Gawruv Geru Guphta (Guru)

Srdaraaja

2009-04-04T12:21:00.002+05:30

My next film could be as the title goes, a sardaar who was passiionate about each plant he saw, each child he found weeping, each road that was deserted or lonely to make his contribution.

He did not want to become a soldier because he once shied away from violence when he was ordered to be a naihanga by his grandfather. He took the ablution but did not touch the sword since, until he seaw a Astonia Scholrais tree being removed from the school he was a student of whose Father Pope John Pail *Q in a remote village in Bihar. Father resented violence and then allowed the tree to be cut, receiving money whom he deposited in a charities missionary. He was thretebed earlier to not impart eductation to any sikh, but he had bee secretly hiding the Ninge' and providing him all virtutes to become a righteous soldier.

Ninga grew up and is posted to provide security to a very wise old gentleman, a officially retired but advisory to the President on matter of spiritual importance. Therin Ninga discovers that the daughter of his customer has made friends with some very poor boys in the slums, visits the slums too often than necessary, and is providing them hope.

Ninga falls in love with his daugthter.

Film part two:
Bach ke Ninga.

नौकरी

2009-03-22T21:24:00.001+05:30

Today I got a call form a producer in Bombay who wants to audition me for another of their movie projects. I am going to Bombay on the 29th of March 2009.

Kaali II

2009-03-21T12:18:00.000+05:30

The name of the School Opened by Gokul was the esscholaTxr baonia.

The should might train talents for extraordinary senses to experience life. Talents are requested to be patient as their turns would arrive in time of my physical contact with them. While internet is a tool I use on which I do not completely rely, I do give time to find meself in my own geography trying to understand wheater I like things around me or should I do something not?

In that direction we must proceed so that we can experience each other vicariously, the prime ingridient for a successful pupil. She may be the wisdom that should give direction to the creativity for birth of further individual universes born by him. She may provide infinite wombs to countless mothers in form the the Holy Land on which I tread, the scred river that pollute my viens. Return back immedieatly or I shall confirm regardless of creed or culture the investment begins into lives of the underpriviliged, underinformed, disabled, mute, yet mistruted, beggars, suckers and the origin of lives.

Dancers are requested to avoid displaying without mental simulation of the entire movement diction. Musicians are invited to create tones between the standard 7.

Kathputli

2009-02-18T17:03:00.005+05:30

Copyright BeeDance Entertainment

Producer- Gaurav Gupta, (Bonia.Gupta@Gmail.Com, 0 971 646 7 909 ),
Director- Yogi

Title of film: Katputli | Duration: 90 minutes

Format: Video shot on Sony PD170

Appeal: International integration | Genre: Feature | Audience: 18+ | Language: Hindi

View shoot Images by clicking here

Abstract:

Munni is a 19 year old Sunni Muslim girl living in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. She is in love with Jamaal, a lower caste Shia muslim who is vehemently opposed by her family. One night Jamaal and Munni elope with each other, running away to another village. They get married and Jamaal partners with a transporter called Pandit, leases his auto rikshaw for employment. Jamaal and Munni conceive a daughter called Umair.

One day, one of the relatives of Munni spots Jamaal on the bus stand. He informs his family, who then take the oath to kill the couple. A couple of days later Jamaal learns that a group of men came to enquire about him and realizes that they may be relatives of Munni who might have come to avenge their dishonour. He runs to his home and sees Munni feeding the 6 month old child. He warns her that their lives may be in danger. Then, he sees a group of men coming towards his house. He expects voilence is extremely perturbed. Sensing danger, Jamaal asks Munni to run away with the child. After initial hesitation, Munni runs away towards the highway. While she runs, she hears her husband being chased by those men. She realizes that her husband might be killed.

Alone, deserted and with the child in her arms, Munni walks on the highway not knowing what to do. An autorickshaw driver stops next to her. She knows the man as Pandit. Pandit comes to know about what happened and insists Munni to stay at his home as her life was in danger. Munni accepts his proposal and comes with him to his house. Pandit sees the woman feed her child and is smitten with lust. On pretext of offering her food, he enters her room and rapes her.

Pandit tells her that she has no option in life and if she needs to survive she must marry him. Traumatized, Munni accepts to become his wife. Pandit uses her for sexual pleasure for a few days and then takes her to another village where his family lives. There she discovers that Pandit is already married.

Pandit keeps her in his house and introduces everybody that she is a servant. He threatens that he will kill her son if she were to complain. For the sake of her child, Munni accepts her fate and becomes a mistress of Pandit. Pandit exploits abuses and humiliates her. He uses her to please his friends and bosses and makes her a prostitute.

Each day, Munni prays her child to grow up and rescue her from the bondage. All her hope is that child and there is nobody except her child whom she constantly seeks solace in. As the child turns two years, while playing in a field where a massive construction is happening, Umair falls into 40 feet deep bore well. Trying to locate her child, Munni searches all night. When Pandit comes to her home, drunk- she explains that the child is missing. Pandit hardly cares and goes off to sleep. Munni searches frantically everywhere, at last hearing the cries of her child coming from the bore well.

Munni frantically comes back home and tells Pandit that the child has fallen in the pit. Pandit approaches the incharge of the construction company. The incharge informs his superiors and gets orders that this news should not get into the media or heavy damages would happen to the company. The incharge offers Pandit 13000 rupees to keep quiet about the accident. Pandit tells Munni that the child cannot be taken out from the bore well and asks her to forget Umair. When Munni does not agree, he locks her in the house and goes away.

Munni pleads and cries to let her out of the house. Pandit's first wife helps her and breaks her lock. Munni runs to the police station, but finds no body who can help her. She starts running onto the highway. There she sees a cultural festival being organized and a TV reporter narrating the event. She begs the reporter to help her.

The reporter accompanies her to the bore well and comes to know that the child needs to be rescued. The reporter asks his crew to film the location, the incident and the crying Munni. The crew makes a story about the incident and broadcast it over their network. Suddenly, Munni cries reach the world.

Police and the army is commissioned. After three days of labour, Umair is rescued and returned to Munni. However, evil designs of Pandit do not stop and he asks Munni to giver her daughter for prostitution. Enraged, Munni kills Pandit by drowing him in the river Ganges.

The End.

