The Catastrophe

In the beginning it starts with curiosity:

Curiosity kills the cat;

And then you begin to act upon it.

Action leading to the rest;

Every action has a reaction,

And so the apocalypse.

Sometimes we think it is easy,

To do the difficult.

But when we are in it,

Then we know the formidable.

It is a vicious circle,

A circle that cannot be broken

A circle that goes on moving

The inexplicable.

Sometimes we call it action

Sometimes consequences

Sometimes   human folly

But   alas!  We find it

Is a catastrophe of what

 We have brought upon us.

THE KABAB MAN

    

        Every day of the week I see

                                                                     Him sitting there.

                                                                     With bricks kept one

                                                                     Upon  the other,

                                                                     Like a charcoal mine;

                                                                     With a skewer

                                                                     On which lies all kinds of shape and size,

                                                                     Some round,

                                                                     Some long,

                                                                     Some sleek,

                                                                     Some stout,

                                                                     Some like tongues.

                                                                     He keeps the fire burning,

                                                                     Till the end of time.

                                                                     Besides the convent wall

                                                                    The same I used to see,

                                                                    Forty years back.

                                                                   Besides my convent wall

                                                                   The man with his skewer,

                                                                   And a long beard

                                                                   And a grill made of bricks.

                                                                   Nostalgia to the core

                                                                   My mind bore.

                                                                   A scene which I saw

                                                                  When I was a little girl.

                                                                   I see it when my little girl

                                                                  Goes to school.

                                                                  The same kind of a picture

                                                                  The same kind of a man

                                                                  With his long beard

                                                                   Sits besides the skewer and grill

                                                                   Made of brick.

                                                                   Besides the convent wall.

                                                                   Alas! It is the nostalgic past

                                                                   If we could undo it.

                                                                   And go back into times,

                                                                   It brings us fond memories.

                                                                                                                ©  -Anjana Pai.

A Trip to Mount Mary.

At Bandra on Pali hill is situated the beautiful cathedral of mount Mary.A sure visit for all those who live in Mumbai. In the cathedral  is the beautiful statue of mother Mary with Infant Jesus There is so much of serenity for the human mind, when you go and sit in that cathedral on the mount. The popular belief that  whatever  you ask mount Mary will be granted. People from all religions, caste and community come here. I make a trip every year with my family. The serendipity that I have come across visiting this place is immense. The peace of mind  one gets when one goes up the mount is more than anything one can ask  for or get. When your life is full of turmoil, when the waves are hitting high, when there is a cloud hanging over your head. When things are uncertain that is the time one should visit this place. The peace and tranquil that one feels in this church is not at all comparable to any other place on earth.    

An enchanting afternoon at the Leopold Café (Colaba).

           It was a hot and sultry afternoon, and we were very hungry. We were pacing up and down the streets of Colaba cosway. We checked into Mc Donald’s, the security guard outside told us that the eating hours were over and the outlet was closed from 12-4! We walked ahead in search of a restaurant when suddenly,we saw this delightful place to eat some grub. The crowd at the café looked very mirthful. It was a mixed crowd of both Indians and Foreigners. There was lovely aroma of food spread all over which activated our taste glands and we were ready to take the plunge.

           The whole place looked very English. There was a high counter on which the owner sat. From where he got a panoramic view of the crowd. The huge room which accommodated myriads of people all eating and drinking to their hearts content.

            The crowd was served both vegetarian and non-vegeterian according to one’s choice, huge quantities of draught beer also to go along with the food. All the people were busy talking and laughing and enjoying their meal. We pulled two chairs and made ourselves comfortable amidst the crowd. Since it was peak lunch hour the waiters were busy serving the already seated crowd. We were waiting patiently for 15-20 mins till the waiter came to our table. We ordered Thai green curry and Garlic fried rice and some beer to go along with it.  The waiter spoke very sweetly and took down the order, then disappeared for an hour, came back and told us that they cannot make our order because of some internal problems. So we had to change our order. Then they served our order fast. We enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere and began our journey back to the streets of Colaba cosway. The most memorable trip we ever had. Thanks to the Leopold!!! J

                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                         ©-Anjana. Pai

Delayed Monsoon

                                              Delayed Monsoon

                                                                                  By chitralekha Paul

                “Delayed Monsoon” is the best book I have read written by Indian Women Authors in English now. To begin with, the Title ‘Delayed Monsoon’ is so apt for the story. Abhilasha the lead character in the story meets her ‘true love’ late in life. The author rightly puts it, when the earth (Abilasha’s life) was parched the monsoon came to revive her dried up existence. She (author) describes the cultural as well as the social aspects of the people of Calcutta. I like the way the author uses the connotation on page 102 “Abilasha got angrier. Why did he call me sweetie instead of addressing her as ‘Boudi’ the customary Bengali way to address a brother’s wife? Author brings out the conservatism followed in Calcutta, also an exposure to Bengali language.   

