23rd September 2013 to 29th September 2013

  Unbelievable but true. This is the week when I can honestly say that in a blink, this week was history. Normally I write few lines during the week and finish it off at week end. We were so deeply involved in routine activities that I forgot to take mid-day naps and write few lines of blog. Now with the help of Rinky, who is correcting my English, I am writing this edition of blog. One can safely say that this is Rinky’s first blog entry.

Rinky completed all her Uttarakhand projects at home with some help from Papa & Mom. She is now very sad because her mom has gone to Chennai for a full one long week. She is literally crying and her tears are not stopping. Whenever she wants to tease Chinky, she just has to utter one phrase, ‘Chanky Pandey’. What is the secret behind it? She is not ready to reveal that. Maybe in future this secret will come out. She plans to help her Dadi in cooking and taking care of home during this week when her mum is not in Pune.

Friday: Kashyap-Dhwani have finalized few weddings. There wedding season is full and now we have to see how much they are able to satisfy their clients. The wedding events have turned into a major events with lot of planning in presentation, locations, themes etc. Like one wedding is in ‘Ayush’ Resort in Karjat, One is in Bhuj. I am also joining them as Barati for the Bhuj wedding event for three days.

Saturday: Till this day Xrbia has not taking off. The prospects and feel good feeling is high, but it is taking long time to turn this project into being fruitful and life changing.  Lali, Akshay and Muskan attended a training season and also met Mr Rahul Nahar, main boss of XRBIA.

On 12^th of this month, we started with XRBIA, and our projections for week are way off the mark. Muskan has taken charge of Tele marketing. Lali & Myself were trying to rope in investors. Navin Joshi of Xrbia says that do not Push clients towards sale, but create a pull so that they should come towards you.

Kashyap had a ‘Gochu’ hair cut according to Dhwani. But I liked it. I had clicked few great pics which will be put on blog, next week. Wait for release of the show.

Quote which Rinky Likes:  

Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.   

by P G Dodeja

16th September 2013 to 22nd September 2013 [Visarjan]

16^th Monday: We have finally updated our Parmar Park office. Ramanlal Shah, one of Sindhu's most loved customer used to say that Ladies attitude and character is reflected in Kitchen set-up. How organized it is, how clean it is etc. Similarly it is office set-up which reflects male’s character! And I feel it not only reflects character but at the same time one’s attitude towards life also.

During the process of cleaning up, I came across few of Dad’s old files. And here is a Gem of brief letter written by Shyam Uncle to Dad in 1956. It is a brief supporting letter with subtle humor. It is in Sindhi. Mind you Uncle was just 16 years old at that time.

‘Ahemdabad Jo Hal Ahwal Pari Dhukh Thiyo. Pani Samdh Khan Badhtar Hondo. Coco Cola Samji Piyando Kar. ….. Adha Pano Jawab lai Khali Chade Rahyo Ahyan, Matan Kavarjee.’

Dad had complained about bad quality of drinking water on Ahemdabad. In reply uncle tells him to drink it thinking it is Coco Cola.

Dad used to write long letters and in brief reply Shyam Uncle gives him moral support and avoids writing long letter by adding, ‘I am leaving half space for you to reply!’

At Muskan's request, we made a Ganpati Dharshan at Peth area program. It was last day before visarjan. Few years back we used to park our vehicle at 1306 and walk out to Laxmi Road. Now the crowd has increased so much that Bajirao Road itself has being closed down for all vehicles. We have to park Xylo near Saras Baug and walk out. 

Lali and myself told Dhwani & Muskan our ‘Bachpan’ stories and we made a round lasting 3 hours. Huge crowd, different activities, vendors selling small products, glaring music, some enactments all in all a Mela atmosphere with huge crowds. Old city still holds its charm. While returning we passed the Kalpana Bhel. Now he is charging 30/- rupees. We used to buy bhel in early 70’s for 25 paise! Dada would give use 50 paise per person. We will eat Kalpana Bhel and drink ‘Gane Ka Juice’ during our visit to Saras Baug. This is Maa Manu, Akshay, Lali at Kalpana Bhel, enjoying Bhel at midnight.   

Muskan left by Deccan queen next day for Mumbai. A function for Kajal's Chora was arranged at Mumbai and she has to attend it. And believe me, Akshay missed her so much that, when he came to know that tomorrow office will be closed, he drove to Mumbai and returned next day!

Saturday: Here is a story on which Dad would have defiantly written a long article, subject is Maid.

Currently we are going through rough patch regarding Maids. Import-Export of maids is on. Latest being a middle aged, psychologically disturbed, very lazy and most of time sleeping maid was engaged. She can speak only ‘Sudh’ Marathi and our Marathi is not up to the mark. So we all played ‘Burfi’ role on and off, to communicate with her. In afternoon Muskan came rushing to office, all excited and flushed. Even before I ask her, she rambled on. “Papa, Mausi left the job. While leaving she hugged me so much that I am still finding it difficult to breath.” She enjoying mimicking her 'Bidai' scene.

  

The parting was not restricted to hugging only, maid profusely kissed her also. Then it was turn of Sarika. However, Bindiya was spared this treatment. She got so emotional while leaving the job, whereas, till 7 O’clock in morning, we had no such indication! Why she left, was she happy, is there mental problem with her, was she forced by her DIL, all these questions remain unanswered.