काली

2008-12-23T12:39:00.000+05:30

काली

कहानी के लेखक: गौरव गुप्ता
Email: garv_gupt@yahoo.com, Phone: +91 9312605179

स्कूल का 8th standard का classroom. Physics कि teacher पढा रही है| कुछ लडके जिनमे से एक म्रिदुल है, पीछे बैठे यौन पुस्तक को देख कर खुसपुसा रहे है| श्रीदा का मन पढाई मे नही है| वो दूर दूसरी कक्षा मे लडकियो को नाचते हुए देख रही है| Physics कि class खत्म होने पर वो बाकी बच्चो के साथ बाहर निकलती है और dance classroom के बाहर खडी हो जाती है और एक लडकी - अनुपमा से कहती है कि उसे dance सीखने का बहुत मन है| अनुपमा बाकी लडकियो को बताती है और सब उसका उसके रंग, जोकि काला है, उस पर मजाक उडाते है| वह दुखी हो कर toilet मे जाती है और रोती है| स्कूल से वापस आते समय बस मे वह किसी से बात नही करती और घर आकर सीधा अपने कमरे मे जा कर बिस्तर पर लेट जाती है| मा- अनुभूति खाने के लिये आवाजं देती है पर वह जवाब नही देती| अनुभूति जोर से उसे बाहर आने के लिये कहती है| अंदर से आवाज देती है कि वह खाना नही खाना चाहती| अनुभूति जबरदस्ती उसे बाहर निकालती है| श्रिदा बताती है कि सब उसे काली कह कर चिडाते है| अनुभूति उसे अपने हाथ से खाना खिलाती है| श्रीदा का मन बहलाने के लिये अनुभूति उसे वस्त्र दिलाने के लिये एक shopping mall मे ले जाती है| dress खरीदने के बाद श्रीदा देखती है कि वहाँ पर एक dance competition हो रहा है| वह खुद को मंच पर एक नर्तक के रूप मे अनुभूत करती है|

श्रिदा का पिता देव office मे shares कि खरीदोफरोख्त पर अपने ग्राहक- उदय को सलाह दे रहा है| उदय उसके तजुर्बे के प्रशंसा करता है| देव बताता है कि कैसे उसने एक थोडी सी पूंजी को कुछ समय मे ही दुगना कर दिया| उदय उसे अपनी एक बडी रकम को दुगना करने का प्रस्ताव रखता है जिसे देव खुशी से स्वीकार कर लेता है| देव के office के सामने एक सब्जीवाला है जिसे देव नापसंद करता है| कई बार कहने के बावजूद वह अपनी रेड़ी उसके office के सामने ही लगाता है| दोनो मे बहस होती है| सब्जीवाला उससे गुजारिश करता है कि वह उसे वही रेड़ी लगाने दे| देव नही मानता| देव उसे पुलिस तथा कानूनी कार्यवाही कि धमकी देता है|

स्कूल मे lunch break के दौरान श्रीदा पानी पीने जाती है| वहाँ पर लड़कियो का छोटा समूह बैठा होता है जो उसे पानी पीने से रोकता है| उन मे से वो लडकी - अनुपमा, जो स्कूल कि सबसे अच्छी नर्तक है वह कहती है कि क्योकि श्रिदा काली है, वह उन गोरी लडकियो के खाना खाने के बाद ही पानी पी सकती है| श्रिदा उसके बाल पकड लेती है और उसे तमाचा मारती है| अनुपमा रोती हुई बाकि लडकियो के साथ teacher से श्रिदा कि शिकायत करती है और उस पर आरोप लगातीं है कि श्रिदा सब को परेशान करती है| श्रिदा कि मा- अनुभूति को स्कूल बुलाया जाता है और बताया जाता है कि श्रिदा पढ़ने मे भी ध्यान नही दे रही है|

परीश्राऐ आरंभ होने मे एक हफता रह जाता है| श्रिदा का मन पढाई मे नही लग रहा होता और वह अनुपमा को याद करते हुए कोसती है| उसे TV कि ध्वनि सुनाई देती है और वफ TV देखने लगती है| TV देखते देख अनुभूति श्रिदा को डाँटती है और कहती है कि अगर वह फेल हो गयी तो वह श्रिदा को घर से दूर गुरुकुल भेज देगी|

परीश्रा के maths paper के दिन श्रिदा कि तैयारी अपूर्ण होती है| वह देखती है कि म्रिदुल कुछ लडको के साथ फर्रे बना रहा है| वह म्रिदुल से कहती है कि उसे भी फर्रे चाहिये| परीश्रा के समय श्रिदा को कुछ समझ नही आता| म्रिदुल उसे फर्रे देता है| श्रिदा फर्रो से नकल करती हुई पकड़ी जाती है| श्रिदा को एक साल के लिये फेल कर दिया जाता है|

देव अपने कार्यालय मे बैठा सब्जीवाले को देख कर तिलमिला रहा होता है| देव का ग्राहक उदय आता है| देव कहता है कि stock market गिरने कि संभावना है| वह उदय को आश्वासन देता है कि उसके होते उदय को नुकसान नही होगा| देव उदय को निश्चिंत रहने कि सलाह देता है|

घर पहुँचने पर जब देव को श्रिदा के फेल होने कि खबर मिलती है तो वह गुस्से से आगबबूला हो जाता है और श्रिदा को मारने के लिये बढ़ता है| अनुभूति श्रिदा को बचाती है| देव श्रिदा से पूछता है कि वह क्यो फेल हो गयी| श्रिदा कहती है कि उसका मन न्रित्य के अलावा किसी और विषय मे नही लगता| देव श्रिदा को डाँटता है और उसकी बेज्जती करता है जिस से साफ लगता है कि वह अपनी बेटी के मन को समझता नही है| वह अनुभूति और श्रिदा को हिदायत देता है कि श्रिदा को अपना मन नाच गाने से हटा कर पढ़ाई मे लगाना चाहिये| श्रिदा को लगता है कि हर कोई उससे नफरत करता है क्योकि वह काली है|

