Thrilling experience of Saturn disappearing behind the Moon!

Yesterday it was very cloudy in the evening. So the comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) could not be seen. Afterwards it also rained. But somehow the clouds gave way right at the time of the occultation! What a thrilling experience it was! It was wonderful to observe this event with my friend Gireesh Mandhale and through his large 8 inch telescope. We both had watched the Saturn- Moon occultation that had occurred on 23 January 2022 (22.5 years back)! And now we again observed this together. We had my 4.5 inch telescope and also a binocular. We had to wait till midnight and the conditions were very cloudy. But the reward was blissful! 

 

Photos and videos

Saturn to be occulted by Moon tonight on 14th October 2024!

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) easily visible in the evening

 
✪ Wonderful opportunity to witness Saturn- Moon occultation
✪ Saturn suddenly will disappear behind dark part of the Moon and will reappear from behind its lighted part!
✪ In Maharashtra, the timing is around 11.45 pm to 1.40 am
✪ Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is visible in evening near Venus
✪ Need dark skies and clear view of West of the comet
✪ Comet can be photographed with smartphone pro mode
✪ Both are wonderful events to experience
✪ Season of sky watching started!

Hello all.

Greetings. Tonight we have opportunity to witness and enjoy two sky wonders. The first is the Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). This comet has now become visible in the Evening sky. For next few days, from around 14th October to 19th October, it will appear in the Western sky near the brightest planet Venus. Best chance of observing this comet is coming 10 days. In ideal sky watching conditions- away from city lights, it will be visible to the naked eye as a small smudge. With binoculars and small telescope, it will be more clear. You can track its daily sky position on astronomical app such as stellerium. It can be photographed also by using a smartphone. For this, you need to use the pro- mode. Set the shutter speed to 4 seconds or 8 seconds. Set the ISO to 800 or 1600, depending on how dark sky you have. Set the focus to infinity. Have some support for mobile and keep it tilt towards west. Then set the timer to 5 seconds. You need to keep the mobile steady for some time (timer seconds + shutter speed duration). Then you can photograph it. After some attempts this comet can be photographed.

सायकलीवर शिवथरघळ- एक अविस्मरणीय अनुभूती

✪ सह्याद्री पर्वतरांग व कोकणाचा संगम असलेली शिवथरघळ!
✪ "केल्याने होत आहे रे, आधी केलेची पाहिजे!"
✪ सोलो सायकलिंग नव्हे निसर्गाच्या सान्निध्यातली तीर्थयात्रा!
✪ शेकडो धबधबे, असंख्य डोंगर आणि अजस्र वरांधा घाट
✪ अजस्र धबधबा- जीवंत प्रवाहाचं रमणीय प्रतिक
✪ आयुष्यभराचा अनुभव देणारी १२४ किमीची थरारक सायकल राईड
✪ अनेक किल्ल्यांच्या परिसरातलं निसर्गाचं विराट रूप दर्शन
✪ परतीच्या थरारक प्रवासाची उत्सुकता

सर्वांना नमस्कार. २८ सप्टेंबर २०२४! कधी कधी आपल्याला अशी बुद्धी झाली ह्याचा आपल्यालाच विलक्षण आनंद होतो! खूप दिवसांपासून शिवथरघळ सायकल राईड करायची इच्छा होती. पावसाळ्यात बराच काळ वरांधा घाट बंद असतो. शिवाय ह्या भागामध्ये पाऊसही फार असतो. त्यामुळे राहून जात होतं. पण मग ठरलं. तरी निघतानासुद्धा पावसाची शक्यता होती. पण आतल्या आवाजाचं ऐकून निघालो! आणि नंतर स्वत:च्या नशीबाला असंख्य धन्यवाद देत राहिलो! पुणे ते शिवथरघळ अंतर साधारण १२० किमी! भोरच्या पुढे घाटाचा रस्ता व त्यामुळे साधारण ७-८ तास लागतील. अगदी कसोटी क्रिकेटमधल्या बॅटिंगसारखी ही खेळी असेल! सकाळी पावसाचा अंदाज बघण्यात वेळ गेल्यामुळे निघायला पावणेसात वाजले!

Daughter's day is Everyday!

They say today is the daughter's day!

My little daughter celebrates it every day! So much joy of small things! Her joy after reading her tenth letter of her tenth birthday celebrated recently! His smiles and her mischievous response to that! Joy of playing with her and also studying! Her red face while I take her study and her getting delighted once she learns things! My learning from her about how to explain small things and also enjoy them! Her energy and charm! Her appreciation and encouragement from her! Her joyful enchanting face! Her writing down such funny things in her diary! When we experience all this, then we are bound to feel that our portion of happiness is everlasting!

