives. It was our cousins’ so called ‘adda’ where we have celebrated all festivals, played holi, organized fun n fares, had our birthday parties, in fact some of us must have celebrated all our milestone events on that terrace right from our own naming ceremony to birthdays to wedding sangeets, to baby showers and probably completed the circle with our kids’ naming ceremony too! This ‘adda’ cannot be replaced by any other hang out area in the world; still as a kid I never really appreciated it as much as I do today! Such a wonderful childhood probably could have just bettered had I appreciated all these things while I experienced them! If I have to grow up again, I would want to live exactly the same childhood with the awareness of being given life’s best childhood and the ability to appreciate the same at the same time!
Growing up again! – In a matter of a few hours I could relive my complete life and imagine what I would want to retain and undo in my life in a jiffy! Imagination can surely reveal some truths that we often overlook in reality. Well many situations and experiences in our lives happen out of our own or other’s actions and reactions. But there are some experiences that are led by fate and are not governed by anyone’s actions or reactions. Are we destined to see happiness and pain in the degree that we actually do or do we decide that degree ourselves? Can we rule our destiny? If I have to grow up again, Can I make that small change in my life, where I can plan my destiny? Can I undo an event when I have lost a dear one? Can I undo a mishap in the life of a close friend? Is it possible to evade a natural calamity? Will I still see that much pain in some other form, if these events have to change? May be yes, or may be no! I don’t really know the answer to this, but it would be great if in my second chance of growing up I could edit my life in such a fashion that I could contribute in a larger way towards my fate not merely through my actions and reactions, but by changing certain patterns in life which seem rather unpleasant. I know this isn’t possible in reality, but imagination need not be bound! It is only in our mind’s eye that we can see fiction and wishfully think of living it someday! Alas! Growing up again does seem to be a great option, but is not a reality… we are here to live just ONE life, and we must do all we can to live it to the fullest!! Here’s wishing all the readers a very Happy Diwali and as we step into the New Year, I wish another healthy, happy and prosperous year for all of us to live to the fullest!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June 2011 Editorial - The Making Of Pratyush
By the time you all read this article, the verdict will surely be out. But it is just the end of May, and as I write, my mental state of mind currently is all jitters thinking about our most awaited event of the year – Pratyush 2011 which will be showcased at Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra (W) on June 11, 2011. Well the program needs no introduction. Most of us have been a witness to this extravaganza! This is our third consecutive year and I am confident that we shall rock! For the last two years, I have had the pleasure and the privilege to cover the event in Prabhu Tarun and the opportunity to thank everyone on and off the stage for putting up a massive show like this! Since this year, our event is held in the second week of June, we will be covering the event only in July. So that leaves me not much scope to talk about what and how it all happened! So I found an alternative way of covering Pratyush…
Well, for all of you Pratyush is an event which is slated to happen somewhere in June, and I hope you all have booked your tickets! But for US (Pratyush event organizers) it’s a journey that began three years back! Journey filled with tears both of joy as well as sadness, excitement, fun, tension, anger, frustration, happiness, pride, overwhelm, bliss and I can just go on. From the day we conceptualized this show, till date, it has been the most unpredictable journey.
Way back in November 2008, we conceptualized an event with dance! All we wanted to do was re-create the magic Prabhu Tarun created some years back in 1997 in Amrut Mahotsav, which was the 75th year of Prabhu Tarun, and the whole year was celebrated with various events. Although we were very young, and barely contributed to the organizing of the show, we were participating in it and loved every moment of the rehearsals. For us ‘dance’ was all that mattered, most of us were in college and studying in our crucial years, but still would find time to make it on time for rehearsals with loads of dedication. Our then choreographer Mrs. Nandita Dhurandhar did a great job and trained us to perform various dance forms on that stage. The then Editor of Prabhu Tarun Late Mr. Suhas Kothare was indeed successful in getting a bunch of youngsters together to put up a good show, which surely left an indelible impression on young minds like ours! Such great memories, and we were simply looking forward to reviving the same magical moments! All we wanted to do was bring the youth together and provide them a platform that we got years back to showcase their talent, which otherwise gets lost in the competitive world of academics and corporate life! We got a tremendous support from the Prabhu Tarun Board and soon we got going with conceptualizing the program. Mrs. Puja Ajinkya – The director for the first year, and Mr. Vishwas Natekar – The choreographer for the past three years did a fantastic job! We got a remarkable response from the community and could put together almost 70 participants on stage! The community witnessed the first of its kind mega event and everyone associated with the show won accolades for themselves!!!!
