'Will you remember me?'

 

'Will you remember me?'

 

Lying on the monsoon grass,

Amid the silence of the night

I hear clashing and clinking

Of the thoughts running inside me.

What are you to me?

What am I to you?

 

Two lonely metal pieces

Drifting in the outer space

We sometimes want

To feel the warmth

Brought by love and tender care

Like the lingering earthy scent

After mid-July rains.

 

I thought I was fine on my own

But then you came along

As we floated in

The ever-flowing river of time,

My heart erupted

In an undaunted melody.

 

I wish I could be nearer to

Hear your hearty laughs

Look into your deep, raven eyes

And tell you truly how I feel

May be you would or

May be you won’t-

Half agony, half hope.

I kiss the tendrils of creeper

My little, silent keeper

Of secrets and longings.

Scattered mirror shards

Reflecting everywhere

Kaleidoscopic memories

Of times gone forever.

 

The promises never made

The words never spoken

The roads not taken…

Your orbit is an ellipse

And mine is a circle

Is an intersection even possible?

 

Someday you might find

Another satellite to be with you

Forlorn I’ll be but still

I cherished you enough to let you go.

Once you’ve travelled the seven seas

I wonder if you’ll look back

And remember me.

                                        

                                     -Sayee Bhakare

 

'This Distance'

 

‘This Distance’

 

How those eyes yearn!

Just to catch a glimpse

Even if it’s for a fleeting moment

It’d mean so much to her.

 

Through the dusk and through the dawn

She thinks of the words she’d say

But when he appears in front her,

The words that are her world

Seem to abandon her.

 

What is she to do?

Lifting her pen,

She decides to tell him once and for all

The anguish only he’s responsible for.

 

The wistfulness of his smile

The tenderness in his voice

Makes her blush

The deep blush of first love…

 

A part of her wants to say it out loud

But she’s afraid

To bridge this distance between them;

As it’s this distance that breathes life into her dreams.

 

Perhaps to him, she’s just someone

 Someone who shall fade away

In the ravages of time

But to her, he’ll always be a poem…

 

Shrouded in an unsolvable mystery,

An unfathomable depth in his eyes,

She tries to decipher whenever they meet

Even if it’s for a fleeting moment.

 

 Sand art credits: Khulta kali khulena 

 

-Sayee Bhakare 

PS: Sorry it's been so much time since I posted anything on the blog. With valentine's day just round the corner, I decided to write a  short poem on the dilemma we often experience about confessing our feelings to someone. I hope you all find it relatable. 

I'd love to hear what you think! You can write down your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Any part of this write-up can't be republished. 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts on ‘Atonement’

 My thoughts on ‘Atonement’

Adapted from Ian McEwan’s best-seller of the same name, Atonement opens with the clicking staccato of Briony’s typewriter. The 13-year-old is putting a final touch to her first play that is to be performed by her and the cousins that evening for some guests.

On this languid summer afternoon in 1935, the scorching heat is challenging everyone’s demure mannerisms and sweet dispositions in the sprawling English country mansion. Cecilia Tallis, her elder sister, has just graduated from Cambridge along with her housekeeper’s son and friend Robbie Turner. While on an errand, they have a charged encounter by the fountain. Unbeknownst to them, the precocious young girl is watching from one of the Gothic windows.

Briony’s infatuation with drama and Robbie, combined with the wild imagination of a budding writer, leads her to drastically misinterpret everything. This sets a series of unfortunate events in motion: a letter never intended to be delivered, disappearance of the twins and a predator on the loose. She wrongly accuses her sister’s lover of a crime that he did not commit and the real culprit gets off scot-free.

In the second part, we are whisked away to an entirely different world. The hazy, ethereal quality associated is contrasted to the sullen shades of World War II London. Briony, like Cecilia, is working as a nurse instead of going to the university and begins to grasp the all-consuming horrors of the war and her unintentional lie. She desperately wishes to make amends but doesn’t have the guts to face her estranged sister.

Robbie is one of the thousands of soldiers stranded on Dunkirk. An attack by the Nazis has left devastation in its wake. This particular heart-wrenching sequence follows young men with bruises and wounded hopes. Some of them singing the hymn 'Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ under a gazebo to keep up the spirits while others squandering time away and resorting to booze as they await the unprecedented evacuation. The backdrop of Dario Marianelli's haunting Oscar-winning score seamlessly weaves the tapestry of the despair.

