Monday, May 26, 2008

The count down begins !!

Its been less than a week now for me to fly to Japan....and now the goosebumps have slowly started !! Till now, the actual day was pretty far away but suddenly everything have started to come at the same time. Thankfully I have decent amount of work back in office, so that I can concentrate on some more preparation.
The officials from Japan side hasnt yet bothered to inform us what exactly we are supposed to do there and so far its just the floating news that we are relying upon.Its nice to hear that we are going there to represent our respective conntries; but there has to be a lot more than just sightseeing and raoming around in quest of culture! Whenever we try to contact the only available contact point for us (the travel agent who managed our transportation related issues),the only answer we get from him,"you will get to know everything in Delhi"...I just wish there will be minimal surprises waiting for us when we land in Delhi !
It will become difficult for any of us to directly go there without preparation and start speaking about culture and history of either countries.After all, general knowledge is good, but it should not be very 'general'!!
Lets see how things shape up from here!!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Anticipation.....Expectations !!

If I have to describe my Japan trip/scholarship in one word; that would certainly be “Surprising”!!! Its been almost three months since Anupama Sensei first broke this news to all of us including me! It took me some time to realize the gravity n magnitude of the same… And my first reaction was, ”This is unreal!” How can god be so kind on me? During that particular month, everything seemed to be working in my favor.
It all started when I took part in Speech competition in last week of January. And out of 5 candidates I was sort of average in terms of preparation; but when the whole round completed I was pretty sure of coming in top 3. Almost all of us did the same mistakes and repeated the same nervousness everywhere. So it was sort of equal competition amongst us as nobody was clear winner. I was confidant on my topic selection, after all ‘Smile’ is something which everyone invariably get connected to. Even though I was the most poor as far as remembering the speech was concerned but I more than made that up with expressions and intonation. And in the end it was a decent sort of a show. But when Anupama Sensei announced the 3 names, I did not find my name in that…ohh, I really felt heartbroken at that particular moment. For being my Birthday on that day, I was anyways on cloud no.9 n felt that this just has to work for me as it did last year. But all my wandering thoughts came to a halt n I just came downstairs all lost and dejected. That’s when Yoshida Sensei came to me and shared some inspiring words. He was quite optimistic about my chances of getting selected; but I lost in the end by the narrowest possible margin. Of course I did not believe that way and later went to Anupama sensei to ask what went wrong in my case. She also couldn’t give me satisfactory answer. All the more frustrated, I cut the cake and celebrated my not so special birthday amongst some of my very dear and close Japanese group friends.
There I felt it was all over for this year’s speech competition for me. And can you believe, I got a call from Anupama Sensei couple of days later to let me know that I got selected for west zone!! That’s the best thing which could have happened to me! This year, IJ decided to have 4 candidates from Ranade Institute instead of the standard 3 n I became the lucky looser! I knew in what situations I pulled that speech off so it was heartbreaking for me when I first got rejected. Later it was a usual story of working on minute details to get ready for the big day. And when the day actually arrived it was indeed big as I again found myself sitting with all the great orators and practitioners. Although I didn’t fare too badly as I won myself a consolation prize amongst top 10 candidates from Maharashtra!
Anyways, so coming back to the main topic, it was like dream come true for someone like me who is already working and cannot enjoy the language because of lack of time. This is an ideal scholarship for me as I can ask leave for 10 days which is not hard to digest for my manager. In fact he was quite surprised too know that there is something of this sort happens around and that his team member is into it.
I felt really special when sensei told me that I was the unanimous choice when this scholarship first came to Ranade. I have started believing of late that if u keep doing the good stuff, u are bound to get returns. I never worked in Ranade in anticipation of any returns and that somehow made my relationship with almost all teachers very cordial and special. Whether its organizing the exhibition in Ranade or to have fun in the class; I was always the front runner. I usually have some stand against everything; n that sometimes gives bad impression as well. But being vocal about anything is always better than to keep silence on any topic!! Of course with this attitude I made more enemies than friends, but I certainly have found some very special friends out there!
Now its been almost 3 months when things started off, and this scholarship thing took a backseat as nothing was happening on that front. I slowly started to worry about the whole thing as none of us had any written proof of us getting the scholarship. But the picture again changed when 3 weeks before we got some Japan related books from the consulate. And again the process of surprising news started flowing in. The very first of it was to get the reimbursement of flight tickets to and fro Delhi. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been easy traveling for 30 hours to reach Delhi. I am sure I would have lost half of my vigor about the trip inside the train only!
The other good news came right on the next day. We were told that they are going to take us to Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima as well!! Well, this was the best thing that could have happened to us as all these 3 cities depict the true picture of Japan; modern and traditional. And who can forget the tragic atomic bombing on Hiroshima. The thought of it brings rippers into my body. And later came the BIG surprise. We are going to get 50000 Yen as the total wages out there!! This news is like BIG!....This is equivalent to almost 20000 Rs. And this is pretty handsome amount given the fact that the entire trip is sponsored !These things aren’t too big to manage for the Japanese Govt but it certainly helps them to build a very good impression in the student’s mind n that certainly is on their agenda. Being Japan Govt I always felt that they will take good care of us. And with all this goodies being showered on us; my faith has become even more solid now! Lets see, how things turn from now on and how big surprises await us…:)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

गंगेची story!!

