Thursday, September 27, 2018

The travel called life


She travelled. She travelled through adversities and challenges. She raised her five children in challenging financial conditions. First 60 years of her life, she lived in a small taluka in Konkan region. Then she travelled again. She travelled to the city of dreams to let her children fulfill their dreams. She travelled from using a stove to a gas. She travelled from a standalone house in our native to a one room with a common toilet in Mumbai. She raised her grandchildren in Mumbai. She longed to travel to native sometimes. But she held back because her children and  grandchildren needed her.
 She was busy. She didn't click any pictures of her travel..Because they were too many to be clicked..What would she click?
-That she travelled with us every single day as we went through our routine
-That she travelled through our lunch times, tea times and what not
-That she made us and taught us the importance of eating healthy food and lots of veggies
-That she travelled only at home so that my mom could peacefully work without worrying about us
-That she travelled and while this travel didn't care about what challenges lie ahead
- That she made us realise importance of studies and hardworking
-That she taught us nothing is impossible

This list is endless...
She was not a part of senior citizens group. She did no job  post retirement. She didn't visit 'n' countries . She did not venture out of my state.
All she did is she travelled with us. Through our childhood till college. She raised us every single day. She was so busy in this travel that she did even tell anyone how much she did.
You know what, she is my dear 'aaji'. My grandma...
She passed away long ago in 2006... But there is not a day when I don't miss her. She passed on her values to her children and they did the same for me. Travel when I needed them for me.
On the occasion of #WorldTourismDay, heres my salute to all aajis, aai,baba mavshis, and atyas who travelled with their family as they moved on in a journey called life. They didn't tick checklists , bucket lists. All they did is travel- travel not only in good but also in tough times .

#travel #life #WorldTourismDay
-Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Sunday, September 23, 2018

वडाळा GSB गणपती


"पोवळ्याची माळ आणि हिऱ्याची कुडी असणाऱ्या बायकांनाच  प्रवेश" असं लिहिलं तरी चालेल वडाळा GSB गणपती मंडळाने. मी जन्माने GSB , म्हणजेच माहेरची GSB . GSB लोकांचे मुंबईतले दोन मोठे गणपती म्हणजे वडाळा आणि किंग्जसर्कल . वडाळा GSB माझ्या घरापासून अगदी ५ मिनिटांच्या अंतरावर. कामाच्या व्यापामुळे इतका बाजूला असूनही मी तो गणपती  काल म्हणजे चक्क दहाव्या दिवशी बघायला गेले. सिल्कच्या साड्या , अगदी बाजू -बाजूला  असलेल्या मोठ्या पोवळ्यांची माळ, हिऱ्याची कुडी ही तिकडे येणाऱ्या बायकांची वैशिट्ये . पंजाबी ड्रेस मधे किंवा जीन्स मधे येणाऱ्या बायका अगदी हातावर मोजण्यासारख्या असतात. आपण पोवळ नाही घातलं तर अगदी out of place वाटेल म्हणून मी सुद्धा माझी अगदी  बारीक पोवळ्यांची माळ आणि हिऱ्याची कुडी घालून गेले होते . म्हणजे पापलेट नाही तर मांदेली तरी आहे  मासे म्हणून म्हणायला तसंच कांहीतरी . काल गणपती बघयला खुप गर्दी नव्हती . प्रवेश केल्यापासून दर्शन घेऊन बाहेर पडेपर्यंत अर्धा तास सुद्धा लागला नाही . जातांना नैवेद्याचा १०० रुपयांचं ताट घेतलं. नारळ, केळी , फुलं असं त्या ताटात होत. ते ताट घेउन गणपती दर्शनाला गेलो. सोन्याने मढलेला गणपती हे त्याचं  वैशिट्य .‌गणपती अगदी सुंदर दिसत होता. वातावरण फार प्रसन्न होत. दर्शन झाल्यावर प्रसादाचं ताट घेउन आम्ही बाहेर पडलो. बाहेर पडताक्षणी तो ताटातला प्रसाद कापडी पिशवीत घालुन आम्हाला देण्यात आला .मग आम्ही कॅन्टीन मध्ये गेलो. तिकडे कटलेट, केळा भजी , कचोरी असे वेगवेगळे पदार्थ मिळतात. पदार्थ अगदी गरमागरम आणि चविष्ट असतात . रोज जेवणाचा प्रसाद असतो...मी अजून प्रसादाचं जेवण जेवलेले नाही पण तो स्वयंपाक इतक्या मोठ्या प्रमाणात होतो ह्याचा प्रत्यय तिकडे चिरताना बसलेल्या लोकांकडे बघून येतो ..भरपूर मोठे टोप भरलेले अळू, असंख्य नारळ असं चिरताना आचारी दिसतात. गजरे , हार बनवताना बायका दिसतात. खऱ्या अर्थाने भक्त देवाची सेवा करताना दिसतात. कोण मोठं नाही कोण छोटा नाही , सगळे फक्त भक्त.  हे बघितल्यावर खुप छान वाटतं .
गणपती बाप्पा मोरया!

