On Saturday I attended a book launch; a book of free verse, Bharat Trivedi’s Acchandotsav (written in Gujarati) was released in august company without any of the hoopla that accompanies English book launches. The poet read his verse, the book was released amongst a gathering of the finest poets in the state; and then select poets were invited to read from their best work. In those wrinkles and fine lines you could see the work of a life time, of fealty to craft and line and form. In their claps and appreciation, there was understanding, there was acknowledgement of belonging to the same brotherhood. Now I need to shake off that ennui and finish up the tx.

Amazing how our elders help us and bless our way even long after they’re gone.

A mini-essay that I wrote for a book on how journaling/ writing can help you cope—HOW WRITING CAN HELP YOU THROUGH TOUGH TIMES by MJ GOFF,  is ACCEPTED!

https://twitter.com/Joyful_Writing-- in case you want to contribute too!

Watching sunlight filter and dance through a curtain of green ; waiting for the  locality citizens’ meeting to begin.. citizens’ aware of their rights, demanding, cognizant of the power of an election year. Vigilant citizens, unlike back home, so many questions as the poltis continue to pilfer and plunder. Strange balance of the mystical and worldly, strangely peaceful.

Last week I pulled out, polished some 400 word stubs from a few years ago. Only the basic story premise remained. All else was chop-edit-change, hint of impatience. Sobering. Interesting, this evolution.

Digant , a national award winner and India's entry to the competition section of Cannes, was shown on DD last night… beautiful story, spellbinding photography but the 11 PM slot means one can watch just a little.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/iffi-maximum-people-should-watch-konkani-film-digant-says-director/306471-8-66.html

My story, Parched, is up at Pure Slush for  their water theme.
http://pureslush.webs.com/parched.htm
Delighted!

The four days of Diwali break went by in a blur. Did put up a toran, light diyas, light taramandal (sparklers), eat mithai (delicious kaju katri--shouldn’t have), made tons of phone calls to wish relatives, visited friends homes, visited the janitor ladies’  tiny but squeaky clean and hopeful homes…also the work pooja that I was late for (Miss Blue stalled in the middle of the road in horrendous traffic and needed prof help. Luckily, India-style, the curious bystander who walked up to help and happened to be a driver, wouldn’t even take thank-you-money)…after another elaborate puja on Diwali day a friend forgot her age, her saree, and a step—and fell badly. By God’s grace only a bad contussion and bruises, the docs at casualty said, but for a moment I’d thought she’d collapsed….Visited the 19^th C Mumbai photographs exhibit at the grand museum… guess I missed out the right century to be born in, what a grand, graceful place this was…trying to return to work even as the projects pile up…at the tree walk in MNP Dharavi I waited mesmerized by a red pierrot flitting about, and understood why people fall in love with their this ephemeral creatures.