From Pardes to Swades

My sister in law. Sphurti Joglekar and her husband Gaurav Pai returned to India after few years of studying and working in the US. They came back today and to start with they will be pursuing PGP from Indian School of Business Hyderabad. Here’s a short welcome poetry for them

India was the common bond that bought them together
Aa ab laut chalein was their longing forever

Where there is a will there is away
Amidst their crazy schedules GMAT took precedence anyways

Mock test and interview prep were the milestones in the first year of their marriage
Ambitious couple they are what more do I need to tell

Hard work bore its fruit
Welcome to ISB , was the message they received

So happy for you Sphurti and Gaurav
From Pardes to Swades may you achieve more successes forever

- Dhanashree

My sleep love

16 March 2018 was world sleep day. Initially I did not know that a day like this exists. Then I realised that it’s purpose is -“World Sleep Day® is designed to raise awareness of sleep as a human privilege that is often compromised by the habits of modern life.”

I just love to sleep. Right since childhood I would sleep around 10 -11 pm. I also love afternoon sleep on holidays . But since last almost a year, I have been sleeping late due to my daughter’s late sleep. Penning a short poetry on my sleep love which sort of succinctly summarises my thoughts!

Love is blind
When your eyes are closed what will you find

Sleep is my first love thank god it’s blind
Without sound sleep how will I have a healthy body and mind

Sleeping at 10 pm was the norm
Neither a movie or party could change it at all along

Suddenly an angel came and grew up fast
Afternoons were her nights and nights her days at last

When will I sleep I wondered
Some questions have no immediate solutions, time is the best answer

-Dhanashree

Welcome poem for a US executive

Wrote this poem to welcome a US executive who visited our India office. Lets name him Jim . Jim had visited Mumbai before but was keen on exploring more. Read on the poetry for greater info

Welcome to India Jim
Hope you find your stay enjoyable

We heard you are regular visitor
By now I guess you know Mumbai’s perimeter

Dhobi ghat, Dharavi you already know
We can suggest you some more places though

Priyadarshini Park at Napeansea
Marine driver by the sea
From IIT’s for engineering to JJ school of arts
Take a drive and you can see it all

We hope to learn from your experience
Your presence here holds a lot of significance

Welcome to India Jim
We hope you find your stay enjoyable

-Dhanashree

Namaskar to the Maharaja

My mum worked in Air India. She started as a steno and retired as a manager. While she was in air india, we got to go to her office on occasions like dasera Pooja, Air India Officers Association(AIOA) awards for children of staff etc. Air India always holds a special place in heart. Yesterday I got to go for a picnic organised by Air India Retired Employees Association. I felt like I relived all those memories.
Here's my poetry on Namaskar to the Maharaja! - thanking the organisers of the picnic as well as air india

As the red magic carpet rolled on the floor
I entered the airplane through its front door

Where are we going mumma , I asked
Namaskar, Oh you are staff , said the voice and paused

"Fasten ur seat belts" said the voice
This slogan defined my travel start for most of the time

Flight travel was the norm thanks to my mom
Air India took care as it was all along

From steno to manager was my moms air india journey
We got a glimpse of it through ceremonies lot many
Dasera functions, AIOA awards to name a few
Air india made sure families were made a part of employees journey too

As this picnic comes to a close
I can't but help to thank the organisers with a note

Thank you for getting me back all the amazing memories, the flights the functions
What more could I have asked at the new year juncture

*Namaskar- Air India's inflight magazine
Magic Carpet- Air India's internal publication
Maharaja- Air India's mascot

-Dhanashree

तू एवढं छान मराठी कसं लिहितेस ?

