Twistntales was born out of need to connect in a meaningful creative way.
It happened out of Harini's instinct, without a thought of failure or success. It was done with total energy, passion ...absolutely in the face. Asking Verghese to stayover to get this going (I ofcourse would have asked for opionions but never would have asked him to do). Ideate and do all in one breath. No rehersals, no tries and misses and get the first day of business happen. With Twistntales Harini's was born again. That TNT had to be about books is just incidental.
You have got over the last 7 years a strong identity, beautiful friends, a sense of belonging and being. Asking for help and support and giving it back in even greater measure.
Every now and then when the stress takes you to the end of your tether torn between your identity and family, the TNT has stood fast by you and has given you even less reason to give up.
I really cannot tell Harini apart from TNT. So if this blog seems to confuse you and make you wonder what this is about...well it is Janaki and Harini and Twistntales.
I and Nandini have enoyed this 7 years immensely and cannot think of these TNT years otherwise .... Books not being the least of them. This has given us too.... beautiful friends, a sense of belonging and being.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Inspirations from our Heroes
I was remarking to Nandini....that her friend Nanao Singh is in the papers today, expecting her to feel curious, excited. First for calling Nanao Singh her friend, we have a pic with Nanao Singh who signed an autograph for her at the CYG. She remarked ... Nanao Singh was not her friend a little grumpily.
Why did she not get excited about such achievements?
I remember I went into the stadium for the first Grand Prix Tennis tournament in India in the 1970's and as I could not get any tickets... went into the stadium at 6.00 AM to try ant get a glimpse of the players. The security allowed me and I could shake hands.... including the big hands of Vijay Amritraj, hold his racket (he let me..without brushing me away), he has always held my awe as a sportsman, an affable human, smiling, sincere and what must have been always a great sense of humour... i swing the racket a couple of times felt great, felt that I may be overstepping and politely handed the racket back, sauntered around shook more hands. Of course I followed Vijay's tennis through his peak as well as troughs.. Always believing the great the sportsperson he stood out as. Similarly, my early inspiring interactions with the Abid Ali, Faroukh Engineer and GR Viswanath who I met briefly at a Ranji Match in Bangalore, Bishen Bedi who knocked my knees out when I tried to play him at the nets of an inter-services match where he was chief guest. Dhanraj who always has acknowledged every Namskar at the local Hockey competion at pune or at the Murugappa Gold Cup at Chennai. I continue keeping an eye out for them whatever they do. More recently with Mohinder Amarnath in Noida whom I have always admired, has kept me keen on sports and sportspersons though my life.
Harini & I try to re-create the awe of these for Nan by showing our awe for the great sportspersons, musicians, heroes, ppointing them out in crowds, on the road, in shopping malls to give her the helping hand such inspirations have provided us. Hope we succeed..
Can we create that awe for heroes amongst our children who have more access to today's heroes than we ever had? How to compensate for the an over kill by the media which makes such stars so near, that we they are now part of the furniture (the telly) and hence ignored. And very soon trashes them for their not so superhuman deeds which may have nothing to do with the field they have chosen to be heroes.
Why did she not get excited about such achievements?
I remember I went into the stadium for the first Grand Prix Tennis tournament in India in the 1970's and as I could not get any tickets... went into the stadium at 6.00 AM to try ant get a glimpse of the players. The security allowed me and I could shake hands.... including the big hands of Vijay Amritraj, hold his racket (he let me..without brushing me away), he has always held my awe as a sportsman, an affable human, smiling, sincere and what must have been always a great sense of humour... i swing the racket a couple of times felt great, felt that I may be overstepping and politely handed the racket back, sauntered around shook more hands. Of course I followed Vijay's tennis through his peak as well as troughs.. Always believing the great the sportsperson he stood out as. Similarly, my early inspiring interactions with the Abid Ali, Faroukh Engineer and GR Viswanath who I met briefly at a Ranji Match in Bangalore, Bishen Bedi who knocked my knees out when I tried to play him at the nets of an inter-services match where he was chief guest. Dhanraj who always has acknowledged every Namskar at the local Hockey competion at pune or at the Murugappa Gold Cup at Chennai. I continue keeping an eye out for them whatever they do. More recently with Mohinder Amarnath in Noida whom I have always admired, has kept me keen on sports and sportspersons though my life.
Harini & I try to re-create the awe of these for Nan by showing our awe for the great sportspersons, musicians, heroes, ppointing them out in crowds, on the road, in shopping malls to give her the helping hand such inspirations have provided us. Hope we succeed..
