Monday, December 26, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
My father who had got the table also fixed an interesting table lamp on the wall facing the chair. But the light was not very comfortable for my eyes. I preferred the tube-light instead. Soon we shifted to our new quarter, a small three-room flat. The study table was placed in my room right next to my single bed. I studied facing east. But for some reason, I did not enjoy using my table then. The year was 1990-91. My bed became my temporary place for study. I got a small wooden desk which I placed on the bed as an alternative table. I could fold my legs and sit comfortably on the bed. I enjoyed sitting and studying that way because my legs used to ache when I had to sit on the chair after coming back from school. Interestingly, the small desk was named "Chanakya's table". My mother used to sit right next to me while I read loudly resting my elbows on the "Chanakya desk". There was a book shelf fixed on the wall beside my table, which had a few books always other than a pen stand. Sometimes, I used to finish my home tasks sitting on the chair and table.
When I was in Class VI, we moved to a huge flat. I got a room which was very very airy and bright because of the windows. It was a south-facing room. My table was placed near a wall and the book-shelf was again placed on top of the table. The cream-coloured shelf was stuffed with books and divided into four sections with four doors. The table then faced to the west. The glass windows which were on my left hand side often took my eyes from the pages of the book to outside which was indeed very beautiful. I used to look outside for a while and enjoyed the beauty of the nature. That was a break for me while studying. My bed was then a little away from my table and chair. As far as my memory goes, between the year 1993 and 1997, the table was mainly used as a book shelf. I used to sit on a chair and a centre table laminated with yellow sunmica. My tutors used to sit on a chair and I occupied the chair facing him across the table. The study table became my regular companion between 1998 and 2002. I got a lovely new chair which made the seat all the more comfortable. The books were organised on my table in separate groups. There was this old pen-stand, a table calendar, a mini table clock and a photo of Vivekananda which we had bought from the Calcutta book fair.
In between, the table had changed its position and it was placed near the wall next to the second door of my room. The door that was on my left remained half-closed and door on the right of my study table remained fully closed. But the windows on top of the doors were always kept open. There was a poster on the left door which if I remember was a ship sailing against a storm. I used to face north while studying. There was the Srimadbhagavat Gita on my table for a while. The year was 1999-2000. I was in 1st year college.
2001. My table, chair and our family found a new shelter. Our new address was a bungalow. My study was on the first floor. Initially the table was placed right next to the south facing wall. But later, I pulled it to the centre of the room, right beneath the fan. I used to study facing east. There was a huge poster of a Cross on the wall facing my table. I left home to study in a different state and the table stayed with my parents. I found it right next to my parents' bed when I used to visit home during holidays. By then, a new computer was placed on my table. The year was 2004.
I came back to my city. My address had changed again. A desktop was placed on a new computer table and a stereo system was kept on my study table.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Kaun ho tum batlayo, /hoooo/
der se kitne dur khari hon,
Aur kareeb aa jayo...
Devanand was a craze once upon a time not only among the women of India but also among the men folk. The actor who died yesterday, was a somewhat look-alike of Hollywood gentleman star Mr Gregory Peck. Devanandji probably followed his style of acting. A style icon Devanand was once the heart-beat of the Hindi film industry or Bollywood. Unfortunately, the actor is no more. His tin-tin like hair lock like an inverted comma with his stylish head bent on a side and a scarf tied on his neck was so typical of him. He was the face for the voice of Kishore Kumar Ganguly. Devanand was incomplete on screen without Kishoreda. The actor's death reminds me of some great Hindi sound tracks...Gata rahe mera dil (my heart sings on...), Churi nehi mera dil hain (my bangles are my heart), Aj phir jine ki tamanna hain (I wish to live once again), and Dum Maro Dum, mit jaye hum, bolo subha sham, Hare Krishna, Hare Ram....
I have heard from people that he was the reason behind the birth of many Bollywood stars. He could spot the talent from the crowd of a billion. He was the actor who gave the film industry some biggest hits like the "Jewel Thief", the "Guide", "Teen Deviyaan" and many many more. Devanandji began his career with Black and White movies and the world saw him in colour too. An era ends with the death of Mr Devanand, the evergreen actor.