The next year, was even tougher as it raised expectations from people. This time we brought in a new director Mr. Satish Joshi, who brilliantly wove a script with various dances and Mr. Natekar again at his best, put up a massive show! Well, the output was sheer brilliance!!! With accolades coming from every corner of the community, it was a very overwhelming moment for us! Because, rising above already high expectation was a tough task, but we sailed through. All this was possible because of a great team that worked persistently to put up such a mega event! And here we are, all set to rock the same stage all over again!
Well the journey so far sounds very good. But behind this journey there is a lot of heartbreak, disappointment, and fear. Is that very shocking to know? Well it may be shocking but, it is true. If you all have noticed I have been referring to ‘US’ as ‘Pratyush event organizers’. These organizers are a part of the ‘Yuva Manch’ committee and have selflessly given their time and have put in efforts to make this show happen. They volunteer for work only because they feel the urge to give something back to the community and by choice put in all the efforts without awaiting any orders from the Prabhu Tarun Board. But some who want to only be called a part of the committee for their vested interest, with time choose to walk away. It is indeed very strange to see success get into people’s heads. It is very unfortunate that some people just need more attention. They start thinking that the accolades are only for and because of them, but the fact will always remain that it’s the team effort that makes it happen. Talent is appreciated when it is exhibited humbly. People play politics on a stage which for us is nothing less than worship; such power seeking people can never garner respect and hence start drifting away from the team’s joint missions. The way a rotten potato spoils the entire basket of potatoes, similarly, they drifting away also leaves their residual negative energy and stench. We as a committee suffered in the bargain, losing many participants to this rotten potato!
Pratyush is all about the people participating in the show. As long as such negative vibes are only restricted to the committee, it is easy to handle. But when it starts trickling down towards the participants, it gets difficult to manage. Participants are ultimately young bloods, who get carried away by the words spoken by some who are all out there to ruin the show. Now you may ask that why would there be anyone who would want to ruin the show? Well we have experienced people whose nuisance value has risen to the hilt only because they have not been able to get the power to rule and the attention they feel they deserve while planning a program like this in spite of working in the committee. I know it sounds absurd and immature, may be it seems even more childish for someone like me to mention it here. This is not because I want to express my woes to you, but this is because we as a team want to appeal to all the participants.
We so eagerly wait every year, for your participation in this show, which provides you a platform to showcase your talent. We were never as lucky to get professional guidance in various art forms and stand on such a massive stage and perform. Here we are bringing it on a platter for you all and the least we want is a little bit of cooperation and support by being there and participating. Now that’s not asking for too much. Don’t wait for your friends to come, as here is where you originally met your friends, so if some don’t come never mind, you will make new friends! It is the art that binds the people together, and with clean intentions and a thirst to learn there will always be scope to find like minded people and grow your network even bigger.
All this may have dampened our spirits but we still have it in us to give this year our best shot! Not for anyone but for those participants who without complaining have always supported us through thick and thin. We started off on setting up a stage for the community and we are continuing our mission. We don’t know how long we can continue, but we are proud of these three years we have slogged it out along with all our participants. So all of you hold your breath, and raise a toast to the best event that could have happened in the history of our community, as we unfold Pratyush 2011. Starring a huge bunch of enthusiastic PPs, drama scripted and directed by Sanjoo Talpade and Bhakti Pradhan Shete, and dances of course choreographed by Vishwas Natekar! We guarantee you a rollicking ride as you experience another extravaganza from our kitty! Looking forward to seeing all of you come and cheer our little, young and old participants. I personally wish to dedicate this year’s Pratyush to all those participants who have stood by us like rocks through all the three years by contributing in their own way and encouraging us to keep coming back with a bang!
Well, for all of you Pratyush is an event which is slated to happen somewhere in June, and I hope you all have booked your tickets! But for US (Pratyush event organizers) it’s a journey that began three years back! Journey filled with tears both of joy as well as sadness, excitement, fun, tension, anger, frustration, happiness, pride, overwhelm, bliss and I can just go on. From the day we conceptualized this show, till date, it has been the most unpredictable journey.