स्कूल मे कक्षाऐ आरंभ हो जाती है| एक दिन maths कि क्लास के दौरान श्रीदा का मन dance class मे ही होता है| maths क्लास खत्म होने पर वह dance class कि खिड़की के पास खड़े हो कर अंदर छुप कर देखती है| dance master- गोकुल क्लास मे आते है| लडकियां उन्हे नमस्कार करती है| फिर वे लड़कियो से पूछते है कि उन्होने सारे हफ्ते क्या अभ्यास किया? जिन लड़कियो ने अभ्यास नही किया उनको वे समझाते है| फिर वह न्रित्य के कुछ आयामो के बारे मे बताते है और नाच कि शिक्षा देते है| जब वह नाच रहे होते है तो खिड़की पर खड़े कुछ लडके उन को देख कर हसते है| गोकुल नजरअंदाज कर देता है| फिर जब लडकिया नाचती है तो उनमे से एक लडका म्रिदुल सीटी मारता है| गोकुल क्रिधित हो कर बाहर आते है और पूछते है कि सीटी किसने मारी| म्रिदुल बोलता है कि उसे लडकियो को नाचते देख कर अच्छा लगा| गोकुल म्रिदुल वहाँ से जाने के लिये कहते है| लडका कहता है कि लडकियो को देखने का अधिकार उसे भी है| गोकुल क्रोधित हो कर म्रिदुल को पीट डालता है|

अगले दिन म्रिदुल अपने मा बाप के साथ, जो कि स्कूल के निवेशकों मे से है, के साथ principal
से गोकुल कि शिकायत करता है| principal गोकुल को बुलाते है और कहते है कि वह लडके के मा बाप से माफी माँगे| गोकुल इँकार कर देता है| principal गोकुल को स्कूल से निष्कासित कर देता है| गोकुल स्कूल के द्वारा दिये हुये घर को छोड़ने के लिये एक हफ्ते कि मोहलत माँगता है|

देव अपने office कि खिडकी से सब्जीवाले को कोस रहा होता है| उदय आता है और दोनो मे बहस होती है| उदय कहता है कि जिन shares पर देव ने उदय को पैसा लगाने को बोला वे डूब रहे है| देव अपना मान बचाने के लिये कहता है कि बाजार संभल जाएगा और पैसा लगे रहने दे| उदय देव को चेतावनी देता है कि अगर उसको नुकसान हुआ तो वह देव के खिलाफ कानूनी कार्यवाही करेगा|

घर लौट कर देव अनुभूति को बताता है कि सट्टा बजार मे उसे भारी नुकसान हुआ है| अनुभूति प्रस्ताव देती है कि वह घर मे पैसे कि तंगी को देख नौकरी ढ़ूंढ लेती है, जिसे देव खारिज कर देता है| अनुभूति फिर कहती है कि उनके घर की उपर कि मंजिल जो खाली पडी थी काफी समय से, उसे किराए पर दे देना चाहिये| देव मान जाता है| अनुभूति अख्बार मे इश्तिहार दे देती है|

गोकुल उस इश्तिहार को पढ़ कर अनुभूति से बात कर के उसके घर को देखने आता है| वह उपर वाली मंजिल को पसंद कर लेता है और 5000 INR मासिक किराए को देने के लिये मान जाता है| अगले दिन गोकुल देव के मकान कि उपर वाली मंजिल मे अपने समान सहित रहने आ जाता है|

अगले दिने श्रिदा स्कूल से आते वक्त गोकुल कि मोपेड को अपने घर के आँगन मे देख हैरान हो जाती है| वह अनुभूति से उसके बारे मे पूछती है| अनुभूति उसे बताती है कि उन्होने दूसरी मंजिल किराए पर दी है| जिज्ञासा वश श्रिदा सीढ़ीयो से उपर जाती है| वहा उसे गोकुल के कपडे सूखने के लिये टंगे मिलते है| वह खिडकी से अंदर झाँकती है| अंदर उसे एक ध्यानलीन आक्रति फर्श पर बैठे दिखती है| उसे विश्वास हो जाता है कि वह गोकुल ही है| श्रिदा एकाएक प्रसन्न हो जाती है| वह गाते कूदते हुए नीचे आती है और अपने आँगन मे आकर नाचने लगती है|

अगले दिन स्कूल मे श्रिदा का चंचल व्यवहार सबको अचंभित करता है| class मे बैठे वह दूर dance class कि तरफ भी नही देखती| जब अनुपमा उसे द्वेष कि द्रिष्टि से देखती है तो वह मुस्कुराने लगती है, जिससे अनुपमा हैरान हो जाती है| घर लौट कर श्रिदा जल्दी से उपर कि मंजिल पर जाती है और खिडकी से अंदर झाँकती है| अंदर अंधेरा होने के कारण उसे कुछ नही दिखता, पर गोकुल को पता लग जाता है| जब वह दरवाजा खोलता है तो श्रिदा डर कर नीचे भाग जाती है| रात को श्रिदा को सपना आता है कि वह मंच पर नाच रही है और बहुत सारे दर्शक उसे नाचते देख कर सुखी हो रहे है|

एक दिन श्रिदा गोकुल के घर एक पतंग ले कर जाती है और गोकुल से कहती है के वह उसे पतंग उडाने मे मदद करे| श्रिदा और गोकुल के बीच दोस्ती हो जाती है| गोकुल को पता लग जाता है कि श्रिदा हीन भावना से ग्रस्त है, कि वह ज़िंदगी मे कुछ भी करने के लिये उत्साहित नही है, पर वह यह भी समझ जाता है अगर गोकुल चाहे तो श्रिदा मे बदलाव लाया जा सकता है| महीने बीत जाते है और रोज कुछ समय के लिये वो दोनो मिल कर बाते करते है|

श्रिदा आमतौर पर पहले से ज्यादा खुश तो रहने लगी पर उसे अपने पिता के बरताव पर अफसोस होने लगा| देव शराब पी कर घर देर से लौठता और आते ही कभी अनुभुति से लडता या श्रिदा को डाँटता मानो वह श्रिदा को कोस रहा हो कि वह कोई काम करने के लायक नही है|

स्कूल मे एक dance competition का एलान होता है| श्रिदा गोकुल को बताती है और उस के कहने पर competition मे अपना नाम register करवा लेती है| अनुपमा और बाकी लडकियाँ उसका बेहद मजाक उडाते है| श्रिदा को कुँठा घर कर लेती है कि वह कभी भी जीत नही सकती (क्योकि वह काली है)| गोकुल उसे समझाता है कि श्रिदा को स्वयं को साबित करना ही होगा| गोकुल को लग जाता है कि जीत के इलावा श्रिदा का आत्मस्वाभिमान बढ़ाने का कोई और रास्ता नही है, पर हीन भावना और संकोच कि वजह से श्रिदा गोकुल के सिखाने पर भी न्रित्य नही कर पाती|

