Worship Turned Into A Disaster

Pune


Today is Kalash Sthapan, the first day of Durga Pooja, Navratra begins today. This is the 12 th year of my navratra. As usual I did my pooja and path but this time I am only doing keel, kawach and argala and chaturth adhyay because I can't sit for long.


After my pooja I switched on the TV to see the news but in the news I saw again a disaster like Naina Devi has occured in Chamunda Mata Temple of Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur. The same incident again happened.


The TV news was saying that At 5:30 am at least 8,000 people were there, some news say 10,000 people were there to witness the Kalash Sthapan at the temple when this incident took place and at least 113 people lost their lives. In the news it was coming that people started running because they heard that there was a bomb but some news say it was again due to falling of an iron railing.


This is the fourth such incident of stamped in India.People must have gone to worship god but it resulted in a tragedy.

Memories That Recharge You

Pune


When your children are grown up and well settled you feel very proud and at the same time vacuum comes to your life, specially if you are people like me. You don't have any responsibility left and then when you remember those days when you were growing your children, it makes you some times sad but mostly it recharges you, those memories are very precious and that is the reason people repeat those incident. But I feel very sad when people ignore old people and laugh at them when they tell the story about their children and other experiences. But this happens with mostly every one.


In 1978 my elder son Bhaskar got admitted to his first school, named "Little Angels School," which was in Adityapur, it was near my house. At that time he was only three and half years old and my younger son was one and half years old. The school timing use to be 8:30am to10:30am. Everyday my husband while going to his office dropped him to the school and I use to pick him at 10:30.


At that time we had just shifted to that place and I did not had any helping hand too. My husband use to leave the house at 8:25 and come back at 1:20pm for lunch and again he had to leave the house for office at about 2:10pm. Between 8:25am-1:20pm I had lots of work to do.


Once my husband lost his watch and my watch also stopped working, so we had to depend on radio for time. In the morning about 7:00am we use to switch on our radio and we had to depend on that for time and do our work accordingly. After 9:30 there was no program, so I had to do my work with out knowing the time. After my husband went to his office I had to get ready my younger son first, so that he sleeps on time and before 10:30 he gets up.


One day my younger son slept late so I waited for him to wake up for about 5 minutes, even then he didn't woke up, so I took him in his sleep and went to bring my elder son. I was going very fast and I was not even looking any where, only I was looking forward. When the road ended I turned on left, that was my rout. As I turned I heard my sons cry and at once stopped there. Now I could see him, he was crying and running very fast towards me. Actually I was very late and when all the children went his teacher took him with her and was coming to drop him. She was coming by the parallel road but I could not see them. My son thought I was going somewhere else, so he started crying and was running to catch me. His teacher was telling him to go slowly and not run but he was very fast. I stopped there, when he came to me I asked him, "why were you crying I was coming to take you," he immediately answered, "because I thought you were leaving me and going with Vickie some where". I felt very guilty that day and in the evening when my husband came we went and bought an alarm watch first. After that I was never late.


My younger son Mayur got admitted to Rajendra Vidyalay Jamshedpur. It is one of the best school of Jamshedpur. My elder son was studying in D B M S English School, Jamshedpur at that time. He use to go with his father and come back by 1:30 pm,but younger one had his school bus. The bus stand was near but some one had to go to bring him home.


One day I sent Panditji( he is a part of my family,he is like my son) to bring Vickie(my younger son) from the bus stand and was waiting for him, after one hour when Panditji didn't return, I was worried and as I was to go, I saw Panditji coming alone. When he came he told me that the bus had not come yet. Now I was very worried because it was too late. That time I didn't had phone also, nor any of my neighbors had. I was thinking what to do, I was helpless. One idea came in my mind and I told Panditji to stay with my elder son and I got down from my flat. I thought I will take an auto rickshaw and go to the school or go to my husband's office and from there we will go to the school. As I was proceeding towards auto stand, I saw a rickshaw coming towards me and I could see a small boy sitting on the seat alone, but when it came nearer it was Vickie, my son, all alone on the rickshaw. He was smiling but I was very upset seeing him coming alone. When I asked him what happened, he told me that the bus had break down. Very few children were left in the bus, because it supose to be the last stoppage, so the conductor arranged rickshaw for those children. When the conductor saw me coming he showed Vickie and went with another child, so seeing me he was smiling. How could he know, how much worried I was. These memories will always be with me.

