CHERISH with HARISH

Gurgaon, 10:44 am Last Friday I woke up a little early. I was called to a government arts center, for a selection interview to improve the condition of theatre teaching in the capital. They had actually selected a list of theatre directors to take a summer workshop in some school for the month of June. I was very happy. They had called only those people whose plays had been funded by the government center. ('DRAMA JANTAR KA', our last play was funded by them). So, it was a big thing for me. I was getting ready for the interview. I had taken out an ironed T-shirt and a formal trousers. I had taken out the originals of the photocopies I had submitted. Three days ago, I had got a call to be there for the interview at 2 p.m. I got to know about this kids' workshop, through this official who was dealing with Kamaan (my group). He asked me that I can apply for it. He said only directors till the age of 40 can apply. Isaid, I will be 30 this year. He said, "Bahot time...

11:06 pm, Gurgaon. My uncle (my father's real brother) called him after centuries and he wanted to talk with me. He asked a simple question, "Harish, I have a doubt, what do you do now?" This was a question which shook me and because of lack of answers, I simply smiled. An old friend had asked me that day that I don't work anywhere,I have my group's rehearsal only on weekends, I just need to teach slum kids twice a week and now there is a summer vacation now, so the college work is closed for sometime. So how am I so busy, always? But when I look inside, I like having so much of work that there is stuff left after the day too. But where does this work come from? I guess I love 'inventing' work for myself. I have been busy writing a street play, writing a new stage play, and directing a short film, but the worst part is that I like being busy. Only the film part gives me money, and all the rest gives me more pleasure than money. I also get plea...

"Is 'Change' actually constant?" The neem tree opposite my balcony hasn't changed, the universe has not changed a bit, the clouds are still the same. the fresh breeze hitting my face, on a summer afternoon is still the same, Change does not exist for nature, nor for the Universe. CHANGE is 'constant' only for MAN, n no one else. Isn't it? - KHS, Apr'18

Gurgaon I have always believed that if you want to see India in the best possible way, take the Indian Railways! We had started about a fortnight ago from Delhi to basically rest to Hyderabad, but I had no clue that there was so much in store already. I had gone with no expectations, but just to meet my aunt, Tuffy and lots of rest. But I had surely expected train journeys, which always make me think, think and may be think more. But I got gifts which were not material, but very emotional. I loved Hyderabad's evening breeze, which is amazing always. That I guess is the only constant in this ever changing city, for the better. This breeze is an icing on the cake after you get up after a nice afternoon nap! But what was nice was meeting and chatting with my cousin Nannujiji, who had come from Brisbane, who had come back without any airs. I like it when people don't forget their roots and habits. She was exactly the same person I had seen when she left India, twenty years ...

I was quite exhausted after directing a short film and finishing a play. Everything happened in a great way, thanks to the universe. I wanted a break, so I took a week off to Hyderabad, which had no cousins, only 'Tuffy' (my uncle's lovely pet and an old friend!). I had decided to just eat and sleep. We had got the train tickets reserved and I got this news that this cousin of mine was returning to India, from outside, after about 6-7 years. I was still aiming at re-charging myself. I had brought a book of Tagore's short stories, which I had started reading mid-way. I had also thought that I will start working on the next play and street play. But again, my major motive was to sleep. The week passed off in days and I kept looking for the week! But one thing which was good was that I got a video byte and I was happy for it. I also attended a couple of functions and loads of non-veg stuff and majorly, Biryani! I also attended my older aunt and uncle and realised ...

I have been very busy in the last few days. I was enjoying it too. I was preparing for a play to be staged in New Delhi on the 23rd. I had written the play, and I was busy teaching the dialect to the students and the major part was directing it. I was struggling to meet the self-created deadlines. But when you do that, you end up working faster and hence, you become stricter with your work. You start worshiping your work. I had suddenly been strict with my students and Kamaan for 'DRAMA JANTAR KA!' too. I was fighting time Worshiping? Yes, Last week, at the same time, I had got a film project from a reference. Amidst all the chaos of the play, an organisation approached me to make a film on their patients, who were suffering from Dementia. I always had a special corner for people with mental disorders (...as I have one too!). I could not say NO. It is just that they needed to finish the film in just a week. I said yes to them and started meeting and looking at the patient...

I was working on my play's direction and I got a message on my phone to meet up. It was not a wedding, not a function. It was plainly a 'REUNION' and I liked that fact. I love it when we meet for a reason and not mix it with another meeting. It sounds a bit idealistic, but it's fun not to mix meetings and cover a lot of things. I don't believe in the idea of a 'World tour', where you just go to a monument, just touch it and come back. I would like to read about any place and then see it thoroughly. Similarly, I don't like mixing meetings. I love it when I go there for only one reason, TO MEET. This might be one of the reasons that I sub-consciously hate weddings. I am sorry to all my close friends whose weddings I have missed in the last few years. I always prefer meeting in a somewhat 'isolated' reunion and talk about MEMORIES. I love that journey to the past. So after my tiring rehearsal, I left for the 'RE-UNION'. I was early and I ...