श्रिदा का मन बदलने के लिये गोकुल एक स्वाँग रचता है| एक दिन जब श्रिदा हर रोज कि तरह गोकुल से मिलने आती है तो वह उसके घर मे तीन और लडकियो को देखती है जो उसी के उम्र कि है| गोकुल उन को न्रित्य सिखा रहा होता है| यह देख श्रिदा का मन ईर्षा से भर जाता है| वह गोकुल से बात करने का प्रयास करती है तो गोकुल कहता है कि अगर उसे घर मे आना है तो उसे सब के सामने न्रित्य करना होगा| कुछ दिनो के लिये तो श्रिदा गोकुल से नही मिलती, पर ऊपर से आने वाली ध्वनि उसको मोहित कर देती है| फिर वह सकुचाते हुए गोकुल के घर जाती है| गोकुल उस का अभिनंन्दन करता है और उसे उन तीन लडकियो के सामने नाचने को कहता है| विवशता मे श्रिदा नाचती है| उन लडकियो के जाने के बाद गोकुल श्रिदा से पूछता है कि उसे नाचने का अहसास कैसा लगा? श्रिदा कहती है कि वह गोकुल से न्रित्य सीखेगी और dance competition मे अपना पूरा जोर लगाएगी, पर उसके इलावा गोकुल का कोई और शिष्य नही होना चाहिये| गोकुल मान जाता है| प्रतिदिन गोकुल श्रिदा को न्रित्य के विभिन्न आयामो के बारे मे बताता है और प्रशिश्रण देता है|

Dance competition से एक हफ्ते पहले सट्टा बाजार मे देव को काफी नुकसान हो जाता है और उसे heart attack हो जाता है| अस्पताल से वापस आकर परिवार एक परेशान अवस्था मे होता है| श्रिदा गोकुल से कहती है कि वह dance competition मे भाग नही ले पाएगी| गोकुल को लगता है कि इस समय अगर श्रिदा ने competition मे भाग नही लिया तो ना सिर्फ उसकी मेहनत व्यर्थ जाएगी अपितु श्रिदा कभी भी वो नही बन पाएगी जो वह चाहता है| वह श्रिदा को समझाता है कि मनुष्य को अपने कर्म से पीछे नही हटना चाहिये, और प्राक्रितिक विपदाऔ मे तो और भी प्रयास करके अपना जीवन सफल बनाना चाहिये|

Competition से एक दिन पहले गोकुल श्रिदा को देव से competition मे हिस्सा लेने कि अनुमती लेने को कहता है| इस बारे मे वह दोनो अनुभुति से बात करते है| अनुभुति श्रिदा का मन समझते हुए कहती है देव से इस बारे मे बात करने का यह सही समय नही है और वह देव कि तबीयत कि चिंता किये बिना dance competition मे भाग ले|

Dance competition के दिन गोकुल श्रिदा के साथ स्कूल आता है| अनुपमा को जब पता लगता है कि श्रिदा ने न्रित्य गोकुल से सीखा तो वह ईर्षावश श्रिदा के कपडे, जिसे पहन कर श्रिदा को नाचना था, उन पर रंग लगा देती है| श्रिदा अपने रंगे हुए कपड़ो को देख कर रो पड़ती है| गोकुल उसे शाँत करा कर चेतावनी देता है कि यह उसके जीवन का संघर्ष है और उसे किसी भी हालत मे लडना होगा|

कुल छह लडकिया और तीन लडके dance competition मे भाग लेते है, जिनमे म्रिदुल और अनुपमा भी है| अनुपमा का नाच तीसरे नंबर पर और श्रिदा का चौथा होता है| अनुपमा के न्रित्य पर निर्णायकगण उसकी बहुत प्रशंसा करते है| मंच से जाते हुए वह श्रिदा को रंगा सियार कहती है|

श्रिदा का न्रित्य देख कर सभी लोग हैरान रह जाते है| उत्तम कला और आत्मविश्वास देख उसे दूसरे final round मे बुला लिया जाता है जिसमे उसके अलावा केवल अनुपमा और म्रिदुल होते है| तब गोकुल श्रिदा से कहता है कि उसे अनुपमा को अपने लिये, और म्रिदुल गोकुल के लिये हराना होगा|

तीनो को जानदार प्रदर्शन के बाद जब वे मंच पर खडे हो कर सब से अच्छे नर्तक के निर्णय की प्रतीषा कर रहे होते है तो एकाएक श्रिदा रो पडती है| पूछे जाने पर वह बताती है कि उसके पापा बहुत बिमार है| यह सुन कर अनुपमा निर्णायकगो से कहती है उसने श्रिदा को उसने बहुत चोट पहुँचाई है और इस प्रतियोगिता के पुरस्कार कि वह ही असली हकदार है| निर्णायकगण श्रिदा को विजयी घोषित करते है और पूछते है कि किसे वह अपनी जीत का श्रेय देना चाहेगी? श्रिदा गोकुल को मंच पर बुलाती है| म्रिदुल तुरंत गोकुल के पैर छू कर माफी माँगता है| वही भीड मे देव और अनुभूति आते है, जिन्हे देख कर श्रिदा पुरस्कार सहित उनसे लिपट जाती है| स्कूल का principal देव को वापिस स्कूल मे आने का निमंत्रण देता है| गोकुल विनम्रता से यह कह कर मना कर देता है कि अब वह अपना स्कूल खोलेगा, जिसका नाम होगा- ...(मुस्कुराता है)|

The End

Guru

2008-10-17T17:37:00.001+05:30

Title of Film: Guru

Duration: 1 hour thirty minutes

Syamali, a twenty nine year old dark skinned short woman works with a departmental store in an uneasy job entertaining hundreds of customers’ everyday, feels exhausted even at the start of her professional day in a modern New Delhi shopping mall. Her husband- Dev suffers from a severe bronchitis ailment that has made him home ridden and a non earning member of her small family. Syamali has a beautiful daughter named Jiya who is all of seven years old. Jiya is appealingly outspoken a young girl who seems bubbling with ideas to keep her father smiling, attaining adoration from her neighbors as well. Syamali's income is the only source to feed her small family and to take care of her husband. The mounting cost of Dev's cure has made Syamali a zombie of a worker whose only joy is to meet Jiya at the end of the day as she collects her from the day boarding school. Everyday might come as a burden to Syamali, but the antics of her little child makes her feel lighter and inspired to work. Almost every day Syamali dreams of a happier life with her family- that her husband has recuperated and her daughter has become a celebrity. In her dreams she sees Jiya dancing on a stage in front of a massive audience, with herself and Dev looking admiringly at their daughter- with money raining from the ceiling of the theater.

