19th April – 25th April 2015 [Move On]

 

Sunday: Akshay and myself attended important meeting of General Body at Ashoka Hall, near Neelayam. JV was discussed and debated. Practically all stack holders were present for the first time. After due deliberation votes were taken, 65 said yes, 4 said no. Builder, we hope will start the process and we all are crossing our figures and hoping this will be done on fast track, hopeful are saying 4 years, practical people commit 5 years and cynics say anything between 7-10 years.

At this meeting I met Mr Chandan Chwala from Bangkok. It turns out that he used to live opposite 1306, Shukerwar Peth and is Girish Dodeja’s friend. He knew about our family in detail and spoke of those days with fondness. He remembered Bansider, Dada, Manu, and Bharat Kagad Bhandar. Wow. This type of connection raised few question in my mind.

Are we meant to meet people like this?

What is aim of these chance meeting?

Do they have any objective?

Thursday: This guy, called Gurav is a bundle of talent. He writes his lyrics, composes his creation, plays guitar and to top it, sings those line with feeling! In the short span of life, he has faced lot of hurt, gone through emotional turmoil. This reflects in his work. A sensitive guy. In one song, he brings lot of variation, tastes. Kashyap – Dhwani have become his friends. He gives live performance in posh restaurants for hour or two on weekdays. So Muskan – Kashyap – Dhwani – Sharat all visited restaurant just to enjoyed his singing. After stand up comedy, this new trend has started in Pune, Live music. Few other restaurants are also taking up this trend, live band, informal sitting, good food. [You can even sit on floor!].

 

Friday: Man proposes and God disposes. In 2006, when we shifted to Pune, plan was to stay together, enjoy life. We are staying together and enjoying life but there is hidden agenda of God. Staying together part has huge wholes, gaps. In last 9 years, Kashyap had stayed away from Pune for various period of time, in London for one year or so, then Malaysia for his TV show, then in Andheri (W)  for few years, struggling to get toehold as free lancer.  After marriage he shifted his base to Pune, but his few days in a week stay in Mumbai continued for some time. Just recently, he had given up that practice.

To compliment it, Akshay has started living in Mumbai for few days a week.

This is irony of life.  

Saturday: Rinky's movie evening was skipped this Saturday. House shifting process can be enjoyed if you are not attached to particular location. I firmly believe that four walls do not make home, but the family members attachment towards each other make home. So this whole process of shifting is kind of fun. You come across many lost things, open up old memories in this process.

Life has settled itself in a groove, on an edge, on a major crossing, in twilight zone. Like Budha, we have taken what life throws at us and need to continue in same mode. One moment the sights are filled with un foreseen good and very pleasant surprises and next moment is filled with worry, tension, uncertainty about future. This process has being going on for quite some time. Hope this gets settled in our favor before ‘Chutki’ arrives.

 

And please do not ask who is ‘Chutki’.   

Click on following ........ enjoy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmQxdSNFigw

by P G Dodeja

5th April – 11th April 2015 [Chinky - Rinky]

 

House Hunting: It is easy and at the same time very difficult also. If one had very limited options, it becomes easy to make decision. But if in same budget, you have many options, you try to compare and weigh the options and you fall in trap of ‘not able to make decision’. We have following options, and I have stopped looking for more options. This weekend was target date, if nothing else make decision by throwing a dice! And still waiting for fate to intervene and decide.

Option one, ‘Very near to office, but on two levels.’

Option two, ‘Exclusive and posh Bunglow costly by 5k, but near to office.’

Option three, ‘Spacious and cheaper, but no lift, stand alone building.’

Option four, ‘Excellent society, spacious but for 11 months only’

Option five, ‘Brand New flat, spacious, lift, society but 3 km from office’.

Sharat with his best buddy.

