Category Archives: Reshma’s Blog

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Growing up in a multi-culural environment

General Thoughts, Reshma's Blog

Last evening, I went out to see a documentary film, an indo german collaboration, Amma and Appa.

While the intention for me to go and see it was also to understand how children grow up in multi faceted cultures, it was also to figure out if differences in inter country marriages are more difficult to manage than inter state marraiges.

While I do not want to judge the film or which marraiges are easier to sail through, increasingly I do feel it is important to teach children to respect and tolerate others cultural and religious views.

Fanatics are present everywhere and I do hope future generations will not be misled in the name of religions and learn to live in a literal global world.

I do hope I can pass this message to my family at least.

Green zones that are going to make a difference in cities

General Thoughts, My Bangalore-A view from a woman's perspective, Reshma's Blog

park fitness1

It was indeed a pleasure to see people in Bangalore utilizing fitness equipments in a public park today. I definitely want to thank the authorities who are making some effort in making parks a wonderful space for young children and adults too who want to manage the fitness regime in their daily schedule.

Obviously these initiatives will make people think of fitness in outdoors in the natural way, running, jogging, walking and exercising in parks with the equipments. Everyone need not go to gymnasiums alone to be trendy and fit.

Dressed in the attire of their choice and not necessarily fancy fitness attire as dictated by fitness gurus, women of above the age 25 were in saris and exercising in the evening.

park fitness2

In the times when everything is charged in monetary terms, it was a good feeling to see that parks are not just for children but also adults who want to be healthy and they need not pay hefty amounts to be healthy. In fact I was happy to see so many women after office hours coming to the park and using the time to exercise.

Pictures taken in the park in Bangalore, Basavanagudi where children were playing in the adjoining area and adults utilizing the space than just watching over children. The park is next to Bimba Art Ashram.

 

park3

Be cautious of the digital eye

Reshma's Blog

It has been over a year since I am observing my attachment to my own social media profile. My daily routine doesn’t seem complete without checking my facebook account for updates, comments and likes. Now even news feeds that get infused on the pages have become a must-read activity as though reading the newspaper and few news sites weren’t enough.

Checking my social media page has made feel obsessed over something that I want to get rid of at the earliest.

A few days ago I happened to get on to my FB account and search for my old classmates from school. I almost got lost for half a day in going through the old classmate’s pictures, posts and updates. I even sent a message to one of them on her profile, hoping to be in touch with her again.

The next day I began my search for an old colleague. Now this was someone, I didn’t particularly like while working in the organization. Soon I found myself spending close to 30 minutes on reading his posts, pictures from his life. As I went back on some bitter memories I felt a little uncomfortable and thought it is best not to look for people that you never really want to look for in real life. Worse, I almost went on a guilt trip of that I was indulging in snooping, least of all some form of ‘snoop gate’ among all other gates that the country is witnessing in recent times.

And then I realized people can actually read your personal life through what you comment, like a post or a picture, share a story or a link. It is not just friends and unknown people depending on your social media’s privacy settings that you have opted that allow others to know about you. But you actually are recording your life through every photograph, every comment and link that you put across and making it so very open for the world to see. I do know a few friends now who were so hooked to this social media updates that every hour a post would be seen until it became really irritating for many. Today these people have opted out of any form of digital strolling be it spending time on search engines, updating their lives on facebook or posting their hourly pictures on Instagram.

Thankfully many of their friends have got back to get in touch with them through landline mode than any other form of communication tools. It is also a favour on people like me who out of courtesy would ‘like’ most pictures they shared even though they weren’t good. Today I feel I am soon going to go into that irritable obsession mode. What gave us the option of new form of entertainment momentarily; is soon turning into obsession for self and letting people know everything about you. It is time one sets a guard on updates and posts.