Dev's condition detiorates as winter approaches. The doctor advises for a costly treatment otherwise the situation will get worse as a cancer. Syamali tries to accumulate funds from her parents and relatives but is only able to secure a lakh of rupees where- the cost of treatment is higher by another lakh. All her savings do not combine to become a mere twenty thousand, when she has no option but to give out on rent a room of her small home for a prospective paying guest. She cleans the house and prepares one room as the place which she would offer to any person who would pay her a decent amount.

The expense of Dev's treatment competes with Jia's education in school. Increasingly the cost of Jia's school fees becomes unaffordable. Syamali misses a couple of deadlines for school fee payment and is warned by the principal that if she is not able to pay the fee further, Jiya will be taken off school rolls. Dev's date of operation approaches and he is hospitalized. All the funds available in Syamali's bank dry up. There is eventually no money with her to pay for Jia's school fee. After a month, Jia is taken off rolls from the school. Syamali is heart broken.

Syamali prints out advertisements declaring a room available for rent with food for a cost of rupees six thousand a month. She circulates copies of the advertisement amongst people she knows, pastes it on the colony and workplace notice boards and even puts it on internet. In response, several people come to see the place. The room she has to rent out used to be the bed-room of Jia, a well lit square that also has the only bathroom of the home. People in general do not like the prospects of sharing their bathroom with the home owners, hence at least many declines to reside there.

One of the people who come to look at the place is Guru Krishna, a thirty three year old dance teacher who wants to open a school. He observes the place to be of his liking. He agrees to pay the prescribed rent on condition that he will be allowed to train his pupils and dance activities. Syamali agrees.

Guru is a short tempered man. Many students come to him to learn dance, but his intolerance towards the lesser talented pupils forces most of them out. He is then faced with a circumstance to vacate the room as he has no money left since most of his students have left- at times he slapped or abused his students. Syamali, though involved in the troublesome circumstance of her ailing husband noted the frustration of Guru. She and Jia secretly watched him training the few students, or even at times as he danced alone in the small room. Jia then started copying his steps, which used to amuse Syamali.

Guru apologized to Syamali that he will not be in position to rent the room any further as the dance school was without funds. Syamali was disappointed, for one that her source of income was going, for other that she valued what Guru was giving to Jia- inspiration. Syamali agrees to reduce the rent to half, on condition that Guru will teach Jia dance.

Guru observes Jia's flexibility and enthusiasm as a dancer. He decided to not only teach her the arts but also the sciences. He taught her English, mathematics and history. Slowly Guru's temper began to simmer down. He became more tolerant. He and Jia became good friends. Jia started learning from him Sanskrit. Guru gave her lesson on the Gita. The uncanny ability of Jia to learn made Guru a better teacher. More students got admission to his small school and Guru was able to earn better than before.

Syamali lost her job with the departmental store as a theft of a few thousand rupees worth of goods got unnoticed from the counter she was handling. Dev returned back to home- feeble and weak. As Syamali took care of her husband, she would inevitably peek into Guru's room to see Jia and Guru dancing. Despite the financial turmoil she was facing, seeing both of them dancing together gave her a high.

As the situation of her home grew worse, she once went up to Guru and cried over his shoulder. Dev watches her from a distance and suspects her to have an affair with Guru. Guru pledges Syamali that he will do his utmost to help the family. Guru decides to enroll Jia for a dance competition whose prize was a role in a big budget film. He starts training Jia for the dance competition.

Everyday Guru would give a practice to Jia as Syamali would sit across the window to look at both of them. She gets attracted to Guru, but then looking at her husband relinquishes any thoughts. She also tries to procure jobs but fails. Meanwhile, Dev gets into depression thinking that his wife loves somebody else. One day he confronts Syamali telling her to ask Guru to move out of the house. Syamali resists giving all explanations about what contribution Guru is making to Jia's life. Dev is unable to understand, is frustrated with his own health and threatens either to kill himself or Guru if Guru continues to stay with them. At times, Dev tries to bring himself closer to his daughter Jia but eventually finds that he cannot giver Jia what Guru is able to give her. That is when evil starts stirring in his mind.

As the dates for the competition came near, which was a series of events where the participants had to prove their dancing talents not once but many times, Dev decides to kill himself. Burdened with pain, he confides to his brother- Adi, who tells to leave all matters to him. Adi decides to terminate Guru the day Jia looses the competition.

Jia enters the competition with charm. On the first performance, her dancing ability is judged superior to many participants and she is voted to come to the second round. Guru is optimistic. Syamali is joyous but Dev is burnt with jealousy. Since Jia qualifies for the second round, Guru and Jia are invited by the organizers to stay in a hotel to prepare for the further rounds. Syamali comes to meet Jia and is astounded by the attention Jia gets from the media and the fans. She prays for her good luck and confirms her faith in Guru.

Guru keeps the training process on for the subsequent events. He mentors Jia and makes her believe in her ability to win. Show after show, Jia enthralls the audiences and comes out victorious. After five rounds, Jia is among the top three contenders.

Adi’s plans to murder Guru are kept on hold as he watches Jia winning. He decides to kill Guru on the day of the finale. He goes to the hotel where Jia and Guru stayed and meets them both. He wishes them good luck and asks an appointment with Guru just before the event.

There would be three rounds in the final showdown where two girls and one boy competed for a place in the mega movie- for which Jia had been arduously preparing. While Guru waits behind the sets for the first round to start, Syamali overhears Dev talking to Adi on his cell phone. She realizes that Dev is filled with hatred for Guru and is planning something that should not happen. She immediately rushes to the studio/ venue where the performance is happening.

Jia wins the first round again, thereby confirming herself at least the second spot. Another victory would mean that she would win the competition. As Guru waits for the next round to start, Adi approaches from behind and gives a mighty blow to Guru’s head. With another blow again, he sees Syamali looking at him from across the curtain. He drops the hammer and runs out of the gallery. Syamali rushes to Guru and tries to control his blood flow. Jia alights from the stage and comes across the gallery. She sees Guru crying in pain and Syamali supporting him. Jia is extremely disturbed. She starts crying. An ambulance is then called and Guru is rushed to a hospital. Before Guru would loose consciousness, he tells Jia to promise him that she will win the competition. Jia promises.