11^th Sat: Sharat’s birthday is today. And believe me, when I say, ‘Sharat will give us best gift ever on this birthday.’ What, how, where is to be replied in confines of the family walls. I am very much in ‘masti’ mood hence this gogglii for all readers. I will be heavy critized for this statement alone, but can I stop myself? Ha….Ha….Ha…..Sharat had very creative birthday celebration with his office friends and Dhwani+Kashyap from family. For location, he arraigned a Bunglow in Koregaon park, planned some group games, with snacks and biryani as food choice.

Lot of things are going to change in next month or so, I am talking from the point of view of Business, Money, Relationships, Life approach, Spirituality etc. Big change is expected. Life keeps changing, yes, but the pace, the implication of change, the reach of change in next 30 days in going to be talked about for years to come maybe decades.

Why I am saying this? I will put my neck on block and say ‘Pure intuition’. Hope ‘Chutki is hearing this.

Sat: I took all the ‘beties’ of the family, to Seasons mall for window shopping. Next trip will be of actual shopping. Insha-allah. Muskan – Dhwani – Chinky – Rinky - Chutki. Malls have become like modern gardens. Earlier evening out was spent at local garden, enjoying fresh air, giving kids horse or ‘Cheekla’ ride and eating Bhel – Singhdana etc with Golla. It was relaxing time for few hours in lap of nature. The same is now a day’s done at posh malls in lap of man made luxury items. As working parents have less time for family life, they combine the relaxing time with grocery or other necessary and pocket permitting, unnecessary shopping. I see the same mixture of crowd of as in earlier time gardens and today's mall i.e newly wed’s looking at each other coyly, couples with baby in pram or in arms, few scattered grandparents with grand children, dragging themselves, few modern 'topories' boys and girls. However, attire has changed dramatically, today you see few traditional suits, very few saris, many jeans and T shirts, some adults in shorts and frocks also. For men, it is same as always, pant/jean and shirt. The noise level of earlier gardens and today's malls is same, loud. As dinner time approaches, crowd starts getting thin.

Rinky has set likes dislikes. Likes to eat Donuts, want to hear only English songs, gives daily minimum five kisses to her mum, one instruction each, every hour to Chinky etc is must for her. One dislike which I regret is she just can not stay in front of camera for long enough to click picture. Whereas Chinky is typically Dodeja, chilled out and relaxed. whereas Rinky has by nature Dodeja trait.     

Akshay – Muskan’s routine is being set as work in Mumbai from Monday to Thursday/Friday. Come and relax, visit doctor for ailments, chill out, spend some time with family during weekends. All in all, precursor week indicating to major change in scenery of in L G Dodeja family.

  

Waiting anxiously for 3^rd May.  

 

by P G Dodeja

3 rd Feb 2014 – 9th Feb 2014 [SSC - Weddings]

 

Mon: 3^rd. Rinky celebrates her birthday and Chinky enjoys the most! She was all over the place, showing off Rinky’s Birthday Cake baked by her. She tried a very unique combination of Pudding Cake + Strawbery Cake + Fresh Strawberry +  Custard as Topping.

More happy he/she is, more Dodeja will be that person. For example, see the happiness on these seven people.

Chicky is at her life’s very special stage. Some find it enthralling stage of life, and for some it is most tension filled, uncertain and nervous period of life. Yes, Chinky is in 10^th Standard, this is her last month of the school life. 

This should go on the record as the first day in life of Chinky when she wore a Saree and attended her school. She was feeling so shy that no one other then most necessary family member was allowed to meet her or even talk about it!
 

Kash – Dhwani were off to Mumbai, once again. Attending wedding and arranging meeting. Dhwani’s brother, Meet is getting married in month of July at Silvasa, so this can turn out a location event with 2 nights and 3 days fun.

Nandani’s proposal has being accepted and soon she will join the married brigade. Maybe the marriage will be held in May. Soon this news will be flashed after confirmation. The boy's name is Aditya Sharma and looks and feels like 'shudh' Punjabi Munda. 

It looks my both ‘bahus’ will be busy in April-May, doing shopping, attending functions. And if Sharat surprises us then this year will be marked as the year of marriages! 

by P G Dodeja