I won prize in the Marathi Elocution Competition conducted by Dadar Bhagini Samaj. [ speech for that competition here- http://dsaidso.blogspot.in/2018/02/blog-post_18.html] I also won a consolation prize in the extempore competition. Sharing the pictures of the prizes I received at the hands of Advocate Ujwal Nikam. Dedicating this prize to my parents and aunt who developed and nurtured our interest in reading and writing. A lot of people ask me how come I write in Marathi when my medium of instruction was English . A brief story about that below.
तू एवढं छान मराठी कसं लिहितेस ?" असं मला काही लोकं विचारतात. खरं सांगायचं तर माझे विचार मी साध्या सोप्या मराठीत व्यक्त करते एवढंच . तरीही जेव्हा माझ्या मराठीबद्दल लोक मला प्रश्न विचारतात , तेव्हा मी मराठी कसं शिकले हे सांगावंसं वाटतं . माझ्या बाबांना चार मोठ्या बहिणी , त्यातल्या तीन शिक्षिका. माझी सर्वात मोठी आत्या आमच्या वरच्या माळ्यावर राहायची, आणि एक आत्या आमच्या बरोबर. माझी शाळा इंग्लिश माध्यमाची होती आणि आम्हाला शाळेत तिसरीपासून मराठी होतं . माझी मोठी आत्या दररोज माझ्याकडून मराठी अक्षरं , बाराखडी लिहून घ्यायची. कविता म्हणून घ्यायची, पाठांतर करून घ्यायची. त्यावेळेला तिचं वय ६० वर्ष होतं . आयुष्यात पहिल्यापासून तिने खूप कष्ट काढले होते- खेड्यात नोकरी, मग त्यानंतर मुंबईत येऊन नोकरी, मुलगी २ वर्षाची असताना नवरा गेल्यामुळे तिची जबाबदारी अशा अनेक जबाबदाऱ्या सतत पार पडल्या होत्या. मग निवृत्तीनंतर ती पूर्णपणे आराम करूया असं म्हणू शकली असती. असं न म्हणता तिने आम्हाला शिकवलं , आम्हाला रोज शाळेत अगदी वेळेवर पोचवलं . माझी मीना आत्याने मला मराठी स्पर्धेत भाषण लिहायला खूप मदत केली. कुठल्याही निबंध , वक्तृत्व स्पर्धेत भाग घ्यायचा असेल तर माझ्यापेक्षा तिला उत्साह असायचा. स्पर्धेचा विषय आला कि ती मला त्या विषयावरची लायब्ररीमधून पुस्तकं आणून द्यायची . त्यातले संबंधित पृष्ठक्रमांक सांगायची . मग त्यानुसार मी भाषण लिहायचे . ते ती अधिक सुधारायची. पण भाषण/ निबंध लिहिण्यात पहिल्यापासून माझा सहभाग असायचा. त्यामुळे मी आता स्वतःहून लिहू शकते. हा आमविश्वास लहानपणापासूनच माझ्या आत्यांमुळे माझ्यात घडत गेला. कुठलीही नवी गोष्ट शिकायची, पडेल ते काम करायचं आणि विधायक काम करत राहायचं असे आमच्यावर संस्कार होते. सर्वात महत्वाचं म्हणजे माझ्या आत्या मला मराठी शिकवतात म्हणून आपली मुलं आपल्या नणंदांच्या जवळ जातील अशी असुरक्षितता माझ्या आईला कधीच वाटली नाही. आई आम्हाला इंग्लिश शिकवायची, त्याचे निबंध लिहून द्यायची,अनेक गोष्टी आणि विषय शिकवायची. बाबा गणित शिकवायचे, आमच्या शाळेच्या प्रोजेक्ट मध्ये मदत करायचे. आपल्या भाचीला आपण एवढं का शिकवावं , नाहीतरी ती आई बाबांचंच नाव लावणार न असं माझ्या आत्यांना सुद्धा कधी वाटलं नाही. माझी कालिंदी आत्या तर मला प्रत्येक वेळेला आठवण करून सांगते, तुला लिहायला आवडतं ना तर लिही, डोक्याला चालना मिळते.

महिलादिनानिम्मित काही लिहिलं नव्हतं , पण आज हे लिहून समारोप करते- माझ्या आत्या आणि आईने आम्हाला घडवताना आमचं हीत बघितलं. आम्ही मोठे झालो तर त्याचं श्रेय कोणाला मिळेल असा ego issue मध्ये कधीच आणला नाही. त्यांच्यात तो समजूतदारपणा आणि आपुलकी होती. घरातल्याघरात राजकारण नव्हतं. कित्येक घरात जेव्हा त्यांच्या घरातच कोण काय करतं आणि कोणाला त्याचं श्रेय मिळतं यावरून स्पर्धा असते. मी स्वतःला भाग्यवान समजते असं आंतरिक राजकारण आमच्या घरात नसल्यामुळे आम्ही बाहेरच्या स्पर्धेला सामर्थ्याने तोंड देऊ शकतो.