Jia is alone behind the stage as she is called to perform for the second round. Having seen her Guru oozing in blood, she is terrified. She constantly remembers the orders of Guru to win the competition- come what may. She goes to the stage and breaks down crying. The eyes of the entire nation are on her, including Dev. The judges ask the small girl what has happened. Jia does not reply and starts dancing with an exceptional fury. She enthralls everybody and collapses on stage. She is taken out of the stage and put to rest on her bed.

The Judges votes Jia as a champion dancer. Jia recovers after fifteen minutes and runs out of the studio crying. Several media persons and fans follow her as she runs in the middle of the road. She is photographed and telecasted live on national media. When she is asked why she is crying? She responds by asking feverishly- where is my Guru? Where is my Guru?

She continues to run wildly as the crowds cheer her wherever she went.

The End

--
Address Poverty before Terrorism.

2008-09-19T21:07:00.002+05:30

मैं भागता गया एक चरम गति से पहाड़ के शिखर तक जबतक मेरी साँसों में से धुआं नहीं निकलने लगा। वहां पर मैंने देखा की सारी दुनिया में प्रेम पाने के लिए जानवर इच्छुक है पर प्रेम की लिए ख़ुद का समर्पण करने में बहुत लोग असमर्थ होते हैं। दिमाग कहता है दूसरे पर ऐतबार मत करो, दिल प्रेम करना चाहता है - दिमाग कहता है धोका मिलेगा। इस कशमकश में हम अपनों से भी दूर हो जाते हैं।

मुझे एक साँप दिखा जिससे मैंने पूछा तू किस्से प्रेम करता है? उसने बोला मैं विष से प्रेम करता हूँ। मैंने पूछा क्या विष तेरी जान नही ले लेगा? उसने कहा विष पी कर ही तो मेरे अकेलेपन की प्यास बुझती है। जब मैं अकेला परेशान हो जाता हूँ, जब मेरे से बात करने को कोई नहीं होता और हर तरफ़ सन्नाटा दीखता है, तो मैं थोड़ा सा अपना विष पी लेता हूँ जिससे मुझे सुरूर आ जाता है। फ़िर मैं अपनी कल्पनाओं में खो जाता हूँ जहा पर सिर्फ़ मेरा साम्राज्य होता है, जहाँ पर मुझे किसी का भय नहीं होता, जिस धरती पर सारे जीव एक रास लीला में आनंदित हो कर नाच रहे होते हैं, मैं वहीं कहीं किसी पेड के पीछे से उनको हर्ष में देख कर खुश होता हूँ।

मनुष्य अकेलेपन से घबराता है और प्रेम को तलाशता है पर सिर्फ़ कामना करने से उल्लास नही मिलता, उसके लिए यत्न करने होते हैं। पहला यत्न की आकान्शाओं की बलि देनी पड़ती है और प्रियतम को किसी निर्णय की दृष्टि से नही आँका जाना चाहिए। प्रेम करने के लिए ह्रदय को सौंदर्य के आकर्षण से भी पृथक करना पड़ सकता है, जो की बहुत लोगो के लिए मुश्किल होता है। सौंदर्य कभी कभी एक छलावा होता है जो अपने आगोश में ले कर यातना भी दे सकता है, इसलिए सिर्फ़ मन का विश्लेषण करे जब प्रेम करें।

Articles those featured me.

2008-09-12T18:05:00.000+05:30

Click on the images below for a blow up to read the texts.

The Why? of my Act.

2008-09-12T17:12:00.000+05:30

When I skate in Connought Place's Central park's amphitheatre, I feel as if I am flying- that the wheels below my feet by a jet of air and I could skillfully glide a that originated from my heart developing a dance that would enthrall a hundred people.

It is my joy to be alive; which I share with who come to see me dance every Sunday in Connought Place Ccentral Park. I hope they feel delighted, entertained and. I found a few good mates there- one a thirty year old profound man- Chander Bhushan Pandey, an extremely genuine who predicts that I should find glory at an appropiate time. While I look forward to his prediction coming true for me- I hope not to be alone in any glory I meet. I want him and you to be a part of the victory which comes as a gift to anyone who dares to live beyond survival- with passion and perserveance. I want to fly- indeed as I do while skating, or in my dreams with the world rotating below my feet and I am journeying from one universe to other to happiness.

People applaud as I move my body like a snake. Those accolade inspires me to put more energy into the act of entertaining thus spreading the word that I have arrived. I distribute pamphlets those contain words to illustrate why I dance in a burning sun and why should you watch? After an hour of the activity, people point their eyes on my body- s0me of them observing the minute movements that sometimes bring smiles to their faces. I enjoy making them smile, I enjoy the fact that I am learning to be a part of their hearts. I dance not for money but for a joy of being alive and helping people understand what is possible when a man discovers that life is neither too short not too boring.

When I find somebody who hears and looks at me with interest, I slip to him or her my message- Care and Love for all. I care for not only the Humanity but the entire universe whose components are the matter, the spirit and the vision of a better tommorrow. I love life and I want everybody to feel the same way. I want to share with everybody the moments when we rejoice togather as a community that wants to be inspired by a mutual energy. When I am dancing, I look at the birds in the sky and copy them on that small stage, I flutter my hands as the pigeons widen their wings- I glide through space as an eagle cuts the air and am free to decide what next would be a better posture for everyone to know that I am alive. Then my cell phone rings and my mother on the other side tells me to come back home soon. I let my energy charge and my feet pushing my stage in directions where observers chant their desire to see more. But I get tired after two hours of bending my knees in all postures and squeezing my body in and out to form shapes that would be of interest to those who are watching me.

I care for the underpriviliged. I want to build the poor children a School where they learn the means to become independent of lives their parents lived in the slums, so that they could leave a trouble of being born poor- behind and achieve happiness in a prosperity that comes from knowledge and hard work. I want them to work for the welfare of their families in way that does not make them believers in corrupation. I want their souls to be enlightened so they find every morning with the same zeal as myself. So that they are able to cancel a drought of empathy which should have come as they struggled in mirth of abandonment in the deepest gorges of stinking filth where the urban world deposits their waste. From their throats that do not utter kind words for the rich I want to hear a passionate national anthem.

