Krishna Mohan Tata

The fragrance of pure innocent love whiffs into the air in the holy city of Puri.

The fumes of death looking for salvation float in the air in the holy city of Puri .

Can Love and death find salvation in each other?

Director Subranshu Das's ‘ Pushkara’ is a heart touching tale of love , a riveting tale of the journey of death.

Sabyasachi plays a 'Pushkara' in the holy town of Puri . He dies every day to appease the souls of people who have died unnatural deaths, a traditional Pooja where the soul of the deceased is said to enter the Pushkara's body to interact with household members for a day.

Based on Sankar Tripathy's ' Nadibandu',' Pushkara' is a story that blends age old traditions with pure unadulterated love.

Sabyasachi is brilliant as Pushkara and a lovelorn Neelakantha. Supriya Nayak brings about the innocence of her character Sunanda.

Pushkara is laced with some beautiful moments. LikeThe ‘Jhumka’ moments where a Jhumka brings the young couple closer and closer. Like the scenes where Sunanda and Neelakantha meet in different circumstances altogether.

Director Subranshu showcases the blend of traditions, human greed, death and love with brilliance. He transports you to yesteryears Puri and you are totally engrossed in this tale of love, in the metamorphosis of Neelakantha to Pushkara. He makes you yearn for the innocent lovers. He makes you cry. He makes you smile.

‘ Pushkara’ may lack the rousing theatrical feeling but this film connects.It connects with its freshness, it connects with its honesty.

Pushkara is a subtle yet powerful film that connects with your heart.

Sabyasachi Mishra Fan Club

Three years ago, the ' new normal' was just taking shape..and at that point of time I was scared of showing even a strand of my greying hair..I colored it ever so frequently...
The pandemic hit our business..so many things changed..and slowly a strange kind of confidence and strength pushed me through the darkest of times..I wrote and published my first book ' A Jar of Pebbles' which has been received with a lot of love. Our business slowly limped back to normal.
Yes ..the ' new normal ' is evolving every day..
And yes..I stopped colouring my hair..And now I no longer feel uncomfortable..shy or bad about my Grey hair...Now I realize that it's all about accepting change..and embracing change with love..with confidence

And guess what..am wearing the same shirt in both these pictures which are 3 years apart..And both these pictures were clicked by my friend..the dynamic Santosh Senapati
Happiness is about accepting...the way you are..who you are...

Ketaki Foundation Trust
Gitanjali Awards

Someone Somewhere..

So it’s Friday EVENING..

Someone somewhere is tucking in his tummy and looking at his reflection for the 100th time as he gets ready to step out to meet her.

Someone somewhere is pulling out her lil black dress out of the closet....for the special evening..

Someone somewhere is buying beer cartons for a night out with his gang ..

Someone somewhere is brewing her perfect cuppa coffee ..and it's just going to be her..and her coffee..

Someone somewhere is waiting at the cricket ground to pick up his 10 year old daughter who wants to be a fast bowler..

Someone somewhere is reading her old texts and smiling at herself...

Someone somewhere is standing on the terrace and looking at the stars in the sky..one of the stars used to be his friend..philosopher..and wife before she left this earth..

And Someone somewhere is dabbing her earlobes with a French fragrance..with a glint of a smile and hope that she will be a STAR in tinsel world...one day..

We are all a ' Someone Somewhere ' on this earth..
And we are all Stars in our own world...
Keep glowing...

My Book ' A Jar of Pebbles' celebrates the ordinary.

Ketaki Foundation Trust
Gitanjali Awards

One hot afternoon, i met this lady who jumped out of a bus with a gunny bag containing rice from their field. And the rice was for her well placed son.
I wrote about this fascinating incident in my book " A Jar of Pebbles".

There's something about mothers. It's called magic. As my friend Ajay Dhawan says..
"maa ne akhiri roti thali mei rakhdi...
aur mein khuda ko talash karta raha.."

A big salute, to the countless mothers on this earth and the countless mothers who left this earth to reside somewhere up there in the sky....
Ketaki Foundation Trust Gitanjali Awards



https://www.amazon.in/Jar-Pebbles-Stories-Heart/dp/8195153259/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VU7MEYXN98IW&keywords=a+jar+of+pebbles&qid=1684082955&sprefix=a+jar+of+pebbles%2Caps%2C287&sr=8-1

Just finished reading ' Folk Tales from Bollywood ' and I loved them all...
Written so well...by Priyanka Sinha Jha

It has that filmy flair...it has that rustic charm....it has that razzle dazzle with soul..
Gripping...entertaining..and thoroughly enjoyable stories set in tinseltown.