Kiera Knightley and James McEvoy give stellar performances as the star-crossed lovers. Saorise Ronan embodies the young Briony and conveys both the frenzied chaos and firm resoluteness through her eyes. Romola Garai is cast as the 18-year old Briony whereas Vanessa Redgrave humanizes the much older Briony.

 While the cinematography, music, acting and directing by Joe Wright and his team deserves a thunderous applause, I must mention the iconic emerald green dress worn by Cecilia. Digging up the archives of fashion history, you wouldn’t find a similar dress from that era. However, Jacqueline Durran used the artistic liberty to come up with something suited to the character’s taste and symbolise Cecilia’s vulnerability and awakening.

Decades later, Briony is a renowned author. Her last novel is titled ‘Atonement’. Briony being an unreliable narrator, leads us to ask questions like Can she ever atone for what she had done? Was she even to be blamed? There aren’t simple answers to complex questions, especially when seen from different perspectives. A classic case of Rashomon effect, this is a masterpiece not to be missed and a strong IMDb rating of 7.8 testifies my opinion.

 

 

‘The Symphony of Spring ’

 

‘The Symphony of Spring ’

 

Squinting eyes looking the sun in its eye

Emerald leaves and crystal skies;

Flowing through the thistle,

The gushing water glistened.

A breeze stirred

The drowsy blooms in its wake,

And they came swivelling down

Onto the lush, green lawn!

They were sitting side-by-side

Yet keeping a reasonable distance.

Not talking much

For the silence was worth

Perhaps more than a million words.

A moment so pristine-

Filled their hearts with a joy

They didn’t know existed.

The fleeting sunbird siphoned

Nectar-The elixir of life,

And ushered in fluttering butterflies.

They could see Te Fiti’s halo

Draped in the her finest florals,

With a smile beckoning the cuckoo.

Perched on the boughs laden,

He composed a symphony for the maiden

To herald the arrival

Of the spring season.

 

A Reader’s Tryst

 

A Reader’s Tryst

With the Omicron surge, we are again locked up in our homes. How to spend 24 hours within the four walls of the house? I don’t know about you but I devour every single book that I can find in the house. I have a reason. It’s not just that the chilly January air is transforming me into an indoor cat but, reading gives me respite from the humdrum of chores and classes.

Here I am sharing pictures of 2 libraries. This dreamy old library is featured in The New York Times article and got me thinking- why do libraries appeal to so many people? I am sure you will like the other picture equally because it features absorbed readers! 

Dr. Macksey's home library

Ramdootnagar(Jamnagar district, Gujarat) community library

All of us are fortunate to have books (which sometimes we don’t bother to complete) in our homes. Even if you can’t get a hard copy, Kindle is at your service. If you are a freebie like me, you can just download free PDFs from sites you don't trust.  You’re reading this blog right now and probably wondering why I am pointing that out. We read every day- be it the e-newspaper or texts from friends. I want you to imagine when you would have nothing to read. No books, no internet, nothing.

Right outside the golden bubble of our township, the children of the school in the slum don’t have any books to read, except the course books. Their parents struggle to make the ends meet. However, watching their parents’ hardship, the kids are determined to learn.

“The kids are like sponges…ready to absorb every drop of knowledge!” my mother remarked. We decided to start a library and I recall, during our first visit, the children thronged around the books collected in the donation drive. As they were skimming through the pages, their faces glowed, owing to the vibrancy of any picture book. The elder ones of the group took on the responsibility of running an evening library.

Belonging to the advantaged strata of this society, it is our utmost responsibility to give back. I am determined to keep starting libraries all my life...wherever I go, whichever profession I may choose, I will keep doing my bit. And you would too, right? Amid the pandemic, it has been the tenacious spirit of volunteers that has kept the library running. And how can I forget the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed readers who turn up every single day! The dappled sunlight is the natural light bulb and the asbestos shelter- a reader’s tryst!

 

‘A cup of Tea with Women Politicians’

 

‘A cup of Tea with Women Politicians’

 

“Politics isn’t like a 9-5 job! It is about passion, dedication and people!” These are the words of Beenaben-Mayor of Jamnagar. As a 10^th grader, I have been reading about decentralisation and women’s participation in local governments.  73^rd amendment not only gave more power to the local government but also helped to inculcate the habit of political participation. One of the salient features is 50% reservation for women and as usual, there have been differing opinions regarding such affirmative actions. Class discussions stimulated my interest and I decided to interview women elected members. I managed to get appointments of mayor of Jamnagar city and Sarpanch of Vibhapar village.  

