1. TUESDAYJUNE16,2015
www.sakaaltimes.com
HANGOUT
E
ver since we were school kids, we
have been learning the concept of
creating “best out of waste” but how
many of us actually think about
recycling junk? Very Few. Twen-
ty-year-old Nishigandha Khaladkar and
Shruti Jategaonkar are among those few
who have been recycling waste. For the
two youngsters, what initially started as
a fun activity has now culminated into a
full-time venture in the form of Hridaa.
“Since my mother owns a boutique, I
have seen a lot of textile waste every day.
One day, I came up with the idea of cov-
ering my notebooks with the fabric frag-
ments. The end result was beautiful and
loved by all,” says Nishigandha.
Ever since, both the girls have been
using their creativity to make a wonder-
ful range of handmade products such as
files, folders, diaries, notebooks, lamps,
jewellery and showpieces. They have
been displaying their products at various
exhibitions and stalls.
Says Shruti, “The response to all our
handicrafts has been very encourag-
ing. This prompted us to launch our own
brand and sell the products commercial-
ly. The material cost is relatively low
because we mostly use waste material
but the actual process of making the
craft is very tedious and time con-
suming. We decide the prices of our
products based on market research
and how much effort goes into mak-
ing that particular product. Our net
profit is gradually increasing.”
The enterprising duo is very
talented, but the youngsters feel
that there are several other tal-
ented youngsters who just need
the right platform to showcase
their creativity. “Crafts can
be created from virtually any-
thing, you just need to have an
eye for it,” says Nishigandha
adding, “There are many inno-
vative and talented youngsters
around us who undertake
such activities but very few
actually create a business out
of it. Hridaa is a platform for
all such youngsters to come to-
gether and display their talent.”
The duo’s initiative now has
many supporters and volunteers.
Meghana Agashe
Third Year, BSc (Microbiology),
Abasaheb Garware College
Atharva Deshmukh
Class XII, Arts, Army
Public School
S
he held a transparent bottle of water in
front of my eyes and asked me to look
through. “That’s your life,” she said, “crys-
tal clear.” Then she added a pinch of sand
into the water. I could not see through clear-
ly. “Those sand particles are like your views and
thoughts. They make it difficult for you to clearly
envision your purpose,” she continued.
A few moments later, she held the bottle still,
allowing the dirt to settle down. “That’s medita-
tion. It makes sure your thoughts don’t interfere
with the clarity of vision,” she went on.
Nikhita Patel, 26, is here to change the way we
perceive our existence. A chat with her was both
interesting and inspiring. Excerpts...
Tell us about your purpose in life...
It all became clear to me when I first attended a
workshop by Dr Rangana Chaudhari on cellular
healing. Life changed after that! The way I per-
ceived life transformed forever. So, I made it my
mission to make this country see what I had seen.
I wanted people to know what had caused a girl
with a Master’s degree in Biotechnology to de-
vote her life to a higher cause of mental peace
and spiritual balance.
Is that how ‘Leaf’, your organisation came
about?
Yes! Leaf, my organisation is a platform to con-
nect the healers with those who wish to be
healed. I’ve spent a lot of time studying the intri-
cacies of Buddhism, Reiki, Numerology and oth-
er streams of knowledge that help you see reality
as it exists and today, I, as a certified alternative
therapist, am taking ‘Leaf’ to be my mission.
What are the activities undertaken?
We have workshops on various processes like
angel healing, mandala weaving, dream catch-
er weaving and several others. Basically, we get
the healers to help those who wish to transform.
There is just one basic principle: when one per-
son speaks, two people learn. So, as of now, I am
collaborating with as many people as I possibly
can. We have an upcoming workshop on chakra
weaving and introduction into past life regres-
sion on June 20.
How does one join Leaf?
You can visit our Facebook page to learn more
about us and if you wish to join us, give me a call.
I shall first add you to our circles where you can
learn about our workshops and possibly attend
a few!
What’s your final goal?
I want to open up my own holistic wellness centre
where people can become a part of this vibrant
community that accepts them without judging
and ultimately provides them the space to grow
spiritually.
ST READER SERVICE
You can visit www.facebook.com/
leafynature or contact
Nikhita at 9822590477 to know
more about Leaf.
Artfromfrom wastewaste
A TOUCH OF UNIQUENESS
Nishigandha and Shruti share a
few tips for easy DIYs handicraft prod-
ucts:
Paperweights
This requires medium-sized stones
and acrylic colours. Select a suitable
stone and paint it with the colour of
your choice. Decorate with beads, kun-
dans or any other decorative materi-
al available at home. And your paper-
weight is done!
Pen stands
This simple craft requires only
plastic or Styrofoam glasses. Paint and
decorate the glass with colours.
Place your stationery in it.
Rest assured you’ll love
the look!
ST READER
SERVICE
Hridaa will be organising an
exhibition at the Kalachaya
auditorium, opposite
Vikhepatil School, on July 11
and 12 from 10 am to 1 pm
and 4 to 8 pm (both days).
Nishigandha and Shruti are
also looking for young artists
to help them. Interested
people can contact them
through their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/
Hridaahandicrafts
aries, notebooks, lamps,
showpieces. They have
their products at various
stalls.
