Monday, December 17, 2007

The New (Old?) 'Shauk'...

This is in continuation to my last post.

Couple of clarifications here - it may have sounded like a totally depressed post but it actually wasn't. I'm told I suffer a bit from exaggerat-itis.

But I was also touched by the number of people who commented, sent emails or just called over with suggestions to get rid of my evening ennui (But, we were just trying to stop you from writing so many posts...SHHHH)

This post is to let everyone know that i've re-discovered something.

Due credit needs to be given to AK for showing the way. Now AK is fulfilling all his childhood dreams and interests after starting work and getting married. So his house right now has numerous board games (Scotland Yard, Monopoly..you name it), he recently bought a beautiful all-aluminium bicycle (5 and a half grand - gulp). I wouldn't be surprised if he buys an X-Box or something soon (If you're reading this AK - thats an idea :) ).

So I decided to follow his "Bachpan ke saare shauk poore kar lene chahiye" philosophy ("Fulfill all your childhood interests"), I started thinking of what I loved doing when I was a kid. I mean, till my primary school days I used to absolutly love it so so much!

Painting, sketching, drawing - they used to take me into this whole other world where I was the only occupant - 'I was Legend' there (er...now thats a really really bad pun - but what the hell, its topical so i'll let it stay). I used to go almost into a dreamy trance while I painted. In fact, one of my earliest childhood memories is drawing a portrait of my Dad, I think on a Sunday because I remember dotting his jaw in the picture to denote his stubble :) . Another is of almost waking from a trance in art class to find my art teacher (I don't even remember his name now...bad) looking over my shoulder at my work. I had been totally oblivious to him, the other students, the school bell, the world at that time.

But then somehow, slowly and slowly I lost touch with what I loved so much. I can't blame anyone for this (my parents were very supportive - my Dad got lots and lots of paints and stuff when he returned from any trip abroad). But I guess I was the shy kid in class who needed a lot of encouragement. My primary school teacher gave me that, but my middle school teacher didn't and I sort of slid out of it and halted my learning curve.

And then I left Mount St. Mary's for Delhi Public School in class 9, and did the ultimate backstabbing to my first love. I got swayed with stupid words by some overtly academic kids (yeah, I know, DPS is full of them) who told me that only girls took Arts in SUPW (What!! where's the class, I'll go and join immediately! :) ) and the people who were serious about studies took 'useful' subjects. I went and joined Science club- which was as boring and dull as it sounds (Now don't get me wrong, science is very interesting, but the teacher taking it was really bad and sleepy).

Seriously, thats the one time when peer pressure came out in the open and affected my life.

Anyway, thats all in the past now, and the good news is that I got up early on Sunday with this urge to relive that trance I used to go into when I painted, and awesomely, I succumbed to it. Went out and bought all the stuff you need to paint, or atleast start painting. And i've done just that. I painted a very nice landscape and was pleasantly surprised to see that I still possess some skill.

I would've put it up here but I don't have a camera right now. But I promise I'll put up pieces that I do up here.

And yes, I didn't achieve that trance in my first painting, but then I have almost 14-15 years to unlearn!

17 comments:

bhumika said...

Hey Swapnil, I was abt to suggest you to draw, paint, sketch but then considering that not many men like to explore the arty side, I didn’t. Talking about getting artistic on Sunday, try to catch up MAD(Pogo) or Art Attack(Disney) at 10 a.m. They show some real cool stuff and its fun to see your hands go dirty with fevicol once again :)

and regarding the last post, i DO NOT like the sweet gujju food :P

Swapnil said...

Bhumika: I do, I do. Whenever I come across that weird bearded guy doing interesting stuff with paint and glue and paper and glitter...:), I always stop surfing and watch the show (MAD, I think). It IS quite good fun though I haven't tried anything they've shown. Hmm maybe I will now.

About Sweet food- I thought you were in Ahmedabad where you don't have an option but to like Gujju food- except maybe boring McDonalds or Li'l Tomatoes

bhumika said...

I’ve tried almost everything they’ve showed on those shows and they make for great gifts (since you cannot keep all of it with yourself :P)

Abt the gujju food – going to have gujarati thali is quite an occasion for us! We look forward to it every 2-3 months...And I’d like to get a bit defensive here – Ahmedabad has some great eating joints...pity you couldn’t explore :)

Swapnil said...

Dunno about eating joints, but I loved the chat walas on CG Road :)

deepti said...

Getting into a trance while painting... ahem! I guess only the green fairy can get you 'there' now ;) But, kudos to your new initiative.... mujhe bhi aisa kuchh karna hai!!!!!

Swapnil said...

Deepti: Sigh, don't remind me of the green fairy - so close, yet so far.

You're too much of a 'left brainer' to do any such thing (snooty nose-up gesture) :)

Akshay said...

Hey...
Good to read about your reignited passion ;)

I'd suggest a visit to the newly opened Reliance TimeOut on Cunningham Road - I am told they have an awesome collection of paints and stuff.

Maybe we can look at organizing a drawing competition in one of the alumni meets ;)

Way to go!!!

PS: X-box or Wii ??

Anshu said...

dude, are u any good at drawing/painting/sketching? Did not know you had such bad memories of life in DPS. Are you scarred for life? :P

Swapnil said...

AK: Will do. But right now i'm pretty amateurish so don't know if I need all the equipment.

Anshu: hehe, nah, not bad memories - just this one bit. Class 9 was my all time favourite class.

I was scarred, but i've survived...somehow :)

तुषार वर्मा said...

seems u've reclaimed ur life.

raindrops said...

Ur joy of'rediscovering urself'is quite motivating..
I believe the schooling 'system' routinised our lives in a very dull way ,so its actually time to unlearn and be kids again...to relive, to mess up with things...
however far one may reach in life, its the unfulfilled desires of childhood that gets reflected later be it wrk, relationship etc etc. (ohh,i'm not writing a post!!)

Swapnil said...

True.

Hehe, go ahead write a post here if thats what it takes to express your thoughts.

btw, you don't have a blog of your own? Very surprising considering the way you write...

raindrops said...

i like to write but somehow the idea of sharing my personal life with others does'nt appeal to me!!

Swapnil said...

hmm, well not all blogs are about personal life.
I've seen brilliant ones on social issues, short stories, hell, even movie reviews.

Well its a personal decision, though i'm sure it'd be interesting to read your thoughts.

raindrops said...

I agree, how else do i accept my lazyness!!

Swapnil said...

hehe...the truth slips out, atlast !! :)

raindrops said...

Honest suggestion 2 everyone -please watch Taare Zameen Par....