Twenty- five Seven

Personally speaking

Recent Posts

  • Love in the time of Peshwai

    I was in Pune ( a city developed by the Peshwas) over  Independence Day weekend and it seemed only natural to see “Rama Madhav” a love story set in that era.  But Rama Madhav is no ordinary love story – it is a love story of the Peshwa Madhav Rao and his wife Rama.

    The movie begins with Rama playing with her friends in her parents’ home at Solapur where the Royal Palanquin had finally come to bring the child bride to her marital home – the Shaniwar Wada, the grand palace of the Peshwas in Pune. Once at the palace, Rama endears herself to the young Madhavrao whom she had only met at their wedding and  the two soon the establish a strong bond of friendship.

    After the Battle of Panipat which all but wiped out the Maratha’s, things began to fall apart, particularly when the Peshwa Nana Saheb died leaving his son the 16 year old Madhav in charge of the kingdom. But Madhav proved to be an able king and restored the might of the Peshwas despite his Uncle Raghoba’s shenanigans against him. Sadly the young prince is struck by the Royal Disease Tuberculosis which eventually destroys him. His wife Rama follows him on his funeral pyre and goes sati rather than stay behind as his widow, particularly since she was childless.

    Balancing artistic licence with facts is a difficult task but Mrunal Kulkarni who also plays Madhavrao’s mother in the movie does it with skill and dexterity. Ably supported by Alok Rajwade as Madhav Rao, Parna Pethe as Rama, Shruti Marathe as Parvati Kaku and Sonalee Kulkarni as Anandibai, against the backdrop of  the splendour of the Peshwa court with  fine silks and opulent jewelry.  Prasad Oak as Raghobadada is not very convincing despite his fits of rage. Equally disappointing are the battle scenes.

    While purists will find lots to criticise, I would highly recommend this movie for a brief look into the life of the Peshwas.Those who don’t follow Marathi needn’t worry because the sub-titles do justice to the crisp dialogue.

    Verdict  – Must See

  • The song of an urban Indian

    All of us face challenges in every day life. Late last night I received this video clipping which took so long to download that I gave up. Fortunately, the video downloaded so quickly this morning bringing a smile to my face. Hope it brings one to yours too!

    Thanks to the creator of this video………There are many who will identify with this song of woe.

  • A day at the Races

    After listening to a rousing speech by our Prime minister we decided to celebrate Independence Day rather differently especially since  my California cousins were  visiting. It was fun catching up with family history, general gossip and just relaxing,  enjoying the weather in Pune  that was wonderfully grey without being gloomy. The lush greenery all around and a crispness in the air that was refreshing even at mid-day encouraged us to move out of our comfort zone in the rear verandah and visit the Temple of the Ganpati in the Pond at  Saras Baug. My last visit to  this park was when I was all of eight years old, in a bright yellow dress, accompanied by my dear friend M who had specially come to help celebrate my birthday. At that time the highlight of the visit was an elephant ride and a train ride but this time round we wanted to visit the temple.

    We just about made it  before it was shut for the afternoon and discovered a quaint Ganesh museum at the back. While some of the idols were lovely/ unique there were many which seemed distinct donations from someone’s unwanted collection. But with stunning reproductions of paintings from the Peshwa period outside and a mural flanking the staircase , this park is worth a quick visit for a brief taste of Peshwa history. Legend has it that the Peshwas hid their Ganpati idol in the pond hence the name. 

    While going home we saw the banners announcing the Independence Day Million outside the RWITC and decided to drop in and  take a chance of finding a free table. It has always been a dream of mine to watch the races from the verandah of the club house and  while having a leisurely lunch . Lady Luck was smiling on us and  we did spend a delightful afternoon downing chilled beers and Bloody Marys , chomping  away on grilled fish and chips and shooing away the fat old dog who barked crazily when the horses sped past. With the flag up the flag post, the dark clouds in the sky, the fan whirring slowly overhead, a light mist of rain occasionally coming onto our faces, it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon .

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started