Pune citygritty

“I wanted to show that even the disabled are capable of achievement. Four years ago, I went all the way to Kanya kumari and back on my cycle,” he says.

A father of two, making ends meet has been a problem for Sheikh. “I make about Rs 30 per day. I had approached our corporator and many government officials for a job or atleast funds to set up a stall. They all assured me of help but nothing happened,” he rues. Government babus, are you listening?

Picture this…
No eerie banging of doors. No mysterious footsteps. Yet framed pictures disappear off the wall! Something strange in the air. Not at any haunted house high on a hilltop, but at the PMC and PCMC buildings! What else can explain the disappearance of Bal Thackeray’s portrait from one of PCMC’s top-ranked official’s office when work resumed after the Ambedkar Jayanti holiday?

On discovering the vacant space next to Atal Behari Vajpayee’s picture, all hell broke loose. People rushed helter-skelter, trying to figure out how and who had sneaked the frame away. And then, eureka! The picture was found, hung in some obscure nook by somebody (nobody knows who) who obviously took objection to the place of pride the photo occupied in the official’s office.

But then we have to be politically correct; the necessary amends were carried out, pronto!

And if this was not enough, there was a sequel to this episode of the disappearing picture – at the PMC. Only not so mysterious. One of the officials (whose loyalties lie with the saffron brigade) decided he would not tolerate Rajiv Gandhi and Sharad Pawar looking down at him from the walls of his office, and promptly removed the frames, disregarding the protests. The third in the series belonged to Suresh Kalmadi, but apparently he stayed where he was – thanks to the electoral bonding with the Pune Vikas Aghadi!

Moral of the story: politicians are here today, gone tomorrow! But if you stick with the right ones, you’ll be here today and tomorrow!

Witness the drama!
A play for a good cause, that’s what it is. Care India Medical Society (Satseva) presents a gripping courtroom drama Witness to be staged at the Nehru Memorial Hall on Sunday, April 26, at 6.30 pm, to raise funds for extending more facilities to terminally-ill cancer patients.

A Spotlight presentation, the experimental play, written by Kamala Naharwar and directed by Madhulika Verma, has an intricately-woven plot, with unpredictable twists and turns, and humour and compassion. The popular script, which has been adapted by renowned theatre directors like Faisal Alkazi and Pearl Padamsee, is described as a simple play with a powerful punch.

Set in a middle-class Hindu family, the play confronts the problem of dowry – the oft-repeated situation where the mother-in-law harasses the daughter-in-law. Things take a turn for the worse and during a fiery quarrel, the mother-in-law (here’s the surprising twist) is burnt to death and the daughter-in-law accused of the heinous crime…! The ensuing trial tackles all the socio-economic issues associated with the situation.

Bamboozled!
Wood takes a back-bench, as bamboo makes a bold statement! The environment-friendly material (once cut, it’s fast growth rate of 10 to 15 metres a year does not harm the ecological balance) is not only more malleable, but also has an attractive sheen, thus making it a good base for gift articles. Sameer Ranade and Smita Aayachit stumbled into some adivasis in Ramtek, near Nagpur, last year. “They made beautiful articles from bamboo but they did not have the marketing skills or the right kind of channels to help display these items in Pune and Mumbai, so we formed a partnership, Saprom, to bring their art to the notice of the people,” says Ranade.

Saprom is registered under the National Bamboo Board and conveys a range of bamboo products at a price range between Rs 100 and Rs 2000. Clocks, table lamps, trays, frames, penstands, briefcases and decorative items are available in Pune at 4/16, Sahil (behind Benzer Centre), Bibwewadi. A stall at the BJ Medical grounds will display the items from April 24 to 26.

Public supply
Every weekend, the pubs make sure the free-from-exams teenagers and collegians have a good time in the holidays. This time round, Black Cadillac is celebrating summer with renewed vim and vigour. On Friday, they hold a `Pop Nite’ and on Saturday and Sunday, the theme is more Hawaiian in nature.

These hot summer days, the beach, the sea and bright shirts and bermudas, seem to be the regulation. And the pub will bring it all alive for you this weekend. Go, check out the beach decor and be a part of the fun!
Contributed by Aishwarya, Rasika and Shaan