दहाव्या वाढदिवसाचं पत्र: मस्ती की पाठशाला!

दि. १७ सप्टेंबर २०२४

प्रिय पाबई...

✪ वृक्षतोड, जंगल आणि शफाली वर्मा
✪ रवीन्द्रनाथ टागोर आणि हॅग्रिड
✪ बिच्चारे डोरेमॉन- शक्तीमॉन आणि तो पोकेमॉन
✪ "निनू, मला वाटलं तू सायकल मागून धरली होतीस!!"
✪ अंग्रेज के ज़माने के जेलर आणि “पारोसा”!
✪ गे नेक- एका कबुतराची व न वाचलेल्या पुस्तकाची कहाणी!
✪ एक साधू व त्याच्याभोवती स्तब्ध उभे असलेले अठरा लांडगे
✪ ॲलेक्सची धमाल, शोज, मस्ती आणि देवगड!
✪ तुम चेंदू‌ हो या चँपियन हो?
✪ बुद्धीबळ आणि वेटलिफ्टिंग!
✪ “दादा, तुझं नाव काय रे?”


आज तुझा दहावा वाढदिवस!!! चक्क दहावा! दहा वर्षं! "इतकी मोठी" तू झालीस! अर्थात् तू किती मोठी झाली‌ आहेस हे मला रोजच कळतं. मस्तीमध्ये तू मारामारी करतेस तेव्हा मला आता कधी कधी तुझे फटके जोरात बसतात! तुझ्यातली शक्ती चांगलीच कळते! आणि आता तुला कडेवर घेणं अशक्यप्राय होतंय! आपल्या डबल सीट राईडसही आता जवळ जवळ थांबल्या आहेत. तर वाढदिवसाच्या माझ्या पत्रांमधलं हे दहावं पत्र! तू माझ्याशी कधी कधी कशी भांडतेस, तसं मीसुद्धा तुझ्याशी भांडणार आहे ह्या पत्रातून! तेव्हा तयार राहा.

हे दहावं पत्र लिहीताना आनंद होतोय! दर वर्षीच्या पत्रातून मी त्यावेळच्या गोष्टी लिहून ठेवल्या आहेत. त्या त्या वर्षातल्या गमती! केलेली मजा, मस्ती, आठवणी आणि कधी कधी आजारपणाच्या आठवणीही. ह्या वर्षामध्ये अशा ब-याच गोष्टी झाल्या. हे लिहीताना ते सर्व आठवतंय. आणि त्याबरोबर गेली दहा वर्षंही आठवत आहेत! एवढसं सरपटत एका खोलीतून दुसर्‍या खोलीत जाणारं ते बाळ! त्या बाळाची तू आता नक्कल मस्त करतेस! ते बाळ अजिबात ओरडायचं नाही! अजिबात त्रास द्यायचं नाही, मारामारी करायचं नाही! आणि हो, त्या बाळाला छोटसं जंगल होतं. आधी एक छोटं झाड होतं. आणि दोन- अडीच वर्षांपासून छोट्या छोट्या मस्त शेंड्या होत्या. अजून मोठं झाल्यावर तर एक गलेलठ्ठ उंदीर तर कधी दोन सापसुद्धा असायचे! आता त्या जंगलाला, त्या वृक्षांना मी जाम मिस करतो. एके काळी ते इतकं मोठं जंगल असायचं की, त्यात घनदाट झाडीतून जाणारी पायवाट असायची! एक चढाव चढून त्या जंगलात ती वाट जायची. पुढे फिरून मग एक मोठा उतार लागायचा. आणि त्या उतारावरून घसरलं की बरोबर ज्वालामुखी लागायचा! सतत स्फोट करणारा ज्वालामुखी! वृक्षतोड फार वाढलीय, त्यामुळे ते जंगल आता मला आठवणींमध्येच दिसतं आणि तू म्हणतेस तसं इन यूवर ड्रीम्स! ते जंगल नसल्याचा मला भयंकर त्रास ह्या वर्षामध्ये सुरू झाला. ते जंगल परत कधी उगवेल माहित नाही! आणि आता तर तुझं जंगल मिलिटरी कॅडेटसारखं आहे! त्यामुळे ती शफाली वर्मा आठवते सारखी! नाम तो बड़ा हो गया, बाल छोटे रह गए!  