A little privacy and not uploading that selfie or that family picture in the restaurant can be fun too. I have taken a small step out of leaving my cell phone at home once in a while so that I enjoy the place and the moment than feel compelled to take the best angle for the selfie to be uploaded that very minute. I have also realized that the occasional habit that has now become more regular needs to be addressed before I need to seek help on the same. Hopefully I will soon go on a holiday where I cherish the moments as they are and not want to share it through pictures.

Hold on, I haven’t checked since morning, if the likes have increased from six to more since yesterday, on the photograph that I posted last evening. Maybe it’s time to tell Mark, this is going completely off the mark.

But does he care?

The New English- Indian English

General Thoughts, Reshma's Blog

Since the time I have been taking interest in books for children, I have noticed my own inclination when I go to pick books from a book store or browsing inclinations at the library.

I like to read magazines, articles written by Indian writers. Likewise I quickly pick a book for story narration for my own child or others; the books which have been written in Indian context. But most importantly these are in Indian English.

Yes facebook and other digital tools may ask you which english you want to store in your laptops and mobiles. Not just UK English, US English but I think the world needs to start noticing the Indian English too.

With the number of increasing parents talking to children in English along with other Indian languages, there have been certain words that are used and understood particularly in Indian context. Also it is common for many urban Indian parents to mix a few regional words in Indian English usage. And this is not just limited to children but seen in offices too. Now, earlier I would think this is disturbing the purity of the Queen’s  language. Not anymore.  I think attitudes and perceptions need to change.

After all, after nearly 70 years since the British left us with their language, I feel we have developed our own way of communicating and paved way for the Indian English.

A few examples would be:

1) “Accha, I will see you tomorrow”. ( Accha is a hindi word and refers to okay or alright).

2)” No Yaar, that’s is not what I meant”. ( Yaar again in Hindi means friend or acquaintance).

3) “Chumma, don’t have toget angry on this issue.” ( Seldom used in recent times, but chumma is a Tamil and Kannada lingo invention which means just like that.)

4) ” pakka”, will you be there tomorrow at 11? ( pakka in north India and in south refers to ” are you sure?

When the world has accepted and known words and concepts of Guru, Desi, Yoga, Ayurveda. It is time to know and least not frown at the Indian English language. It is all about communication. No one is talking about purity here.

 

 

 

 

Gosh! it’s a Monday! Yippee it’s the weekend! –Do specific days set our moods for our daily routine?

Reshma's Blog

Had written this for a publication, hoping it would be published. But a freelance writer would know it for sure, like many creative pursuits not necessarily everything you write will be published.

Remembered about this piece this afternoon on a Monday.

“Khoon choosne aaya, khoon choosne, khooni Monday –kyun aaya khoon choosne?” a track from a Hindi film questions and describes the emotion of why many detest Monday mornings. It is essentially the beginning of the week and the weekend that gets a lot of associative thoughts. Right across age-groups from students to working professionals, many feel Mondays and the dual-days weekend have a lot of significance in their lives.

There are tees dedicated to the most hated day of the week and worn by many. ‘Pretend it’s not a Monday’, ‘Upgrade your weekend-take this Monday off’. Monday blues hit several people who believe that it does exist.

Of course there are more positive one-liners reserved for the weekends with even restaurants having titles like Thank God It’s Friday or parties inviting young at heart ‘Welcome to the Saturday Night Fever’ and so on.

But do people really feel anxious on Monday mornings and more relaxed on Friday evening onwards?

“Monday mornings or even any weekday are chaotic, stressful and involve a lot of multi-tasking. Either I am hurriedly preparing breakfast or trying to finish my chores against a deadline. It is stressful. That’s the reason, I absolutely love Friday mornings. It is the thought that next two days I really need not fret about morning chores like a clock makes me feel good.” says Veena P, a mother of a pre-schooler.

If one analyses, we do find that it is the holiday depending on the profession or role that we are in like a student or homemaker, that makes us cherish the day. Sunday has become the rest day following the global pattern that is followed in several countries.

