Let's Access life

 

How can we access happiness? How does one access hope? How does one access bravery? All you have to do is visit a quaint little corner in Chembur, and voila... you will find all three; Happiness, hope, bravery. All of us go through ups and downs in life. All of us have lived and lost in life. All of us have given up on life many times. But what do you do when you are being eaten from within? What do you do when your body is being ravaged by poison? Well, all you have to do is take it one day at a time and win the smaller battles so that the bigger war is bearable. Yes, its a war when a 1 year old has to get his testicle removed because of a malignant tumour. Yes, its war when a 10 year old has a growth on his intestine. Yes, its war when a 5 year old passes away because his body couldn't handle a relapse.

Access Life is a foundation that helps these warriors win the smaller battles coz winning the war, clearly, isnt in our hands. Access Life has since the past few years endeavoured to make the lives of these juniors and their families as comfortable as possible while they go through their personal hell. A roof over your head, a comfortable bed to sleep in, warm nutritious food, all these are the necessary weapons needed to fight this. The Access Life team works tirelessly towards the betterment of these most unfortunate cancer patients. With the blessings of many charitable souls in this city and abroad, Access Life has managed to open new centers at Thane and at Andheri. The one in Andheri is the most amazing one, a family who owned a three bedroom house decided to let Access Life use it as their center, free of cost. With property prices sky-rocketing and the standard rent in Andheri starting at 25k for a simple one room apartment, this gesture gives a whole new meaning to the spirit of Charity. These people have not only opened their home but also their hearts to these children. With help pouring in from all corners of the world, Access Life has managed to create little havens in this megapolis of pollution, corruption and rush-hour.

But even the smallest lamp needs oil to light up a dark room. So Access Life needs you to keep that light burning so that the kid who has come back from a grueling chemo session can watch TV or listen to the radio to take his mind off the pain and nausea. We need you so that these kids can get to eat dry fruits which are crushed to a powder and mixed in their chappatis, as they have mouth ulcers from all that chemo. We need you so that the parents who are suffering, seeing their children suffer can breathe easy that they have the facility of a van to take their kids to the hospital and back instead being at the mercy of the unforgiving trains or buses or the ever-refusing taxiwalas. So when you celebrate the on coming festive season, light one more lamp for these kids who are at war. Help them win the smaller battles and leave the rest to this dedicated team of samaritans.I dont want you to feel guilty for enjoying life, God knows we all face our own demons daily. All I want is that you remember these angels when you win a round of cards this Diwali. Remember them when you buy new clothes for your son, daughter, nephew or niece. Be their secret Santa. I guarantee you that their smiles will light up a million fireflies in your hearts and make your trials and tribulations seem far away. Come, lets access life.

You can contact them through this website www.accesslife.org or Phone: +91 22 25212511, +91 8080 222 377
Email: contact@accesslife.org

Who stole my cuppa’ heritage?

 

Today I visited a part of town which has been my backyard, my sanctum for the summer holidays, Grant Road. I spent most of my summer vacations at my aunt’s house, learning the art of crochet, knitting, tatting, embroidery and all those skills which my fingers have long forgotten. She lived bang opposite Minerva theatre. She had a huge balcony on which she had kept a small cot to laze around. I loved that place. It ran through the entire length of the building (something that seems unachievable in today’s property market). Anyways, the focus here is not on the idyllic location or the perfect house or the warmth I felt during the time I spent there. The focus here is on the icon Minerva theatre that loomed large in front of us. I remember watching “Sholay” in there. I remember the Dolby effect of the sound made by the coin when Amitabh flipped it at the end. I remember the magnitude of the place and the waiting room. Days would pass by when I would sit on that balcony, doing my needlework and staring out at the posters. Yes, those painted variety… not the printed ones of today. The larger than life stance of the heroes; the plump red lips of the heroines… all clearly etched in my memory. There was actually a time when I counted those little squares on the façade of the building. Yes, life was that stress free. Now a days, kids don’t know what to do with their time? They have to be entertained. My cousins and I simply had to guess the number of squares and the entire afternoon passed by!

