““सच बोलूं तो मैं कभी लिखता ही नहीं कुछ… नाम मितेश है। PDBC में एक रीडर की तरह काफी लम्बे समय से हूँ।””
POCKET DIARY BOOK CLUB
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
YEAR 2024
05/05/2024 03:00 PM
Edition 34
Venue: Akshat Drama Group Studio
Facilitators: Priya & Mitesh
Written by: Karan, Mitesh & Priya
Edited by: Priya
Theme: Literature and outfits that represent a country or a State from India
सच बोलू तो मैं कभी ललखता ही नहीीं क ु छ और मोबाइल में क ै से ललखू ये पता नहीीं था।
टेंशन हो गया था, ‘क ै से ललखू ?’
इसललए शुरू से शुरू करता हूँ।
नाम मितेश है।
PDBC में एक रीडर की तरह काफी लम्बे समय से जुडे रहने के बाद एक नई लजम्मेदारी लमली एक
फ ै लसललटेटर के रूप में मेरा पहला एलडशन है। आज का एलडशन खास है क्ोींलक आज भारत के अलग –
अलग राज्ोीं के सालहत्य के साथ-साथ वहाीं की भाषा और वेशभूषा देखने का अवसर लमलेगा ! मैं काफी
उत्सालहत हूँ आज के edition के ललए भारत के लवलवधता की झाींकी आज एक साथ मींच पर देखने को
लमलेगी।
हमने सववश्रेष्ठ वाचक और सववश्रेष्ठ वेशभूषा वाले पाठक को उपहार देना था।
हमने सभी मलहला पाठकोीं को मेवाड से लाये इत्र देकर स्वागत लकया।
तो हमने शुरुआत की पीडीबीसी के लनयम के साथ और सभी रीडर बारी बारी से अपने पररचय क ु छ इस
अींदाज़ में लदए:-
नाम
आज वे कौन से देश या प्रद ेश से है?
और उनक े चुने हुए देश या प्रद ेश का कोई बलिया सा,
हूँसाने, पेट और मन को गुदगुदाने वाला मुहावरा।
पगड़ी रख, घी चख।
लप्रींस राजस्थान सूीं आयो थो लसर पर एक बलिया लाल पगडी पलहरोई। लप्रींस ने लसर पर सूीं पगडी नीचे उतार
राख दी और बोलण लाग्यो – “पगड़ी रख, घी चख।
लप्रींस: “पगडी कदी नीचे मत राखजो। पगडी नीचे राखण को मतलब है लक आप रो जो क ै र े क्टर है वो नीचे
लगरा ररया हो। इको अथव है लक आपरो मान-सम्मान, प्रलतष्ठा ने दाींव पर राखक े क ु छ हालसल करवा। ”
लप्रया मेवाड सूीं आवी और उदयपुर में ट ू र गाइड सूीं लसख्यो हुए बात फ े र कह्यो – “आपरी िा नै डाकण
क ु ण क ै वै?
लप्रया: ईको मतलब , अपणी माूँ ने डाइन esrकोण कहे; अपणी बुराई कोई प्रकट नहीीं करतो ; अपणो कोई
बुरो नहीीं बतावतो। ” Such phrases were more in trend in the day to day conversations when our
older generations were keeping them alive.
लनजा कालठयावाड थी काळ ुीं लहूँगुीं अने चाींदी नी जेवरात पेरीने आवी हती। एने कह यूीं – “ડાહી સાસર ે ન
જાય અને ગાાંડીને શિખામણ આપે
Nija: The literal translation is the wiser one who doesn’t go to the sasural and advises the one
with lesser wisdom to go to the Sasural. Meaning one who preaches doesn’t follow the same.”
Aneri came from Mithila. She was a princess in exile. Guess the book?
ମ ୁଁ ଅଟେ Rajarshi Modi. ମ ୁଁ ଓଡିଶାର ପ୍ରତିନିଧ ି ତ୍ୱ କର ୁଁ ଛି (mun odisara pratinidhitwa karuchhi) He spoke
Odia and translated it later, wearing a red kamarband gamcha and white dhoti kurta attire.
Meghna, dressed in a Bengali cream -white saree with a broad red border. Karan came from
Gujarat. When he got down at a railway station, he did not recognise the city. He asked a boy.
The boy said, give me 10 Rs and I’ll tell you. Karan replied ‘I understood, I am in Ahmedabad.’
He was given the task of jotting down the minutes of the meeting.
The train that started from Bengal, arrived late, and out came Ray, bringing adventure and
excitement of sci-fi stories to the club. His name was Satyajit Ray, represented by Gautam.
Anushree came from Japan draping a long silk scarf with a traditional Japanese female figure
printed on it, Janvi representing Kashmir. Abha came from London. The book she brought was
the one she got in school in class 5th, for elocution in English, she to ld us, wearing a black
skirt, white blouse, a bow and a low hair bun with braids in it, like a lady from before the 21st
century (don’t ask for the accurate historical year, it was too much for me to learn the years
of so many wars)
Her phrase: Salting one’s tail (to be capturing something)
Do it स्वादानुसार1
1 Random fact for readers: The pathophysiology of salt -induced hypertension has been studied and innapropriate handling of salt in the
kidney, vascular reaction to the salt and recently interstitial accumulation of sodium are proposed mechanism. Hence, use salt wisely.