भयंकर प्रामाणिकपणे काम करणारा कलासाधक: संकर्षण कर्‍हाडे

✪ ‘व्हायफळ' गप्पा पॉडकास्टवर उलगडत जाणारा संकर्षणचा प्रवास
✪ ओळखीच्या चेहर्‍याच्या मागे असलेल्या दिलदार माणसाचा परिचय
✪ परभणी, अंबेजोगाई, औरंगाबादच्या आठवणी व लहानपणीच्या खोड्या
✪ प्रशांत दामले, श्रेयस तळपदे व सिनियर्सकडून त्याचं शिकणं आपण शिकावं असं!
✪ “स्टेजवरचा माज खाली दाखवलास तर तो स्टेजवर उतरवला जाईल!”
✪ “तुला मनलं होतं‌ ना तुला बक्षीस द्यायचं हाय, रताळ्या!”
✪ “Soak the pressure and be there!”
✪ पुस्तकं‌ व माणसं वाचणारा अवलिया

संकर्षण कर्‍हाडे! बस नाम ही काफी है! घराघरात पोहचलेला चेहरा! कलाकार, नाटककार, अभिनेता, सूत्र संचालक, लेखक आणि कवी! पण ह्या सगळ्यांच्या पलीकडे असलेला माणूस म्हणून संकर्षण कसा आहे हे ह्या "व्हायफळ" पॉडकास्टमधून उलगडलं! Why फळ, म्हणजे फळाची चिंता कशाला, असं नावच असलेला हा पॉडकास्ट! इथे संकर्षण अगदी मित्रासोबत बोलावा तसा मनातून बोलतो आणि भेटतो. संकर्षण माझ्या परभणीचाच! गाववाला! आणि वयाने थोडा लहान! म्हणून "तो संकर्षण" असा एकेरी उल्लेख करतोय. त्याचं काम सगळ्यांनाच आवडतं. पण माणूस म्हणून संकर्षण कसा आहे हे माहिती नव्हतं. ते ह्या गप्पांमधून उलगडलं! गप्पा अर्थात् संभाषण, बोलणं व संवाद त्या अर्थाने खूप महत्त्वाचं माध्यम आहे. कृष्णाची गीता हेसुद्धा संभाषणच तर आहे.

ह्या गप्पांची सुरूवात होते संकर्षणच्या लहानपणापासून. त्याचं‌ गाव परभणी. जगात जर्मनी, भारतात परभणी हे जगाला सांगणारा संकर्षणच! त्याचं आजोळ अंबेजोगाई. तिथला वाडा, तेव्हाच्या घरातल्या रीती व त्याचं परभणीमधलं लहानपण. लहानपणी त्याने केलेल्या "दलिंदर" खोड्या! सायकल चालवताना शनिवार बाजारजवळ लोकांच्या कानाजवळ जाऊन ओरडणार आणि लांब पळून जाणार! आजोबांच्या मित्राला जवळ जाऊन "ए केशव!" अशी हाक मारणारा संकर्षण! तेच मित्र संध्याकाळी घरी आल्यावर खूप घाबरलेला! पण ते काहीच बोलत नाहीत म्हंटल्यावर "केशव दुसर्‍या कामासाठी आला," असं मनात म्हणणारा संकर्षण! प्रशांत दामलेंचा "संक्या" आणि मकरंद अनासपुरेंचा "संकर्शन कराडे!"

Srikanth Bolla: An eye opener journey of the visually impaired person

 
✪ “I am not helpless, I don't need your mercy, I want equal treatment"
✪ 2% people don't have the eyesight, but 98% don't have the vision
✪ The boy being visually impaired, the father almost buried him
✪ Meeting with the scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his help
✪ A teacher showing the way to realize potential
✪ First visually impaired Indian to learn science at the degree level after fighting with the system
✪ Higher education in the U.S.A. and then a businessman providing 80% jobs to the differently abled
✪ Courage to refuse a prestigious award "from the special category"
✪ Know us not for our disability, but for our abilities!

Hello. Yesterday saw recently released Rajkumar Rao starring "Srikanth" movie. Father, being a fan of Krishnammachari Srikanth, names his boy after him. But when he realizes that the boy is visually impaired, then feeling that the is future is dark, the same father decides to bury the boy! But his destiny had different ideas. The visually impaired boy born in a tribal region of Andhra Pradesh in 1991! The parents illiterate. Srikanth was brought up with other children in the village. He also went to the village school for some time. But he had to endure the discrimination done with visually impaired persons and lack of respect for his talent. Even if we just dare to try not to use our eyes for mere five minutes while doing our routine things, we would feel shattered. Even when we know that we have eyes, we cannot bear the darkness for just five minutes. His struggles were much more. Initially Srikanth had to strive through this. But the destiny had planned something different.