Making Of A Video Film By Lallan Prasad Thakur

Pune


Mr. Lallan Prasad Thakur's first Maithili play in Jamshedpur was Badka Saheb( big officer). This was the only play which he did not do in the banner of Mithilakshar, an organization formed by him. This play was staged twice in his direction in Jamshedpur.


Mr. Thakur joined Tata Steel on 20th September 1977, and he joined an organization called Mithila Sanskritik Parishad in Jamshedpur. Its Mahila Shakha, a women wing was formed and few months after the formation of Mahila Shakha some of the members of Mithila Sanskritik Parishad approached and requested Mr.Thakur to stage a play for Mahila Shakha. He had just completed the script of Badka Saheb, so he excepted the invitation. I use to go with him in the rehearsal everyday.



The rehearsal started, this was my younger son's first play as an child artist. I remember every day there use to be some problem. The major problem was lady artist but that was solved. I have seen several drama created by the organizers during the rehearsal of this play. Any how, the play was very successfully staged but Mr. Thakur had such a bitter experience that he decided not do any play for any organization. But at the same time he wanted to do Maithili play also.


Before Badka Saheb he had done several safety dramas for TISCO which was in Hindi. For Maithili he had no option, so with a group of artists he formed an organization called Mithlakshar(Natya Ewam Sangeet Sanstha) . The only criteria for the membership was, person should be interested either in drama or music. He or she had played drama or had performed on stage was not necessary. There was no membership fees, only interested person were the member of Mithilakshar.


After joining Mithlila Sanskritik Parishad Mr. Thakur came close to a very nice and gentle person Mr. Balmukund Choudhary, who later on became his one of the closest friend. After formation of Mithilakshar he suported Mr. Thakur a lot in management etc. Even sometimes he had to act in the play. He is a tabla artist but only Mr.Thakur could make him act in a play. Some times he had to play tabla and he was always kept as a stand bye artist like me.


"Aadi Wa Ant"( beginning or end) is Mr. Lallan Prasad Thakur's last script of a play. This play was staged in Jamshedpur's Ravindra Bhavan and it was as usual very successful play and liked by the audience. After" Aadi Wa Ant" was staged Mr. Thakur wanted to do an experiment by making a video film. When he told me this idea I told him "how can you do this you don't have any experience about film making, you don't have any resources, even camera man you don't know who will work for you without money".He smiled and said, "wait I will do with the resources I have" and he started working on for the video film. He had to change some scenes and dialogues too. Most of the artist were the same, those who had acted in the play.


Loyola( B.Ed) College had two technician who use to shoot for their educational program. So Mr. Thakur approached them and they gladly accepted the offer but they said they don't know how to shoot a video film, they only shoot for the college and they had only one camera. Mr. Thakur with his blind supporter Mr. Choudhary convinced them and told them not to worry about it, he will direct them every thing and with one camera every thing will be done. The musician and makeup man were the same person who use to be with him in his plays. That time he had not seen a single shooting, the experience of film was zero and he was going to shoot a video film. He was in a leading role and he had to see every thing including direction and music direction.


The shooting was done on four five locations but the main shooting was done in one of our friends bungalow and the first scene started with bhratridwitiya (a festival of brothers and sisters). In the scene sister gives sweet to his brother in his mouth and the brother eats it, it is a custom of this festival. Since it was the first scene so it had lots of take, retake and the brother had to eat lots of sweets.


There were lots of events during the shooting which can be described but I am going to describe only few today. Mr.Thakur use to direct the camera man at what angle he needed the camera. In a scene Mr. Thakur had some important dialogues, so before going for his shot he explained the camera man and his assistant and went. During the shot the camera had to move but the camera man was not doing that and standing at a place and shooting. Mr. Thakur noticed that and during his dialogue delivery he started turning round his pointer finger. I was just behind the camera, I noticed it and immediately told the cameraman and he cached it. It was done in such a manner that no one can catch the movement of the finger. It looks like action needed for that scene.