Loved the deliciously dark and wicked characters ...

I was rooting for Mirzya..Guptaji...Tej..

And wait...you take away a little bit of learning from every story..some kinda morals...life lessons..

'Folk tales from Bollywood' teaches you what they don't teach you at Harvard.....and leaves you with a beautiful goonnnjjjj.

Priyanka Sinha Jha

Om Books International

A million stars glittered in the night sky. The half moon smiled at us with warmth. Time stood still as our boat sailed slowly in the backwaters of Sundarbans. It was magical. The open sky, the glittering stars, the darkness, the boat It was all so surreal yet so beautiful. And as time stood still in the boat, the old year gave way to the new year.

When we got back to the eco village, folks were dancing around a bonfire. I stepped in and moved to the beat with my friends.
About two months ago there was a call from Eureka. The warm hello and infectious laughter was followed by a simple question “ would you like to come to Sunderbans with a gang of crazy people?” I hesitated a bit and replied with another question “ yaar, do you think i can gel with folks who are almost 25-30 years younger to me? “ And Eureka’s voice on the other end said. “ come on old man, you gel with me and Joanna. Of course you will gel and bond with all of us. It’s going to be fun. Join us with your daughter.” I said yes...and it was a great decision.

There were eighteen of us. For the record, my daughter Pallavi was the youngest and i was the oldest but you know what, all of us had the time of our lives. We had a BLAST.

A BigThank you..to the beautiful couple Eureka and Joanna for germinating the whole thing.
My Book ' A Jar of Pebbles ' celebrates the ordinary, the bond of friendship and this trip was about finding happiness in simple things.

So it’s a new year. Here’s a warm hug.

Shed your inhibitions, let go, dream big, help,love, say sorry, make up, cry, laugh, dance, be happy.

Live every moment. Life is beautiful

Eureka Apta Digital Sketch Films Ketaki Foundation Trust Gitanjali Awards

Amitabh Bachchan is an enigma. You know what...I love Amitabh Bachchan from the bottom of my heart. A BIG BIRTHDAY WISH FOR BIG B.
Big B
( Extracted from " A Jar of Pebbles")
3.00 am, 12 February 1988. The single-screen theatre was swarming with people. The advance booking counters would only be opening at 9.00 am but there were mile-long queues at the counters. A friend was positioned at 64 in the line, in spite of coming in at 1.00 am. The painters were giving the final touches to the hoardings. At 8.00 am, the print of Amitabh Bachchan’s Shahenshah arrived at the theatre with a loud cheer from the milling crowd.

A pundit performed a puja before the box that had the film reels and the box was carried upstairs as the pundit recited mantras. The Box office opened at 9.00 am and within five minutes there was utter chaos and the counters were closed. Police vans arrived in about 15 minutes and under heavy security, the counters were opened again. Tickets were rationed. Any one person could buy only two tickets. The ladies’ line was almost as big as the gent’s line. Our friend came out of the queue with only one ticket for the night show. By 11.00 am, tickets were sold out. I came back home depressed and dejected. After all, an Amitabh film was released after almost two years and I didn’t have tickets! I was lying down on the floor when Gopi the bare-chested milkman arrived to give milk. He looked at my grumpy face and asked, “What happened?” I told him. He stared at me for 10 seconds, took out two pink tickets from his pant pockets, waved them and said: “Want to come along?” A thousand temple bells rang, and my face lit up like a 100-watt bulb. I shouted, “Yes, what show?” “Noon” he replied.

The noon show started at 12.00 pm, it was already 11.35 am and my brother had taken my cycle. Gopi looked at me and said, “You can come with me if you don’t mind.” My grandma was standing behind me, listening to our conversation. She looked at me and said, “Please, not with a milkman.” But nothing could come between me and Amitabh. It was God’s wish and I jumped onto Gopi’s cycle.

Now Gopi’s cycle had cans on both sides of the handle and more cans were tied to the carrier at the back of the cycle. I sat on the rod connecting the seat and handle with my hands and legs curved into a crazy angle and Gopi cycled like mad. The cans jangled as we covered 7kms in 15 minutes. We rushed into the cycle stand jingling and jangling. I jumped down and was rushing into the theatre when Gopi stopped me. He said, “You have to remove your shirt.” “What?” I screamed. He replied, “My friends from the basti are all going to be there and they will feel awkward with an English Medium full shirt fellow.” There was no time to think. I removed my shirt and tied it round around my pants and sat in the first-row downstairs with a group of bare-chested milkmen. And when Amitabh with a coil around his arms delivered that punch dialogue “Rishtey mein toh hum tumhare baap lagtehai, naam hai Shahenshah” and “Andheri raaton me...” played on the screen, I danced with the group of milkmen near the screen. I still remember that inexpressible feeling.

