नव्या वर्षाची नवलाई

आज रात्री… बाराच्या ठोक्याला… नेहमीप्रमाणे…  फक्त तारीख बदलेल. रोजच तर बदलते ती. दररोज दिनांक… दर ३०/३१ दिवसांनंतर महिना… आणि दर ३६५ दिवसांनंतर वर्ष. हे वर्ष बदलण मात्र आपण मोठ्या थाटात साजर करतो. वास्तविक, सरत्या वर्षामध्ये जे आपलं दैनंदिन जीवन असतं ते अगदी तसंच सुरु राहणार असतं येत्या वर्षामध्ये. ३६५ दिवस हा काही छोटा कालावधी नसला तरी बरेचदा त्या कालावधीमध्ये आपल्या आयुष्यात फार मोठा असा कोणताही बदल नसतो घडलेला. आणि जेव्हा केव्हा एखादा मोठा बदल घडतो तेव्हा ती तारीख काही १ जानेवारीच असते असेही काही नाही. तरीदेखील, नवीन वर्षाचं आगमन ही संकल्पनाच आपल्याला सुखावून जाते.

नाविन्याच अप्रूप संपूर्ण मानवजातीलाच आहे नाही का. त्यामुळेच असेल कदाचीत, नवीन वर्षाच आगमन हा आता एक जागतिक उत्सव झाला आहे. नोकरी-धंदा, स्वयंपाक-घरकाम, 'मॉल'-चित्रपट-नाटक… कशातही, कुठेही… तोच-तोचपणा आला कि आपल्याला नेहमीच कंटाळा येतो. म्हणूनच तर, 'नवीन काही आहे का?' हा प्रश्न न्याहारीपासून ते हाती पडलेल्या नव्या 'प्रोजेक्ट' पर्यंत आणि पुस्तकापासून ते कट्ट्यावरच्या गप्पांपर्यंत… कोणत्याही संदर्भात विचारला जाऊ शकतो. आणि ह्या प्रश्नाचं उत्तर जर होकारार्थी असेल तर मग तर क्या बात है!?!!! ती गोष्ट आपण दुप्पट उत्साहाने करतो.

आयुष्यातील नवीन टप्प्यांवर सगळीकडे आपोआप नाविन्याची झालर पसरते. परंतु असे बदल घडण्याची जेव्हा शक्यता नसते, तेव्हा आपल्यामधील उत्साह टिकवून ठेवण्यासाठी आपणच हे नाविन्य आपल्या आयुष्यात शोधून आणतो. नव्या-कोऱ्या कपड्यांच्या माध्यमातून येवो वा एखाद्या नवीन कलेचे ज्ञान प्राप्त करून येवो… नाविन्य आपल्या बरोबर हास्य, उत्साह आणि चैतन्य ह्या त्याच्या गोतावळ्याला सोबत घेऊनच आपल्या आयुष्यात प्रवेश करत.