बलात्कारी मी: गरज आत्ममंथनाची

नमस्कार.
 

अतिशय अस्वस्थ करणार्‍या बातम्या रोज येत आहेत. समाजातले काही जण किती वाईट आहेत, हे सांगणारी भीषण स्थिती आहे ही. अतिशय मोठा प्रश्न आहे हा. ह्या विषयावर २०१६ मध्ये कोपर्डी प्रकरणाच्या वेळी लिहीलेला लेख शेअर करत आहे. एका वेगळ्या कोनातून ह्या प्रश्नावर त्यामध्ये विचार केला आहे.

सध्या बलात्काराच्या वाढत्या प्रसंगांमुळे चिंतेचं वातावरण पसरलेलं आहे. शाळेच्या मुलींमध्ये दहशतीचं वातावरण आहे. रोज कोपर्डीसारख्या घटना समोर येत आहेत. ह्या परिस्थितीमध्ये प्रश्न पडतो की, ह्यावर रामबाण उपाय काय आहे? बलात्कार्‍याला किंवा बलात्कार्‍यांना फाशी किंवा गोळ्या घालणे हा उपाय आहे का? किंवा छेडछाडीसारख्या गुन्ह्यांना कडक शिक्षा ठेवून परिस्थिती बदलेल का? ह्या संदर्भात थोडं खोलवर बघितलं तर अनेक बाजू दिसतात. ह्या प्रश्नाच्याही- ह्या समस्येच्याही अनेक बाजू आहेत आणि म्हणून उत्तराच्या- उपाययोजनेच्याही अनेक बाजू आहेत. पहिली गोष्ट म्हणजे बलात्कारी कोणी अज्ञात- माथेफिरू- सराईत गुन्हेगार असा आहे, हे मनातून काढायला पाहिजे. आकडेवारी सांगते की, मोठ्या प्रमाणात बलात्कार व शारीरिक शोषणाच्या घटनांमध्ये कुटुंबातले जवळचे सर्वसामान्य पुरुषच सामील असतात. आणि जरी कोणी अज्ञात माथेफिरू गुन्हेगार जरी असले तरी तेसुद्धा कोणी तरी माणूसच आहेत ना. आपल्यासारखेच माणूस म्हणून जन्माला आलेले आहेत. त्यामुळे ही समस्या जर खर्‍या अर्थाने समजून घ्यायची असेल तर माथेफिरू गुन्हेगार असं का करतो, हा प्रश्न विचारून चालणार नाही. त्याऐवजी असा प्रश्न पडायला हवा की, 'मी बलात्कार का करतो?' कारण आपल्याला जरी दिसताना परका माथेफिरू माणूस दिसत असला; तरी तोसुद्धा एक 'मीच' असतो. आणि कितीही माथेफिरू गुन्हेगार म्हंटले, तरी तेही शेवटी माणूसच असतात आणि म्हणून एका अर्थाने 'मीच' असतात. काही 'मी' जास्त गुन्हेगार असतात; काही 'मी' कमी गुन्हेगार असतात.
 

Chandu Champion- A saga of persistence, determination and success amid adversities

Story of India's first Paralympics gold medal winner

✪ Despite of 9 bullets and half the body paralyzed, journey towards success
✪ Inspired by Khashaba Jadhav in 1952 and achieves Gold in 1972
✪ Unbelievable feat of Muralikant Petkar from Sangali, Maharashtra
✪ “I want to fight for everyone who wish to become a champion!”
✪ "Even the fishes do not have legs!”
✪ Impeccable story, presentation and characterization
✪ Such a colossal bravery, but people just forgot

Hello. These days, it is Olympics fever everywhere! We are obsessed about performance of Indian and other players! India has just missed its gold medal. Now after concluding of the 2024 Olympics, shortly, Paralympics of the differently abled will start. This is the story of Muralikant Petkar, who had won India's first (and only till now) Paralympics Gold medal in swimming. Just saw the recently released Chandu Champion movie with Kartik Aaryan in the lead role. This is based on the true story. This is a rather astonishing movie without any bombardment of typical Bollywoodsque attributes. A very balanced movie highlighting the saga of determination, persistence, just not losing will, myriads of efforts, support of friends and guidance of a Guru.