I returned home and pulled a chair at the dining table to have lunch. My grandma came from behind, kicked the chair and said, “Jab tak baithne ko kaha najaaye, sharafat se khaderaho.” Both of us burst out laughing. She asked, “How was the movie?” I replied, “Superb, had a great time with Gopi and his friends.” That night there was a trunk call for me at my neighbour’s place. My cousins from Bombay bragged about watching Shahenshah on the first day. I laughed and told them that I was there on the first day, first show and first row!

Amitabh Bachchan is an enigma. When he said “Hai ki nahi, aaiyn” in Amar Akbar Anthony, the entire nation started talking like that. When he cried in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, the country cried. When he walked in that suit in Satte pe Satta, he re-defined dapper. When he said “Jao ,pehle us aadmi ka sign lekeaao”, filmgoers clapped. In 1982, when he met with that accident on the sets of Coolie, the entire country prayed for his recovery. The country laughed when he mouthed “English is a phunny language” in Namak Halal. Just look at the way he holds a glass in Sharabi. I saw Ramesh Sippy’s flop Akayla, twice for the opening scene in which Amitabh is sipping from a glass. In Agneepath, he was simply wow. And what about Hum, wherein that classic scene he bashes up that bus driver, regains his composure and walks back? Look at the way he reinvented himself in recent times in Khakee, Sarkar, Cheeni K*m and Piku. In Pink, where he brilliantly essays the role of an old lawyer, the audience claps like crazy when he says, “No…means No.”

Gopi moved from a cycle to a moped, moped to a bike and now he supplies milk to the biggest sweet shops in town. There’s one thing about him though, he always goes to the temple and offers milk on Amitabh’s birthday and he does it direct dil se. That is the magic of Amitabh Bachchan. People love him unconditionally. He connects with each and every one. You know what...I love Amitabh Bachchan from the bottom of my heart.

Which is your favourite Amitabh scene?

Published by Ketaki Foundation Trust " A Jar of Pebbles" is available on Amazon, Flipkart, Oxford Book Stores and other book stores.

A Jar of Pebbles : Stories from the Heart A Jar of Pebbles celebrates the ordinary, the absurd, and the exceptional. In these days and times, when pandemic-induced lockdowns have forced social distancing, this collection talks of the warmth and learning of human connections. Memories of growing up in a small town in the 80s and 90s preda...

It was a celebration of the ordinary at the Kolkata launch of my book ' A Jar of Pebbles' at the 100 year old iconic Oxford Bookstores, Kolkata on Friday, 23rd September.
I was in conversation with Khushi Rungta and the audience joined in with their stories. It was a beautiful evening of sparkling conversation... laced with laughter and bonhomie.
Thank you Kolkata.

Oxford Bookstore Bhubaneswar
Apeejay Oxfordbookstores Pvt Ltd
Ketaki Foundation Trust
Gitanjali Awards

There's something magical about the ordinary. On the face of it the ordinary is colourless, odorless and shapeless. But when you scratch the surface of the ordinary, it's earthy colours and fragrance will engulf with joy and happiness.
My Book ' A Jar of Pebbles ' is about finding happiness in the ordinary.

Now ' A Jar of Pebbles ' will be available at the 100 year old iconic Oxford Bookstores Kolkata.
Join us to celebrate the ordinary at the Kolkata launch of my book ' A Jar of Pebbles' on 23 September at Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata at 5.00 PM.

I'll be in conversation with Khushi Rungta.

We cordially invite the people of the City of Joy to join the conversation that would explore the magic and beauty of all things common and ordinary.
Ketaki Foundation Trust
Oxford Bookstore Kolkata
oxfordbookstores
Gitanjali Awards

DAV Public School, Pokhiriput, Bhubaneswar recently organised a Literature Conclave and I was invited by the Principal Dr Sujata to take part in a panel discussion and address the senior students. I realized that kids nowadays have in-depth knowledge and all of them are creative & intelligent in their own way.
It was a fascinating experience.
Ketaki Foundation Trust
Gitanjali Awards

Fortune smiled on me yesterday - had a chance to meet and interact with Prof Ganeshi Lal, the Hon'ble Govevrnor of Odisha.
He had been kind enough to release my book 'A Jar of Pebbles' last year.
There is something magical about the Hon'ble Governor. Prof Ganeshi Lal is extremely humble - treats everyone with great respect and love.
Perhaps this emanates from an illustrious educational background - a degree in English, Post Graduate Degree in Mathematics - a Gold Medalist in his times.
His deep knowledge about the Bhagwad Gita and years of teaching experience in top colleges is evident when you speak with him.