There is a folk dance in that video film and before it starts there is an announcement coming in a news channel. Someone had to read that news so Mr. Choudhary was the news reader in that film and he had to read the news. For this shooting a hall was booked in an auditorium. The dancers, musicians, singers all were ready, Mr. Thakur use to sing also and he has written several songs, including the folk song which was in this video film. So after settling everything he sat with the singers and musicians. The news scene was the starting of the shots. So, the shot started with Mr. Choudhary, the news reader. When the shot was ready Mr. choudhary was called, every one was silent but as Mr. Choudhary entered for the shot and I saw him I started laughing and with me every one started laughing. Oh my god, he had to come in suit, for that he had gone to the dressing room but when he came he was wearing pyjama and coat with tie, he was looking so funny that all of us including Mr. Thakur and Mr. Choudhary himself laughed. Off course only the upper(coat) portion was coming in that scene. So after few minutes Mr. Thakur told everyone to be silent and the shot was taken. Even now while watching the movie, when I see that scene I laugh.


The last shot was taken in Jublee Park and that was for casting. This way the video film was made. Mr.Thakur himself did the editing of the film. Casting was also done by him. Now I have converted this film in DVD.

A Humorous Person

Pune


Mr. Lallan Prasad Thakur(my husband) had a good sense of humor. One of his colleague's second name was Khare. The telephone was on my husband's table in the office, whenever a call came for Mr. Khare and people use to ask Khare hain(is Khare there), he use to answer baithe hain(I am sitting).


Mr. Balmukund Choudhary was one of the closest friend of my husband. His mother also stayed with him. She was an old and innocent lady and we called her kaki(aunt). When ever we went to Mr. Choudhary's house my husband use to go first near his mother,take her blessings and talk to her. She also liked him very much. One day she told me, "he is a great man, never hurt him". After that she told me" do you know why I am telling this?" I just shook my head in no, then she said, "no one wants to talk to old people and he sits near me and talks to me for hours, so he is a great person."All of us laughed, including my husband.


One weekend we went along with my sister Binny to visit Mr. Choudhary. When we reached at the gate my husband told me," you just wait on the gate, let me go with Binny first. After a while I will ask you to come". I asked him, "why", he told me" just for five minutes, you will know". I waited there but not on the gate but behind the door of the living room and from a hole I could see kaki. He entered the door and went straight to kaki. She was sitting in the living room. He first touched her feet, my sister also touched her feet. Now he asked kaki about her health, he use to ask whenever he met her. Then he asked which daughter in law loved her now a days, she laughed at it. She was answering all the question but I could see kaki's face, she was looking at Binny surprisingly. Then my husband asked her," how is my wife looking today?"She has to say something, so she said alright. I could see her face, she was not happy. Now I could not resist my self and I entered the room. At once smile came at her face and said,"you were fooling me, here comes your wife and she laughed. All of us with her laughed a lot.


Once we went to a reception party. The bride and groom were sitting on a stage, people were in que and going one by one to wish the couple. One gentleman who was just in front of my husband turned and looked at his face. In return my husband just smiled and wished him saying namastey. The gentleman also said namastey and turned. After a while he again turned and asked Mr. Thakur, "do I know you,where did we meet"? Mr. Thakur didn't knew him but he said" in the flight". The gentleman again turned, and said, "but I have never traveled by flight". Now my husband said "then must be in train", now the gentle man said no, " I don't remember, but I am a doctor."Hearing this my husband at once replied, "that's why, you are a doctor and I am a director, so we must have met some where". Now that gentleman new that he was joking, so he smiled and turned back.


Once I was with my husband and elder son at my parents place. That time my elder son was too small and sometimes in the night he wanted to play with his father. One day the whole family went to sleep but my son did not sleep till late night , so he was playing and both of us were also talking and playing with our son. When my son slept my husband went out side and came back and we also slept. I got up on screaming of my sisters and rushed to their room, it was just beside my room. I was the first one to reach their room, after that my parents also came. I entered and switched on the light and saw both my sisters legs were tide together with a string their hair were also tide together. So they were screaming. Now we opened the string and they were free. All of us new who must have done it, so all of us laughed and went to our rooms. When I entered my room I saw my husband was also smiling.