Mitesh (Uttar Pradesh) मुहावरा :- ना मनिन गीमतया गायब न िडवा िें जायब। (ना लकसी काम को
अच्छ े से करू ीं गा और ना ही मुझे वह कोई काम करने को कहेगा!) Neither will I do any work properly
nor will he ask me to do any work!
तो पररचय की पररलध समाप्त हुई और लकताबें गोद में बैठ े छोटे-छोटे, लचलडया के बच्चे की तरह , मुूँह
खोले , उचक-उचक के, लकस की पिने की बारी है, कौन सी लकताब अपना नाम पहले बताएगी, ये देखते
हुए सब पींख खोलने लगी और चहचहाने लगी।
…
मैं यूपी से लबलॉन्ग करता हीं इसललए मैं उत्तर प्रद ेश को ररप्रेजेंट कर रहा था। मैंने यूपी का ट रेलडशनल ड र ेस
धोती क ु ताव पहना था। मैंने गुलाबी कलर का क ु ताव और सफ े द धोती पहनी थी। इस एलडशन के ललए मैंने
पहली बार खुद से धोती पहनी! काफी अच्छा अनुभव रहा। अब जब पॉक े ट डायरी बुक क्लब में यूपी को
ररप्रेजेंट करने के बार े में सोचने लवचारने लगा तो बचपन में देखी लफल्म नमिया के पार की याद आ गई। मैं
क े शव प्रसाद लमश्र द्वारा ललखी “कोहबर की शतत ” लकताब पडी!
नलदया के पार और हि आपक े हैं कौन? जैसी बेहद लोकलप्रय लफल्में इसी उपन्यास पर बनीीं हैं। इस
उपन्यास में होली के त्यौहार के क ु छ अींश थे जो मुझे बेहद पसींद है इसललए मैं उसे पिा।
उत्तर प्रद ेश और लबहार में लौ ौं डा नाच बहुत मशहर है। लौींडा नाच यानी लक लडक े स्त्री बनाकर नाचते हैं।
यूपी के होली में गीत बहुत गए जाते हैं।
जोलगजी, बाह जोलगजी, जोलगजी, धीर े -धीर े नदी के तीर े -तीर े । अर े रे कबीर … सुनो रे कबीर …
Gautam read from Anukul, a humanoid robot, an uncle and his nephew and someone dies. It
could be the robot. Because it? he? is sensitive.
Don’t insult the robot servant. Handle with care. Fragile.
Listener’s Comments: लकसी की भी अपनी maid से बनती नहीीं
Film Reccs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mqIgdae5I (why: starring Saurabh Shukla)
Rajarshi read Wheels of Wish a fiction, tweaked history surrounding the Jagannath temple,
Konark Temple and mythology of Odisha. Just for exploring the state, the author deserves
some kudos, the writing is elementary, the characters too many at once, a saga, time travel
between 1000s of years back and the present, but only some stories can become a tale like
Mahabharat.
The discussion on this book went on for a long time because we have never really discussed
the culture of Odisha in the club before today, and also to satisfy the question, end me kya
hua?
Yukio Mishima’s collection of short stories introduced us to Thermos Flasks. It’s a story about
reconnecting with a former lover, realising later that both of them, or the three of them are
cheating on someone and the children being scared of the subject matter of the title. In the
latter, either there was a meaning in the metaphor or it was put in for shock value (as per
many articles).
In his time, Yukio must have been very popular. Well, he started exercising in his latter
years. Just google him.
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201124-yukio-mishima-the-strange-tale-of-japans-
infamous-novelist
An excerpt heard from Rooh, read by Janvi:
“… मौसम बहुत सुन्दर था और हाईवे को छ ू ने से पहले लजन छोटे गाींव से होते हुए सडक जाती उसमे
कश्मीरी जीवन की झलक लदख जाती। आप और मैं कोई नहीीं है अभी इसललए हमे कोई डर नहीीं है। हम
लगनती में नहीीं आते, हमार े कोई ठोस इरादे नहीीं है। हम क ु छ अच्छा या बुरा नहीीं करना चाहते, हम बस
सीधा जीवन जी रहे है, लबना लकसी बदलाव क े । तो हम नोबडी है। इसललए हमे लकसी से डर नहीीं है,
अलबत्ता, अगर आप लकसी गोलीबारी के बीच में फस गए हो तो अलग बात है।
तुम कभी फसे हो? …”
Prince brought राजस्थान की लोक कथाए ौं, कहानी में सवाल या बवाल ये था लक चूहे की पूछ क ै से
जोड़े? ललखी है गोलवन्द अग्रवाल ने, लकताब बलिया है।
नहीीं मानते? तो सुनो, बावली बातें िाौंड की
(a shepherd doesn’t get it, that his wife is trying to flirt with him)
“… द ू सर े लदन जब दोनोीं क ु ए ीं के पास लमले तो गडररये ने कहा,
आम का जोबन आम लनमोली
नीम का जोबन सूवा
मद व का जोबन पान फ ू ल
पलनहार का जोबन क ु आीं। …”
Mudit brought Maharana Pratap, and Abha brought Great Expectations (Joe thinks Pip is
astonishing! sitting next to each other, writing him a letter)
Aneri brought Forest of Enchantment (अलि परीक्षा), which led to a mythological discussion of
Indra disguising himself as a sage to sleep with his wife (Gautam), and Nija said, ‘whoever it
maybe, whose business is that?’
