Of People and Places

A sketch of a woman at Sethani Ghat, Hoshangabad On a cold morning, a woman offers prayers to the river Narmada at Sethani ghat. She is more sparrow-like in real life than in the sketch. She walks briskly up the steps, readjusts the shawl to cover her ears snugly, and disappears into the crowd. Even at this early hour, the road to the ghat is fairly crowded with devotees, wayfarers, sadhus, cattle, stalls selling poha jalebi, religious items, stray dogs, umpteen tea stalls (serving the best tea in the world!) goats, goatherds, boatmen. All Hoshangabad posts from this blog -  The Signalman of Hoshangabad   The Saptaparni tree in Hoshangabad Nostalgia in a bottle In Bachchwada Dhana in Madhya Pradesh Bandrabhan

Saptaparni tree illustration, Hoshangabad It was a dark night. I stood in the doorway, bewitched. The whole day, I had been longing to go closer to the tree, but I couldn't spare the time. Its fragrance, mysterious and exciting kept up a silent call that I finally gave in to. The Saptaparni tree was in full bloom. I walked the length of the grounds that joined the building to the gate. I strolled, breathing in the peculiar fragrance that got stronger and stronger as the night wore on. I was hungry for more.Yes, the devil tree had found its mark - I was intoxicated. I was aghast that a treasure like that had been hidden from me all these years. I would never have known of its existence, had I not stumbled on it in the Eklavya campus at Hoshangabad. Saptaparni. What a beautiful name. This evergreen tree has clusters of seven leaves that glisten.Its pale green flowers are dangerous - you will long for them the whole year round! Though, of course these are my sentiments. M...

Witty and tongue in cheek, it’s a delight to talk to Uma Sudhir about Science and Science Education.  I have been working at the Eklavya Office in Bhopal on an illustration assignment and due to the lockdown- 15 of us have been staying here, like a family, taking turns to cook food, look after each other and occasionally fight ( just for kicks!). It’s a bonding that is interesting, because all of us were strangers until recently but have grown to known each other a lot more than we would otherwise have, under normal circumstances. I have known Uma for almost about a month now and I thought it would be interesting to share with the world some of the conversations we have had about science, education, travel,  life – all interspersed with her intelligent sense of humour.  Uma is a research associate with Eklavya. You may have come across her writings in Sandarbh magazine. Uma is also one of the few people I know who can count off th...

"For her the coming of tunnels meant she was home. They followed one after the other, three tunnels, black as existence, red streaks from the tunnel lights giving everyone and everything a tinge of unreality. The little boy in the berth looked particularly unearthly as he squirmed about,excited by this sudden darkness that descended on the compartment. A never ending darkness, while the train went about its determined way, and then sudden daylight, as if the tunnel was a dream." Every time I see a rail neer bottle, nostalgia engulfs me.  I spent 2017 in a daze, one train journey after another, going from Bangalore to Hoshangabad and back for a course in Children's book illustration. Months, as short as they are, really did run like rabbits, with one week spent in Hoshangabad and the rest of the time spent catching up with work and classes back in Bangalore. So, I could say I spent at least four - five  days a month in trains. A kind of home. Not to mention t...

My favourite place to visit in Hoshangabad is Bandrabhan. It is the confluence of  Narmada and Tawa rivers. From Hoshangabad twenty of us would go there on a sketching trip and have a gala time drawing, sketching or just plain wool-gathering. I couldn't believe such a gem existed when I first set my eyes on the place. You need to walk a little way downhill to get there and cross a vast expanse of sand that leads into the river and the wind roars past you, billowing your clothes and hair. Try turning and walking backwards and suddenly everything is calm and quiet just as it was noisy and chaotic a few moments ago! ( I hope nobody was watching me. I must look eccentric doing that!) Across the river there is a temple with a structure in the shape of a  trishool glinting in the sunlight, surrounded by shrubs and bushes. It looks so tranquil in the evening.  Once, when we went in the monsoons, our feet sank down in the sand and slowed us down as it stuck to our foot...

It has been so common for trains to arrive late in Hoshangabad and Itarsi that it makes me nervous to see one that is actually on time. It is as though something is not right with the journey if the train is not late by at least three hours! Once, we even had to stay overnight in Itarsi because the train was late by over 10 hours. Anyway, late trains mean more time for sketching and observing people. Indian railway stations are full of interesting characters, each one unique and with a fascinating history, if you get to speak to them. I scouted for an ideal subject in the hot, dusty train station at Hoshangabad, sketching the man on the opposite platform taking a nap. Close to me, a man in uniform waved the green flag to a passing train that thundered through the station.   I didn’t pay much attention to him. But after a while I had to. It is common in India to be openly curious about something and hover around. And that is what he did. He hovered behind me while I tried...