Writing workshops with Mayank

Posted on October 22, 2011 by prashant bhatt

My nephew Mayank is nine years old, full of energy and jumped around many times as we recorded his experiences of a recent trip to Agra region-The Fatehpur Sikri and Taj Group of monuments.

 

His is an innocent world-He was once very unhappy that I found my passport https://prashantbhatt.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/innocence/ as now, I would have to leave and no one would take him to the zoo.

Tell me about your trip

The question left him a bit bewildered. He reached out for the book on Mughals which he has. I put the book aside.

“ I want to know your experience of Fatehpur Sikri and Taj group of monuments, not what you can read from a book,” I told him trying to initiate him into the writing-reflecting mode.

A life unexamined, is a life not lived-a philosopher once said.

 Hence we started on a joint journey together, revisiting the Panch and Hawa Mahals, recalling stories which the guide at Sikri told and remembering the reflections of the pond in front of the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisthi.The 19th century French writer Victor Hugo once commented on Birbal Bhawan that either it was a very small palace or a very large jewelry box.“I saw a goat near the Buland Darwaza” he recalled with great excitement.

Papa’s college-Fruity at a stall

Every trip has its unique points. “Our driver lost his sim card, which he later found in the backseat.”

“We went to Papa’s medical college. There are a lot of monkeys in the campus.There was pindrop silence in the library.”

Little Mayank was slowly warming up to the little details which were initially not present in his narrative.

Who is more important-the architect or the emperor?

 I tried to tease out his mind on the relative importance of the architect who designed the Taj Mahal and the emperor under whose rule it was built.

( The Venetian Geronimo Veroneo and Ustad Ahmed Isa Afandi are the chief contestants proposed for the credit of chief architect though only a group of masterminds in architecture could have put together the myriads of drawings and plans).

Mayank answered my stressing the importance of the architect by asking –

“If the Emperor and the Architect are wounded by an arrow, and there is only one bed to treat them, who will you treat?”

Shivaji’s escape

Agra Fort’s most famous prisoner was Shah Jahan. However, Mayank found the tale of Shivaji’s escape from captivity more exciting and recalled the events of May –July 1666. He has been seeing the serial Vir-Shivaji very closely (eats food only while watching the serial) and hence this part of history of Agra Fort especially appealed to him.

Recalling and reflecting

Writing workshops are an interesting way to organize thoughts especially for children. He later recalled many other trips.

Nainital. Vaishnodevi.Mumbai.Shimla.

Nainital-2009

Jallianwala Bagh

Golden Temple-Amritsar, Our family has prayed here for many generations.

Though initially hesitant, we spent some nice hours remembering some unique moments

https://prashantbhatt.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/rain-drop-moments/

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Walks by Alaknanda

Posted on October 18, 2011 by prashant bhatt

Someone told me that XYZ  is my only remaining link to a particular place.

I listened quietly, as one has to , when one has stayed out for long. Many opinions come, trying to pull you in their direction, push you into taking a particular stand. After all these pulls, pressures were over, I went for a walk.

And I realized more than ever..that my links with these places go beyond a few individuals.

Tea at German Bakery-Laxman Jhula Bridge

Built by UP PWD in the years 1927-29, replacing an old bridge which was washed away by floods in 1924, the present bridge opened to public on April 11,1930.

This is a view of the bridge from the German Bakery

Prayers by the Alaknanda

A cousin from my ancestral village accompanied me to say prayers . A teacher who travels around 18 kilometers each  way, (including 3kms on foot) to teach, she was much more at ease than me in arranging the ritual ceremonies in the hills with the priest. He has a tremendous memory of the hills and is able to locate areas of family prayer sites with surprising accuracy despite the thick overgrowth , steep and slippery conditions.

 

Hills where many of my family have walked over the generations.

While returning

While returning, visited some relatives, had long talks, went for walks in the fields near Rajaji National Park. A tusker is known to be roaming around in the nights over there, creating panic and loss of life and property.

I saw this momento of  9 Deccan Horse in which my uncle once served.

His living brother and I shared some old memories, jokes, conversations. Their father, a medical doctor,  came and developed this area around half-a-century ago. He was a brave soul to walk, where even today, tuskers roam around in the night!

Someone told me that XYZ  is my only remaining link to a particular place.

As I walked through the hills, riverbeds, fields, found some old artifacts, retraced some old walks, recalled past conversations  I wondered how much truth is there in that assertion.

And I realized more than ever..that my links with these places go beyond a few individuals. I am sure, most of us have had such long walks, alone and yet connected to many currents-present and past.

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Is a diary a blog-Reflecting on the seeds of time

Posted on October 6, 2011 by prashant bhatt

No!

A diary is a more personal and intimate document, wrote one colleague of mine. I have been a regular diarist since 1983. I wondered at times, as blogging became more prevalent, what is the difference? At times there is overlap, at times there is a very big gap.

Landing in Delhi.

As we crossed the Rose Garden of Hauz Khas, the breeze had a different feel in the early morning hour. Here we had witnessed the Azaan from the mosques at Hauz Khas on several evenings, before crossing over to Park Baluchi at Deer Park to share some thoughts and feelings. But that seems a long time ago.

Celebrating a life

As I tried to explain to my sister who says, she still feels that she will see her mother walking around, that all people have to go, we sat down and celebrated her life. But there are times when philosophizing, reflecting and words fail us.

The last time we sat together it was hearing Raag Yaman on Sitar, after a beautiful day at National Gallery of Modern Art

  • The lawns and museums around India Gate-Raj Path area have been a favorite haunt of mine for many decades.

“Who is Nandalal Bose” I asked them. They did not know before the trip started.

But after the trip, hopefully they will not forget the name of the artist who art scholars regard as one of the founding fathers of modern art in India.

http://prashantbhatt.blog.co.uk/2009/10/05/in-the-seeds-of-time-of-rhythms-metaphors-and-messages-7103221/

This time it was different…

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