Again though work-at-home and several other flexible working patterns exist, one does feel Sunday is more treasured as it becomes the day to finish chores. Many working professionals get to wrap up unfinished chores at home only on Sundays. So it is a day with a lot of importance.

A good number of business corporations following the IT industries began with the five-day week culture and this became more pronounced with media awareness. More so even Friday dressing as a concept got introduced a few years ago to make employees more relaxed and look forward for the day. This was also the idea to make people feel good and go home with a smile and come back to greet the long week with a much longer positive attitude.

Of late one finds that malls, pubs and supermarkets want to make even mid-week interesting with ‘wow Wednesday evenings for women or super value Wednesday bazaars to name some.

Even entertainment and leisure activities are made more colorful for weekends than on weekdays. Several restaurants have not only varying prices but also enhanced menus for the Saturday and the Sunday foodies.

RJ Shraddha, from Fever 104 says, “I long for the Monday morning as I have so much to talk which I wouldn’t have done on the previous day.  I have been in the IT industry before making the switch to my current profession of being a radio jockey. I exactly know how people feel over there during mid-week and how people long for the much coveted weekend. Today I love each day though I have to say that the mood of the listeners vary with each day. One has to also take into account that there are many who wouldn’t have slept over the so called weekend and love the Monday sleep.”

Many would agree that it is often only during an ideal vacation that we do not really feel the grind where even the beginning of the week seems lovely and energetic. Hopefully there would be Mondays in our lives which will be refreshing and gets rid of all negative tags. And yes we like to admit or not, weekdays and weekends do have some effect on our moods and our attitude for the day.

 

 

Haunting melodies in Hindi cinema of the bygone era

Films, music and celebrities-India and others, General Thoughts

I had to remind myself today that one point of time I was consistently thinking of films, songs, lyricists, musicians and everything related to Indian film industry, courtesy my job as a radio jockey in FM Rainbow 101.3MHz

It is close to six years that I have forgotten what it is to be in the RJ’s seat. Of course I do miss the days, adulation from listeners and my own working style.

But today being a mother, stay at home person and a writer has taken the front seat right now in my driving phase of life.

Today I happened to hear the song ‘Kahin deep jale kahin dil’ from Bees Saal Baad. It just invoked a gush of memories of me doing my script shows before Meethi Yaadein, my show on Mondays and Wednesday mornings.

Thankfully to help people like me retain beautiful memories of songs in films, there have been many beautiful melodies in hindi cinema that continue to mesmerize the listeners even to this date. Of course I am talking of these melodies from 40’s to late 70’s.

A few songs that immediately come to my mind belonging to this category are:

Kahin deep chale kahin dil from Bees Saal Baad

Naina Barse Rim Jhim from Woh Kaun Thi

Ayega Aanewala from Mahal

Gumnaam hai koi from Gumnaam

Mera Saaya Saath Hoga from Mera Saaya

 

You gotcha be dressed for all seasons in Bangalore

Explore Bangalore- My Bengaluru, General Thoughts

Everyone seems to have the forced opportunity to be dressed for summer, winter and rains in May and June in Bangalore.

2015 has seen dramatic change in weather in this overpopulated growing city. Nothing new, as climate is bound to change over the years, right?

But this time, looks like God is quite keen on making us utilize our wardrobe essentials on all days.

You step out in the morning thinking it is a sunny or rainy day and you are greeted with a makeover weather change in the next half an hour. If you have kids who need to be ferried around the city for school, tuitions or anything extra curricular, then hopefully, the same God should help you. It is not easy either to convince your child to wear layered clothing or carry around a jacket, cap, raincoat or a sleeveless tee.

You don’t know which ones you would need by the time you reach home.

With Bangalore gradually embracing the fashion culture and keeping itself upbeat with other upscale cities, the weather seems to be in full mood to make us utilise our wardrobe well.

No wonder, everyother day, we see a new fashion portal or an app being launched in the city to test the waters. After all bengaluru is making people be on their toes in dressing up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A school on the hilltop

Kiddo stories, Reshma's Blog

In a small village near Kolar, Karnataka in India there lived Shravan with his parents. Shravan was enthusiastic every morning as soon as the bells in the main temple in the village rung as part of routine prayers.

