Bagh> Jobat> Jhabua

I packed my bags and set out on a journey, alone, not knowing much about the land I was headed to. Doing some research online and zooming into Google maps was the much done effort. From Bombay I took the Duronto express to Indore, a clean over-night train. I was freaked out by a lot of people though about the stretch that Bagh - Jhabua is. They tried their best to convince me not to travel alone to these areas, being a girl. Eventually, I did. A friend's friend came along too.

From Indore, it was a decent ride to Bagh. In a taxi of course. Took us quite some time. Four point five hours precisely. Half the journey was a smooth drive on an expressway, quite bump-free and silent. The second half, on the contrary, was a single lane drive - interesting for the sight of the landscape that it offered. Mostly brown. And against a pretty much monotone background were men wearing bright colorful turbans and white dhotis riding bullock carts, women with matkas of water on their heads and their oh-that-thumka-while-they-walk, animals that were being extremely suicidal (popping in front of our car every now and then) and of course some other cars that were on their way to the same place as us.

Reaching Bagh left me quite surprised actually. I imagined it to be more raw and village like. But that is that. We headed straight to the karkhaana where block printing was happening and the manager of the adda started showing us around without wasting any time. Bunty, as he is called, took us through the river, without the fish pedicure, to see where the printed fabrics were being washed. Got a feel of the village in the first ten minutes itself. On our way back to the adda, we grabbed some chips and cold-drinks (bigde junky shaheri bachhe I guess)! Then began the hunt for the loo and we figured that there was no public toilet in Bagh. The only one there was was broken down recently. Loitering around, lost, we kept asking people where we could find a toilet we could use. Reminded me of my recent trip to Leh which made me experience some of the worst toilets ever. Anyhow, some kind soul asked us if we needed anything and we immediately answered back - Washroom! So we used the loo in his house and thanked him enough.

Two days in Bagh passed by in a jiffy - kept talking to the printers and clicking pictures of them. Second day, particularly, marked a sumptuous lunch at Bunty's house. His wife made a meal less spicy specially for us. Having had that, we went straight for shopping. Bags full of Bagh printed sarees and dupattas, we set out for our next destination - Jobat, where another very helpful worker of the Hast Shilp Vikas Nigam, Mr. Khan, was waiting for us.

He made us meet this really stunning lady who has been doing bead-work for ages. She's really very old and can still thread a needle in low light without wearing a chashma. Astounding! Her daughter-in-law, Jeevan Bala, has been involved in the same craft and is associated with the NIFT cluster program as well. They make absolutely stunning pieces, some subtle, some loud. I bought some to wear myself and some to gift. Am running low on cash already, having shopped in Indore, Bagh and Jobat. I would definitely have to visit an ATM early tomorrow morning, before we see more of Jobat and head to Jhabua.

Right now, we are in this really shady (but clean) hotel called Mangalam where no one else is staying. Infact, the receptionist had to call and ask the manager if he could let 'only girls' take up a room. Some weird hotel policy. Somehow, he agreed and let us have it. It almost feels like a hotel-arrest. All the people we have spoken to today have advised us not to step out after sunset. Thankfully I have the net dongle and a laptop. It feels nice to be connected with the world virtually when you don't have any real connections. Looking forward to tomorrow to witness some more of the lands less seen.

No music, only hills

This post was long due. Should have happened in July.

We drove from Delhi to Naukuchiatal for 'Music in the hills - 6' (a bi-annual music fest organized by Happily Unmarried). It promised 'to bring together good music, good listeners and great locations' and I can't remember which one of them really happened.

Charged about 14,000 bucks a couple, which isn't small amount at all, we thought we were driving six hours to a music haven in the middle of the hills. We reached late evening to a fungus-smelling damp room in Lake Resort, the venue of the music fest. The blankets were wet. The loo curtain had black patches of fungus. The air was damp. The organizers didn't even bother to get the rooms cleaned/ checked/ fixed before inviting the guests. Agreed, it was pouring there since the last four days, but so what? Where did all the heaters, blowers, room fresheners go all of a sudden?