Both the women leaders lead busy lives and I got to observe their engagement with people who came to meet them for work.  Gitaben , Sarpanch of Vibhapar had started off as a volunteer in various projects in her village about 28 years ago . Beena ben , our mayor has been in the public sphere for the past 13 years. Contrary to the assumption of some of my friends, their husbands didn’t hail from political backgrounds.  However, fortunately their families always encouraged them to follow their hearts.  Geetaben said, “One should have genuine desire to resolve issues. Politics is not about power only.” 

While discussing their careers, I realised that in politics, there are some days with high level of excitement and some are full of challenges. Geetaaben narrated her recent ordeal during flood situation in Jamnagar district. As the villages along with Power Station were submerged under water, she lost a family member.  While water was mercilessly entering into houses of the villagers, power got cut. The rain was incessant and her phone would not stop ringing. She lamented, “One feels helpless in times like those but, it is important to keep doing what you can!”   

Mayor Beena ben also said, “People expect that problems should get resolved quickly and they are right to some extent. However, practical realities are different. It takes time, deep analysis and inter departmental coordination.”  She added that when people come together, impossible tasks are achieved. Jamnagar’s vaccination drive has been quite successful- a whopping 97% of vaccinated population has got vaccinated so far. Since the beginning, the city topped in the country as far as vaccination was concerned.   

Under the leadership of Geetaben, Vibhapar has a strong 10 women panch team for the first time. “It’s probably the most significant achievement so far,” she opined. Both of them admitted that they are workaholic. Both of them emphasised that the change is happening at all levels, but mentioned that they still come across people who hold stereotypical views about women. 

My last question was, “What would your advice be to the women willing to come into politics?” From Beenaben’s smile, I conjectured that this must be a question that many would have asked. Nevertheless, she replied, “I have seen young women preoccupied with fashion and social media.” I chuckled awkwardly, feeling guilty. “It shouldn’t be overlooked but all your time and energy must not be consumed by these things.” Geetaben, too, emphasised the need for passion to bring change and consistent efforts to lead a socially active and relevant life. She accepted that the journey might be precarious but not impossible. We need more women’s representation and participation in every field including politics.  

Sure, women have been breaking the glass ceilings in every field and Member of Parliament from Jamnagar constituency is also a woman. She is immensely popular and therefore, it would be interesting to have an interaction with her to get a sense of what it takes to represent one of the largest constituencies in the parliament.  

Movie Review: Only Yesterday

 

‘ Movie Review: Only Yesterday’

Only Yesterday is one of those anime films which make you reminiscent of your childhood dreams and make you reconsider if you have been true to your younger self. Taeko, a 27-year-old career woman in Tokyo is bored with the fast-paced city life. She embarks on a journey to the countryside to escape the persistent nagging to 'get settled'.

It is on this journey that she discovers herself. The current circumstances remind herself  of the 10-year old Taeko. In a monologue, she says-

“When my sisters recall the good old days it's mainly about fashions or pop starts. For them 1966 was the high point of their youth. But for me it was just fifth grade.”

 The film jumps back in time and again to the present. It reflects Taeko’s state of mind. Unlike the present, the flashbacks are faded at the corners and have been painted with lighter colours. This is because memories become distant with time yet they have been portrayed poignantly.

There is delicate balance between childhood and growing up. The hype around getting your first period, the struggle with fractions, first crushes, tantrums, being picky about veggies and the list of relatable incidents goes on and on! This must be one of the few movies which has showed menstruation in a non-tabooed way.

   

                                            

In one scene, a small Taeko gets a small role in the school play. She has just one line and tries to increase a word or two, only to be reprimanded by the teacher. She practices her line like a zillion times and plays the part well. She even gets an offer to play a character in a college play. However, her father doesn’t relent saying that the ‘show people’ are no good. The look of frustration on her face just tells you everything. 
(In 4th grade, I played passer-by 3 and  I still remember that single line.)

Coming back to the present, we are engrossed in the beauty of the country side- the sweeping landscapes of rice fields with the reflection of the blue sky, fields dotted with golden safflowers, huts, scarecrows and farmers.

Her brother-in-law’s cousin, Toshio, is an organic farmer, and has left the city life for good. He contemplates on the quandary of the agriculture industry. Taeko and Toshio become good friends and their conversations revolve around the fundamental questions ranging from ‘Are the ties between humans and nature weakening?’ to ‘How to know where we belong?’ 

