Author: Adi Sathe

Alexa, My friend

Guys, September is around the corner, and it’s time for “My Friend Alexa”. For those who have no clue who this Alexa is, let me introduce you to Alexa, it is one awesome ranking algorithm which helps you to rank your website based on the traffic and the source and nature of that traffic. There are few more parameters like a source of that traffic, bounce rate, etc. “Google baba” is numero uno. So, closer you get to 1, better is your website rank. It’s that time of the year when everyone in the Blogchatter community starts looking up for the Alexa rankings of our blogs. This year will be my second year to be a part of this campaign with our fantastic and enthusiastic folks of Blogchatter.

Last year’s campaign was a success for me. I had no clue what this Alexa ranking is before this campaign. In Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa, reading and engaging with your fellow blogger’s work takes the upper edge to you creating and posting your content. As against the April A to Z, where you post a daily content, My Friend Alexa is very less demanding on the creative side. Here you need to post only twice a week. Just 8 posts in a month. So last year I started up with an Alexa rank of around 7.5M. Thanks to lovely folks of Blogchatter, I was able to drop it by almost 3 to 3.5M and with the consistent uploads and love you all readers, my rank kept on improving till the end of this years ‘April A to Z’. As soon as that dredging challenge got over, I reached the bottom of my creative juices. I managed to create only 8-10 pieces in this period which I was saving up for this Alexa campaign.

I checked my rank last week and I was struck with horrifying shock. I had lost my rank. My blog has so less traffic as I was inactive from my side, Alexa couldn’t even rank me at all. Today, it’s ranging in some 19M, thanks to you guys as you showed the same enthusiasm to my latest post even after such a long gap. This year, I would like to take you on the tour showing beauty and sweetness of Marathi language through my poetry and prose. Wait, wait, wait… Non-Marathi fellows don’t leave yaar. I will add the translation and the meaning of my work just for you guys. To make things more exciting and special for you, I have something special on my mind so that you can enjoy the Marathi language more. But let’s keep it a surprise for now. Wait and watch guys, wait and watch. See you soon!

P. S. – If you have not registered for My Friend Alexa yet? What are you waiting for, registrations are open. Come on join in…

August 24, 2018
पाऊसप्रिये

पाऊसप्रिये,
या वर्षीचा पाऊस इथे चांगलाच भिजवतोय पण तुझं पत्र काही आलं नाही, पाऊस तुझ्याकडे हजेरी लावायचा विसरला तर नाही ना!
तुझ्या घरी नसेल पडला पाऊस तर, वेलबुट्टीच्या नक्षीदार डबीत भरावा आणि तुझ्याकडे पोहोचवावा म्हणतो. बरं पाऊस नाही तर नाही, किमान पावसाआधी आसमंतात दरवळणारा वाऱ्याबरोबर आलेला मातीचा गार सुवास? तो ही नाही? थांब, एका कुपीत भरून पाठवतो, कानामागे अडकव त्याचा फाया.
पण वर्दी देणारे ढग तरी पोचलेत न? नसतील आले ढग दाटून तर तातडीचे खलिते धाडून पाठवून देण्यात येतील. काय म्हणतेस? पण इतका सारा अट्टहास कशासाठी? सृष्टीचा सर्जनसोहळा एकत्र अनुभवण्यासाठी….