For the little lad, it was time for him to leave home to go to school. Shravan’s school was on a hilltop in the village and the only way to reach the school was to climb uneven broken steps, a steep climb for the little boy of 7 years. He had counted the steps multiple times in the past one year since he had started going to school. It was 104 steps.

Many years ago, a wealthy merchant abandoned his house on the hilltop and since then a retired teacher who was living in the city had come to the village and thought of converting it into a school. All the villagers were very happy that a school was ready for their children. So right from young children to older ones, all were taught by the teacher in one classroom. So right from young students to older children everyone learnt one subject and individually they were given class work according to their caliber and age.

“It’s school time again, time for me to learn a new concept today by the teacher thought Shravan as he was climbing the 73rd step.” There were others of course tagging behind him.  The student who reached early had the responsibility to organize a mini assembly like a prayer time. Shravan was hoping no one else had reached before him. Children between 6 and 14 were coming to the school to learn whatever the single teacher taught. Math, Geography, History, English, Kannada and one of the favorites of children Moral Science were taught to the children.

He once overheard a city boy who had come to the village for his summer holidays say how children in cities would be ferried in vans, buses and many times by their parent’s morning and evenings in jazzy cars and scooters. Shravan had laughed loudly on hearing the idea, his parents or any child’s parents hardly bothered if the child had reached the school. They were all too busy working in the fields. Farming was the livelihood. The only thing that the parents in the village collectively agreed was to send the children to the school and not make them work in the fields until they are at least 16 years.

That morning huffing and puffing, finally Shravan reached the last step. The teacher had arrived and the only security guard who was also the helper, assistant, and the cleaner named  Siddhu.

Children were scared of Siddhu as much as they were scared of the teacher Mr. Muniyappa. But both were quite protective of the children and took all the care they could for them. Due to heavy rains, dusty winds and scorching temperatures in the region even on the hilltop, the house where the school was situated had started to look weathered out over the years.

“Aha, Shravan, you have come first today to the school. Ok, you get to be the leader today for the morning prayer and  get the attendance register”, said Mr. Muniyappa. As the children gathered, the beautiful morning sun shone like a bright star on the hilltop. About 30 children had come to the school.

After the morning prayers everyone tagged behind the teacher and as they were seated there was a huge creek sound as the tallest child opened the window. Amidst giggles and discussions by the children Shravan seemed to be staring constantly at the classroom ceiling.

Something looked different that morning. It appeared to him as though the fan had come down a bit from the ceiling. Just then the teacher said “Not feeling too good here. Feeling stuffy, let’s do one thing children, today we will be having our class outside in the courtyard as we will be learning about nature.” Everyone stepped out and managed to settle down in the courtyard. The teacher was about to leave the classroom right under the fan, when Shravan pushed him. Startled, Muniyappa screamed and then realized Shravan had actually saved him from getting injured from the falling fan.

After he composed himself, Muniyappa gave a sad expression and said aloud, “I can only teach, but for the school to be in reasonable good condition I need funds to get many things repaired. Hearing the scream, Siddhu and a few older children came running to the class.

They helped Muniyappa get up and praised Shravan for his presence of mind. Later after the class Shravan went to the teacher and said “Sir I have come to know of a noble person who is educated and generous with his money for schools. Apparently, he stays approximately 50 kms from here and I heard my father talk about him a week ago. My father got to know about him from radio. If we can get his address, why don’t we approach him to help our school and the children for better facilities?

After six months, Shravan was again climbing happily the 85th step on a Tuesday morning. The broken steps have been renovated and yes do you know, Shravan and his teacher found out where the noble soul lived. The generous person visited the village and the school and agreed to fund all the expenses regarding the school for better infrastructure. Now Shravan’s school has a board too saying “Sharada Vidhyalaya” and it is repainted, mended and the children have also got uniforms and some textbooks as ordered by the teacher.