                   The way in which she shifts from first person narration to third person is excellent. Makes us understand the characters and narration very well, on page 23 “With all her minus and plus points, Jyotirmoyee was a unique Lady. Her unconventional attitude made her different from her contemporaries”, shows rapid changes taking place in the social scenario in Calcutta. The whole book itself describes modern internet age which revolves over one idea that is, Modernism.

                    The book is a thorough narration of the Life of Air force officers and their wives about which the general populace feels is prestigious and sophisticated but the author rightly puts it as “Glimpse into what goes on behind the gates guarded by vigilant men in uniform.” Very apt description of the tough side of the very sophisticated lives of Air force officers and their wives. Her narration of the lovely places in the south like ooty, coonor and wellington is a simply good read! Must read the novel, which is one continuous stretch of really readable, enjoyable material.

                   At the end of the novel the author speaks again in the voice of her character, Abhilasha, this change in the narration style emphasizes and acts like the punch line making the story real. The last lines of the author’s Note pages 7-8, “Abhilasha is neither me nor Anamika, she is the synergy of both and even more”, introduces the book to the readers in a very spectacular manner.

                                                                                                     © -Anjana Pai

                                                                                                

Lychgate

   
                                                           Lychgate
With Malice Towards None...............

Once upon a time there lived  in a certain land a man who was very intelligent, highly educated and was placed on a very high rank in the society of famous people and academicians. They were to be known to the top crust of the people of that land.

This man was very sensitive, very popular among the crowd and very famous for his wit and sarcasm. He knew all the 'Mantras' of how to keep people happy. He knew how to win their hearts with his   sweet tongue. Anybody who met this man would feel that he is very convincing and a literati of those times. He knew the people appreciated him and he loved to give long speeches about the the superegos and all. He  thought  that he always superseded others  in every thing that he did. He was a socialite of his times. He was a suaver and thought that he had  the Talisman to give his people. But behind the mask that he wore was a very adamant snob. He loved to hear people applaud whenever he did something. If they didn't he would feel hurt and angry with them. He would try to convince them with his long speeches. If they didn't agree he would label them. 

One day this man met with such a crisis in his life that neither his humor nor his sarcasm or wit could save the situation. He was responsible for what he said and that inevitable, his own words proved to be detrimental to him. It boomeranged and that was his end. His egos were hurt and he had to bury his pride. He had to put it in a coffin which lay by the lychgate,after that the people of that land did not hear about that Egotist but they found a man in him who was really down to earth and humble and genuine. He was a changed man.


Notes:

• The man in the passage represents the human mind.
• Lychgate is the arch gate in the church place where the ego is shut in the coffin which is again the mind.
• Burying is  getting rid of our minus points like ego etc.

                                            

                                                                                            ©  -By Anjana. Pai.

Susanna's seven husbands-Ruskin Bond and the screen play 7 khoon maaf.

"I have even placed flowers on the grave, knowing full well that she is not there never mind the flowers are for Maggie as well she provides a link with the living susanna. I must be the only person who knows that  the occupant of the grave is not Susanna. Grave stones don't always tell the  true story." --Ruskin Bond. 

  Susanna Anna-Maria Johannes was her full name and she is the main character in the novel. The novel starts of slowly and picks up momentum very fast. There is a little contradiction  from the beginning of the novel to the end.  Susanna marries seven and has six kills, ironically the seventh husband does not marry her  so he survives to tell the story. He only loves her, he can't marry her as he is  younger then her.  Each man who comes into her life knows the consequential circumstances the previous  one went through but still he walks into the lady's den wilfully and willingly till he goes through the same fate as  the predecessor. Each husband tries to do everything to please her but at the end of the day she is displeased by the man and he dies a death which is a conceited murder by susanna. There is realism or naturalism in which the character is a slave to his/her actions. The chain of events follow without the person's control. 
       
        In the  screen play the characters are well defined. The light effects  are dim  and action  and killing are  always shown in night scenes, in darkness. Morning and light is used for showing partying  and  socialising. It is a black comedy.There is contradiction at the end of the screen play  Susanna who is shown as the fast one who falls in and out of love cannot join a nunnery  The movie says she confesses and joins the order of nuns  as sister Anna. If she accepts Christ the Lord then she automatically becomes a person who has control over her actions there is no need to join any order. Besides the novella tells us Susanna  repented  and then leaves tne house and stays far away from the materialistic world and the world of men.