I care for the rich because I know that everyone is a loner who must battle with emotions that come from ambitions unrealized or relations unfulfilled or regrets committed in an intoxication of either power or wealth. I want people to be united in an effort to achieve a state of global welfare where the rich and poor merge their hearts and embrace each other. I request you to come with me in this journey of finding the right solution for the hatred we see today that dominates the world, instead of peace and tranquility that should have been the essence of that welfare society which our fore fathers like the Christ and Buddha might have envisioned.

I invite you to come and see me perform, be a part of an event of brotherhood every Sunday at Connought Place central park, New Delhi, India. Contribute and become as free as the bird in the sky.

NRI

2008-08-22T20:41:00.000+05:30

Title of Film: NRI

Gist of Film: Gaurav's journey from a wealthy young man living in US, to a middle class person living in India- to the Chairman of one of the world's largest Construction firm- Arkians.Com, parallel to his tumultuous love life.

Episode 1:

Gaurav Guglani is a rich young man working for his father's firm in the USA. His parents want him to marry Lamba Tank's daughter- a Gujrati girl- Arti Tank, who lives in India with her mother- Khushboo, away from her father Lamba Tank who has been a partner with Gaurav's father- Vijay into making Arkians one of the largest construction firms in the world. It is Vijay's decision to marry Gaurav to the daughter of Lamba Tank- a Gujrati the two business associates who had known and gave profit mutually by virtue with their teamwork and commitment towards their company Arkians which had operations in India and the USA. Vijay Guglani handled the US market and Lamba Tank handled the Indian real estate market.

They had found this match the day Gaurav was born, six months younger to Arti- as was set in stone- that the marriage between the two of them would have to be certain even if they have to go against the wishes of their children- Gaurav and Arti.

Arti was the daughter of Lamba. She is not all that good looking- not tall and not fair in complexion, but she brings joy to the face of anybody who sees her. Her voice is deep as if coming from the stomach. She burps as if she is going to bring out a pearl- a bit amusing- her actions looked stupid to an unintelligent eye but her wisdom was kind to her detractors too. Her fluency in French was nice. She encourage people to sing and would easily take the center stage in most discussions. She is a hard-working girl who aspires to become an aeronautical engineer. Currently she is doing her masters in Economics.

When they were young, Gaurav and Arti used to fight over the minimum arguments. Both were intolerant towards each other and usually not want to see or meet each other for long periods of time, but there was indeed a secret attraction between both of them which neither of them acknowledged. To them the destiny was to fight with- that they didn't want to marry each other, as they were two opposite ends of a rope which didn't want to tied. They had known about their father's intentions and were often discussing ways to avoid their marriage- which was a topic of their discussion many times they met.

Gaurav visited India to comply with a strange contract between himself and his father's company. The contract that in order for Gaurav to stay in the board of directors, he would need to marry at the age of thirty and not later than that, would have to marry only Arti and would need to spend at least thirteen years in India with her. On fulfillment of these conditions, he would be reinstated as the Chairman of the board not before forty-eight years of his age in life.

In India, Gaurav invites the Tank family for a game of tennis. Over the game, Gaurav disliked Arti more than he ever did. She was rude and spoke hard truth. She said face on that she didn’t like him because he had many affairs those he did not want to relinquish. She insulted Gaurav when she asked him how much he would earn in India and if is it the best place to grow? But since Gaurav was adamant at being part of the company owned by his father and father in law, he did not want to leave it. He was not ready to start his own enterprise and achieve any success which he was not very hopeful towards. His only ambition was to gain control of the company whose management he had taken lessons from his father. He was not yet ready to face the truth that he would have to live in India for thirteen years as part of the contract between the company and himself, however he would be required to go abroad as many number of times as he was deemed fit for business purpose, if he had the keep that job- as a manager would draw a salary. He would need to purchase his own car and pay for the grocery, live in a rented accommodation unless he gets the capability to own one for himself.

On a meeting between him and Arti that took place in a restaurant, Gaurav was avoiding eye contact with Arti- as if he was guilty. He would attempt to smile at her but could not bring out any joy. He would try to catch her attention, but when she would look- he would the other way. Arti analyzed that he must be hiding. She asked him what the matter was. His reply was cold-

“I am not pure enough for you Arti. I have relationships with women those I may not want to loose in this life-time and I want a life free of technical relations those complicate my personal freedom. “

Arti liked Gaurav’s will to be able to do things people would see impossible as- like getting Bill Gates to invest in his father’s company.

Lamba thought- “what would happen if Gaurav dropped the deal and set out to work in some other firm or attempt his own business? My dreams of marrying the Guglani’s with Tanks would never see the light because essentially Gaurav and Arti do not like each other”

Lamba's son- Dushyant liked Gaurav’s manners. He became his fan on the third meeting when he saw him play the flute. The music was as if coming from the mountains- dancing in valleys below. He had found Gaurav with a pleasing personality whom when everybody would look it would seem a bit funny, not imposing but possibly tickling- whose acts were not stupid but calmly polite.

Two weeks later than when the Guglani family came to India, Arti goes to a mall to fetch a gift for Gaurav's birthday. On the way back she meets with an accident as a speeding car bangs her. She looses consciousness and the gift she bought is seen lying on the road. She is brought to the hospital by passerbys.

Arti is given blood as she had lost much due to the accident. The person who gives her blood is her old friend- Tanuj. Gaurav enters the room of the hospital and stops as he sees Tanuj lying on a bed next to Arti's. By then Arti has come to consciousness.

"I bought a gift for you Gaurav" she reached out to the table that has a box kept. She hands over the box to Gaurav. Gaurav opens the box and sees a watch.

"I dont wear watches" Gaurav said, sliding the watch to his pocket.

"Not even for me?" Arti asked.

Gaurav gets up and goes out of the room. Arti's eyes follows him as he leaves. She begins to cry. Her mother consoles her and the family comes near her.

"He does not like me mother. I dont want to marry him-- I dont want to marry him" she said.

Gaurav comes out of the hospital and walks around shops in the street. He brings out the watch from his pocket and thinks about his girl friend- Anna John Mary with whom he had been going around for a few years. It was her whom he wanted to marry, not Arti.

Gaurav brings out his phone and calls Anna. He tells her how the contract is bothering him and he is feeling stupid to abide by the contract. He tells her that he might even decide to leave his father's company if he is not able to handle the pressure to marry Arti. He tells Anna that he loves her more than anything else in the world.