On repeated reminders, the hosts shifted us to some shady resort for the first night of stay. The second night we chose to upgrade to Club Mahindra, hoping we wouldn't have to pop in more Allegra to stop our sneezing (Apparently, we could hear the couple next door sneezing all evening too, so we weren't the only ones in the shit). The stay at Mahindra was to cost us a couple of grands extra. We decided to go for it, thankfully! That night passed away peacefully, without the sneezing, but hey, wait, there was more the next morning.

It was time to leave. We had breakfast and bid goodbye to the hosts but as soon as we seated ourselves in our grand Verna, a hotel boy came running after us to say - 'Hello? Is your name Sakshi? Is your name Rohit? Sir has asked me to ask you guys to pay the balance 1000 rupees for the change in room.' I was disgusted at this cheapness. We were told to pay the balance at the hotel reception in the first place. Before we could do that, they sent the staff running after us. It wasn't like we were not going to pay them anyway. Gross!

Having worked with the company for six months, I was aghast at their behavior with an ex-internee or her fiancé. We went back to throw the money on their face, only to hear even more cheap and insulting words - 'You ran away with the money'!

There wasn't even any point in telling them who really minted money.

After that, I had absolutely nothing else to say except Fuck off!

And we drove back.

Eye therapy @ Meenakshi's

The lunch at Solar Kitchen on 8th February changed my life. Chintu introduced me to Meenakshi over lunch, telling me I should go to her for curing my eyes. The next day I was at her place, believing in a natural therapy I had never experienced before. Day one was preliminary check ups, day two some exercises, day four some more and then there were just a few more. Simple exercises that strengthen the muscles, increase the focusing ability of the eye and make you see better. It isn't a joke at all.

9th February: Left eye -5.00, Right eye -6.00
6th April: Left eye -3.00, Right eye -3.5

The numbers shall go further down, provided I don't drink cold water, don't eat ice-creams, exercise regularly and keep a lot of patience.. And also try get up early to see the rising sun ;)

If you want to cure your eyes forever without torturing your eyes with something like an artificial laser surgery, you have to do what Meenakshi tells you. Some of which are universal, applicable to all. The most important, 3 step exercise is:

1) Sun: See the rising sun. Sun energy is great for the eyes. Do not see it with open eyes when it is yellow. Only rising sun is to be seen with open eyes. If you miss the rising sun (if you're a late riser like me) you have to close your eyes and rotate your face, left to right, 180 degrees, chin to shoulder. Yellow sun energy is good with only closed eyes, elsewise it is too harmful.
2) Splash: After the sun exercise, splash water 'into' your eyes to wash them in and out. Also, do this whenever you wash your face. It rinses them of all the dust.
3) Palm: After splashing, rub your palms and put them on your eyes so that the hands cross on the nose. Bend down your head and when you see complete black (when no light seeps in from in between the fingers) close your eyes. Do this for 5-10 minutes. It relaxes the eyes. Palming can be done couple times a day more.

A few things to remember:
1) Do not use the spects when you don't really need them (eating, reading a book, washing clothes etc.)
2) Blink, blink, blink... and blink more.. It strengthens the eye muscles.

Rest she will tell you according to your case.
Ring her at +91 9159792489.

छोटे से एक गाँव में

शेहरों से मीलों दूर,
छोटे से एक गाँव में,
यूँ अकेले बैठ कर,
मन में एक ख्याल आया -
कि पृथ्वी का भविष्य क्या है?

पेड़ो का निरंतर कटना,
जानवरों का मरना,
प्लास्टिक का बढ़ना,
पेट्रोल का जलना,
मोबाइल पर बात करना,
क्या यही है हमारा भविष्य?

कहाँ गए वोह दिन
जब मम्मी खाना खिलाती थी
और पापा ज़ू घुमाने ले जाते थे?
दोस्त सड़क पर क्रिकेट खेलते थे
और चोटों का बहता खून,
आँखों से टपकते आसूं
पल में बंद हो जाते थे?

अब दुनिया इतनी आगे बढ़,
प्रगति की सीमा पार,
महा प्रलय का जशन मना रही है...