During her sojourn, she dwells upon the possibility of fulfilling her lifelong yearning for farming. She is torn apart by the overwhelming memories of the past and the unfulfilled aspirations. She can take the plunge but is vacillated like all of us are. The theme of contrast and conflict dominates the film.

Only Yesterday is a realistic portrayal of the duality of human nature. Sometimes we are dubious and other times we are just so sure. Isao Takahata cleverly uses the elements of the weather to depict her state of mind. After being asked to stay there forever, a perplexed Taeko runs out in the rain. It is a manifestation of her melancholy. Toshio helps her untangle the warped past. She ultimately comes to term with the person she has become and makes a bold decision.

It takes a realistic approach to relationships like other Ghibli films do.  Studio Ghibli’s philosophy is that love helps you grow and this film is about growing up too. 

Ai wa Hana, Kimi wa sono Tane (Love is a flower, you are the seed) plays as the credits roll. It has been translated from the son ‘The Rose’ by Amanda McBroom. The lyrics sum up what the film wants to say.

 

Some say, "Love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed"
Some say, "Love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed"

Some say, "Love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need"
I say, "Love, it is a flower
And you it's only seed"

It's the heart that fears breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance

         It's the one, who won't be taken          
Who can not seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Life's the seed, that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

(Source: LyricFind)

It was a delight to witness the metamorphosis of a baffled girl into a confident young woman. Taeko leaves behind her childhood  yet carries a part of her younger self. 

I am going with 4 stars out of 5. You can watch the trailer in the link given below. As for the movie, you can see it on Netflix. Guess who did the voice over for Toshio? Dev Patel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ZrjocXVJ4 

*No part of the article can be copied. Strict action would be taken against the plagiariser. 

 

Types of Crushes we have had

Types of Crushes we have had

At one point or the other, we come across a certain someone who makes our heart skip a beat or two. You have butterflies in your stomach and the clichéd songs just click. You’ve got a crush! Here are some types of crushes which you may have or (have had).

1.      The First

This is the first-time ever you get a special feeling which you haven’t experienced before💓. May be it is that one person who used to tease you by calling a silly nickname. It got on your nerves but now you laugh at that😂. And no matter how many years pass by, you won’t forget this person, ever!

 

2.      The Good friend

A crush on a best friend…Oops. You are very good friends and you are happy being friends. Though you wonder what else could you be😊. Whenever, they talk about their crushes, you may get a little jealous but you wouldn’t show it😒. 

 

3.      The Rival

It can be a rival in school or on the badminton court. This is the person you constantly fight with 😤and are bent on defeating once. Yet, you have to admit that you harbour some feelings though you may disagree with everything else😳! Opposite poles attract…

 

4.      The Dream one

You are crushing on a character in books (book worms) or in the movies (movie buffs). It’s just that smile that makes you wish that they were real✨. Your wish is granted partially when they come in your dreams!!! Sweet dreams!

 

5.      The Run-into crush

Wherever you go, to the café or to the swimming pool, this one person shows up there. Is it  just by chance or is the entire universe conspiring something? 😎You want to talk to this person about the coincidences yet you can’t muster up the courage. So, that’ll be that.

All of these have been based on real experiences and accounts narrated to me by some dear friends. 

*No part of the article can be copied. Strict action would be taken against the plagiariser. 

 

 

 

Poem: ‘The Magic of Monsoon’

 

‘The Magic of Monsoon’

 

The day began all bright and sunny

But, by noon dark clouds hovered.

The lightning struck and flashed

The thunder boomed and echoed.

 

The frogs croaked louder,

The ants strengthened the boulder,

The peacocks chanted-

The hymn to welcome the first rains.

The first drops drizzled

And then came the downpour!

Kids splashed in muddy pools

And left the paper boats to pave their way…

 

The insects and critters crawled about.

While the drops glistened in the rain,

A rainbow emerged amidst the clouds

And left us all lost in ecstasy.

 

Happiness suffused on the faces

As they smelt the earthy scent.

The magic of monsoon-etched in our hearts

Can never ever fade away!

*No part of the poem can be copied. Strict action would be taken against the plagiariser. 