उत्तराची वाट बघतोय,

तुझ्यासारखाच
पाऊसप्रेमी

~~~

Image by Aditya Sathe (2011)

August 13, 2018
चणे चटपटे!!!ऽऽऽ

संध्याकाळी दिवे लागणीची वेळ होऊ लागली की “चणे चटपटे!!!ऽऽऽ” अशी हाळी ऐकू यायची आणि पाठोपाठ ‘राधिकाची माय’ डोईवर पत्र्याचा डबा घेऊन आळीच्या कोपऱ्यावरून येताना दिसायची. संध्याकाळी धुडगूस घालून आम्ही पडवीत तिची वाट बघत बसायचो. पोटात कावळे कोकलत असायचे. राधिकाची माय घेऊन यायची ते चणे चटपटे हाच काय तो आम्हा पोराटोरांना दिलासा असायचा. आमच्यासाठीच्या पत्र्याच्या डब्याबरोबरच राधिकाची माय तिचा साऱ्या गावातून गोळा झालेल्या बातम्यांचा बटवा, धाकट्या सुनबाईजवळ म्हणजेच माझ्या आई जवळ उघडायची. चाण्यांवर लिंबू पिळता पिळता, चटपटीत बातम्यांची फोडणीपण एकीकडे सुरु असायची. तिची मळकी, ठिगळांची साडी, पिंजारलेले केस हा अवतार बघून पहिल्यांदा कोणीही घाबरलाच असता. “ती त्या पत्र्याच्या डब्यात घालून पोरं पळवते” असं सांगून तिने रोज यावं असा आमचा हट्ट होई लागला की आम्हाला दम दिला जायचा. याच भीतीपायी ते छान मसालेदार चणे तयार होईपर्यंत आम्ही आपले आईच्या पदराआड लपून बसलेले असायचो. आणि राधिकाची माय पण अनायसे बोलून जायची, “प्वोरं घाबरत्यात वाटतं मला…”

Photo credit: Ankita Singh

आजीला काही दानधर्म करायची इच्छा झाली आणि गरिबांत वाटायला १० घोंगड्या आणण्यात आल्या. अप्पांना बरोबर घेऊन १० घरी जाऊन ते वाटायच्या कामगिरीवर आमची देखील रवानगी झाली. त्या दहातल एक घर राधिकाच्या मायच पण होतं. आज त्यातलं बाकी विशेष काही आठवत नाही पण राधिकाच झोपडं मला पक्क आठवतंय. खोली म्हणता येईल का असा प्रश्न पडावा इतकं छोटंसं. आमच्याकडच्या ड्रायव्हर आणि माळ्यांची मोरी पण मोठी असेल. पण कमालीचं स्वच्छ. टापटीप! शेणानी लिंपून पोतेरं चढवलेली चूल, तांदळाच्या पिठीनी भिंतीवर चितारलेली चित्र, आणि भाजलेल्या चण्यांचा सुटलेला घमघमाट. एक फाटकी चादर अंगावर पांघरून ती खाटेवर पडली होती. अप्पांना पहिल्या पहिल्या राधिकाची माय डोक्यावर पदर ओढून सावरून बसली. अप्पांनी घोंगडं काढलं आणि तिच्या थरथरत्या हाती ठेवलं. काही क्षण विचार करून ती घोंगडं परत करू लागली. मोडकं तोडकं असलं तरी घर तिचं होतं. त्या झोपडीत ती मालकीण होती. पण अप्पांसमोर ती बोलणार तरी काय. त्यांच्या बोलण्याखातर तिने घोंगडं ठेऊन घेतलं. जाता जाता मी वळून पाहिलं तर दोन्ही हातात घोंगडं पकडून ती एक टक बघत बसली होती. हाती आलेलं हे घोंगडं बघून तिचा स्वाभिमान थोडा दुखावला गेला होता.

राधिकाची माय पुन्हा अळीच्या तोंडाशी दिसली नाही न कधी तिची “चणे चटपटे!!!ऽऽऽ” अशी हाळी ऐकू आली. गरीब भिकाऱ्यांना इतका कसला माज? आजीचा संताप झाला होता. असो, कोपऱ्यावरच्या वाण्याकडून आणलेला वडापाव खायची आता आम्हाला सुद्धा सवय झाली होती. पण अर्थात त्याला राधिकाच्या मायची खास खबरांची फोडणी थोडीच असायची. एक दिवस अचानक, म्हातारी अंथरुणाला खिळली आहे सांगायला राधिका रडत रडत घरी आली. एकदा शेवटच म्हातारीला भेटाव अशी प्रबल इच्छा आमच्या आईला झाली आणि मला आणि दादाला हाताशी घेऊन आई तिच्या झोपडीकडे चालू लागली. हुडहुडी भरवणारी थंडी पडली होती. झोपडीत आता न चणे होते, न म्हतारीत काही जोर उरला होता. चुलीची उबही कुठे जाणवत नव्हती.

राधिकाची माय आता शेवटच्या घटका मोजत होती. मी राधिकाचा हात पकडून उभी होते आणि आई तिच्या आईचा. हृदयाचे ठोके अधिकच जोरात पडत होते. राधिकाच्या मायने थरथरत्या हाताने कोपऱ्याकडे इशारा केलं. कोपऱ्यात एक पत्र्याचा डबा पडला होतं. मी तो घेऊन तिच्यापाशी आले. तिनी तो थरथरता हात माझ्या केसांतून फिरवला आणि कापत्या आवाजात म्हणाली, “तुह्यासाटीच हाये हो बाळ. घे. मला घाबरू नगस” तिनी कायमचे डोळे मिटण्याआधीच मला दादाबरोबर आईनी परत पाठवून दिले. घरी येऊन डबा उघडून बघावा तर तो गरम चटपट्या चण्यांनी काठोकाठ भरला होता. राधिकाच्या माय अशाप्रकारे आमच्या उपकरातून उतराई झाली होती. तिचा तो स्वाभिमान आठवला की आजपण मला अंगावर काटा येतो.

मोटारगाड्या, मोठ घर, आणि इतर सोविधांच्या रुपात घरी झुलणाऱ्या श्रीमंतीत आजपण दिवेलागणीची वेळ झाली की हवेत तोच मसालेदार वास दरवळतो आणि दूर कुठूनशी हाळी येते…

“चणे चटपटे!!!ऽऽऽ”

—

अनुवाद – आदित्य साठे

मूळ कथा – अंकिता सिंह

May 21, 2018
मी रमलो…

तू जवळी नसता सखये, आठवांमध्ये मी रमलो,
मी उघड्या नयनांनेही, स्वप्नांच्या नगरी रमलो

मौनाच्या बुरख्यामागे, माजले मनीं काहूर
हातात हात तू घेता, आश्वासक स्पर्शी रमलो

संध्येस भरे मधूशाला, मद्याची चढली झिंग
तव मिठीगंधाने चढल्या, कैफात सखे मी रमलो

लागली आस मज आता, यापरी काही ना उमजे
वाटते हर पळ पुढचा, सोबती तुझ्या मी रमलो

May 18, 2018
Reflecting on April A to Z 2018 – #BlogchatterA2Z

Hey guys, last two days you didn’t see me introducing any more author to you. I took these two days to recollect what entire month has offered me as a blogger, writer and most importantly as a bibliophile, a reader. It would not be a lie if I tell you that many of the authors I introduced you through my series ‘Kathaka’, were unknown names for me before I chose this theme. However, this entire month widened my eyes made me read about these 26 fabulous storytellers. Their lives, their style of writing, the time and place they lived in or living in. It was a wonderful journey to know a bit about all of these men and women. I am really looking forward to starting reading the books I mentioned. I wish for this TBR A to Z will become Book Review A to Z for 2019 challenge.

