Author: RA

‘Hum Sab Sahmat: Resisting a Nation Without Citizens’ at Ektara, Takshila Foundation, Bhopal. After the opening on the 26th at the beautiful new building, I am told the exhibition is attracting discerning crowd. Friends in Bhopal, Vidisha, Dewas, Indore, Ujjain, Sagar and Ratlam must take out time to see the show and write or talk about it. Together with the exhibition there will be talks, lectures, music and theatre performance at the same venue. Don’t miss it. Ektara and Sahmat books are also available. Over 250 artworks. On display till April 23rd, 2023, Ektara House, 2 Malviya Nagar, Bhopal Ektara India Sahmat Sahmat Sushil Shukla Aban Raza Sohail Hashmi Vijendra S Vij #ektara_india

Designing, fabricating and executing an exhibition display is an accomplishment unlike print or digital projects. It is physically sapping and mentally exhausting since one gets very limited time to complete it. Some venues have their own inherent problems and restrictions adding to the pressure of timely completion. Despite all that, it is very satisfying when the display takes shape and the client appreciates the outcome. This one was one of the cold winter nights last month. The project was for a global institution engaged in Public Health advocacy and communication. In the Imperial Hotel Ballroom that is Queen Victoria (looking rather glum and not agreeable to a dance with me), and thats sleepy me trying hard not to look glum after being told that the bar and the restaurants are shut. Why can’t a coffee shop serve rum & coffee? 

The hail was unrelentingly brutal for over two hours in Gurgaon yesterday. Unprotected plants and trees bore the brunt and fury of hard hitting marble sized hail which destroyed even hardy shrubs. Long winding Bougainville which was heavy and loaded with flowers was disrobed and now hangs broken and humiliated. The rubber fig and the kadamb trees were pelted with bullet-like ferocity punching holes through their leaves. All our spring beauties have suffered. While the hail chose cozy corners to accumulate and show-off the storm left a trail of destruction in the lawn. 

Excited and grateful. After the Punjabi and Urdu language editions, finally the Hindi edition of ‘Yaar Mera Haj Kara De’ has been released (Setu Prakashan – link in comments). Besides these three, a Shahmukhi language edition was published in Lahore by Kitab Trinjan. Four language editions in three years… couldn’t have asked for more.

https://www.setuprakashan.com/book.php?id=9789393758170

Recent additions to our ashtray collection. When smoking was not a taboo and warnings were not splashed on every leaf in the town, even PSUs distributed an ashtray as a new year gift. I have one from Air India and now this one from Shipping Corporation. Article Nos. 142 and 143. Progress has been rather slow in the last three years. BTW does anyone have the Indian Railway ashtray of the good old days when you could smoke in the compartment. Remember, it was a bowl-shaped thing (fixed in a ring) that one could turn upside down to empty it. If anyone knows where to get one, please DM me. Smoking is injurious to health but collecting ashtrays or matchboxes is not.