Rodevra Republic

  Art moving through space — somewhere between sculpture and dance Art moving through space — somewhere between sculpture and dance In the video above you will see an absolutely riveting performance. One cannot help but be mesmerized by what unfolds before the eyes. Art is presented here in a strikingly different way. To anyone familiar with two-dimensional art forms, these plastic forms appear almost magically alive. Is it modelling? Is it sculpture? Is it dance? One is tempted to ask these questions as the presentation unfolds in three-dimensional space, occupying height, width and depth. Because it can be viewed from multiple angles, it leaves considerable room for interpretation. Each individual creation appears dramatic in its effect. The movements are largely staccato — quick bursts of energy followed by sharp, controlled pauses, something usually associated with certain forms of dance. A visual rhythm emerges in the process. Each held posture feels like a syncopation, adding...

A friendly face at the neighbourhood bank My banking experience has been a happy one and there is one happy reason for it. The branch of the SVC Bank where our family has several accounts is one that is staffed entirely by women. It is what is called a “Women’s branch”, probably one of a kind. Only the security guards are men. It is on the ground floor of one of the buildings of the Saraswat Colony. If I am not mistaken, it is in the same building where the actor Amol Palekar once lived. The branch is so close to my place that our Wifi signal almost reaches it. The SVC Bank considers it as one of their prestigious branches and whenever there is a change in the top management, they first pay a ‘pilgrimage’ visit to the branch.  Not sure it is the reason, but the ladies in the branch are uniformly good looking. Makes me wonder whether they hire or transfer staff here based on their looks or their qualification. Having said that, the GSB community which essentially runs the Bank are g...

With a name like Dnyanraj, it is difficult for many people to pronounce and spell, and invariably they don't get it right. As a result, I have at least five different variations of my name circulating around. It is all fine with me, and I happily respond to any of them. However, what one is really touchy about is the pet name or nickname. It is a heavily guarded secret and somehow yoked to our destiny. The name defies logic or any discernible meaning, and if at all you can explain it, it is perhaps due to the temporary bout of insanity that afflicts new parents. How else can one explain a rational mind coming up with names like Babdya, Dinku, Bachu, Jhontu, Pintu, Chintu and, for girls, names like Puchki, Kochi, Lado, Chinna, Buchi or Dhomi? In our early years, it holds us in a stranglehold. Parents, relatives, neighbours — it is on everyone's lips. Lacking the faculties to register a protest, we gurgle and giggle, thus encouraging its continued usage. As we grow older, and ...

Trouser legs folded, rubber bands in place. The monsoon may come, but this gentleman is clearly prepared  A few weeks back, when the rains were at their peak, I had been to the local Municipal Corporation office where I spotted this man in the picture below. I could not help taking a photograph of him, he was so unique in his appearance. Standing with his hands in his pockets and looking out of the window, he seemed to say, “Come on, I am ready for you.” Normally in a combat you roll up your sleeves, but our hero here has raised the pant legs up to his calves and, after neatly folding them, has secured them in position with rubber bands! This is one fight he cannot be a loser in. I suspect he does not have daughters. They are the ones who will never allow their father to be seen like this. Sons don’t care, and wives after a few decades of marriage tend to give up on their husband’s dressing. Most of us may fall into this category, unless one happens to be particularly conscious o...

Somewhere between Vaishali and ‘Vaishu’, the domestic comedy quietly began One of the most elegant uses of reverse psychology in a marriage is silence. It screams the loudest and at some point makes you feel like an idiot. Many years ago we had a maid, basically a lady cook, named Vaishali. She was decent looking and quite presentable. The closest to whom she looked like was Sandhya, of Do Aankhen Barah Haath fame. I don't know at what stage in my mind she had become, from Vaishali to “Vaishu”. One day I answered the door to her and went into my room. My daughter asked who had come and I absent-mindedly answered “Vaishu”. Now though my daughter was small, she was big enough to know that “Vaishu” was a term of endearment. Hoping for some entertainment, she gleefully said, “Wait, I am going to tell Mummy what you are calling her,” and ran away. I ran after her to stop her, but it was too late and she blurted out, “Mummy, mummy, Papa is calling Vaishali ‘Vaishu’.” I was furiously ...

Nature rarely follows perfect symmetry—yet in its irregular forms lies its quiet beauty Sometimes the most obvious things escape us. If we look closely at a human face or form, we may notice a small asymmetry—a slight variation in posture, proportion, or alignment. Such differences are not unusual. In fact, very few things in nature are perfectly symmetrical, and the human body is no exception. What may appear as imbalance is often simply the quiet signature of individuality. No two sides of a face are identical, no two hands perfectly alike, and no form follows the exact geometry we imagine. Photographs, at times, reveal these differences more clearly than everyday perception. In a world that increasingly leans towards idealised images, we are conditioned to look for perfection. Yet even the most refined appearances carry traces of asymmetry. And perhaps that is where the real insight lies. No leaf is perfectly balanced in its form, no branch grows in flawless symmetry. Nature al...

Simple food, busy tables, and unexpected company What happens when you have to share a table with a stranger when you are out at a restaurant? It happened last week when my wife and I were at a restaurant, not a fancy one, but quite busy, where it is perfectly fine for patrons to share tables. So when we were guided to a table of four, we were asked to sit side by side, not opposite, as would normally happen. It was an indication that we were to expect someone to sit opposite and share the table with us. This was a simple restaurant, but known for its good food, so attracted people and was always busy. You can imagine that it would cramped too, with small table sizes, maximizing every available space.  Being primarily a sea food restaurant, one does not generally refer to the menu, but one discusses with the waiter on what fish is 'fresh'. So we discussed our options and placed our order. All this while, thankfully there was no one sitting opposite us and while we were talking ...