Way back in November 2008, we conceptualized an event with dance! All we wanted to do was re-create the magic Prabhu Tarun created some years back in 1997 in Amrut Mahotsav, which was the 75th year of Prabhu Tarun, and the whole year was celebrated with various events. Although we were very young, and barely contributed to the organizing of the show, we were participating in it and loved every moment of the rehearsals. For us ‘dance’ was all that mattered, most of us were in college and studying in our crucial years, but still would find time to make it on time for rehearsals with loads of dedication. Our then choreographer Mrs. Nandita Dhurandhar did a great job and trained us to perform various dance forms on that stage. The then Editor of Prabhu Tarun Late Mr. Suhas Kothare was indeed successful in getting a bunch of youngsters together to put up a good show, which surely left an indelible impression on young minds like ours! Such great memories, and we were simply looking forward to reviving the same magical moments! All we wanted to do was bring the youth together and provide them a platform that we got years back to showcase their talent, which otherwise gets lost in the competitive world of academics and corporate life! We got a tremendous support from the Prabhu Tarun Board and soon we got going with conceptualizing the program. Mrs. Puja Ajinkya – The director for the first year, and Mr. Vishwas Natekar – The choreographer for the past three years did a fantastic job! We got a remarkable response from the community and could put together almost 70 participants on stage! The community witnessed the first of its kind mega event and everyone associated with the show won accolades for themselves!!!!
The next year, was even tougher as it raised expectations from people. This time we brought in a new director Mr. Satish Joshi, who brilliantly wove a script with various dances and Mr. Natekar again at his best, put up a massive show! Well, the output was sheer brilliance!!! With accolades coming from every corner of the community, it was a very overwhelming moment for us! Because, rising above already high expectation was a tough task, but we sailed through. All this was possible because of a great team that worked persistently to put up such a mega event! And here we are, all set to rock the same stage all over again!
Well the journey so far sounds very good. But behind this journey there is a lot of heartbreak, disappointment, and fear. Is that very shocking to know? Well it may be shocking but, it is true. If you all have noticed I have been referring to ‘US’ as ‘Pratyush event organizers’. These organizers are a part of the ‘Yuva Manch’ committee and have selflessly given their time and have put in efforts to make this show happen. They volunteer for work only because they feel the urge to give something back to the community and by choice put in all the efforts without awaiting any orders from the Prabhu Tarun Board. But some who want to only be called a part of the committee for their vested interest, with time choose to walk away. It is indeed very strange to see success get into people’s heads. It is very unfortunate that some people just need more attention. They start thinking that the accolades are only for and because of them, but the fact will always remain that it’s the team effort that makes it happen. Talent is appreciated when it is exhibited humbly. People play politics on a stage which for us is nothing less than worship; such power seeking people can never garner respect and hence start drifting away from the team’s joint missions. The way a rotten potato spoils the entire basket of potatoes, similarly, they drifting away also leaves their residual negative energy and stench. We as a committee suffered in the bargain, losing many participants to this rotten potato!
Pratyush is all about the people participating in the show. As long as such negative vibes are only restricted to the committee, it is easy to handle. But when it starts trickling down towards the participants, it gets difficult to manage. Participants are ultimately young bloods, who get carried away by the words spoken by some who are all out there to ruin the show. Now you may ask that why would there be anyone who would want to ruin the show? Well we have experienced people whose nuisance value has risen to the hilt only because they have not been able to get the power to rule and the attention they feel they deserve while planning a program like this in spite of working in the committee. I know it sounds absurd and immature, may be it seems even more childish for someone like me to mention it here. This is not because I want to express my woes to you, but this is because we as a team want to appeal to all the participants.
We so eagerly wait every year, for your participation in this show, which provides you a platform to showcase your talent. We were never as lucky to get professional guidance in various art forms and stand on such a massive stage and perform. Here we are bringing it on a platter for you all and the least we want is a little bit of cooperation and support by being there and participating. Now that’s not asking for too much. Don’t wait for your friends to come, as here is where you originally met your friends, so if some don’t come never mind, you will make new friends! It is the art that binds the people together, and with clean intentions and a thirst to learn there will always be scope to find like minded people and grow your network even bigger.
All this may have dampened our spirits but we still have it in us to give this year our best shot! Not for anyone but for those participants who without complaining have always supported us through thick and thin. We started off on setting up a stage for the community and we are continuing our mission. We don’t know how long we can continue, but we are proud of these three years we have slogged it out along with all our participants. So all of you hold your breath, and raise a toast to the best event that could have happened in the history of our community, as we unfold Pratyush 2011. Starring a huge bunch of enthusiastic PPs, drama scripted and directed by Sanjoo Talpade and Bhakti Pradhan Shete, and dances of course choreographed by Vishwas Natekar! We guarantee you a rollicking ride as you experience another extravaganza from our kitty! Looking forward to seeing all of you come and cheer our little, young and old participants. I personally wish to dedicate this year’s Pratyush to all those participants who have stood by us like rocks through all the three years by contributing in their own way and encouraging us to keep coming back with a bang!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
February Editorial - She's Always a Woman to Me
“In order to impact my world the way I wanted to impact it, I was going to have to become a woman of substance.” – Susan Meier (Author)
What defines a woman of substance? I think a woman of substance is someone who by sheer living makes a difference in this world. She is the one who attempts and fails, but does not mull over the failure! She is the one who can lead unconditionally! She is NOT a spectator but she is the EXECUTOR who is willing to stand by her decisions however wrong they may go! For her family and friends, SHE is a part of the SOLUTION.