महाभारत माझ्या एकदम आवडीचा विषय...का माहित नाही,पण मला overall महाभारत कायमच fascinating वाटत आलं आहे.त्याचा एकंदरीत आवाका,involve झालेली पात्रे,एकंदरीत magnitude हे इतकं सुरस,रम्य आणि चमत्कारिक आहे,की वाचायची सहनशक्ती संपते पण महाभारत संपत नाही!पण खुप जणांना ते वाचणं थोडं अवघड आणि बोजड जातं.जड भाषेचा परिणाम असेल कदाचित किंवा ते खुप जुनं असल्यामुळे संदर्भ लागत नसतील पण एकदा का महाभारताची गोडी लागली की संपलं सगळं !! त्यातले events इतके आहेत की फ़ारच भारी बाबा...सर्वात मजा कधी वाटते जेव्हा मागचा reference बरोब्बर नेमका येउन match होतो तेव्हा.e.g. खुप सुरुवातीच्या event मध्ये अंबा पितामह भिष्मांना शाप देते की तुमच्या म्रुत्युला मी कारणीभुत असणार आहे त्यावेळी आपल्याला वाटतं की अरे,त्यांचा वध तर स्त्री किंवा पुरुष करु शकणार नाहीये कारण दोघांनाही तेवढे rights मिळालेले नाहीत.पण अंबा पुढच्या जन्मात किन्नर बनुन जन्म घेते(In the form of शिखंडी) आणि वादा पुरा करते!! जो वादा किया वो निभाना पडेगा...[:)] dont you think this is
extraordinarily fascinating? Atleast I feel so! असो.तर आज मी जी story सांगणार आहे ती आहे प्रुथ्वीवर गंगा नदी कशी आणली आणि त्या घटनेमध्ये कोणकोणते star players होते.हे सगळं core महाभारतामध्ये नसलं तरीही as a starter interesting आहे!So lets begin!!