और इसी दुनिया के
छोटे से एक गाँव में
करोड़ों पेड़ो से घिरी,
समुद्र के तट पर बैठी
में सोचती हूँ -

की दस साल में
शायद ये किनारा ना हो...
की शायद इस धरती पर
पैर रखनी की जगह ही ना रहे...
ऊंची ऊंची इमारतें
और ऊंची होती जायें,
कंप्यूटर बढ़ते जायें,
गाड़ियाँ आदमी की संख्या पार कर दें,
पीने का पानी ना मिले,
इन सम्भव्ताओं का कोई अंत नहीं
इसी लिए
छोटे से एक गाँव में
मुट्ठी भर कुछ लोग
निरंतर यही प्रयास कर रहे हैं -

पेड़ लगते,
साइकिल चलते,
पानी बचाते,
खाना उगाते,
मिटटी के घर बनाते
हुए ये लोग,
सारे विश्व के कुकर्मों को सुधार,
धरती को जीवन दान देने की कोशिश
कर रहे हैं...
छोटे से एक गाँव में...

Men

The kind of men we don't like -

Men who pretend to be supermen.
Men who don't respect women or their work.
Men who think they can read a woman's mind and always fail.
Men who think they're always right.
Men who scratch.
Men who don't smell good always, no matter what.
Men who, for once, haven't made something with their own hands for their girlfriend/ biwi.
Men who can't write a line without spelling mistakes.
Men who don't know how to make a woman feel special.
Men who don't gift.
Men who can't take time off from work.
Men who can't prioritize.
Men who talk while they drive with a justification that they don't get time elsewise.
Men who think they can marry without proposing. Boo!
Men who think they're cool just because they sit in AC offices.
Men who snore loudly, everyday.
Men who make everyday, everyday.
Men who do a nine to five.
Men who are sorry figures.
Men who don't have patience.
Men who don't have Love and Sorry in their vocabulary.
Men who talk too much.
Men who talk too little.
Men who don't like women.
Men who nag.
Men who can't be men.
Men in general.

Tea Time

Chinhat Charms

Not very advertised a place, Chinhat is located at the outskirts of Lucknow and is a must visit for all pottery lovers. I have been there a few times to shoot pictures, grab videos and talk to potters but I’m fond of the place for a reason other than that. I have been born and brought up in the same city. There’s an inviting air about the place, a positive energy, a down-to-earth attitude, a charm that casts a spell.

I visited a few traditional potters residing in the area. There were fewer potters at work than usual. I gathered from the ones who were there that monsoon is a dull season for production as there is a problem of drying and storage. I walked, walked and walked; from house to house, passing by several bhattis, areas for drying 'kacche' (leatherhard) pots in the sun, local shops and more potteries without its potters.

Basic and small, the potteries here churn out attractive planters, bowls, tea sets, mugs, vases and dinner sets round the year. The production picks pace around Diwali and most of it gets exported. Terracotta and stoneware clays both are used and usually the pots are left unglazed. Dozens of P.O.P. moulds of bonsai planters and lanterns can be spotted in these tiny households. Slip-casting is a favored technique but that doesn’t mean that the potters leave it at that. They spend ample time in fussy detailing of the pots. Each one is touched up for faults if there are any. It is all so natural that it seems almost effortless at that. The potters work on hand rotated wheels during the day, with natural light blessing their pots, unlike most studio potters who have electricity twenty four - seven to their advantage.

Simply dressed, the men and women potters here equal each other in number (almost) and match in skill. Production happens with collaboration and most importantly they enjoy what they're doing. Extremely approachable, these potters are not insecure about their craft or craftsmanship.

The unglazed pots usually get sold in and around Chinhat or exported whereas most of the glazed pots that are sold in the area are outsourced from Khurja, the ceramics city of India. These are mostly tableware and are glazed in bright colors. Brilliant blues, glorious greens, cheerful yellows and refreshing oranges are the favored colors of the lot. Unique patterns are hand painted too. These are microwave-proof and Mom picked up a few dishes for her kitchen. I bagged a few vases and soap dishes too, but came back with an everlasting memory of the pots still unpossessed.