And you know something…..

Sharada Vidhyalaya was featured in the Kannada daily too with Shravan’s picture in the article alongside the building’s picture in the article. Shravan had all the reasons to be happy going to school again day after day.

For children 6- 9 years. BY RESHMA KRISHNAMURTHY SHARMA

 

Why a leisure holiday is worth your time in Candolim beach, North Goa, India? Read more to find out

General Thoughts, Reshma's Blog, Reviews

A long pending post that was waiting to be posted on to this space..

It was a holiday in 2014 to Candolim, North Goa that literally made sure that we lost track of time. We were two couples travelling with two kids and were hopeful of a holiday to remember especially with small children hovering around us.

Candolim is less than an hour’s journey by car from Vasco-da-gama railway station. We had reached around 7am by an overnight train journey from Bangalore and reached Candolim in about 50 minutes.

However we did notice that there are enough options of not just resorts, but guesthouses at Candolim where you can stay if there is enough planning made for the stay. After checking into the guest house, we had two reasons to directly go to the beach. There was a taxi driver’s strike and the temperature was rising. So it was wise to hit the waters before making any other plan.

Nevertheless post our inaugural breakfast session that was to commence our holiday, we decided to be on the beach for the next two hours. While the men and the kids jumped into the water, the women, that is myself and a fellow woman companion had a good glance at on the fashion quotient on the beach. Obviously we were overdressed for the beach. Thankfully even the local residents give you the comfort level attitude that it is fine with whatever you want to be dressed as to be at the beach.

During our earlier visits, we have had vegetarian cuisines but those were limited ones. This time again, we read the boards that prominently read sea food, but we were optimistic of accessing good vegetarian options. Rightfully we were not disappointed.

For a shopoholic, there are plenty of options to shop –goods that either would be useful during the stay or as a memento. Hats, caps, beachwear for all shapes and sizes, sarongs, skirts, shorts, tees, Indian brass gift items, kashmiri shawls, were some of the items that were seen across displayed at several stores along the main road. There are options of massage centres for those who wanted to de-stress through a massage.

Time flies, when you watch the sunset at the Candolim beach or at the Fort Aguada that is adjoining Sinquerim–Candolim beach. Walking along the pathway leading to the fort and the wall of the Taj at Fort Aguada during sunrise or sunset is a worth a visit. Make sure you take your digital tool to capture the picturesque scenes.

Something that struck us blatantly on our faces in Candolim was that there were several boards that were trying to lure customers to Ayurvedic massage centres, restaurants, but were written in English and Cyrillic, thanks to high Russian tourist population at Candolim.

Lastly like the earlier visits at Candolim, we were greeted by fellow International tourists who want to say a hello to you and smile at you even though you are a stranger. This gives the feel-good factor of being in a place that is a friendly destination. At the end of stay all of us had just one thing on our minds- Wish we could stay longer at Candolim to feel the leisurely Goan holiday much more.

List of suggested activities when in Candolim:

Soak yourself in the sun at Candolim like most of International tourists like to do it at Candolim. If you are not in favor of sun tan, you have the ready option of getting into relatively clean waters. The stretch is less populated and people are on their own so you can be assured of your own ‘me time’.

  • If you do not mind on the budget go for at least one water sport like para-sailing, water bike ride or the banana ride on Candolim beach.
  • Visit a restaurant that has a prominent beach view. It is sheer pleasure to look at the sea during late evening hours. Ideal for a romantic date or a family evening where the kids can have fun on the artificial sand dunes.
  • Make sure you visit a restaurant that offers live band music. There are enough of such dining spots across Candolim beach and also at the by lanes joining the beach coast. You will get to listen to live music right from 7pm onwards with songs in English, Hindi and a few Goan numbers.

Lastly when in Candolim, discover a good holiday in India.

BY RESHMA KRISHNAMURTHY SHARMA