My younger sister-in-law is married to an army personal. We went there to attend the marriage few days before her marriage. After marriage one fine morning my newly married brother-in-law was in his room and we were having tea on the veranda of his room, my mother-in law was also there. We were relieved after the marriage so we were discussing about it, Mr. Thakur was knowing that his brother-in-law was in his room, so he purposely told his mother,"God knows how Dada(he use to say Dada to his father) chose this boy, we even don't know he is a capt. or not. My brother-in law was capt. at that time, now he is a brigadier. After some time I went to my brother-in-law's room and was talking to him, he showed me some photographs including one with his uniform and said it is for you and Lallanji(my husband) and he pointed the star in his uniform. I understood why he gave me that photo and told him don't mind he was just joking.


When my son got admission in IIT Delhi my Brother-in-law was posted in Delhi as Lt. colonel and we went to meet them.When we reached, my sister-in law and children were in the house and my brother-in-law was in his office. After tea we were standing in the balcony and waiting for him to come. After few minutes my brother-in-law came in his uniform and as he entered the balcony Mr. Thakur said,"today I knew you are really an army officer". All of us laughed and went inside the house.

July The Lucky Month



Fremont(California) 21st August


I got married the very next day of my 16th birthday and I had just passed my 10th exam. After my exam I had come to attend my cousin sister's marriage which was on 2 nd of June and I stayed there for few days with my parents. Those days I was staying at Ranchi with my uncle, my father was posted at Arunachal Pradesh and had come to attend the marriage.I don't remember exactly what happened, after my cousin's marriage my uncle and my father went out from our village for few days. Sometime I use to hear talking my grand parents about my marriage. My grand father use to say," she should be married now and she has a very good chance of getting married, only Niloo(my cousin sister) was the hurdle, now she is married". I was not aware of any thing. On 11 th July my uncle came, every one was very happy.


My uncle came to me and said "I have fixed your marriage". When I heard this I was very sad, not for the reason I was getting married, I did not know what was marriage. That time I only knew that in marriage you get lots of new clothes and jeweleries. I was sad because in my school I had told my friends that I was going for my cousin's marriage, which was true. Now what will they think, I was worried about that.


My uncle again went in the evening, as I heard he went to bring the barati's. The whole family was busy in arrangement for my wedding. My parents, my grand parents, my brother, who was himself 14years old, was the busiest person, he was busy for the arrangement of loudspeaker etc. My sisters were very small to do any thing but they were very excited that they will wear new clothes.


On 12thJuly that is my birthday too, my father came. Now he explained every thing about how the marriage was fixed and what was the boy doing. I could only hear that the boy is doing his civil engineering and he comes from a nice family. Now I was happy, but why that I don't know. May be my father and uncles were engineer and secondly in the evening I got a new saree to wear. That was my first saree and I was wearing saree first time. One of my aunt(bua,father's sister) came and she tide my saree but after an hour I took it out and came in my original skirt blouse.


The very next day that was 13thJuly I got married. I had to stay in my village for a month to do the rituals etc. In the mean time my uncle got my admission in Nirmala College Ranchi. When I reached Ranchi all my friends got shocked and they teased me saying "you told us that you were going for your cousins wedding but you married your self". In my Intermediate science first year I was the only married girl in my class.


Every year on 12th July all my friends, my parents, my children my brother and sisters wish me and every year I expect that people will wish me on 13 th also but no one wishes me on that day. I don't know why? That day is still a memorable and special day for me and July is the lucky month for me

7th September

Pune


Today is a day which I couldn't forget. It was the darkest day of my life. The word I never mention will not mention even today, people will know them selves what I mean. At certain point people are helpless. But one thing I know, nice people doesn't stay longer on this earth,because God needs them. Today I can't write more than this.

