Jo Bole So Nihaal!!

A salute to the Man of the hour!

Truly admire your guts!
I omitted the kripal, because he never meant to use it. And I don't believe in bloodshed either.....

Mr. Blabber-mouth

I have this terrible terrible habit... I just talk too much.... Its an addiction for me and pain for all others who know me!

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah....

Sometimes I feel the pinch too.... When my friends get tired of me & stop responding to my chat msgs.

I was discussing about this with my best friend Hemali, like how there is a void in our lives.... And we constantly feel the urge to fill it up with something substantial.... In my case its been talking and eating!


In my quest for Inner Peace, its balance which is needed now.... To accept the void and let it grow..... so that there is space for some harmony in the usual humdrum of life!

The Inevitable Truth

Death is the unavoidable truth. A few moments really reveal how fragile life is.

A few weeks ago while exploring a nearby mall I bought an indoor plant – a tiny thing sprouting five small leaves in a plastic cup. I was excited to have companion with me at my office desk. I carefully watered it and kept it in sunlight. But slowly one by one each leaf withered away....

Reminds of the time in college when my friend Geetanjali bravely rescued three abandoned baby squirrels. But in spite of her loving care they couldn't survive for long.

Isn’t it the same with most of our dreams and aspirations too...

On the way!

One of my best experiences as I came new to Bangalore was the trip to Shivsamundaram waterfalls organized by my batchmate Dhyan. It was an awesome get-away as well as get-together for our IDC friends in the city....

Its been quite a while now and what remains etched in my memory is the long drive, the rainy weather and lush greenery and the ecstatic dip in the waterfalls.... Lead me to make a quick sketch... Its more about the feeling rather than being an accurate description though.....

 

'Pagla' Drummer!

'Pagla' (mad) drummer was the name given to me while I did my engineering studies. I indeed was crazy those days... I took up the responsibility of organizing a bunch of chaotic individuals into a coherent 'college band', repaired the college drum kit and other musical equipment, and used to bang the drums so violently that I had almost wrecked the entire drum kit once at our college fest (duly taken back to the shop and repaired by me again).

Those were the days, I loved to wear head-bands and arm-bands on stage and flipped my head so hard playing that I regularly broke my glasses! Here's a pic of me behind the drums on a college fest performance....

My career(:-P) as a drummer began when I had just completed my class 12 board exams and was waiting for college admissions. My elder brother had a few months before joining his new job and got me drum kit! He played guitars and we played a lot together before he drifted away....

Then thankfully the drumming frenzy continued as I did my post grad in IITB. This time I could play better kits that our hostel music rooms provided....

Even now the bug haunts me and in spite of staying in a tiny 8foot by 8foot room in a PG in Bangalore I ended up buying an electronic drum kit! It plays like a dream and I hope I can continue with my passion further with it!

the Royal feeling!

A month or so ago my company Kuliza took a few of us to an off-site trip. There were some products to be developed in a strict (rather impossible) deadline. We stayed at the Royal Orchid hotel - Metropole. It used to be the Maharaja's guest house long back. The food was breath-taking (everyone from the waiters, to guests, to colleagues were taken aback at my tremendous appetite - forgive me....but two years at a govt hostel and 4 months at a Andhra mess was my previous track record)! But the work pressure kept us indoors, (we went out only once in the entire week long trip) and my collegues kept saying we had actually entered the Big Boss house!


It was indeed royal treatment with lavish rooms and excellent service, but I kept feeling a bit out of place in my shabby drawstrings and loose t-shirts.... The hotel was beautiful and I longed to make a painting....


So one evening I completely ditched my responsibilities and painted the courtyard! The painting was very well received by my colleagues and seniors and well worth the effort (quite a few hours and mosquito bites)! Here's the final thing....

Caricatures!

I have always loved drawing people... and specially people close to me. In fact sometimes I find deeper the connection I have with a person, easier it is to draw him or her! But then some people have very distinctive features and are indeed easier to draw. Others are rather 'portrait-shy' lets say!

I recently got to make a series of caricatures for some company employees..... More of a recognition of their perseverance and shall be put up in a large banner in office reception! The last one amongst them is my own....
Surprisingly it came quite well, and blended with the theme of bliss.... Though the contrasts are stark too, because personally I feel that I am still struggling to find balance in my life!