We often misunderstand a Woman of Substance to be the same as a Career Woman. A woman need not be a career woman to become a ‘woman of substance’. There are many women I know who are struggling to find their identity in the corporate world, while that does not stop them from being the women of substance, a working status does not qualify them to be one either. A woman proves her metal at home by being the perfect homemaker, multi-tasking between the kitchen and the kids and others in the family! She is the one who moulds the children in the house, helps them grow and become better and successful human beings! For a homemaker her job is well done if she has successfully fulfilled her duties towards her family keeping her own identity intact. Duties she easily fulfills but she often forgets to prioritize her own needs and desires, losing her identity in the bargain. Being a homemaker is a 24/7 job, therefore it is very crucial for her to voice her personal priorities, do the things she likes which give her satisfaction. She has to have her own world which gives her enough space to move out of the mundane. I know of women who are homemakers and still take time out, this is their “ME” time! They run classes, or join hobby classes, do gardening, charity, explore places, meditate, cook, paint, decorate their house or even clean their house! But they certainly do not sit at home and pity their state and expect empathy in return. These women know to respect themselves and their time and therefore command respect from others as well. Many of us when asked to name one “woman of substance” we know, will name our own mothers! These mothers are the ones who have got IT right! That makes them efficient, effective at the same time happy individuals! And after all, A happy homemaker makes a happy home!
Yes indeed homemakers are role models in their own way, but we cannot leave the ‘corporate woman’ out from this discussion. The status of women has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia especially in India. In modern India, women have adorned high offices on the corporate as well as political front and have contributed to some of the most path-breaking success stories in the history of Corporate India. There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a great revolution in the history of women.
But the corporate world does not change rules by gender, therefore today; a woman has to be as tough as a man to prove her metal here! She has to fight preconceived notions that she will compromise on work because of her commitments at home. Or that she will NOT be able to physically manage the job like the way men do it! Rather there are men and sadly even some women who think that a woman is best where she deserves to be i.e. home! Now that’s nasty!
By nature women are great at multi-tasking, when at home they can gossip over the phone while watching a TV serial! They can run through their child’s studies while setting up the washing machine! They can cook as well as instruct the house helpers about their daily chores! In short while men at home boast about being uni-functional devices, which they so proudly claim if asked to contribute in household chores, women seem to be the best bet in the corporate world, if they have the right opportunity to prove their talent and use this same multi-tasking ability at work. And with time women have successfully found their foothold in the corporate world, and climbed to the topmost rung of the corporate ladder, far above the glass ceiling, shattering it to smithereens. From Shehnaz Hussain & Indira Nooyi, to Chanda Kochar women have proved that they are here to widen their own horizons and enrich the corporate world with what they have to offer. Like them, many women today have understood their scope and identified their area of expertise in whichever field they opt. Today, a woman does not mind doing that extra struggle juggling between her home and work, if at the end of the day she has mental satisfaction through work and peace through her home. She is independent and there for a cause! She has a point of view in the decisions both at work and at home, and she loves her struggle and her “no time for nonsense” status as her focus is well defined. Every such woman in my eyes is a woman of substance. She knows what she wants and also knows how far she can go to achieve it and then relentlessly works towards her goals!
International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women: past, present and future. While I believe that we co-exist with men and do not need such days to celebrate US, I also feel that such days give us a reason to look within ourselves and appreciate ourselves for what we are. May be the men think it is not fair to have a special day for us, and we don’t have such MEN’s days to celebrate them! But for all you men out there, on this very occasion of the upcoming women’s day go ahead and wish at least two women who you think are “women of substance” giving them reasons why you feel so, and you shall be made to feel SPECIAL for the rest of your lives ! This suggestion coming from another woman cannot be futile! Try it and you will realize that women are those special species on this earth that can make your lifetime as special as you like it! If you are still not convinced then let me conclude and remind you of a song written by a MAN dedicated to all WOMEN describing them! And the song goes…..