Back To India

San Francisco














The feeling of leaving your loved ones makes you sad, if you leave your son who is thousands of miles away from the country is very painful. This can't be described, it can be known by experience.


Today I am going back to India. Since last seven days I was very sad but I enjoyed a lot in Los Angeles and Universal Studios Hollywood.This time I don't know why, I have a fear that I will not be able to come to USA again. May be due to my health problem. My arthritis, which is yet to be confirmed, is it osto or rheumatoid? When I was leaving home Anu was also very sad. At the airport I was not feeling like leaving Vickie but after check-in I had to go for security check alone. Vickie was standing there in the back and I could see him. I was feeling that I was forcibly sent. Any how I went and till the end of terminal 45 Vickie was waving hand and I was looking back at him till he was visible. I went and sat on a chair and after 15minutes boarding started and I had no choice.


I was sitting on the window seat and feeling very sad, so when my aircraft took off I started looking from the window, consoling my self that I will come again soon. Now I could see the sky liner of San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge,The Rock(Alcatraz), the Harbor of San Francisco and tried to divert my mind.


This time I was very tired in the flight. Any how I landed at Indra Gandhi International Airport at 10:30pm Kapil came to receive me. Now despite my tiredness I was happy that I am going to meet Shweta and Puttu after five months.

Visit to Universal Studio Hollywood
















Fremont


Just returned from Los Angeles. On 30th August we went for two days tour to Los Angeles and Universal Studio Hollywood. Since it was Labor Day so Vickie had a long weekend. When I was
planning to go to USA Vickie had told that during this tour he will take me to Hollywood and Las Vegas. We had planned that on Saturday we will leave for Los Angeles and come back on Monday.


Since many years I use to hear the word Hollywood. It was always in my mind that it is a very big thing to visit and see Hollywood, I never thought that one day I would see and know about it so closely and nicely. Actually I was very curious about it and when Vickie asked me to choose between two, Universal Studio Hollywood and Disneyland, I choose Universal Studio Hollywood. We didn't had enough time that we could see both. Both were time taking job, I mean both the places had many things to see and all takes time. So, Vickie booked the ticket of Universal Studio Hollywood.


We planned that we will leave Fremont early in the morning, since it was Labor Day weekend, if we leave late, we will be trapped in the traffic. Early in the morning at 5o'clock we left for
Los Angeles. Up to Irvin we went smoothly but after that we were really trapped in the traffic. From Irvin to Dana Point, where we had to go first and where Anu's uncle lived, took about two hours to reach and at 2 p:m we were at Dana Point.




We went straight to Dr. Mohan Roy's (Anu's uncle) house. He has a very big and beautiful house on the beach, with fantastic view facing Pacific Ocean. One can spend hours there, watching the view.


After lunch we went to the beach and after spending hours there we came back. Anu and Vickie had fun and I also enjoyed and took some nice pictures.


In the evening Dr. Roy and Dr.Mrs. Roy took us to Dana Point Harbour and for a nice Chinese dinner. After dinner every one sang on karaoke. Anu and Vickie sang a nice song.


In the morning after a long session of talk and nice breakfast we left for Universal Studio Hollywood. We were told that it will take at least one hour to reach Universal City. We crossed the down town of Los Angeles but I was not eager to see it and we went straight to the Universal City.

I had heard that Hollywood is written on one of the hill, so when we came near we started moving our neck and at last we saw that. Now we were sure that we have reached Universal City because a huge gate could be seen with UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD on top of the gate was written. Now I was exited, at the gate we had to take the ticket for parking and after that we went to the huge parking from there we had to take the elevator. Now I thought we have reached the main studio because there were no gate there.


Now INOX AND AMC theater could be seen, from there we went straight. Both the sides were full of nice souvenir shops and snacks shop. Now I thought where is the studio, just then I saw a huge iron globe type thing revolving and UNIVERSAL STUDIOS was written on it. Now I thought we have reached the studio. But again we had to turn and saw another gate with Universal studios Hollywood written on it.Till this point every one can come but beyond this you need to have entry ticket.