A week later, Gaurav sees Tanuj and Arti togather in a park. Tanuj pushed the wheelchair on which Arti sat. She seemed happy to be in his company. Both of them smiled and exchanged pleasantries. Gaurav was immediately jealous. He had expected Arti to be for himself all the while and despite the fact that he did not want her as a wife, he could not bear the sight of her being with any other man.

He goes up to both of them from behind and keeps his hands on Tanuj's shoulders. Tanuj is surprized. Arti is perturbed to see Gaurav. Gaurav invites Tanuj to a game of Chess and challanges Tanuj to beat him. The bet is decided. Whoever wins the game gets Arti.

Gaurav looses the game of chess. It is not known if he deliberately lost or by his luck, but Tanuj comes upto him and clearly asks him to walk out of Arti's life. Gaurav gets frustrated. On one hand is his contract with the company and on the other hand is his ego- to loose a girl whom he had possessed all life. Despite the fact that he did not want to marry Arti, he could not imagine Arti with somebody else. He had grown possessive about her through all the years they spent time together.

Gaurav goes to Arti and asks her to marry Tanuj. He tells her that he will leave the company and start out his own business. Arti replies by telling him that she loved him and cannot imagine a future with anybody else. Gaurav tells her that he did not love her and the girl whom he loved was in the US. Arti is heart broken. She informs Lamba that the marriage will not work out.

Gaurav goes back to the US and quits his father's company- Arkians, but is not able to forget Arti. He also refuses to marry Ann Mary.

Arti is diagnosed with AIDS, resulting which, Tanuj refuses to marry Arti. When Gaurav hears about this news, he comes back to India. He tells Arti that he wants to marry her. Arti refuses, but he compels her. He forces her to marry him. The two families marry Gaurav and Arti in a private ceremony, without any extravagance- but there is a atmosphere of gloom,

Gaurav insists everybody to cheer up. He wants to fill happiness in whatever life Arti is left with. Doctors confirm that Arti may not live longer than ten years. Arti comments, after her marriage- that this could be a gift to Gaurav, as he may not endure her more than ten years and after which he can regain his seat in the board of directors of their fathers company and possibly marry any other girl he wants. Gaurav feels embarrassed by Arti's offer. He asks her to only think about the both of them.

Gaurav rejoins his father's company, but is not looking at his career. Suddenly he feels a love towards Arti, not possessiveness but a desire to provide and take care of Arti. He takes her to various pilgrimages/ temples those she had desired to visit, he tries to keep her happy by cooking meals for her and calling her after every short while from his office. Arti's condition is deteriorating. She is slowly loosing health. Gaurav is pained to see her suffer.

Seven years after their marriage, Arti is reduced to complete hospital care and bed ridden. She asks Gaurav for a favour. She asks him to call Ann Mary to India. Gaurav calls Ann and asks her to come to India immediately. Ann comes and meets Arti and the family. Arti requests Ann to marry Gaurav in front of her own eyes, while she is alive. She says that she wants to see Gaurav happy. She asks Gaurav to produce a child with Ann. Hesitantly Gaurav concedes to Arti's demands. He makes love to Ann, as Arti grieves in pain of her disease.

Ann gives birth to Gaurav's child. Arti, at that time very feeble and weak, adopts the child- a boy as her own. She names him Shalabh. An year later- she dies.

Gaurav is reinstated to the position of a Director in the managing board of his father's company- but he decides to spend the rest of his life in India. Mary Ann gives up her job in US and lives with him for the rest of their lives- in India.

Transition

2007-11-14T10:17:00.000+05:30

In order to save themselves from the impending collision of earth with matter from the other universe, Joshua created a ship that maneavoured a billion people out of destruction. This story is of journey of a billion conciousness that avoids getting burnt in the next big bang that will end this universe.

The occupants of the TatRath space vehicle had to take a vow. They would not mate or reproduce without permission of Joshua, who was the sole alpha male of the ship and who alone had the right to create offspring. Ship was shape of an a thousand feet long and four hundred feet thick egg inside it were arrays of power and control equipment. Nintety percent of the 20,000 ton weight of the ship was Thorium whose fusion created a magnetic field in which density of matter grows rapidly to further fusion. This mechanism was conceived to gain a possibly perpetual fuel throughout the journey. The ideas was to use any matter available in path of the TatRath as fuel. Mechanical arms would capture flying rocks and feed into the fusion stomach that disintegrates the rocky matter to energy. The consumption of Thorium was estimated to last for a Billion years as jets will be used only to change direction, to accelerate or to decellerate the velocity of the Rath.

In centre of the egg was the 100 feet cuboidal machine gallery and cockpit. The machine gallery is an organized array of devices conneted to the central Atma9 computer that simulated the perceived world for the billion conciousness stored in the Read Only Memory. Initially Joshua promised a disease free life for the passengers and they would live until they choose. But later it was found that Joshua deliberately culled existence of a few by switching oddful circumstances of accidents.

Since the general people did not have right to reproduce, each passenger typically wanted to live long. Applicants were required to provide the age one would want to live upto if time slowed elongating the experience and the body does not get fatigued. One gentleman born on the eighteenth of september ninteen seventy eight was willing to retire at 3852 AD! He was however concerned on the exact methods of departure from conciousness. He was invited then to a lab where- for a temporary time, his soul was transported from his body onto a robot with just two legs and one eye. Having experienced what is it like in a body less athletic than a human, the old desired he die a natural death but was yet afraid of pain. Then it was arranged that to his final day he would not suffer from pain but a metabolism that does not grow better. It would indeed mean that the old man would not be able to add strength but should be able to retain much of it by exercise.

Nandita, Suhasini's cousin had enrolled for the program thinking this would make her an astronout. Joshua explained her that the program will not let her differentiate her current and later existence. She was lonely after her husband drew likes of another female. She had attended seminars those explained how conciousness can be transported from a body to other, however memory of such transportations is usually regulated to avoid confrontation towards an individuals present- from the past experiences.

The tender

A tender is out to reserve spaces in this ship on AD 2009 fifteenth october. Suhasini, Joshuas maid had been serving answers from his phone since a week now. She became determined to become Joshua's wife after the Declaration of Home Soil which lead India to sponsor the space program. According to the memorandum, human life was Insured towards calamitic loss wherein passengers would relinquish their real world assetts to Joshua as trading to a lifestyle in the virtual world- inside Atma9- the computer.

Welcome

2007-10-29T15:18:00.000+05:30

Welcome to the blog of Sapera.