An ocean of knowledge coupled with excellent oratory skills leaves you in awe of the man.

You can never stop learning in his presence.

Wishing Prof Ganeshi Lal health and happiness.

Ketaki Foundation Trust
Gitanjali Awards
Digital Sketch Studios
Governor Odisha

Dr Chidatmika Khatua is a Philanthropic on a mission...
On a mission to empower tribal women, on a mission to empower women, on a mission to help the downtrodden, on a mission to feed the hungry...on a mission to help the physically challenged...

I recently got an opportunity to meet her and it was fascinating conversation.

The first thing that strikes you about Dr Chidatmika is her humility, her simple nature, her courteousness, her radiant smile, her glow, her impeccable manners and dressing sense.

A deep desire to help the helpless has been the Foundation of her philanthropic and entrepreneurial journey..

She is the CEO of Sushruta Hospital , Co- Convenor of ICC Womens committee, Founder of Adi Rani,a member of Women's Economic Forum , Co-founder of Hunger Free Odisha..and the list is endless..
My Book ' A Jar of Pebbles ' celebrates the ordinary. Dr Chidatmika is an ordinary person who made it big and carved a niche for herself.
Dr Chidatmika is a visionary She is a Hero who is always rooted to values ,a Hero who works tirelessly to uplift and empower the hungry, the poor, the tribals.

Rtn. Dr. Chidatmika Khatua
Chidatmika Khatua Fan Club

A BIG HUG for all the fathers who stay on this earth and all the fathers who left this earth to reside somewhere up there in the sky.

Chew on This
( Extracted from "A Jar of Pebbles")

Last Sunday, I was at the neighbourhood kiosk to recharge an internet pack. The middle-aged owner welcomed me with her trademark warm smile. I always recharge my phone at this kiosk as the lady keeps herself updated of the latest schemes and above all is very patient with her customers. As usual she suggested something very apt and gave me two orange candies after I paid her. I was pleasantly surprised and said, “That’s a round figure, you don’t owe me any change.” She smiled and replied, “Oh, that is not for the change, those orange candies are for my father, my daughter told me that it is some Father’s Day today, and my father really loved them.” Catching my curious look, she took out her tongue and tilted her head to one side and said, “He left this world long ago. You know he was a section officer in the government and in those days, he brought us all up with a paltry salary, and once in two-three months he would buy orange candy for all of us. He would then sit in a chair, open the wrapper and eat his candy slowly. So today I felt like giving these to my customers, just like that.” As I unwrapped my candy and popped the candy into my mouth my mind rushed back to memories of another day, another time.

I was an eight-year-old in awe of this cool kid in school who chewed gum. I really, really wanted to pop that white pellet and chew. When I told my mom, she asked me to talk to my dad. Now I had all the information. It was a small pack of yellow and bottle green with four heavenly white pellets of chewing gum inside and it cost 25 paise. I went and told my dad about it. My dad, a Professor in the university, looked at me and said, “You can buy orange candy, chocolate, peanuts or anything, but not chewing gum. It makes people look like cows sitting in the middle of the road and chewing on food.” I pleaded for a week but there was no mercy from my father’s side. One night I threw a tantrum and cried off to sleep. It must have been around 12 in the night when my father woke me up. I got up and saw my dad’s face in the dark. He said, “Come out, follow me.” There was something about his voice. I followed him. He opened the main door and we stood out under the twinkling stars. Dad fished out the small yellow and bottle green pack of chewing gum, took out two, gave one to me and said, “Go on, put it in your mouth and chew.” I popped it into my mouth, it was my first time and it felt like heaven. I noticed that my dad was also chewing. Then my dad said, “I don’t like this. It is a very bad habit and it is addictive. What will your younger brother and sister do if they find you chewing gum? They will also start chewing like cows. And what is this sleeping off without having dinner? You are a growing boy, you need energy naa? Now chew as long as you want, but after that both of us are going to have dinner, ok?” There we were standing under the night sky and chewing gum. There was something about that moment, I held my dad’s hand and started sobbing. My dad patted me on the back and said, “Come, let's go and have dinner, spit that out.”

An old man’s cough brought me back to the present. I saw my old neighbour holding a snazzy phone and standing near the counter. He saw me, smiled and said, “Aree today is Father’s Day naa, my son who stays in America sent this new phone. I am taking a new connection on this phone. It is morning for them now; I will video call my son and his family.”