We had to produce our entry ticket here and after that we entered the main studio. After entering the very first thing we noticed was horror show written on a building. Anu was interested to see it and so was Vickie. Anu asked me was I interested watching it or not and after seeing my interest three of us went to watch it.



The building it self looked like the building we use to see in horror movies. The very first thing I noticed there was written, live artist can come in front of you, please don't touch them, they will also not touch you. As we entered it was all dark and Vickie was going with two people who is scared of living in the house alone at night. Three of us hold each others hand and started moving in the dark. The music of horror movie was going on and we were moving. Really it looked like we see in horror movies, the artists entering the cave. Anu was very scared, any how we were moving. Really the live artists were coming in the way, some like ghosts, some dead body was also seen in the cave. As we were moving one dead body which was hanging in a polethene bag came in front of us and touched our body, off course it was not a real one. Anu screamed, even I was also scared, any how we moved. Anu use to close her eyes when ever she was scared. Any how we came out of the cave, dispite our fear we enjoyed it.

After the horror show we saw a very interesting cartoon show that is Shrek. It was 4D show that I had seen the first time. Oh my GOD, in this show the chairs also shakes, some water also came on our face. It was a nice experience.


Now we thought to do the studio tour first, so we went in the que for tram. They have plenty of trams, so our term came quickly and we got into it. The tram was equipped with television and a guide. The first thing she showed us was the stage where the famous program NBC shooting is being done. There were several stages like that, from there she took us to a wooden bridge. Here many films shooting was done. Here she showed us how the shooting is done, she even showed us by remote how the bridge is broken during the shooting. The clips of the films those were shooted there were also shown on the television. Now we went on the bridge and from there we passed through the place where several cars were kept. Those cars were used in famous Universal Studios movies and the name of the movies were also written there. The clips of the movies in which those cars were used were also coming on the TV screen.



Now we went to see the most interesting part of the studio and that was the blowing of the cars which are done in the movies. It was amazing, we could not imagine that in the movies what we see is done this way. First the guide explained us and as the remote was pressed the cars went up, oh my god, it was on the jack in the air. We saw how the fire blows the car. From there we went to a place where shooting of a flood is done.



Now it was the tern of how the shooting of big cities done. All the sets of big cities, parks etc. was there. The stuntman were there to show the stunts. We saw all the sets of serials which are now a days famous and most popular. All the sets were natural and looked beautiful.



After going through those sets we entered the special effect studio, the tram went inside it. It looked that we have reached the metro train station. On the left train track could be seen and at the right was the set for water. Here we really saw a nice special effect, the special effects of train, water, ambulance etc. is given here in the movies.



As our tram moved a lake could be seen on the right and a big shark was also seen in it . The guide told us and on the TV screen also we could see that the shooting of many movies were done there. Then came the set of sea, I was so shocked it was a big screen of sea and we saw on the TV the clips of the movies those were shooted there.


We moved from the sea set and now we were shown how dead body after murder was kept in the car. From there we moved to the set of a plane crash.


Now the tram returned from the studio, we were very hungry so first of all we decided to have some food. After food we had to go to the lower level of the studio because we wanted to see the Mummy Show.



We had seen the movie The Mummy few days earlier, so when I heard about the Mummy Show I thought it will be a show similar to Horror show so I was very excited to see it. We again went in the que, it was very big. Now Anu told me it was a ride. I am very afraid of rides, but any how I pretended to be brave. I had no option other than flee away from the line. Then I saw a lady much older than me, so I tried to be brave and sat on the seat of the ride.



The ride had four seats in a row. Vickie sat in the corner then after that Anu,my self and a girl sat beside me. I was very afraid what will happen, I asked Vickie how to hold and hold it tightly. As the roller coaster entered the cave I was very scared, so I did not speak a word till it was finished and we returned back praying to Bajrangbali(god). When Vickie use to ask mummy are you ok, I could only say yes.But when we returned back it was a nice feeling.



Now it was already 8:30pm and we were very tired so after seeing the archive we returned back by then it was 9pm. When I sat in the car I was very happy that I saw such a nice thing. While returning we were talking about it but after some time when it came in my mind that I have my flight tomorrow I became sad.