But today, I was shocked as I passed by! This iconic structure, this personal piece of my history, was no more. It has been razed to the ground! Razed! Everything gone! Nothing of any importance has come in its place. Its just a vacant lot… like my heart. People tell me, it happened years ago. I guess I knew it at the back of my head, but it never registered till I saw it. The worst part is, this is not the only thing. A little later, I visited my birth place, Dhobi Talao – Dukkar galli (Damn, I feel so proud while saying it). But that too has changed. Its like as if, someone has pressed a reset button. Quaint 3 floor buildings have given way to 10 floor concrete blocks. The lottery-wala, from whom I have bought many a golden tickets in the hope that luck would change, has been replaced by a fruit-wala! The bakery has become a patisserie! And the chaat-eatery has been converted to a shop selling office-chairs!! Now why would someone do that? How often do we say… lets go buy an office chair as compared to … lets eat some dahi batata puri!! Where is that sweet uncle who used to hand over free chocolates every time I passed by – first as a kid, myself and then with my own kids? Where is the chemist who used to give udhaari? Where is the stationery shop that has been my savior my entire school life? WHERE???!?!?! WHERE HAS MY HERITAGE GONE??!!!!!

My question to you is… what exactly are we handing over to our children? Malls? Multiplexes? Will they ever have those memories that we had while growing up? Will they be able to hangout at the farsan shop or the chaiwala and eat fresh bun maska from the bakery? For my kids, disaster strikes when Subway moves to another location or when Fassos refuses to deliver to our area. I feel for them. They will never know, the simple joys of running down to the bakery in your pyjamas and hearing the crackle of the fresh brun- pav. They will never know how many squares Minerva had. Not the steely gaze of Amitabh for them, nor the toothy grin of Gabbar as they laze and loll about in a sultry afternoon. No sireee! They will probably track Gabbar’s hideout on Google Maps and send a robotic soldier to blow up his arms! 

Bahubali, Bahut Bhalli

 
I know what you are going to say; Oh no! she's back! (just like Arnie promised). but what can i say... life had been pretty mundane and event less for me to write about. It took a gobsmackingly awesome movie to shake me out of my ho-hum-scratch-my-bum existence.

i know what you are going to say; bawi has finally lost it. (just like Robbie promised). but what can i say! once in a while a movie comes across as being genuine... even though it might be larger than life. but when you think of the godly status that is given to certain heroes/ demi-gods/gods/the-one-whose-name-cannot-be taken; you feel... damn... the makers of this magnum opus deserve a round of beers, if not appamms. OK, so basically, today i am going to rave and rant about this larger than life movie, Bahubali. (was it necessary to even say that?)

the movie starts with the usual flowing of testosterone on screen and estrogen in the audience - tall, dark, with dravidian looks, and locks that can make Sunsilk blush, the camera pans rippling muscles and smoldering eyes. Men, dont worry, the fair maiden who steals his heart is shown prancing under waterfalls too. (whatever). so once all the nitty-gritty details of boy-dreams of-girl, girl-hunts-boy, boy-makes-tattoo, girl-makes-love are out of the way, the movie picks up.

i know what you are going to say; is this the same chick who worships the greek god of bollywood? (just like Jaado wondered) but what can i say, for me to even drool over someone other than the green-eyed hunk, means that this conqueror from the Indian Peninsula must have some Chutzpah in him! he owned every frame, every angle and every heart. the frontbenchers clapped for him the backbenchers whistled for him and the ladies (well at least one) swooned.

i know what you are going to say; but what about the movieeeeee???? (just like Arnab asked). what can i say, this movie, in all its magnanimity had just a simple thread running through it. Truth shall win. and that my friends is what got me back on this forum after a hiatus of several months. off late, a lot of changes are going on in this world - countries are going bankrupt; modi is going to pakistan; Parsis are going extinct; and i am going - nowhere. this movie makes the unbelievable, believable. it takes the ordinary and puts it on a pedestal for all to admire. yes, most of it was probably made on the computer screen, but I'll be damned if i dont give credit to the creator/ the visualiser/the boss - the director. considering that we have been constantly fed a staple diet of heroes, who talk to mosquitoes who have allegedly bit his lady love to heroes who stop a bullet with their teeth, the director weaves a magical tale of kings, queens, tribals and war! he doesnt want to preach to the mob, he just shows us that when things do get out of hand, we have to follow our heart and walk on the path less traveled. the second part is all Fast and Furious -  the only difference being, its the man and not the machine that is fast and furious. When Bahubali, knocks down the enemy ranks like nine pins, i felt like whistling. When he gives a war cry to his men who are deserting the battle field, i felt like getting up and socking the guy who had been chatting on his phone during the national anthem. And when he explains the meaning of death to his men, i knew that i had nothing to fear, coz living each day in fear was akin to dying itself.

so yes, Bahubali, bahut bhalli picture thi. if you dig indian mythology, go for it. if you dig men in silken dhotis and rippling muscles, go for it. if you dig cinematography, go for it. and if you dig seeing truth win over lies and deceit, go for it. Hell, on my way back, i could not help but chant - Bhu-balli, Bahu-balli, bahu-balli, on my little two-wheeler chariot! And come to think of it there is a part two coming!!!! Oh great Gods of rassam and sambhaar, please please please make it a trilogy! I promise to be a good girl and not whistle and hoot too much in the theater.