Sunday. Today being Dad’s ‘Shrad Day’,  Pinky has arranged Luch at KK. It is nice way to keep departed elders memory alive. A age old tradition kept alive. Brovo.

 

A happy family is but an earlier heaven.

George Bernard Shaw

by P G Dodeja

9th September 2013 to 15th September 2013 [Ganpati Pappa Mourya]

   Ganpati Pappa Mourya

 

9^th Monday: This week is full on Ganpati week. Five days is continuous fun filled, celebration filled, ‘Sharada’ filled week. The decoration and setting was replay of last year. In the decoration department no new experiments were done. After lot of deliberation between, ‘Big Ears’ or ‘Bal Ganpati’, ‘Big Ears’ Ganpati won. Why? Obviously, ‘Bal Ganpati’ would have invited lots of ‘Bal’ comments from myself, Avi & Pinky. So Akshay-Muskan played safe and ‘Big Ears’ was selected. Coincidently, we have being buying ganpati from the same stall at the chowk! And he is our newspaper vendor also. Manju, who is going on two months visit to Singapore came and said her goodbyes and had Ganpati Dharshan. Her flight is on 12^th from Mumbai. She will stay with Neha for two days.

10^th Tuesday: Nandas came to visit our Ganpati. It was first visit of Mrs Kunal, i.e. Kajal. Now that I have firsthand knowledge of typical Punjabi girl (though Muskan is not so typical), I can safely say that Kajal is perfect Punjabi Bahu. Muskan’s Mother and Kajal were sitting together and they both were looking more as mother-daughter then as compared to Muskan or Nandani! But then Nadani & Muskan are more of ‘Bambaiya’ girls now, being born and brought up in Khar, then a Punjabi Kudi of Amritsar. Had a good photo session after long time with Kajal as most willing model.

In office front, due to postponed launching to 12th by Xrbia, we got three days for final touch-up job on furniture, which seems will never end. We have made up office in white color as per Xrbia's color scheme.

12^th Thursday: Akshay & Lali visited Mumbai for Xrbia Launch. Lots of hopes are on success of Xrbia business. The last year success [3200 units sold in 3 days flat] will not be repeated, but even if 5%  of that response falls in our lap, it will be great. The learning process is on.

13^th Friday: Visarjan Day. This Ganpati season we took full advantage of Mummy’s presence. Many great dishes of Mummy were cooked by Mummy & Muskan, specially, Petha Sera, Khash-Khash Sera etc. and I am relishing all childhood dishes like Baingam Ka Barta etc made by mummy. And it is no wonder that most of us had overeating problem during this week. Nowadays our day starts early. One due to morning aarti and secondly, as Munju has gone to Singapore, it is Muskans responsibility to prepare Sharat Tiffin by 8.30 in morning.

14^th Saturday: Just five days of routine gets so engraved that on sixth day, while making tea, ‘Aarti’ was playing in my head. And Muskan’s first dialogue of morning was, home is so empty! Meet – Karan came for flying visit. Kashyap-Dhawani have lined up 8 meeting in Mumbai, so they left for Mumbai. And we rushed to SB road for our learning class with Xrbia.

15th Sunday: No Ganpati - No Chinky - No Rinky - No Mummy - No Kashyap - No Dhawani.  Muskan was at verge of crying! This is how life is.

by P G Dodeja

2th September 2013 to 8th September 2013 [Moaun Vrit]

 

This week is a blur for Myself, Akshay, Lali & Avi. Xrbia has given us a challenge of setting up office in operational mode within 10 days. People say, ‘Paisa Fek, tamasha Dek’, but we cannot do that also. We are having lots of debates and arguments, but thankfully, work is progressing on planned speed. This is also a good example of goodwill v/s money power. Our progress is totally due to our goodwill of 3 decades with suppliers, service providers etc. Akshay is getting the first hand experience of how goodwill is also important.

Dhwani has said bye-bye to Dhwani. 

Sounds confusing? Replace second Dhwani with ‘Sound’, and again to make it more clear replace it with ‘spoken sound’. Got it? She is on ‘Moaun Virt’ for 9 days, it being the Jain custom. And in the process our days have turned into ‘Gool Maal’ movie days. Dhwani being Dhwani, even though is not speaking, but she is talking through Muskan, more than before. Muskan has become real expert in lip reading. All Dhwani has to do is mime few words and Muskan will come out with full sentence and Dhwani will nod her head. Sometimes Muskan comes out with full paragraph also! This ‘gool maal’ setup is working fine for both of them.

Then on Saturday, while watching TV we heard a big ‘Dhamaka’. Muskan being very sharp, ran to balcony and in panic rushed downstairs. ‘What happened?’

Dhwani was lying flat on her stomach in compound and Kashyap was helping her to get up. She had fallen flat on face and scratched heavily her both hands and knee. Her will power is good, we expected her to scream while her wounds were cleared, but all she did was ‘oooaa’. 

On Sunday, Muskan, Chinky, Rinky and myself visited MGRoad for ‘Ganpati’ Shopping. I noticed, Rinky is very much protective of all family members. She gets worried if according to her thinking we are in some trouble! I wonder what are implications and results of such quality. 

On Monday, Ganpati will visit us 8^th time.

 
‘Ganpati Bapa Mourya’

by P G Dodeja