Time flies!!! This is what we all say every now and then; expresses our inability to keep track of the time when we are keeping a busy schedule, maintaining a balance of work, life, hobby and fun. This year’s April A to Z was the same experience for me. Constant juggle between tasks at work and a daily blog post schedule is a demanding routine. Thanks to the Sunday breaks, I was able to finish the Z post on the 30^th of April as Sundays acted as a buffer when I missed a day to post. I am sure I would have left if just after the first week if my fantastic support network of Blogchatter wouldn’t be there. Their constant care, support and sharing what kept me going till Z post.

However, I am way behind in reading the amazing works produced by my fellow bloggers from our lovely community, I hope I will be able to catch up with all of their readings soon. Anagha’s ‘Sun Kissed & Minty Fresh… Life!’, People whom Trina met, Shalini’s kitchen stories with lots of olive green in them and Akshata’s “A slice of life through Myra’s eyes” were some of my favorites of these seasons. Yes, I am guilty as charged for not finishing all of their posts but the moments which I spent on these pages, they were satisfying. I seriously hope that my posts would have brought the same smile of satisfaction on at least one face.

If I compare this second year with 2017, which was my first attempt at any daily blogging challenge, I was a bit more prepared. However, as soon as we went in for the first few days, reality hit me hard. Having just a list of the authors and the book title by them is not enough. Reading about every writer’s life, their writing style, time and place they lived and then knowing about the book I chose was a task indeed. Thanks to Uncle Google I could get through it!!! For 2019, I think I should be more prepared for the research. Overall, it was a great experience to be part of this amazing journey. Once again, I would like to thank the entire Blogchatter team and our wonderful community. Hope you all will keep writing and spreading the love. See you soon.

Adding this to the amazing bucket of blogs at #BlogchatterA2Z.

May 3, 2018
Zakaria Tamer: Satirical and sharp storyteller from Syria – #BlogchatterA2Z

Today, we are at the last stop of our A to Z journey of this 2018 challenge. I would like to introduce you all to Zakaria Tamer, who is a Syrian short story writer. Tamer, born on 2^nd January 1931, is one of the most important and widely read and translated short story writer from Arab literary world. Tamer, also known as ‘little pea Ziad’ has been writing short stories since late 50’s and since then he has published eleven short story collections, two collections of satirical articles and several children’s books. Tamer is considered as an influential master of the Arabic-language short story. Tamer continued to teach himself with a voracious reading as he had to quit the school to support the family at the age of thirteen. He became interested in politics and was encouraged by contact with intellectuals to continue his education at night school. With this background, representing the very poor majority of men and women in Syria, with their joyless and restricted existence in his writing became his literary intention.

Photo from Goodreads

The common theme of Zakaria’s stories is ruler’s intuitive mastery over the use of “carrot and stick” to tame the strongest of his/her subjects. Muhammad al-Maghut, a well-known Arab critic, once contrasted him with Charles Darwin: one showing how humans developed from monkeys, the other showing how humans could be manipulated into becoming monkeys. It is said that his volumes of short stories, are often reminiscent of folktales, and are renowned for their relative simplicity on the one hand and the complexity of their many potential references on the other. They often have a sharp edge and are often a surrealistic protest against political or social oppression and exploitation. Most of Zakaria Tamer’s stories deal with people’s inhumanity to each other, the oppression of the poor by the rich and of the weak by the strong.

The book I would like to read and include in this TBR list is one of the two collections which got translated into English. Breaking Knees: Sixty-three Very Short Stories from Syria. As the title suggests, this book as sixty-three very short stories like flash fiction, which comment about corrupt, fearful lives under a violent dictatorship, it is possible to discern echoes of the storm that has brought Syria to near-disintegration. The stories in the book are Wry, satirical and bawdy, and are always informed by his dark view of humanity and of Syrian society in particular. Considering the current situation Syria, this book seems to be the amazing chance to have a sneak peek in Syrian society.

You can find the copy of these books on following links.

Paperback

Paperback: 178 pages
Publisher: Garnet Publishing Ltd (1 June 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1859642039
ISBN-13: 978-1859642030

Amazon Kindle

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 523 KB
Print Length: 205 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1902932455
Publisher: Periscope (8 February 2016)

Adding this to the amazing bucket of blogs at #BlogchatterA2Z.

April 30, 2018

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