अहो… साधं नवीन गाणं ऐकून अथवा नवीन पदार्थाची चव घेऊन खूष होणारं आपलं मन… नव्या-कोऱ्या, सुशोभित अशा वातावरणात किती आनंदी होईल बर! स्वतःच्या जुन्या खोलीमध्ये अचानक परी राण्या अवतरल्या भिंतींवर, कायमच्या वास्तव्यासाठी तर घरातील चिमुकलीचा आनंद गगनात मावणार नाही. वह्या-पुस्तकं, 'सी डिज' छान जपून, रचून ठेवता येतील असे कपाट, शांतचित्ताने अभ्यास करता येईल असे 'स्टडी टेबल' आले घरात तर अभ्यास करणं हादेखील एक आनंददायी अनुभव होइल. जुन्या, गोड आठवणींना उजाळा देता यावा ह्यासाठी 'फोटो फ्रेम्स' चा कोलाज रचला नव्याने 'बेडरूम' मध्ये तर नात्यातील गोडी वाढेल कि अजून. तुळशीवृन्दावन असो वा औषधी कोरफड, आजी-आजोबांच्या झाडांची छान, नीटनेटकी व्यवस्था झाली तर त्यांच्या 'पोस्ट-रिटायर्ड' आयुष्यात नवीन चैतन्य येइल. घराला दिलेला नवीन रंग असो वा स्वयंपाकघरातील नवीन रचना असो… ह्यात केलेला लहानसा बदलदेखील आपल्या 'मूड' वर मोठा परिणाम करून जातो. अहो, स्वानुभवातून सांगतो आहे हे. ग्राहकाला त्याच्या घरामध्ये अथवा 'ऑफीस'मध्ये समाधानकारक बदल करून देणे असं आमचं साधं-सोपं उद्दिष्ट कधीच नसत. ग्राहकाच्या, त्यांच्या कुटुंबियांच्या, कर्मचार्यांच्या चेहऱ्यावर हसू फुलवणे ह्या मुख्य उद्देशाने आल्हाददायक बदल घडवून आणण्याकडे  आमचा कल असतो. अर्थात हे करताना ग्राहकाच्या गरजांची आणि बांधकामाच्या मजबुतीला तडा न जाऊ देण्याचीदेखील काळजी घेतो आम्ही.

नवीन वर्षाच स्वागत आपण उत्साहाने कराल यात शंकाच नाही. त्याचबरोबरीने कदाचीत काही योजनाही आखाल येत्या वर्षासाठी. नवीन वर्षात घरामध्ये अथवा ऑफिसमध्ये 'रिनोवेशन' करण्याचा विचार असेल तर आकृती इंटिरियरर्स आपल्या सेवेस आनंदाने हजार होईल ह्याची खात्री बाळगा.

- Amol Vishwas Joshi

Interior Designer

AAkruti Interiors

Kandivli, Mumbai

9967534621

www.aakrutiinteriors.co.in

Christmas Décor Trivia

Christmas carols being played in the mall fill our ears with melody, attractive Christmas caps being sold at a traffic signal attract our attention, Christmas confectionery neatly displayed in the shops is hard to resist and the sight of Christmas tree being nicely decorated in the reception area of our workplace uplifts our mood. Santa Claus is roping us in the merry mood of Christmas. We can blame it on globalization, or on commercialization; but we cannot deny the fact that, irrespective of our religions, we all have gradually started appreciating and to some extent... knowingly or unknowingly... celebrating some interesting traditions of Christmas! And decorating a Christmas tree is one of those fondly adopted customs.

Some have it in their homes, some in their workplaces and some have it in the premises of their housing societies. However big or however small it may be, once neatly decorated; a Christmas tree adds charm to the place. If we come to think of it, it is the nature that we all respect in our own various ways - be it in the form of a 'toran' for Diwali or a 'pookalam' (floral 'rangoli') for Onam or the Christmas tree. In fact, the belief that 'evergreen trees like pine, fir and oak are symbols of divine strength for their ability to survive the harshest winters' is the key behind the tradition of Christmas tree. Historical references consider German revolutionist Martin Luther King as the man behind the tradition and Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert as those who popularised the tradition.

There always has been a debate over the use of an artificial tree as against the natural tree with pros and cons to each type of Christmas tree. If one wishes to get a real Christmas tree here in Mumbai, Araucaria is the variety available in our nurseries. One can also decorate any other already potted home garden plant if simply enjoying the Christmas mood is the motto. Traditionally, the Christmas tree was decorated with edibles like apples, nuts and dates. Today, a variety of ornaments are available that can be used to decorate the tree. And if one is a follower of 'reuse, reduce, recycle' policy; things like shirt buttons, newspapers and even ice-cream sticks can be nicely converted into Christmas tree ornaments. 