Can we create that awe for heroes amongst our children who have more access to today's heroes than we ever had? How to compensate for the an over kill by the media which makes such stars so near, that we they are now part of the furniture (the telly) and hence ignored. And very soon trashes them for their not so superhuman deeds which may have nothing to do with the field they have chosen to be heroes.
Kesav,Trivandrum..Thiruvananthapuram
Just there for Kesav's poonal. Started with Mohan's son...but Kesav has an identity of his own. He is a one pony show- Energy, sense of humour, all smiles and of course a most lovable child. Ribbed Mohan when Mohan was slipping on following the priests instructions. Kesav braved a fever, did all that was expected of him, enjoyed all the photo- ops, all smiles and poses a la Krishna with his Gopi's all around him.
I enjoyed all the kids around all ages, sometimes more than the time I spent with the Grown ups . I was in great humour all through.
Paddu, Premanna, Mama and Mami.....I travelled in different time zones, period in which I got to know each of them well. Rejoiced and acknowledged variously the pleasures and pains they have travelled through. Kalpana, I missed talking to as she juggled with Kesav's illness, the event and moods of many. I was in my home just different.
Thiruvananthapuram city is a beauty, as you land you approach back from the south and to you right you see one of the most beautiful beaches, the sea in green and blue hues is breath taking and fresh. The land is one massive orchard of coconut trees. The city is on the western ghats with sloping roads, very few high rises, lovely old buildings, a lot of Baker style bunglows thrown in, all roads clean. The sea breeze keeping the air so fresh and earthy. A definite drive down is on the cards, the drive down Konkan all the way down is beckoning and does not the Safari that wont fit into my parking lot.
Mams's house is in Jawahar Nagar, bunglow type houses, lovely garden some old fruit trees chickoo, Mango, coconut, some pots of anthurium. The red oxide cement floor polished a gleaming rich red. Spartan, minimalist beautiful. A house that I would love to retire into.
On another note...
I am keen observer of mankind.. Harini will say I stare too hard if some people catch my attention... she is not talking jollu or maybe she is ...anyway... there were this bunch of women all from oh so sufi Bombay who got my goat... Just as we boarded the plane... all of them travelling sponsored business class... doing an awful imitation of the accent they would have to deal with in Thiruvanathapuram airport .... with uh so falsetto sufi accents....Wanted to tell them one thing... the Malyalee of Thiruvananathapuram could best you anyday in their chosen language ..English and do manage Hindi and Malyalam with aplomb while you struggle to just get you accent so uppity...."get real maam" do not hide your ignorance under that pale faced, western attired, sophisticated bearing...Malyalees have made Kovalam even more welcoming by letting you get your tongue around to pronounce Trivandrum rather than struggle with Thiruvananthapuram.
Mohan ... thanks for the invite..
I enjoyed all the kids around all ages, sometimes more than the time I spent with the Grown ups . I was in great humour all through.
Paddu, Premanna, Mama and Mami.....I travelled in different time zones, period in which I got to know each of them well. Rejoiced and acknowledged variously the pleasures and pains they have travelled through. Kalpana, I missed talking to as she juggled with Kesav's illness, the event and moods of many. I was in my home just different.
Thiruvananthapuram city is a beauty, as you land you approach back from the south and to you right you see one of the most beautiful beaches, the sea in green and blue hues is breath taking and fresh. The land is one massive orchard of coconut trees. The city is on the western ghats with sloping roads, very few high rises, lovely old buildings, a lot of Baker style bunglows thrown in, all roads clean. The sea breeze keeping the air so fresh and earthy. A definite drive down is on the cards, the drive down Konkan all the way down is beckoning and does not the Safari that wont fit into my parking lot.
Mams's house is in Jawahar Nagar, bunglow type houses, lovely garden some old fruit trees chickoo, Mango, coconut, some pots of anthurium. The red oxide cement floor polished a gleaming rich red. Spartan, minimalist beautiful. A house that I would love to retire into.
On another note...
I am keen observer of mankind.. Harini will say I stare too hard if some people catch my attention... she is not talking jollu or maybe she is ...anyway... there were this bunch of women all from oh so sufi Bombay who got my goat... Just as we boarded the plane... all of them travelling sponsored business class... doing an awful imitation of the accent they would have to deal with in Thiruvanathapuram airport .... with uh so falsetto sufi accents....Wanted to tell them one thing... the Malyalee of Thiruvananathapuram could best you anyday in their chosen language ..English and do manage Hindi and Malyalam with aplomb while you struggle to just get you accent so uppity...."get real maam" do not hide your ignorance under that pale faced, western attired, sophisticated bearing...Malyalees have made Kovalam even more welcoming by letting you get your tongue around to pronounce Trivandrum rather than struggle with Thiruvananthapuram.
Mohan ... thanks for the invite..
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