Nil battey sannata

Curious title. It is an idiom in Hindi meaning that nothing works out for some people.
That is what Chanda Sahay fears will happen to her daughter who has no aspirations. Chanda is full of them. The two make up their family. They are poor but Chanda's hard work ensures that the daughter is well cared for, not short on necessities.
At the behest of Chanda's employer, she joins school - the same class as her daughter's and starts picking up. The daughter starts competing and does better only to have her mother out of the school. And she promptly gives up studying.
In the end, the daughter now chastened and motivated passes civil services exam with maths as her main subject.
A simple, motivational piece. Straight forward narrative. Small town reality near Agra shown with feeling. Competent acting.
Simple end. It was not necessary to show that civil services examination bit. Viewers can easily join the dots and there are so many careers open today! They are not as difficult as IAS but are equally fulfilling albeit after some adjustment.
Good for young folks.
Ok while it lasted and I promptly forgot it the moment I stepped out of the theatre.

Stopping by woods on a snowy evening - Robert Frost

Whose woods are these
I think I know
His  farm house is in the village though
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farm house near
Between the woods and the frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is a mistake
The only other sound is the sweep
Of easy snow and downy flake

The woods are lovely, dark and  deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep

Every educated Indian knows the last stanza of the poem because it was Nehru's favourite.
How did the poem get written?
Frost wanted to buy some Christmas gift for his children. Magazines that published his poems, did not pay in time. So he decided to sell some stored food grains to buy the gifts. Even that proved impossible. On his way back home at night, he lost his way with his horse. He despaired but got a hold over himself for the sake of his children and reached home late at night. Children were asleep. Frost crafted some wooden toys for them and Christmas dawned.
Frost left for England soon afterwards. This Christmas eve was etched on his mind and thus the famous poem came about.
We think it is about the valour of a soldier.
I read about the background in 'Zapurza' (Marathi) by Achyut Godbole and Neelambari Joshi

Graduation ceremony in college

Call it decentralization by force. The university of Pune cannot cope with the vast number of students earning degrees year after year. It has restricted its geographical spread of affiliation to only 3 districts. By one swift fiat it has handed over first year examinations to colleges and now this is the latest. After persistent criticism about traffic jams caused on the convocation day, the university has decreed that colleges would conduct a graduation ceremony so that the university can confine itself to post graduate and other degrees.

The year 2015-16 was supposed to be a grace year in which colleges could take over graduation if they wanted to. However, last week the university came out with an order and asked colleges to conduct graduation ceremonies before April 2016 end.

Examinations are going on or some are over; students have stopped coming to colleges; public holidays have come; non-teaching staff is not available - a number of points were raised but the university turned a deaf ear to them all. It provided degree certificates, convocation gowns to the colleges and asked them to proceed. The college copied the university convocation pattern and held its first graduation ceremony on 11th April.

The time was changed twice and venue once. The staff members and the few parents who turned up stared at one another with embarrassment. At the main function, all the dignitaries waited before the photo of goddess Saraswati to light the traditional lamp. The match box was missing.As the rank-holders' went up on the dais to receive their degrees, a girl fell down - from the stage into the prompter's cubicle and hurt herself.

And yet, the function was a glorious success. Afraid of the anonymity of the university, the students turned up in force to visit their Alma mater. They took the lapses in their stride because they are familiar with them. All were happy to visit the college after a lapse of a year. They envied the rank-holders who got to don black silk gowns and rectangular caps. The students and the council members in identical but maroon gowns and caps looked smart. Their procession was solemn. The proceedings were in chaste Marathi but were heard with respect. The chief guest's address was short and pertinent. The university anthem and national anthem were played and sung with affection. It was heart-warming to see this triumph of academics.

The graduation function is a nice addition to the college calendar. It also makes the end result more visible to students and so its importance goes up.

Today is my day

Heard of a Marathi movie of this title? (Well, it becomes 'aajacha divas maza' in Marathi)
I had not until recently. On 27 March 2016 it was telecast on one of the Marathi channels. My idle surfing in the evening revealed it and I could connect with another quick view in the past. So I paid more attention. And I was in for a pleasant surprise.
A good movie which holds full attention of the viewer. Later you realise it has not enriched you but it is good while it lasts.
The plot: the chief minister of Maharashtra is back from Delhi where he has managed to keep his detractors at bay and has won a second tenure. This in spite of the governor playing tricks. He attends a wedding in the evening where he ticks off the governor and also unwittingly insults a blind singer. His conscience keeps pricking him and he decides to atone himself by giving the singer what he had requested - a flat in Mumbai before the new day dawns.
The commissioner raises every objection but the CM overrides him and the house key is handed over in the early morning.
From 'Simhasan' onwards, showing political life on screen has become very easy for our film industry. Sachin Khedekar as CM was very natural - better than late Vilasrao Deshmukh who liked acting like a hero! Hrishikesh Joshi as CM's PA was excellent. Mahesh Manjrekar as commissioner - impressive and a lot of artists who have now become well known on the small screen. Satam, the steno who pretends he is hospitalized but is forced to come to office at midnight - the actor raised a few good laughs.
Some serious statements about the working of bureaucracy were made and the movie was over.