-dhanashree
Https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Friday, September 21, 2018

"Me " time?


We decided it was long since we went on a date. The husband and I were longing for some couple only time and made a plan last night for a dinner date. I convinced my daughter 'S' that I will have to go out with her Dad for some work. I also convinced myself that I need to have these 'me' times for myself as well the relationship with my husband.
Then 'S' cried as usual. She wanted to go out with us. After a lot of convincing she agreed to stay back. So now we were all set for our date. Physically fatigued after a long day but mentally enthusiastic, I dressed up and the husband and I went to our favourite restaurant. We discussed our old times, the college days, the CAT prep, the MBA times and what not. We discussed how my husband asked me out and the times after that. In all this romantic mood there was an antenna in my mind thinking about little 'S' and what she must be doing.
Once we got done with food, we just walked around the place. We could see couples, families around. Kids running around and parents trying to run behind them. Whenever I saw kids , all I felt was I missed my daughter even more. Here I was on a dinner date with my husband which was long due, possibly trying to have my 'me' time, but the mother in me could not switch off. All she thought of was "What is S doing?". All she felt was she missed her.
Times like this make me realise that once you are a mother, having 'me' time also can feel like a burden. As much as you want the 'me' time, you also want to be with your little one. Thats why probably once a child is born, your most known identity is as the mother of your child.
Whether you are working or stay at home, once you have a child, one part of you always thinks of her. Hence there will never be an easy answer to - To "me time" or not to "me time"?
Because I am and will always be my daughter's mum indeed! (http://dsaidso.blogspot.com/2017/11/i-am-my-daughters-mum.html?m=1 )

-Dhanashree

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Mummy Express


Holding  her sack in the front, she was all ready. She had just managed to reach at the right time..One minute delay in reaching there would have meant a 15 minutes delay in picking her daughter from the crèche . The next step was to find some space for herself that would let her breathe. She had years of experience doing this. Finally she found her space. Around her  someone was knitting, someone reading, someone video calling , someone chit chatting..The group comprised to teenagers to women in their 50s. All running by the clock.. Some girls having their Tiffin while others sleeping. Women gossiping about their favourite topics:)While she was thinking about dinner to be made and what help her daughter  needs in her homework. Finally her stop arrived. She made her way out of the local train and thought of her next stop-the crèche. In between there were groceries to be bought. Work never seemed to end. That is what life was for her.. like a local train- the one which runs all day with hardly any sleep . The one which is called the lifeline but is searching for time to find her own lifeline .
#the_lifeline_of_mumbai
#mumbai_local
#local_train
#mummy_express
#dsaidso

-Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Jab I met Shahrukh Khan


"Is it really true?" I thought. "Am I really meeting SRK?" But yes it was true. I got to meet SRK and witness the shoot of BYJUs latest ad thanks to my husband. SRK was literally not even 100 metres away from me during the shooting. But given the rules and the silence that is to be maintained, we were not allowed to meet him during the shooting. We could just watch from a distance. I spent almost 8 hours at the recording studio. Of which watching Shahrukh was hardly for a few hrs. Rest of the time being spent in SRK getting ready and makeup for the various looks. Even in that little time, SRK was a true entertainer. Watching a take and retake of the same ad multiple times was enjoyable only due to Shahrukh.
Finally the moment came.  As Gauri Shinde announced "Pack up", SRK proceeded to move out. The people around (mostly from BYJUs) who were watching him from a distance thronged him. People had got DDLJ posters to get his autograph and all. His bodyguards tried to keep people away as they circled around him. I had a notebook in my hand which contained a collection of my poems in 3 languages written for him. The bodyguards thought I was taking his autograph and wanted to drive me away. I just managed a minute to talk to him and told him this is my gift of multilingual poems for him. He opened the notebook, saw my name there and asked "Dhanashree, can I take this?" I still find this absolutely unbelievable. I didn't tell him my name, he opened the notebook while his bodyguards shooed me away, and thanked me. And just in that moment, my husband managed to click a pic. I did not have the time to buy a fancy greeting card, or a fancy notebook, all I had is good content in my usual notebook. That I could give it to SRK and receive his thanks is something I will remember for a lifetime. The collection of my poems for SRK is as follows -

मन्नत

एक मन्नत मांगी थी खुदा से मैने
कभी मन्नत में रेहनेवाले बादशाह से मिला हमें

कहा खुदा ने थोडा सब्र करो
परदेस के मॅडम tussads वाले बादशहा से पहले मिलो

एक wax statue को बस हम देख सकते हैं
SRK बनने  का फॉर्म्युला थोडी पूछ सकते हैं

'कभी ख़ुशी कभी गम ' मे वक्त निकल गया
' चलते चलते ' एक 'चमत्कार ' हो  गया

बडे बडे शहरो  मे छोटी छोटी बाते होती हैं
 और कभी छोटे छोटे लोगों की बडी बडी ख्वाईशें पूरी होती हैं
हम एक बार जीते हैं एक बार मरते हैं और एक बार King Khan से मिलने  की तमन्ना रखते  हैं

बॉलीवूड के बादशाह से मिलने का मौका आया
एक दिन हम उनसे मिल पायेंगे
ये मैने  सोचा न था
मैने सोचा न था

Leadership
To imagine, To dream, To believe
To change ways and embrace the new
To be unafraid and not fear failure
To be passionate about goals, far and near

To inspire the team to move ahead
And be welcoming and inclusive of ideas that come ahead
Having the diligence to execute
And striking a balance between delegation and 'know it all' attitude

To have a plan to achieve the team goals
And yet accept the uncertainties that come in due course
Let the goals not be limiting
But be the milestones to achieve higher

This is what Leadership is all about
As per IIMBUEspeech by SRK , " naam toh suna hi Hoga"

[This poem is based on Shahrukh khan's speech at IIMBUE, the IIMB leadership summit]

Life Lessons

If you want to do something, do it really well
Put in your full effort, do with full JOSH, SRK tells

Maybe put in a bit of madness to your efforts
Taking your aberrations along, be a 'Deewana' of reaching your destination

Maybe  you may fail,sometimes life may be bad
Have faith, have hope
Continue your efforts, you will get the 'Chamatkaar' results in due course

Let 'fear' not intimidate you
Let 'failures' not deter you
The real 'Baazigar' wins even after failures
Chooses not to be held back by his 'Darr' here

It's ok to be confused
It's ok to be worried
"Kabhi Haa, Kabhi Na"
Let life move at its own pace

In all this, be kind, try helping others
Do everything 'Dil Se' spread love to others

Take happiness and sadness in its ephemeral spirit
Live in the present, because you know 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'

Everything will eventually be ok in the end
If it's not ok, it's not the end
Because ' Picture abhi baaki hain doston'

[ Above poem based on Shahrukh Khan's speech at University of Edinburgh]



From your 'Fan'

I thought it was a 'Chamatkaar'
Am I really meeting 'King Khan'?

The 'Deewana' we grew up seeing
Or the 'Baazigar' we watched as kids

The epitome of acting excellence
The Badshaah of Bollywood

Who spans across generations
From 'Ye kaali kaali aankhen' to 'Lungi Dance' hereto

Absolutely thrilled to meet you
My name is Dhanashree, and I am your 'Fan,'
Bas Aapne naam Nahi suna Hoga..