One of the essential ornaments of Christmas has always raised our curiosity as it is as weird a thing as a stocking. In spite of the fact that the stocking used for Christmas is specially made for the purpose, one still cannot stop wondering its significance. Well, there's an interesting fable behind it. St. Nicholas - the man behind Santa Claus - is believed to be an orphan of rich parents who later turned into a generous and kind bishop. He once, in the pursuit of helping a poor family, threw three bags of gold in a house through its window. One of the bags landed in a stocking hung to dry by a fireplace. The custom of filling up the stocking with gifts for the 'well-behaved' kids is a way of taking forward the saint's philosophy of 'giving and sharing'.

Many such interesting customs with equally interesting fables or beliefs behind them make Christmas an interesting festival. Not all of us may enjoy it in its full form. But we surely can get in the merry mood of Christmas and wish that Santa fills our stockings with joy, love, success, health and wealth. Let our spirits be as evergreen as the Christmas tree. And let our platters always be filled with delicacies of various kind. 

Merry Christmas

- Kalindi Amol Joshi

With

Amol Vishwas Joshi, Interior Designer, AAkruti Interiors

@ 9967534621

www.aakrutiinteriors.co.in

Hand Crafted Wonders of Kutch

Kutch - the rustic wonder of India - is where we had been to, last December. We stayed in 'Gateway To Rann Resort', Dhordo Village - situated a few miles away from India-Pakistan border. White desert -the world's largest salt desert - exists besides this village which is a marshland during monsoon and a land of shining white sand during winters and summer. It is absolutely devoid of any vegetation throughout the year. To expect a luxurious, five-star hospitality from a resort that survives such extreme geographical conditions would have been irrational. Hence, we had decided to enjoy what the resort could best offer - a taste of the local lifestyle. And we were not at all disappointed.

Rooms in our resort were mud huts - locally known as 'bhunga'. Each finely constructed, circular shaped mud hut represented a hotel room. They were similar in appearance to the dwellings of locals and were equipped with basic amenities to ensure a comfortable stay for the guests. Though simple they held the capability of making one fall in love with them, thanks to the attractive paintings and mirror work that decorated the exterior as well as the interior of each 'bhunga'.

Handicraft seems to be a way of life here. I feel that it is a way of cheerfully surviving the hardships for the locals. The otherwise monotonous surroundings come to life when the local women decorate their homes with a technique known as 'lippan kam'. Delicately carved wooden furniture brings home elegance. Household stuff decorated with lacquer work brings charm to the routine. Jewellery, knives, nutcrackers etc made of silver become a sign of richness. Artisans turn pieces of metals into sources of melody. And how can one forget the fabric - embroidered or block printed, decorated with 'bandhani' or 'rogan art'; whichever maybe the art - adds exuberance to the lives of 'Kutchis'.

We happened to visit Kutch when Gujarat Tourism Department was celebrating 'Rann Utsav'. Hence, we were lucky to find all of the handicrafts at one stop. It was easier for us to pick and buy handicrafts that we felt will give our interiors that ethnic look we always wanted. We got a moon shaped wind chyme that now brings out melody every time we swing our swing to which it is tied neatly. We got a dress with mirror work for me - perfect as an occasional wear. We got a tiny piece of mirror work - the characteristic of Kutch - which goes well as a car hanging. We got block printed bedsheets and cushion covers for our 'deewan set'. And last but not the least - we experienced an artistic wonder i.e. 'rogan art'.

Cosmopolitans like us design and decorate our residences using all the modern techniques and materials. Yet, these wonderful traditional handicrafts fit so well in our homes. All one needs is an artistic outlook to respectfully place the works of tribal or rural artists in the modern set up.

The blend of contemporary materials and techniques with traditional and ethnic handicrafts does wonders to the home interiors.

- Kalindi Amol Joshi 

With

Amol Vishwas Joshi - Interior Designer, AAkruti Interiors

@ 9967534621

www.aakrutiinteriors.co.in 

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