accesslife... accesshope

   

Yesterday evening I had the privilege of spending time with 8 angels. These angels have come from different corners of India in search of hope. I am talking about the 8-9 children who live at the Accesslife centre for kids suffering from cancer. The big C doesn’t differentiate... you could be living in Antilla or you could be from Dharavi… this disease doesn’t need to call your secretary and take an appointment. This disease doesn’t give a warning like our erstwhile weather bureau. It’s like the unwelcome guest who thinks it’s his prerogative to invade your privacy and alter your comfort zones to suit his needs. Accesslife is a venture by a group of people who believe that if the big C cannot differentiate then neither should we. They have set up a care center, in a quaint little neighbourhood of Chembur,  providing a roof over the heads of those whom destiny has challenged. I mean, what was Lady Destiny thinking?!? “Hmm, let me see, the floor they are sleeping on is too smooth; the roti too hard; the labour too menial… here let me add some tadka to their life… how about a life threatening disease!?? Let’s see how they cope with it!” Well, Madam Destiny, have I got news for you! Give it your best shot, we at Accesslife, will match you every step of the way.

Yesterday, a Charlie Chaplin show was organized for them along with a demonstration on sand art. Now you’ve got to understand… these kids wouldn’t know Charlie’s talent even if he were to wave his stick like a lunatic at them. The best thing about Charlie was no language barrier, just pure fun. It didn’t matter whether you were from a remote village in Bihar or West Bengal… comedy is the universal language and these kids got a taste of it. To see their faces light up like a Christmas tree was enough to calm the storm that awaits them every Monday when they go for chemo. The parents who live with them at the centre, too, forgot for a brief moment that tomorrow a high dose of poison will be administered to their babies. They forgot to think, “Will he vomit? Will the nurse find his vein easily? Will a piece of my heart break when he cries in pain?” My own boys who had accompanied me, remarked, “They don’t look like they are suffering from anything!” Yesterday they learnt a lesson on how to be dignified when you have a face-off with Death. Yesterday they learnt to appreciate the chocolates, cakes and cookies that they can eat while these 8 are on a restricted diet. Yesterday they learnt to share their precious phone and play a game of angry birds with this happy lot.

I can go on and on, but I want to put this blog to use. I don’t want only your ‘likes’ and comments. This is not a piece like the thousands you find on FB claiming 1 like=1 less day of chemo! That’s as ridiculous as saying… 1 like will automatically transfuse blood into the veins of a kid suffering from aplasty anemia. This is not a Bollywood blockbuster with one brother directly transfusing his marrow into the other brother’s body while a Nirupa Roy type mother cries and rings the temple bells in the rain. This team at Accesslife has to work hard, chalk out plans, schedules, provisions, consult nutrionists, buy clothes, toys, and put food on the table for these 8 families. No Bollywood-esque drama for them, only deadlines to meet, in case it gets too late for even one of the angels. To achieve their targets they have even come out with 2015 diaries, with details and pictures of all these families. You can order the same through me. It costs 350 per piece. I know I have spent 350+, blindly at multiplexes and beauty parlours… and not that there is anything wrong with that. I am not telling you to give up your lifestyle. I know I will continue with mine too. But if you really sit to count the pennies that these kids need then the rupees wont pinch so much.

I know I should end now because our attention span is constantly competing with the next Whats’App notification. But it needs to be said, there is hope after all.  If a pessimistic person like me can see a glimmer of light at the end of a tunnel then definitely the Accesslife team is on the right path. There is hope not only for those 8 families, but also for my generation. I thought that all was lost with this wave of materialism taking over our lives; that we cannot escape it. But yesterday when I saw photos being clicked on iphones and ipads, it made me realize that, not all is lost. If these guys don’t give a second thought while spending on their own luxuries then they don’t spare a second to make the lives of these angels comfortable. Whether its time or money, it flows freely. There is only one goal, the smiles should not stop. So Lady Destiny… our gloves are on… we are ready for Round 1. Are you?! 

         
   you can connect with them directly http://www.accesslife.org/

Lessons in Life

My friend asked me to help her daughter prepare a speech for the latter's Annual Day. She was supposed to speak on the importance of extra curicular activities in school. Here is what I managed to come up with on short notice.