Karan brought Welcome Zindagi by Soumya Joshi, and Nija brought Kathivadi folklore, in her
story, the queen is expecting some gifts from her brother’s house during a wedding, as is the
custom in Gujarat, not receiving something from Nanihal became a question of respect in
society, the king is teasing her.
Meghna brought Gora by Rabindranath Tagore.
Meghna: ‘Gora is extremely obnoxious.’
“…It is such an easy thing to say that our nation will never accomplish anything. I wonder your
bread doesn’t choke you …”
From Priya’s notes: Reading Gora, one has the constant feeling of awakening. A new morning
dawns. The world revealed is the same world on which the sun set the evening before, but
must be discovered anew, no matter.
In English: try Radha Chakravarty’s translation. Tagore himself described the translation done
in his lifetime as “extremely unsatisfactory”.
This is one of Tagore’s main themes: how do you defend your culture against an imperial
power utterly persuaded of its superiority when you know there is so much deeply wrong
with the culture you’re defending? And that it’s a different set of wrongs than those afflicting
the culture of the oppressor? How do we measure our internal moral compass against the
dictates of society and culture against the imperatives of patriotism and resistance?
The book’s subliminal themes feel relevant in the digital era: How do we reconcile pride and
humility in a world that, at once, demands and punishes both? How distorted are our personal
lives and hearts when our every decision becomes politically motivated ? Or is it the illusion
that it is possible not to be political that distorts and destroys our hearts?
I wish I was born a Bengali just to read the original works and sigh as a line or a piece of
thought written in the pages encompasses me, becoming a thought of my own.
…
Nija won the prize for best outfit. Meghna won the prize for best oration.
Chit system, no one judge, it’s a constitutional bench.
Females were welcomed with gifts of इत्र bottle, the name of the Indian scent bottle was
‘Sarva Shreshta’.
Readings ended followed by Karan reciting his notes and showing his doodles.
The day did not just end here, there was a golgappa wala waiting outside the studio door for
us. They were delicious, we were hungry, it was a match made by aloo, puri and pani, chutney
alag se.
All these people, eating pani puri, in traditional wear, some talking and laughing, all of them
wearing happy smiles made me feel like the day at the club was spent like a festival, it
reminded me of the way we dress up and crowd around the golgappa stand during wedding
festivities, it gave a message, all these readers showing up in theme, that elegance is in the
effort.
Epilogue
Mitesh: Ap nhi samjhogi, Itna likhne kya hal huva hai
Priya: achha to likha hai itna !
Mitesh: Itna waqt kyu laga? Kyunki jab koi naya naya likhta hai, to pen ko chalne me
hichkichahat hoti hai.
Ek taraf ye internet ki duniya hai, jo tez tez likhti hai, ek hi sath bolna bhagna jaanti hai, aur
ek tarah Mitesh hai, vo us category ke hai jinhe khud ki shamta ka andaza lagana nahi aata,
lekin ye kisi bhi sapne ke char pillar me se 2 ka kaam akele kar dalte hai aur sochte bhi nahi,
ki inhone kya kiya
Mitesh: Mai ne jina sikha hai PDBC se, Khush rahana sikha apne liye
Priya: Maine ye karne ke liye tumhe kaha kyunki ye kaam mushkil hai, par ye kaam aisa jaise
man ke kamre me ek balti saaf pani daal ke buhare se mast chaka chak safai kardena, wiper
se ganda pani nikal dena aur fir sukhe hue chamkile thande farsh ko dekhna.
Tumne mujhe bhi inspiration di hai.
Bahut kaam aise hote hai jo hum khud ke liye nahi, dusro ke liye kar jate hai.
नन्ीीं चीींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है
चिती दीवारोीं पर , सौ बार लफसलती है
मन का लवश्वास रगोीं में साहस भरता है
चिकर लगरना , लगरकर चिना न अखरता है
आल़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीीं होती
कोलशश करने वालोीं की हार नहीीं होती
– सोहन लाल मिवेिी जी
वो कहते है ना, मुश्किलें कभी आसान नहीीं होती
All these people, eating pani puri, in traditional wear, some talking and laughing, all of them
wearing happy smiles made me feel like the day at the club was spent like a festival, it
reminded me of the way we dress up and crowd around the golgappa stand during wedding
festivities, it gave a message, all these readers showing up in theme, that elegance is in the
effort.
Thank You readers for this Edition 34