कोण आहे शाहरुख?

कोण आहे शाहरुख, लेकीने मला विचारलं
तो लुंगी डान्स करतो तोच काय गं , तिने खात्री करु घेतलं

 तो  टी . व्ही . वर पिक्चर मध्ये कसा येतो ? हा तिचा पुढचा प्रश्न
त्याचं ऑफिस तेच का , हे तिचं न संपणारं विचारणं

३ वर्षाच्या लेकीला अजून काय सांगावं
' किंग खान ' किंवा 'बादशाह' म्हणजे काय , हे तिला कस उमगाव

शाहरुख म्हणजे खूप अभ्यासू विद्यार्थी
acting आणि   dance यांचा सतत अभ्यास करणारा निश्चयी आणि मेहनती विद्यार्थी

प्रत्येक चित्रपटात त्याचा जोमाने परफॉर्मन्स देणं
प्रेक्षकांना आनंदी करणं हाच त्याचा एकाची धर्म

हसत खेळत जगावे, हाच त्याचा मंत्र
"जिंदगी नफरत के लिये बहुत कम  होती हैं ", हाच त्याचा कानमंत्र

शाहरुख म्हणजे  शाहरुख म्हणजे शाहरुख आहे
त्याच्या कर्तृत्वामुळे तो बॉलीवूडचा सुपरस्टार आहे

-Dhanashree Joglekar
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Lehman Day

#LehmanDay

This day , that time, 10 years ago to be precise.
15th September 2008- The day when Lehman Brothers ( the first firm I ever worked for) went bankrupt
Still remember---
How the week preceding that we had meetings convincing us that "All izz well" and things would work out
How we saw the downward spiral of the Lehman stock- from 17 dollars(1 week prior) to 4 dollars to bankrupt...
How we searched subprime mortgage crisis and CDOs and tried to make sense of what that all meant
How on the morning of 15th September the words Lehman and Bankruptcy flashed together as headlines
How  we entered office wondering if our swipes would work
How while waiting for a scheduled training, we tried to make sense of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and its impact on our jobs
Still find this totally unbelievable.....

But as time moves on ,so does life.
Ten years and now into my 4th job post engg, all I know is time changes a lot of things.10 years ago, I didn't know how my career would look like post bankruptcy, didn't know what it meant actually. But 10 years is a lot of time for things to take shape and some times all you need is just time.

Sometimes or maybe most of the times it just helps to wait , work and watch!

My previous post on Lehman here -http://dsaidso.blogspot.com/2018/06/10-years-since-lehman.html?m=1

-dhanashree

Friday, September 14, 2018

The 'Divine Interventions'


During the Ganapati celebrations in our
 house, we have some activity in the night. The theme for this time was "Tell us one incident where you experienced divine intervention"
Does God exist? I don't know. All I know is that I find comfort in knowing that there is someone over us , a belief in a higher power helps. That higher power for me is God..I do pray , recite some stotras daily.
My mom, dad are very religious. They are very particular about puja, the rituals etc. I am not that types.All I know is be honest, be kind, do your job well and God will help you. "God helps those who help themselves" is my firm belief.
Sometimes, when things don't go well, especially when there are things like sickness/death in the house, I wonder why did God do this to me? Is this fair, where is God now? These thoughts haunt me. In situations like these, a God like figure arrives to ease the pain. He may be a doctor, a family member , a well wisher, someone who understands you and stands by you patiently. He is the one who tells you that there is hope.
I have been fortunate enough to meet God-like people in my life. The ones who helped me in situations where I was stuck, the ones who lifted my spirits when I was down. The ones who I can run to anytime and who will leave everything and run to help me. The ones who restored my faith in humanity after a bad experience with people. I have been lucky enough to meet such good, helpful and genuine people in my life. It would be too difficult for me to classify any incident as 'Divine Intervention' . But the fact is that in my experience , in my toughest of the situations, people have stood up by me and that for me is the Divine Intervention.
Ganapati Bappa Moraya!

-Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Monday, September 10, 2018

Coffee with 'Sid'


It all started with our mobile talks
Slowly we moved on to gtalk
But when the timing came for the most important thing
It all happened in a coffee shop
"Mujhse Shaadi karogi " he asked
 "A lot can happen over coffee" I thought

We met again, let's talk I thought
Having coffee at the Taj
We spoke about our future plans
We met , we chatted
Coffee was the common factor
Coz "A lot can happen over coffee"

5 years later, as we are parents of a 3 year old
And sleepless nights have become a part of our schedule
A coffee shop is our little quick date escape
Keeping the romance alive in our fast lives instead
"A lot can happen over coffee" , they said
It appears true to me over times now instead

-Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

कॉपी आणि फुकटचं श्रेय

मी आद्या या ब्रँडचे दागिने वापरते. त्या ब्रॅण्डची अगदी  तंतोतंत कॉपी होतेय त्याबद्दलची ही पोस्ट आहे - (   https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156836054896165&id=615421164)  खरं सांगायचं तर काही काम न करता त्या कामाचं श्रेय घेणाऱ्यांची संख्या इतकी वाढलीय की त्यांबद्दल काय लिहू तितकं कमी  आहे . पण तरीही ही पोस्ट वाचल्यानंतर काहीतरी लिहावसं वाटलं.
 बाबूजींनी म्हटल्याप्रमाणे " कष्टवीन फळ ना मिळते " संस्कारात मी  वाढले. आपण प्रामाणिकपणे कर्तव्य करावं , अगदी मन लावून काम करावं , मग यश येतच असे घरी संस्कार होते . दिखावा किंवा "शोबाजी"नव्हतीच . लोकांना दाखवायला पाहुणे आल्यावर अगदी साग्रसंगीत स्वयंपाक आणि इतर वेळी मुलांना नुसता वरण भात असं "शोबजी" प्रकरण नव्हतं .
शॉर्टकट हा प्रकारच मला माहित नव्हता . 
" तुमचं बाबा बरं आहे , तुम्हांला १० रुपये अजून द्यायला काय झालं?" असं आजकाल रिक्षावाले म्हणताना दिसतात. माझं यावर एवढंच म्हणणं आहे , १० रुपये फुकट मिळवण्याचा ध्यास का ? का नाही अजुन कष्ट करुन मिळवत १० रुपये? हा १० रुपयांचा प्रश्न नसून तत्वाचा प्रश्न आहे . असं फुकटचे पैसे खाताना लाज कशी  नाही वाटत? जनाची नाही तर मनाची तरी  लाज कशी नाही वाटत? share केलेल्या पोस्ट मध्ये म्हंटल्याप्रमाणे "मग का अडकताय त्याच त्याच गोष्टीत ? नवनिर्मितीचा ध्यास नाही का जराही ?आपण स्वतः काही न करता फोटो सुद्धा copy करायचे , ध्येय काय आहे बरं ? ध्येय जाऊदे , काही संस्कार ?" खरंच यातून संस्कार दिसतात .
आधी कॉपी , फुकटच मोठेपणा घेणार्यांची खुप चीड यायची. आता तसं काहीच वाटत नाही . गाढवाशी आणि  आपलं तेच खरं करणाऱ्या माणसाशी काय बोलावं ? कारण  अशी माणसं हजार खोटं बोलून " मी निप्पाणीचा ताम्भाकुचा व्यापारी लखोबा लोखंडे आणि तो मी  नव्हेच " असं म्हणणाऱ्यातलीच असतात.
-Dhanashree

Chatterbox or No Chatterbox

My little one 'S' says this  to me daily...
"Mumma , I love you ";
"Mumma ,we are best friends ";
"Mumma,  you are the best"
"Mumma, I want to talk to you..let us talk while Dad is watching match"..
And this goes on..
...
.....
......
Today 'S' had matrudin celebration in school..( don't know how matrudin falls today but anyways...)
The activity was making a card in school and talking what you feel about your mother..

After school Me to 'S '- What did you tell in school about me ?

S- Nothing..

Me - Why?

S- Because I didn't want to tell

Me- Why?

S- I didn't want to tell na that's why...