Sexism and stereotypes in cartoons

 

Sexism and Stereotypes 

in cartoons

 

 I and my friends bonded over many of our favorite shows when we were little kids. We would even enact the incidents. Doraemon, Shin-Chan, Pokemon, Chhota Bheem, etc always made me laugh- until they didn’t. 

As I grew up, I noticed that everything was not all right. The cartoons that I watched were steeped in prejudice and stereotypes. The cartoons that I watched were inherently sexist and in some cases- toxic.

Take the example of Doraemon. Shizuku is a bright girl. When she is asked by her teacher what she would like to pursue as a career, she simply replies, “ A good wife and a good mother.” 

At some point or the other, we may feel like starting a family. There's nothing wrong with that. But why does Shizuka not expect something more from life? Is a woman’s only role to look after home and hearth? Of course, not! She is not shown to have any professional ambition. 

Be it Shin-Chan or Ninja Hattori, the women are confined to the four walls of their kitchen. They are either washing the utensils, serving the family, or doing chores. Why don't the men contribute to the household chores? When the mothers are reading magazines to relax a bit, the fathers and the sons taunt them for being idle! In fact, they are shown to be angry when they don't get their food on time- served on their plates (Their ego is so bloated that they don't even bother to fetch their own plates!). 

We see that Nobita is always dependant on Doraemon’s gadgets to solve his problems. Why doesn’t he take up the initiative to improve himself?

Moreover, he is plainly nasty. Why do we see him pulling Shizuka’s skirt or installing cameras in her room? Is this what we want children to learn? We need to teach them about respecting everyone, about consent. It is harassment and it is not at all acceptable! I wonder where that will go with cartoons like these.

The intention could be of inducing some laughter. However, harassment is not something to be taken with a grain of salt. Once one of my favorite movies, 3 Idiots has a scene when the audience laughs at the joke of 'Balatkaar'. It means rape. How can we joke about such a huge issue, especially in India, where one woman is raped every 16 minutes?

The next cartoon on the list is Chhota Bheem. Bheem is fair, strong, and smart. Kalia, his rival is a dark boy (the only person of a dark complexion) who is often shown to be dumb. So, dark people are not as good? If you ask me, that’s racist.  

Chutki like her name is reduced to a damsel in distress. She makes ladoos for Bheem so that he can eat them and save the day. Girls are often shown to be submissive and demure. Why don’t they take the reins of their lives into their own hands? Why can't they voice their opinions as their male peers do? Why do Disney Princesses always wait for a Prince Charming to solve all their problems? 

The idea of having someone solve all your problems while you don't even lift a finger is quite compelling, I know. But my dear friends, this is not how the world works in reality. 

Recent Disney and Pixar movies like Moana, Frozen, Brave are much more empowering than the previous ones. However, they aren’t exempt from publicizing conventional beauty standards.

“I suddenly see him standing there
A beautiful stranger, tall and fair
I wanna stuff some chocolate in my face.”

- For the First time in forever (lyrics), Frozen 

This emphasizes the idea that men who are tall and fair are handsome. Girls are not the only ones who are forced to conform to nonsensical norms. Boys are taught to be insensitive. Why are we robbing them of their humanity? 

I watched some anime shows this Summer. The girls were thin as a reed! To meet the beauty standards, I'm afraid that they will continue to starve themselves!  We need to stop concocting the idea of unattainable physical perfection. Everyone is different and everyone is beautiful in their own way. Period.

The list of such shows goes on and on. I believe the writers also didn’t realize that their prejudice is reflected on screen. It is so ingrained in our minds. But we need to unlearn and challenge the status quo.

Children are impressionable. Therefore we need stronger role models for them who put gender equality into practice. We need characters from diverse backgrounds including religion, race, culture, sexual orientations, ethnicities… I have seen very few minorities and they are represented as very ‘exotic’. We need different perspectives. So, we need more and more diverse people as producers.

Why not bring people from the LGBTQA community to the table while making a film about their struggles? Why not cast actors from the community?  They will be able to portray the characters authentically.

I had watched ‘Wonder’. It’s a great movie that depicts the struggle of a 10-year-old with a facial deformity. The boy who played the character had to spend hours on the make-up. Maybe they could have cast a child who actually had the deformity. 

It’s difficult to unlearn but not impossible. I would like to see diverse shows with diverse characters and storylines. I would like to see progressive shows which go with our 21st-century ideals and whose characters are not afraid to stand up for what is right.

 * No part of the article can be copied. Strict action would be taken against the plagiariser.