Murali- Muralikant Petkar is an 8 year old kid who gets inspired by Khashaba Jadhav- the Indian Bronze medal winner in 1952 Helsinki Olympics for wrestling. Muralikant later on learns wrestling. Later on he joins Secunderabad EME (Electronics and Mechanical Engineering Corps) as a soldier and learns boxing. He reached the final round of 1964 Tokyo Military Games in boxing. During the war of 1965, he is hit by 9 bullets and his body below waist gets paralyzed. For around two years he gets in coma. Later on he recovers in a military hospital. Surviving even after being hit by 9 bullets and it is the miracle, he thinks and continues to live with the disability. He is forced to forget his dream of the Olympics gold medal and is forced to lead a mere survivor's life. In a moment of depression, he attempts to suicide himself by taking pills for sleeping. But the fortune favours the brave, the pills are released through vomiting and he survives. He reboots himself with the motivation to to chase his dreams. His coach becomes his guiding force. "Even the fishes do not have legs," he motivates him and gives new direction. Swimming! He learns to swim even without using his body below the waist. Later on he becomes eligible to participate in Asian Games for swimming.
 

Bharatanatyam Arangetram- Nritya Yoga ceremony!

✪ Arangetram- Testing of the disciple and the final step towards entering public life
✪ Glorious Shabdam, Varnam, Kirtanam, Tillana and Mangalam
✪ Inspiring journey of years of hard work and persistence
✪ Big dreams and giant leaps of Vaishnavi from Parbhani, Maharashtra
✪ Stout Guru- bitter from outside, butter from inside
✪ Nritya and music- a thought stopping experience
✪ Gathering of veteran teachers and near ones

When a disciple is ready, Guru appears. When the disciple is really ready, the Guru disappears! A few days ago it was Guru Purnima day. Today on 28th July, one could experience the manifestation of Guru- disciple relation, its various expressions and what a Gurukula means. The occasion was the Arangetram Nritya- Yoga ceremony of Ms. Vaishnavi Kapre, the disciple of Guru Swapna Ratnalikar Kurdukar and her Rukhminidevi Kala Kshetra. Arangetram is the final examination of the disciple in Bharatnatyam and the ceremony for his or her entry into the public life and for bestowing her with blessings. My acquaintance with Ms. Vaishnavi is this- She is the daughter of my English teacher of Standard VI, Tanuja Kapare who had made me cry and! And her father Balkrishna Kapre, the P.T. teacher also had made me afraid! But she is significantly more than being their daughter and I came to understand this across the ceremony. In short, Vaishnavi is manifold- she is a meditator of Art of Living programme, she is a Yoga teacher, an architect engineer, a Bharatnatyam dancer and much more! Her dedication from a young age, her toiling and her persistence with her efforts was there to see. My sir and madam also had encouraged her without limits and provided her opportunities. This example of toiling so hard for so long and with such perseverance should be regarded inspirational in these days.

The programme was amazing, but also I could meet many teachers. Teachers who had taught me as a kid and as a college student. I felt gratitude towards all the Gurus. Parbhani in central Maharashtra was a small town of those days. Therefore there were many people whom I knew. This made the ceremony more special. Another unique aspect was that right from the anchor and the photographer- everyone was honoured and respected. Needless to say, even the photographer herself was a Bharatnatyam dancer! Along with the dance, company of Mrudangam, Flute (Bansari) and violin and renowned singers, light arrangements, succinct anchoring, selected short discourses made this ceremony more marvelous. One aspect of the anchoring is worth mentioning- there were many veterans on the stage. They too were given best wishes for their further journey after mentioning their contributions. Persons who supported Vaishnavi in her journey and other seniors from the field of music were present. One person was missed badly and he is none other than a film editor from Parbhani, Saumitra Dharasurkar.

Before talking about Vaishnavi's presentations, it is worth talking about her Guru Swapna Ratnalikar- Kurdukar. She was also known to me, the daughter of my favourite mathematics teacher Ratnalikar sir and she was also Bharatnatyam Guru for my two sisters! Her Rukhminidevi Kala Kshetra is working just like a modern day Guru kula. Her narration revealed hard work done by her disciple Vaishnavi, her struggle while doing Bharatnatyam and also doing Architecture at the same time, her difficulties under the guidance of the strict Guru and her journey towards this stage. A Guru hammers a pot in the making from outside, but also gives the warmth from inside. Then the ceremony unfolded the way in which she had prepared Vaishnavi. Under her Guru, Vaishnavi had made so great efforts that today she looks just effortless in her performance!