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                  ©-Anjana Pai.

It can't be you -Author Prem Rao.

                                                                           It can’t be you.

                                                                          Author: Prem Rao

                                                                        Reviewed by Anjana pai     

        “It can’t be you” is both a psychological thriller as well as a novel with a lot of realism depicted. Most times the author makes  use of the first person Narrative Techniques which makes it simple to understand ,but he also uses  the third person narrative Techniques which gives the pep  and emphasis to  certain incidences  Four people Narrate happenings  in their autobiographical style makes the readers understand better. The Tag line ‘A Spiral of vengeance’ is the harbinger of suspense in the novel. 

       Mr Rao has used incidences that took place in the political arena of the period between the 1946 -2001 in India. The uses of famous people like general Thimmaya, Manekshaw, Krishna Menon,  Lal Bhadur Shastri is to make the work of  fiction  appear authentic also  the incidences though fictious are synchronized with the political situations , the ministers and ruling parties of that period. There is a lot of realism in the novel which we can see from the incidences which take place in the novel e.g The house hold   disputes, sibling rivalry the generation gap between Belliappa and Shefali his daughter brings out the realism.
         I attained a rich experience reading the book and unlike other thrillers it is not easy to guess the end. Characters and characterization are well defined and this helps to understand the novel well   Description of the four characters Shefali, Pritam, Elena, and Belliappa helps the readers to understand the fiction well. There is a well drawn line of demarcation between the roles of the protagonist and the antagonist which makes the story clearer to the reader.

      In the end when aunt Roshan tells, “This spiral of vengeance started by Belliappa must come to an end”. We can clearly see how the life of pritam changes to betterment which tells the readers that the chain of vengeance is broken and that there is the beginning of a new chapter in the life of Pritam. It gives the author scope for a sequel to the story.   
                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                           ©-By Anjana Pai. 

                                               

Is Love a Utopia?

                                                                   Is Love a Utopia?

We see a lot this emotion called ‘love’ in the lives of people around us.  We find a lot of this emotion called ‘love’ among the youngsters i.e the college going crowd or the adolescent populace. This emotion called ‘love’ happens even among the middle age or the late forties crowd. It happens among those working together in an organization. 

        Is love an emotion or is it a utopian concept?  It is said that love happens when two people are together, who think alike, act alike who live alike. Is there any Utopianism in this so called ‘love’ and if there is love among two people is it a utopian situation there?

People who are in ‘love’ are they in what is called the real love or the Utopian condition which they imagine. Is there something called true love or perfect love or does it remain a utopia?

In the city of ‘Imbroglio’ (a very confused or complicated situation) there lived a boy by the name of ‘Ideal’ and a girl by the name of ‘Euphoria’. They were studying together. Education associated them and as they continued in their efforts this association formed a kind of fondness in them for each other. They began to feel the emotion of love. They are in ‘love’ people would say and for them there was ‘love in the air’. Till suddenly ‘Ideal’ felt that this ‘love is a distraction and could not concentrate on his studies.

 So he started distancing himself from Euphoria. He started giving excuses about them being together. This caused some misunderstanding and Euphoria feeling in secured she started accusing idea for neglecting her. There was lack of communication and ‘Ideal did not explain to her or the explanation given by ‘ideal ’was not convincing to her. This led to a separation between the two. They stopped associating with one another. The distance between the two widened and finally there was a breaking point and the two broke the relationship. Their conditions or circumstances caused the break. If love is conditioned then there is no ‘love’! So is ‘Love’ a utopia?

If these two people continue to Love one another even in the most difficult situations then they would have married and ‘happily lived thereafter’, but if they were interfered by any third person at their workplace or some common place then again there would be trouble, because three in a marriage is crowded. And the marriage doesn’t last. Then what is this ‘Love’ is it ‘true Love’ or Utopia?      

Even if the two people live together in the so-called perfect situation then they become so used to one another that the charm and Love which they had in the beginning dies down. Then they just live under one roof in a solitary existence. Then what is this ‘Love’ is it ‘true Love’ or Utopia?      

I put it in front of my readers to answer this question. Is Love real or a desire or a passion or a Utopia. They can answer this question better than anyone.

Love parenthetically is how a person perceives it.

                                                                                           

                                                                                                        ©-By Anjana. Pai.