She’s Always a Woman to Me
- Billy Joel
Oh--she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh--and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me
What defines a woman of substance? I think a woman of substance is someone who by sheer living makes a difference in this world. She is the one who attempts and fails, but does not mull over the failure! She is the one who can lead unconditionally! She is NOT a spectator but she is the EXECUTOR who is willing to stand by her decisions however wrong they may go! For her family and friends, SHE is a part of the SOLUTION.
We often misunderstand a Woman of Substance to be the same as a Career Woman. A woman need not be a career woman to become a ‘woman of substance’. There are many women I know who are struggling to find their identity in the corporate world, while that does not stop them from being the women of substance, a working status does not qualify them to be one either. A woman proves her metal at home by being the perfect homemaker, multi-tasking between the kitchen and the kids and others in the family! She is the one who moulds the children in the house, helps them grow and become better and successful human beings! For a homemaker her job is well done if she has successfully fulfilled her duties towards her family keeping her own identity intact. Duties she easily fulfills but she often forgets to prioritize her own needs and desires, losing her identity in the bargain. Being a homemaker is a 24/7 job, therefore it is very crucial for her to voice her personal priorities, do the things she likes which give her satisfaction. She has to have her own world which gives her enough space to move out of the mundane. I know of women who are homemakers and still take time out, this is their “ME” time! They run classes, or join hobby classes, do gardening, charity, explore places, meditate, cook, paint, decorate their house or even clean their house! But they certainly do not sit at home and pity their state and expect empathy in return. These women know to respect themselves and their time and therefore command respect from others as well. Many of us when asked to name one “woman of substance” we know, will name our own mothers! These mothers are the ones who have got IT right! That makes them efficient, effective at the same time happy individuals! And after all, A happy homemaker makes a happy home!
Yes indeed homemakers are role models in their own way, but we cannot leave the ‘corporate woman’ out from this discussion. The status of women has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia especially in India. In modern India, women have adorned high offices on the corporate as well as political front and have contributed to some of the most path-breaking success stories in the history of Corporate India. There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a great revolution in the history of women.
But the corporate world does not change rules by gender, therefore today; a woman has to be as tough as a man to prove her metal here! She has to fight preconceived notions that she will compromise on work because of her commitments at home. Or that she will NOT be able to physically manage the job like the way men do it! Rather there are men and sadly even some women who think that a woman is best where she deserves to be i.e. home! Now that’s nasty!
By nature women are great at multi-tasking, when at home they can gossip over the phone while watching a TV serial! They can run through their child’s studies while setting up the washing machine! They can cook as well as instruct the house helpers about their daily chores! In short while men at home boast about being uni-functional devices, which they so proudly claim if asked to contribute in household chores, women seem to be the best bet in the corporate world, if they have the right opportunity to prove their talent and use this same multi-tasking ability at work. And with time women have successfully found their foothold in the corporate world, and climbed to the topmost rung of the corporate ladder, far above the glass ceiling, shattering it to smithereens. From Shehnaz Hussain & Indira Nooyi, to Chanda Kochar women have proved that they are here to widen their own horizons and enrich the corporate world with what they have to offer. Like them, many women today have understood their scope and identified their area of expertise in whichever field they opt. Today, a woman does not mind doing that extra struggle juggling between her home and work, if at the end of the day she has mental satisfaction through work and peace through her home. She is independent and there for a cause! She has a point of view in the decisions both at work and at home, and she loves her struggle and her “no time for nonsense” status as her focus is well defined. Every such woman in my eyes is a woman of substance. She knows what she wants and also knows how far she can go to achieve it and then relentlessly works towards her goals!
International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women: past, present and future. While I believe that we co-exist with men and do not need such days to celebrate US, I also feel that such days give us a reason to look within ourselves and appreciate ourselves for what we are. May be the men think it is not fair to have a special day for us, and we don’t have such MEN’s days to celebrate them! But for all you men out there, on this very occasion of the upcoming women’s day go ahead and wish at least two women who you think are “women of substance” giving them reasons why you feel so, and you shall be made to feel SPECIAL for the rest of your lives ! This suggestion coming from another woman cannot be futile! Try it and you will realize that women are those special species on this earth that can make your lifetime as special as you like it! If you are still not convinced then let me conclude and remind you of a song written by a MAN dedicated to all WOMEN describing them! And the song goes…..
She’s Always a Woman to Me
- Billy Joel
Oh--she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh--and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me
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