एकदा काय असतं,एक ना सगर नावाचा राजा असतो. त्याला ना दोन(च) राण्या असतात.जास्ती लाड नाही.छोटं कुटुंब,सुखी कुटुंब!! त्यांची नावं असतात शैव्या आणि वेदमी. शैव्याला १ मुलगा-असमंजस नावाचा.हसु नका, खरच असमंजस नाव आहे.हे म्हणजे असं आहे बघा, आधीच वडिल जितेंद्र त्यात मुलगा निघाला तुषार कपुर!! मग काय होणार पुढे!आणि जे होणार त्याला audiance का जबाबदार राहणार? तर,असा तो असमंजस नावाचा मुलगा.तरी बरं,शैव्याला किमान मुलगा तरी होता; त्या वेदमीला तर मुलगाच नाही.मला तर वाटतयं, कोणाला हया असमंजसाकडुन फ़ारश्या अपेक्षा पण नसणार,की हा मोठा होऊन (तरी) काही उपयोगाला येइल म्हणुन. तर मग सगर राजानी एक emergency meeting बोलावली आणि एक भारीतली ऊपासना करायचं ठरलं.मग सगळ्यांनी मिळुन शंकराची ऊपासना केली.लवकरच ते खुष झाले(त्यांना त्या काळी तेवढंच जमायचं.काहीही झालं की खुश व्हायचं आणि लगेच वर देउन मोकळं व्हायचं.आणि जरा राग आला की तिसरा डोळा थोडा किलकिला करुन public ची पळापळ करुन टाकायची!!) आणि नेहमीच्या style मध्ये एक वर देउन टाकला! आता या वरामुळे वैदमी ला दिवस तर गेले; पण projected नऊ महिन्यांऐवजी शंभर वर्षं(!!) लागली. पहा, आहे का नाही गंमत,उगाचच नाहिये महाभारत भारी. असल्या unpredicted घटना घडत राहतात सारख्या सारख्या! तर,या १०० वर्षांनंतर एकदम एक मोठा मांसाचा गोळाच झाला!! मुलगा बिलगा काही नाही! हे म्हणजे अती झालं बरं का! मग सगळीकडे रडारड आणि once again शंकर,शंकर. एवढा सगळा गोंधळ पाहुन शंकर स्वतः जातीने आले खाली आणि त्या गोळ्याचे ६०००० भाग केले!(वेदमी fix रडली असेल,माझा पोटचा गोळा हिरावुन घेतला करुन!!) त्या भागांचे लगेच ६०००० मुलं झाले! माई,तुला मुलं हवी होती ना,घे मग! मोजत बस आता!!
आता इतका मोठा समरप्रसंग घडुन गेल्यावर सुद्धा सगर राजाचा उत्साह शाबुत होता.म्हणे,मला आता अश्वमेघ यज्ञच करायचा.आता त्यात १०० यज्ञ असतात.तर बसले आपले राजेसाहेब १०० यज्ञ करायला.आणि आणखीन मजेशीर गोष्ट म्हणजे त्यापैकी ९९ ओके पण झाले!जर शंभरावा ओके झाला असता तर आपल्या इंद्राचं सरकार अल्पमतात येउन थोड्याच वेळात पडलं असतं!त्यामुळे इंद्राने पटापट हालचाल केली आणि आपले हेर पाठवुन अश्वमेघ यज्ञवाले घोडे कपिल नावाच्या ऋषींच्या आश्रमात नेउन बांधुन ठेवले.आता यज्ञवाले घोडे गायब झाले म्हणल्यावर सगळ्या ६०००० पोरांची पळापळ झाली!लगोलग सगळे जणं घोडे,घोडे करत इकडे तिकडे फ़िरायला लागले.तेवढ्यात कोणाला तरी दिसलं की घोडे कपिल सरांच्या घरी आहेत करुन.मग फ़ुल्ल celebration करत सारे बच्चोंने जोश मे आके होश गवाँ दिये और घोडोंको लेकर भाग खडे हुए!that too without permission!!
आता हे जरा जास्तीच झालं बरं का!एखाद्या ऋषींच्या घरुन without permission संपत्ती पळवुन न्यायची हा फ़ारच मोठा अपमान आहे त्या respective ऋषींचा.अर्थातच कपिल सरांना पण असच वाटलं आणि त्यांनी चिडुन सगळ्यांना भस्म करुन टाकलं!हे ऋषी मुनी फ़ार डेंजर लोकं असतात बाबा,शाप बीप हे त्यांचं रोजचं काम असतं,its a prat of their curriculum!कदाचित त्यांचा greatness हा no.of शापस् given वरुन ठरत असेल!!तर कपिलजींकी दुवाँए रंग लायी व सगळे कुलदीपक क्षणार्धात भस्म झाले!थोडेसे वा्रयामुळे इकडेतिकडे उडुन पण गेले असतील!!आता आपल्या मुलांचा हा प्रताप ऐकुन सगर राजाचा उरलासुरला उत्साह संपला आणि अखेरीस तो वनामध्ये निघुन गेला.And now my friends,the most awaited scene of the entire episode takes place.गेममध्ये असमंजसाची entry होते!तो बिचारा, भोळाभाबडा, भावंडांना परत आणण्याकरता तपस्या करायला बसला.पण असमंजसच तो, फ़ारसा talented नव्हताच;काय जमणार बिचाऱ्याला!तपस्या करता करताच गेला तो तर!
तत्पुर्वी एक काम मात्र केलं होतं. त्याला होता अंशुमन नावाचा पोरगा.त्याने कपिल ऋषींची फ़ुल्ल सेवा बिवा करुन त्यांना impress केलं आणि घोड्यांना back to pavillion आणलं!!आणि thankfully तो यज्ञ तरी पुर्ण झाला. पण आता या ६०००० रत्नांचं काय करायचं?ते तर अजुन पापीच असल्यामुळे मुक्त झाले नव्हते.मग आपला गुणी बाळ अंशुमन परत आपला कपिल ऋषींकडे गेला. त्यांच्याकडे तर एक से बढ्कर एक आयडियाज होत्या.म्हणे,गंगेला जमीनीवर आणा.तिच्यात अंघोळ केली की झालं काम आपलं! सगळे पापं वगैरे धुवुन एकदम चकाचक!
हे ऐकुन अंशुमन खुष झाला.केलेल्या मेहेनतीचं फ़ळ मिळायची वेळ जी आली होती.पण आत्तापर्यंत अंशुमन प्रयत्न करुन थकुन गेला होता. त्यामुळे त्याला अजुन जोश दाखवणं जमलं नाही.त्यामुळे त्याचा मुलगा-दिलीप याने ट्राय मारला.पण नावच दिलीप म्हणल्यावर काय खप नाही.या दिलीपचा मुलगा म्हणजे भगीरथ.याच्या अंगचं पाणी काही न्यारंच म्हणुन गंगेचं पाणी पृथ्वीवर आणायला याला फ़ायनली जमलं.And thats how this whole saga finally came to an end.भगीरथाने भरपुर प्रयत्न करुन गंगेला जमीनीवर आणलं म्हणुन मराठी मधे extreme level च्या प्रयत्नांना भगीरथ प्रयत्न असं म्हणतात. अशा प्रकारे माझी कथा सांगुन संपली आहे.I just hope that,मला लिहिताना जेवढं हसायला आलं त्याहुन जास्ती तुम्हाला वाचताना येईल!!