माझ्या मावशीने मला भगिनी समाज मध्ये वक्तृत्व स्पर्धा असल्याबद्दलचं सांगितलं. आणि त्या स्पर्धेत मला दोन बक्षीसं मिळाली. त्याचे फोटो share करतेय.

- Dhanashree

मेरी मर्ज़ी!

माझ्या मुलीला नटायला वगैरे खूप आवडतं. काल रात्री ती झोपताना बांगड्या घालायला मागत होती. मी तिला विचारलं- " अगं रात्री बांगड्या का घालतेस गं?" तेव्हा ती मला म्हणाली " मला आवडतात गं घालायला "
अजून एका प्रसंगी ती खूप टिकल्या लावत होती . मी जेव्हा तिला विचारलं " अगं अशा इतक्या टिकल्या कोण एका वेळेला लावतं का गं ?"तेव्हा ती मला म्हणाली " मला आवडतात गं लावायला म्हणून लावते"

असे जेव्हा मी तिला प्रश्न विचारते " हे का करतेस असं " तेव्हा तिचं "मला हे आवडतं " असंच बहुतांश वेळेला उत्तर असतं. कोणी मस्करीने प्रश्न विचारला किंवा अगदी सहज सरळ विचारला तरी तिचं उत्तर एकच.प्रत्येकच वेळेला असं मला आवडतं हे उत्तर कितपत बरोबर आहे हे मला माहित नाही. पण आपल्याला कोणी खवचटपणे मुद्दामून प्रश्न विचारला तर असं ठामपणे उत्तर द्यायला आलं पाहिजे. अगदी बिनधास्त आणि बेधडकपणे !!

शेवटी गोविंदाने म्हटल्याप्रमाणे " मैं चाहे ये करू, मैं चाहे वो करू मेरी मर्ज़ी" 

Vinamra's Farewell Poem

Sharing the poem I made for my friend Vinamra for his office farewell. Dependable, helpful, fitness conscious and ideal husband is what Vinamra stand for. To know more, read the poetry...

A friend in need is a friend indeed
"The Wall of CN Risk " Vinamra is guaranteed

Don't lose your mind lose your weight
Unparalleled fitness regimen is Vinamra's strength

"Agony friend" he is you know
Patient listening is a skill he does all through

Sea food and Salad he loves
Calorie conscious food he devours

Markets fall and rise
Vinamra tracks them day and night

The true example Of living up to the name
Vinamra- modest or humble is the one grabbing that hall of fame

Ideal husband is not an illusion
Meet Vinamra and clear all your confusion
Xyz you are lucky ,
Pati , Patni aur salad may you live happily

Farewells they say are hard,
Hope our paths cross again , says our Card

Accha to him chalte hain don't you say
Taking cue from you accha hoga agar hum chalne lagte hain:P

-Dhanashree

"Inclusion" in the real sense

In Nov 2014, just before Accenture's deciding recruitment interview, my husband said," There is no way Accenture can recruit you when you are 4 months pregnant!" But I prepared well and gave my best shot at the Interview. At the end of the interview, I considered it my professional duty to tell the Interviewer(Arup Sinha- my practice head) that I am pregnant, and I was expecting disappointment on his face. Instead, he came up with a reaction that got imprinted in my head as a symbol of Accenture's core values. He said "Accenture respects women at the workplace and your current physical condition will have no bearing whether we make you an offer or not" And 48 hrs later,
I got the offer.

I had written the following poetry for my experience during the Accenture recruitment process.. Sharing it with you all!

Mid of November 2014 it was
A professional and a to be mother got a call

"We are from Accenture " said the voice
"Can you come for a discussion tomorrow" make your choice

" Why will they recruit a pregnant me? " said my inner voice
"Do not think negative" said my hubby and rejoiced

Suited , booted and ready for the day
Went for the discussion , entered from the doorway

Risk management talks took the time
The lively discussion had no downtime

"We will let you know the outcome" said Arup
"I want to let you know I am pregnant " said my anxious voice

"We do not discriminate, merit only matters" Arup reassured
2 days later, I got my offer and was rest assured

Diversity and inclusion are not only lip-service
"Actions speak louder than words" is the real deal

Accenture walked the talk is the real thing
Work and family , you can manage everything

-Dhanashree