“The response to all our
been very encourag-
pted us to launch our own
he products commercial-
cost is relatively low
tly use waste material
rocess of making the
dious and time con-
ide the prices of our
on market research
effort goes into mak-
lar product. Our net
lly increasing.”
sing duo is very
e youngsters feel
everal other tal-
rs who just need
rm to showcase
“Crafts can
virtually any-
need to have an
Nishigandha
are many inno-
ted youngsters
undertake
but very few
a business out
a platform for
sters to come to-
ay their talent.”
itiative now has
ers and volunteers.
This simple craft requires only
plastic or Styrofoam glasses. Paint and
decorate the glass with colours.
Place your stationery in it.
Rest assured you’ll love
the look!
to help them. Interested
people can contact them
through their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/
Hridaahandicrafts
Sharva Godse,
Student, Institute of
Company Secretaries India
W
hen it comes to auto-
motive history in In-
dia, Pune boasts of a
long one. Till about the
late ’60s or early ’70s,
the Lohegaon airstrip in Pune
was one of the premier motorcycle
and car racing tracks in the coun-
try. The city has never been short
of motoring enthusiasts. There are
so many stories untold and unheard
of. Here, we introduce you to Anurag
Ramgopal and Ashish Pillai, the cre-
ative duo at Cycling Octopus, a Pune-
based media house, who started Fric-
tion, an eight-part web series that doc-
uments the stories of India’s adventur-
ers, collectors and builders of all things
that move on the road. Excerpts:
What is the concept behind Friction
and how was it born?
Ashish Pillai: Through a web-based
series, we wanted to feature people who
have followed their passion for years and
have contributed religiously to Pune’s au-
tomotive culture and lifestyle. The idea was
born about a year and a half back, when we
met a few automobile enthusiasts and real-
ised how much there is to see in terms of
the road cul-
ture in and around Pune itself. The concept
was to tell the stories of those who decided
to go against all odds and do what they were
most passionate about.
Tell us a little more about the episodes
released and yet to be released.
Ashish Pillai: We have covered a story of
a five-year-old boy who races in motocross, to
someone who has been working on cars and
bikes his entire life. In the next few weeks, we
will be releasing episodes of a father-son duo
who restore classic bikes and love riding to-
gether and also a story of a few engineering
students who took part in the Isle of Man TT
race with a bike made for their college proj-
ect and also emerged as winner.
What was the response of the interview-
ees?
Anurag Ramgopal & Ashish Pillai:
Their reactions have been heartwarming
and they are really glad to have their sto-
ries out there. They will help motivate
others to consider these fields while pro-
viding a valuable insight into the history
of what Pune’s road culture was like.
Is this your first web-series? If yes,
what is the experience like?
Anurag Ramgopal: Yes, this is our
first web-series. The experience has
been great. The friends of interview-
ees can relate to the stories and we
think we are achieving our goal of es-
tablishing a connection between the
viewer and the interviewee.
(Frictionisaneight-partwebseriesof
whichsixepisodesareoutalreadyonYou-
TubewithanewreleaseeverySunday
evening.Thevideoshavehadmorethan
6,550views.)
Awebseriesformotoringenthusiasts
T
he Supreme Court might have upheld the
controversial Section 377 of the Indian Pe-
nal Code, but that does not mean that Les-
bian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) ac-
tivism has lost steam. The best example of
this being the recent advertisement of My-
ntra.com endorsing products by an ethnic wear
brand. The plot revolves around a lesbian couple
and begins with one of them getting ready to in-
troduce her girlfriend to her parents. The short
story beautifully captures the nervousness, excite-
ment and anxiousness of a girl who is about to in-
troduce her partner to her parents. The lightness
and casualness of the conversation as also the in-
tonation give out a message of equality.
But the ad doesn’t stop there, it takes us to see
one of the girls who is doubtful about ‘the visit’.
Finally, her partner comes to the real message
— that love has no gender, and more so, as the ad
rightly says, “And I don’t wanna hide it anymore.”
With the ad garnering more than 27 lakh hits
since it was released on You Tube on May 28, we
ask people around about the ad film, the status of
homosexuals in our society and if we are ready for
such an ad flashing across our televisions.
“It is one of the stron-
gestandmostpowerful
ads. People must know
more about the social
problems that prevail in
our society rather than
gawking at celebrities.”
AISHWARYA
DHARNI,
media student
“It’s 2015 , people’s minds
have evolved now. We have
such a diverse and demo-
cratic audience, I am sure
this ad appeals to many.”
SALIL KANWAR
media student
“They should have done
this long back and covered
more issues. It’s much bet-
ter than watching celebrities
pretending to like a prod-
uct which they never actu-
ally use”
DEEPSHE DEWETT,
engineering student
“My grandparents’ generation was
obviously notconditioned to accept
homosexuality. My parents’ gener-
ation is a ‘maybe’. And we, having
seen ads like these and accepting
homosexuality, will be conditioned
to take it.”
FARAZDAK,
freelance photographer
and media student
“Seeing such positive support from
their brethren across the globe,
the LGBT community should be
inspired to come out of the closet
even more.”
SHAURYA ASHISH,
engineering student
“Maybe after ads and films like these,
way way way into the future, we’ll be
getting invites to homosexual arranged
marriages.”
TENZIN DONSE,
media student
Genderbender
Aditya Lenka,
MA Journalism and Mass
Communication, Indira
School of Communication
Ashish Pillai
Anurag Ramgopal
Nikhita Patel (in white, second row) with the youngsters
who attended her workshop on dream-catcher weaving
GIRL POWER:
Shruti Jategaonkar and
Nishigandha Khaladkar
with notebooks and files
made by them
A still from the video
— ‘The Visit’