What is being Urban???????

we are URBAN............

:)

are we URBAN??????

:|

REVIEW-Invisible Cities

Invisible cities by Italo Calvino

Invisible cities is a written record of the cities which Marco Polo visited during his tours put across in the form of a narration to Kublai Khan, the emperor of those cities. He brings to the king, his precious observations of the cities, through which the king intends to make those places, better to live in. This book is a compilation of those records in the form of small chapters which very beautifully explain the architectural beauty of the cities, along with the life of the commoners, their behaviours and attire. Apart from these qualities the writer has been able to put in the element of keeping you glued to the book by inducing interestand elements which will get your minds running in full pace, deciphering the varied meanings and interpretations to the text.

Towards the end of the book there is infact some hint which might also mean that all these tales are mere imaginations of Marco Polo; which is hard to believe looking at the tales and how when you imagine it all in mind, they seem extremely real and functional. Something that’s worth noticing is that how by using some perfect words an entire city can be put down on paper without using any plans or schematic diagrams to put through the idea. How the writer has been able to use the beauty of words and inscribe in our minds truly the ‘Invisible Cities’.

The writer has also effeciently put across a message; thoughts have no restriction of language. Firstly the fact, that Marco Polo without knowing the local language at the time of his arrival, could still get across his ideas by the souveniers he collected and actions. And secondly, through the power of his words, the writer has created some classic and incomparable cities, which may or may not exist but seem extremely real. The impact of the well chosen words, and the beauty they are dealt with leave you mesmerised and gaping. There are around 50 different discriptions and all of them are connected to each other so that you don’t loose continuity and interest while at the same time the cities can be distinguished differently. Infact, as we proceed with the book, we build an image in our minds for every city and move forward comparing and questioning ourselves. So unlike other fictions, its more involving and not a dumb reading, a must in your architectural collection.

Thank you

we ARE civilized....

FOR ME ANYTHING ORDERLY IS CIVILIZED.....

Entrance to essel world, Mumbai, trying to put through to you order in various forms

(one of my favourite pics, thanks to the overcast sky in Mumbai)











View of the road showing people following traffic signals.
(clicked outside my house)

My memory of a place i visited in my childhood

Rishikesh, India, a place i visited when i was about 11 years old, but the experience was over whelming and unforgetable for me..... here's an account..



We were on our way back home from the Himalayas. We were visiting places of worship called Kedarnath and Badrinath in the state of Uttarakhand in India. By the time we came down the foothills of Himalayas we realized it would not be safe driving back home in the night and decided to spend the night in Rishikesh, also to stay near the river line and enjoy the scenic beauty. Luckily my grand father had known an ashram’s Guru from some of his earlier visits and we could find an easy accommodation there. I can’t memorize the names but I can never forget the place. It left such an impact on me; I mean the ambience was completely over whelming. The sound of ripples made by Ganga River flowing right next to the ashram and the sweet odour prevailing in the air was refreshing. We were allotted as to what were the VIP accomodations and I must say the rooms were extremely luxurious. We had all the services handy which made the stay more enjoyable as compared to our stay up in the Himalayas which was more of a challenge in the chilly cold. I remember going on a calm and silent walk along the periphery of the ashram which ran parallel to River Ganga and there was a cliff right in front. So you could get this extreme contrast between a still cliff and an ever moving Ganga right in front of you which just added to the experience. Also you could help yourself up to the mango tree if you wanted. I mean for whatever time I spent there, it just evoked a sense of freedom in me. The following day we decided to spend in the ashram, because we were just mesmerized by the place. I spent the entire day at the river bank playing with water, and observing the ripples. Water has this strange ability to completely entangle my thoughts and hypnotize me. And sitting there I could feel the passion taking over me. I could notice the ripples in water, its movement, its flow, I mean everything. It was like that perfect day in life where I had the option to go my way and do whatever i wanted with all the freedom and I chose, to sit and gaze the view in front of my eyes, so beautiful in my opinion such that the adventure could not come to an end for me. i found the peace in myself sitting right there, just feeling the place. Then came in my family and cousins and splash!!!!! Next I find myself in water and posing stupid. But that was another experience.

I can go on and on about this. Even after years I can imagine the exact scene in my eyes and I hope to cherish this memory forever.

Thank you!!!

Suggestions for improvement are welcome

Keep smiling!!!
swati

up and down in the dales by gervase phinn

Up and down in the dales
By Gervase Phinn


- A review of the story and the place where the story has been set.


“There is always something or somebody who manages to spoil one’s equilibrium when things seem to be going really well. You are cycling along a country lane without a care in the world. The birds are singing, the sun is shining, the wind blowing through your hair, when suddenly somebody pushes a thundering great stick through your spokes and you’re over the handlebars.” -GERVASE PHINN

The above words are the origin to the story of Mr. Gervase Phinn who works as a school inspector in Yorkshire and leads a satisfactory life in the beautiful place with a job, home, friends and a small growing family (since his wife is pregnant and he is all excited about it).Though the story is all about how Mr. Phinn travels to different schools regarding inspection and meet new children and his set of unpleasant experiences from time to time which tend disturb his equilibrium. But at every level you find a constant reference to the beauty of the place and quick comments on the architecture of the place.

Talking about some details of the experience of the place as the story proceeds, Mr. Phinn, a good humoured person who has to visit various schools everyday and on every visit he just can’t forget to notice how he loves the place as it is. Everything according to him about the scenery is perfect, the moors, the peak, the seasons, the twisting roads. As quoted by the narrator, “It was a particularly cold morning in Yorkshire ‘a cheeky wind’ as I drove along the twisting roads from Hawksrill to Fettlesham. The views in the Dales are stunning and never cease to fill me with awe. I love traveling in this vast country with its soft green valley, soaring fells, dark pine forests, and empty moors flooded with bright purple heather in autumn. Every journey is different and every scene has a unique beauty. What a place to work”. The words used by the narrator are extremely engulfing and you feel as if you are standing right there n front of a bright green ocean extending upwards. And above is the pale blue sky extremely clear and beautiful, something that would leave you gaping. Gives you the most heavenly image of the place in your mind and you can’t stop thinking of going to one such place. Also there is reference to how the trees would go golden when autumn arrives, as to how the scene changes from green to yellow. And a constant reference to the sheep in dales since the community is majorly agrarian and when you see sheep flocking from quite a height it seems like rice has been spread on the perfect green.


Thank you and do come up with comments for improvemt

keep smling!!!

swati