Good evening everybody! And welcome to the ____ (number) annual day of st. Anne’s, Fort. Today we felicitate not only the students who have shown academic brilliance but also those who have excelled in extracurricular activities. Our institution teaches us to dot our ‘i’s and dash our ‘t’s as much as it teaches us to step into the world of art music and drama. Throughout the year we’ve had activities like _____ ____ ____ which have opened the doors of creativity and imagination for us. If our parents have taught us our first words then it is our teachers who teach us the difference between Shakespeare and Voltaire. Its very easy to lose ourselves in this cut throat world of percentages and averages but at the end of the day, if we can stop and appreciate a beautiful sunset then our art teacher has been successful at her job. If we can tap our feet and feel the rhythm in our soul when we hear a good song, then our music teacher has passed his test. During drama practice, the shy timid girl will forget her inhibitions and put on her mask to enact the shrew in all her glory for ‘Taming of the Shrew’. You might wonder why your daughter needs to learn a speech… but what if she has to make a presentation in office someday or even better, stand up in court and fight for what she believes in. THAT is the confidence we gain on this stage. The ugly duckling transforms into a swan right HERE… not because she knows how to apply makeup perfectly but because her soul shines through her and the magical beauty becomes visible to all. 

Let me end this by saying, there is no harm in learning a skill… after all, if it weren’t for the 100m race during sports day, would it be possible to catch the last Virar local at Churchgate or do the long jump over the potholes? Nah… I don’t think so. Where else would we learn such life-skills!? So thank you for giving me this chance to give a speech. There might come a day when I stand in a courtroom full of strangers n hardened criminals, with butterflies in my stomach ready to stand up for I believe in and I will look back at this evening and I will know that all's gonna be OK. Thank you. 

Fingers crossed... the teacher should approve this and my job will be done here. 

L = Look out, she's driving!

 

My husband did the most unpredictable thing last week. He decided, all by himself, that I am not a threat to public life on the scooter; hence I deserve a set of four wheels and a steering wheel. So he went and bought a second hand Wagon R… to put his belief to the test. So here we were Mr. and Mrs. Sarkari, proud owners of a tin box on wheels. You say, what’s so great in that?!? My friend, the thing is that neither of us knows how to drive. So we enrolled the services of a dear friend who is blessed with a lot of free time on his hands but mainly who has loads of patience to deal with a maniac like moi. Now please note, that this guy is the master of a ship, he can command and hire and fire people like nobody’s business… but he volunteered to teach ME!!! God bless him!

So day 1: first dilemma… Coach has long legs and I don’t. So every time we switched seats, the seat had to be pulled back and front. So one thing is certain, my seat adjustment works just fine. Then the biggest challenge… TO REMEMBER THAT I HAVE TWO MORE WHEELS AND THAT THIS IS NOT A SCOOTER! Man, that’s one thing that can be easily forgotten. My poor coach who by now must be wondering why he volunteered for this task, had his hands constantly on the hand brake! I think it was more of an insurance for his safety as being in the soon forgotten passenger seat with me in driver’s seat, can be life threatening.

Day 2: Become aware of a few Rules of the Road. Such as ….

·        1. Always tie up your hair tightly. When the window is rolled down and few loose strands fly into your nose, you will feel like sneezing and accidently press the accelerator instead of brake! Not that I did that… but came pretty close to it.

·        2. If you do feel the need to abuse someone who is honking from behind, then please please please, pull to the side-abuse-let him pass- and then start driving. Now this rule is very important or else your car will drift to the left  while you are exercising your vocal chords and run over early morning joggers :(

·        3. Trying to take a U-turn at the speed of 40 is not going to work since you haven’t married Schumacher.

Day 3 onwards: A Zen like perspective on life over takes you. You realize that a human can suffer mini heart attacks because some doodhwala bhaiya decides to come right at you the wrong way! If there is ever a petition of sending them back to Laaloo’s land, I will sign it first. You realize that there are drunkards trying to cross the road at 6.30am too. With all due respect dude, make up your mind, you coming or going to the bar!!! And whats with all these crows and pigeons!!!! They come right at you like the Japanese bombers who bombed Pearl Harbour! First time I actually ducked! Then realized, damn it woman! You’ve got a roof over your head now!!! :) Fire away all you want!

So basically, things have become calmer now in my little Wagon R. My coach has learnt to take his hand off the hand brake! He can safely play candy crush while I crush someone’s toe (not yet :P ) But then the battle has only just begun. We still have to conquer the slopes of Malabar Hill and begin the dreaded chapter ‘ Perfect Parking’. But that is another day, another blog. For now, if you see a silver Wagon coming your way… just stay out of the way… and don’t even assume that I will wave at you, coz waving is also a strict no-no in the rule book. Ask the poor pedestrian whose smile froze as I waved at him.