Both of us walked out of the kiosk and I said, “I really feel like talking to my father now.” The old man looked at me and said, “Aree, give him a phone like this, nowadays they have mobile towers even in interior villages, where does he stay?” I looked at him, pointed to the sky and said, “He stays there, up in the sky, they don’t have towers there and I don’t know that HSD code. How will I call him?”

The old man smiled and replied, “Just close your eyes and think of him, he will talk to you.” I nodded and walked to a shop nearby and bought a chewing gum pack, popped one into my mouth and started chewing. I looked up into the sky and saw a star shining. Maybe that was my dad. We never knew about Father's Day when we were kids and I had never ever wished him. I looked at the twinkling star, closed my eyes, smiled to myself and blurted out loudly “Happy Father’s Day.”

Published by Ketaki Foundation Trust " A Jar of Pebbles" is available at Amazon, Flipkart, Oxford Book Store and many other book stores.

https://www.amazon.in/Jar-Pebbles-Stories-Heart/dp/8195153259

A Jar of Pebbles : Stories from the Heart A Jar of Pebbles celebrates the ordinary, the absurd, and the exceptional. In these days and times, when pandemic-induced lockdowns have forced social distancing, this collection talks of the warmth and learning of human connections. Memories of growing up in a small town in the 80s and 90s preda...

Just Like That...

This is going to be an interesting session.

A super exciting edu session awaits you on 25th May 2022 by Mr. Krishna Mohan Tata at Hotel Excellency.

A BIG SALUTE to the countless mothers who reside on this earth and the countless mothers who left this earth to reside somewhere up there in the sky.

And God Created Mothers
( Extracted from " A Jar of Pebbles " )
The other day, the water bottle in my car was piping hot as I had parked the car in the open. I walked over to the nearby kiosk to pick up a bottle of cold water. As I sipped the cold water, a bus halted and an aged lady got down. I saw the conductor jump down and race to unlock the luggage panel at the back of the bus. He dumped a gunny bag on the road, raced back to the bus door and thumped twice. The bus sped away.

The sun was harsh. The lady covered her head with her saree and dragged the bag to near the kiosk. She looked at me and said, “Beta, please keep an eye on the bag for a minute. I will call the watchman from that opposite building to take it. It’s very heavy.” And before I could reply, she walked in the opposite direction. In fact, she almost sprinted on the busy road with an ordinary cloth bag hung on her shoulders. I was slightly irritated to keep guard over a bloated gunny bag, but she was back in about three minutes.

She smiled and thanked me. I smiled back and said, “That was fast. You almost ran like a champion.” She laughed and replied, “Oh, I’m a village woman, always working in the field and home and sometimes I have to finish things fast.” “What's there in that gunny bag?” I asked. She smiled and replied, “Oh that’s rice from our field in the village. Brought it for my son. He lives in that building.”
And then with pride in her voice she said, “You know, my son is a big computer engineer. Half the time he is in other countries. Last week, he suddenly called me around midnight. I was scared, but it seems it was morning in the country he had gone to work at. He told me that it was a special day for mothers.” She continued, “From childhood, he is a very shy person, never expresses his feelings, but I am a mother naa, so I immediately understood that he missed me. He returned yesterday and I felt like seeing him.” And pointing to the gunny bag she said, “He loves our field rice. He has gone to his office but knows that I am coming. The keys are there.”

The watchman of that building arrived in about five minutes. He picked up the gunny bag, put it on his head and started walking back to the other end. The lady followed him. There was something very warm about her. I was amazed by her energy levels. She was about to cross the divider, when she turned back, and dashed back towards me. I was surprised. She then took out a small polythene carry bag from the cloth bag that hung on her shoulder and said, “These are brinjals from our field, very tasty, take them.” She handed me the carry bag, touched my head and said, “May God bless you, my son.” Before I could react, she had crossed over to the other side.

It was one of those nameless beautiful moments, a moment that made me feel great, a moment that touched my heart. A strange connection between two strangers.

A big salute, to the countless mothers on this earth and the countless mothers who left this earth to reside somewhere up there in the sky.

Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin,
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main Dikhlata Nahin,
Teri Parwah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata, Hain Na Maa,
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata,Meri Maa.
(A beautiful song composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Shankar)

Published by Ketaki Foundation Trust " A Jar of Pebbles " is available at Amazon, Flipkart , Oxford Book Store and other book stores.
https://www.amazon.in/Jar-Pebbles-Stories.../dp/8195153259