I felt like the moment when your phone has data but the battery decides to go off at the wrong time ...:)

#kuch_to_kaho_kuch_bhi_kaho
#meri_bol_bachchan_khamosh_kyun_hain
#dsaidso
#yetanothermumstory
#justanothermumstory

- Dhanashree
Https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

To All Those Who..


To all  those who taught me to write
To all those who taught me what to write
To all those who taught me what not to write

To all those who taught the same subjects for years with interest
And never had a tinge on boredom on their faces
To all those who bore my stupid questions
And answered them with full enthusiasm

To all those who pushed me to aim higher
And gave me the courage and guidance to pursue my dreams further
To all those encouraged me in all my endeavours
And shouted at my careless mistakes at that time whenever

To all.those who brought me back up when I failed
And stuck by my side when I needed them as well
To all those who had full faith in my ability
And who erased my self doubts and told me to focus on my capabilities

To all those for whom my success  meant the world
And my failure just an improvement stopover
To all those who knew the difference between teaching and imposing thoughts
And who encouraged freedom in thinking afterall

To all those who held my hand as I learnt a skill
And left it at the right time for it to bloom full
To those who taught with full dedication and affection
If I am somebody worth  today,  it's all coz of you

Thank you!

#HappyTeachersDay #TeachersDay2018 #TeachersDaySpecial
Dhanashree
Https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Monday, September 3, 2018

The perfect "mommy" weekends

You know you have had a perfect "mommy" weekend when...

Your Saturday morning starts with a school Parent teacher meeting....
Your most important task of the week is doing the action items in the parent teacher meeting...
Your achievement of the weekend is your little one finally dancing to the annual day school song..
Your most important networking is meeting and associating the parent faces to the kids names  that your little one takes while playing "Teacher Teacher " at home..
You finally feel like you have emerged victorious when the teacher has no complaints for your child..
.
..
...
Your Sunday evening is spent by meeting people most of whom know you as your Kids mommy... "Swara' s mummy " it is for me..
And last but not the least..just as you think you need to catch up with friends, your daughter asks you when can she get her friends at home  :)

#parenting_weekends #mommy_weekends_done_right #swara_ke_pass_maa_hain
#justanothermumstory
#yetanothermumstory
#dsaidso

- Dhanashree
Https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

Saturday, September 1, 2018

An open letter to Sachin Pilgaonkar

Dear Sachinji

I grew up hearing "Sachin, Sachin.." While the most obvious Sachin was the Tendulkar , we also grew up with a Sachin Pilgaonkar. Who can forget the Sudhir cum Sudha in Ashi hi Banava Banvi. That movie makes us laugh and entertains us even now. I have lost the count of how many times I have watched it. We are awed by your multi-talented personality- acting, direction , singing and dancing.

In Nach Baliye, you and Supriyaji gave us rockstar performances. We had no doubt you would be the winners. Then came the dance contest "Eka Peksha Ek" on Zee Marathi. You proclaimed yourself a Mahaguru. All I knew till then was what a guru means. But Mahaguru, what was that? But we were still ok with that. We sort of got over your self proposed grandiosity.

As much as I hate the "Mahaguru" in you, the artist in you inspires audiences like me.Starting as a child actor and completing more than 50 years in the film industry is no mean feat. My salute to that.

And hence when I wake up to something like a Mumbai Anthem on YouTube, I get worried. As a actor, performer who has had a long career in the industry, what was the motive behind this Mumbai Anthem? What are you exactly trying to convey here? If it's your love for Mumbai, it's really not coming out. I still haven't got the meaning of this anthem. The lady with the revealing clothes and no expressions, a tactic to merely gain video hits or what was that? I don't know.

An artist definitely has the freedom of expression to choose his roles. But audiences expect more from you. We know you have the capability. Hence I still wonder why why this Mumbai Anthem? Is it just for fun "gammat jammat"? We hope not to encounter such "banava banvi" from you again and again.

From--
A girl who grew up with the likes of navri mile navryala ,ashi hi banva banavi

#dsaidso #mumbaianthem

Remembering Mehendale Kaka

 Mehendale kaka It was last Friday – I was travelling from work and I get a call from Baba – “Pradnya che baba - Mehendale kaka” passed away...