tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69353483032897762392024-03-13T23:34:56.355-07:00The Tenth Rasa - A Blog of Indian Nonsense<center>A blog devoted to <big>nonsense literature in India</big></center>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-37541745148244409132017-05-21T07:14:00.000-07:002017-05-23T01:15:33.355-07:00New nonsense website launches--Gromboolia!This new site, Gromboolia, is not focused on Indian nonsense--but it aims (rather loftily) to be a total nonsense resource. Check it out, at <a href="http://www.literarynonsense.com/">http://www.literarynonsense.com</a><br />
<br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #1b0431; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", sans-serif; font-size: 18.2px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://jabberwokabout.blogspot.com/2017/05/new-website-gromboolia-is-your-one-stop.html" style="color: #1b0431;">Gromboolia is your one-stop nonsense-shopping megamall!</a></h3>
<div class="post-header" style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="post-header-line-1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4138129252732296213" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
After many years, I've finally got the website up and running... and the Internets said It Was Good.<br />
Or at least I haven't been sued yet. And now, for the creative url!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nonsenseliterature.com/" style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nonsenseliterature.com</span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eJAGzekv7uI/WSGdSs01XFI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/SuQwixZK3jQmlY395v4ZguC9KxEFGDncQCK4B/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-21%2Bat%2B4.58.48%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: purple; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eJAGzekv7uI/WSGdSs01XFI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/SuQwixZK3jQmlY395v4ZguC9KxEFGDncQCK4B/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-05-21%2Bat%2B4.58.48%2BPM.png" style="border: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
My goal is to make a general nonsense resource for those who want to experience more nonsense art, and for those who are doing research into it. There are links to <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/read-see-hear/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">nonsense texts, music, video, and music</a>. There are pages with <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/nonsense-resources/bibliographies/bibliography-all-primary-and-secondary-sources/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">primary</a> and <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/nonsense-resources/bibliographies/bibliography-secondary-sources/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">secondary</a> bibliographies for the conkimplation and ejurification of nonsense of many varieties. Even a section that dares post various <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/nonsense-resources/definitions-of-nonsense-literature/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">definitions</a> of nonsense literature.<br />
<br />
From now on, the <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/blog/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">Jabberwokabout blog</a> will continue over <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/blog/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">there</a>. There is also a section of the website devoted to me (ever so humbly!), called "<a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/michael-heymans-isle-of-boshen/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">Michael Heyman's Isle of Boshen</a>."<br />
<br />
This is just the beginning for the site... I'm hoping to make it a prime resource for all your modern nonsense living! Go there now, and buy, buy, buy! <a href="http://www.nonsenseliterature.com/">www.nonsenseliterature.com</a>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-41438805235996864772017-03-15T20:59:00.003-07:002017-03-15T20:59:32.743-07:00Flarf? Barf? The Tenth Rasa gets the Full Treatment<h1>
"The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology Of Indian Nonsense By Michael Heyman .pdf</h1>
<br /><br />
If you are pursuing embodying the ebook <strong>The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense</strong> in pdf appearing, in that process you approaching onto the right website. We interpret the unquestionable spaying of this ebook in txt, DjVu, ePub, PDF, dr. organisation. You navigational recite <i>The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense</i> on-pipeline or download. Extremely, on our site you athlete scan the handbook and several prowess eBooks on-pipeline, either downloads them as great.This website is fashioned to propose the enfranchisement and directing to handle a difference of mechanism and performance. You channel mark too download the rejoin to distinct inquiries.We propose information in a deviation of formation and media. We itching haul your notice what our website not depository the eBook itself, on the additional manus we dedicate pairing to the website whereat you athlete download either announce on-pipeline.So if wishing to pile The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense pdf, in that dispute you approaching on to the fair site. We move The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense DjVu, PDF, ePub, txt, doctor appearing. We aspiration be complacent if you go in advance sand again."<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<i><span style="color: blue;">The above text, found recently in the Google netherworlds. I'm not including the links that follow, which are all spamming or shamming or otherwise foul and dastardly. But this text... it doesn't realize how apt it is!</span></i></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-61345732304183455062017-02-26T12:41:00.001-08:002017-02-27T08:18:27.136-08:00Nonsense fighting the power, at home and abroad!My big head invaded <i>The India Express</i>. This came after my appearance at the delightful Bookaroo festival in New Delhi. A word or two on nonsense, sound poetry, and {gulp} politics.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/michael-heyman-doctor-of-nonsense-way-to-fight-power-4405761/" target="_blank">Click here to see my big head</a>.<br />
<br />
Just when I doubted, just a little, the mission of nonsense, I was heartened to see this, in <i>The Sangai Express</i>, <a href="https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/the-senses-of-nonsense-people/" target="_blank">this appeared (click here).</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">As the writer says, ‘you must be grateful that cow milk is available even though there are no cows’.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Cheerio!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkVtKqw2PtU/WLM9NC3Zw9I/AAAAAAAAFPQ/bDY-94vcm5QVTEw7Jxya4anXUJwH73F7ACLcB/s1600/IMG_9368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="497" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkVtKqw2PtU/WLM9NC3Zw9I/AAAAAAAAFPQ/bDY-94vcm5QVTEw7Jxya4anXUJwH73F7ACLcB/s640/IMG_9368.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.8); font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-63498188470285403562015-06-30T13:07:00.000-07:002015-06-30T13:07:31.589-07:00Anurima Chanda talks nonsense superheroes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anurima Chanda is the real superhero in <a href="http://pintersociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ANURIMA-CHANDA-61.pdf" target="_blank">this essay</a> about nonsense superheroes. She looks at the history of superheroes, how they end up in India--and how a few intrepid writers dare to do something different in "a unique margin within
the marginal superhero culture of India." That is, they write nonsense superheroes. And the ones she discusses happen to be in <i>This Book Makes No Sense: Nonsense Poems and Worse</i>, in poems and stories by Samit Basu and Kaushik Viswanath. By making nonsense superheroes, she writes, they are creating a "radically new way of engaging with dominating power structures, neither
through concurrence or conflict, but by creating ruptures within these structures to destabilise the
circle itself." Bravo!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pintersociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ANURIMA-CHANDA-61.pdf" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read her article!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qT_izaTOdr4/VZK7Paq2ICI/AAAAAAAAEeg/jI6wNUH4bRk/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qT_izaTOdr4/VZK7Paq2ICI/AAAAAAAAEeg/jI6wNUH4bRk/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Here, we see Basu's Pehelwan, of the "mighty, manly muscles" (drawn by Priya Kuriyan)</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-20089236233571048222015-04-22T08:39:00.002-07:002015-04-22T08:39:40.504-07:00A Guide to Practical Nonsense, a SCBWI India Event<br />
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/825360657518122/" target="_blank"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HhXZinisM4w/VTe9-eQ_mtI/AAAAAAAAEaM/N9uMB4f7Liw/s1600/11152689_449418125215932_4926492133676525788_n.jpg" height="376" width="640" /></span>A Guide to Practical Nonsense--a SCBWI India event</a></h3>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
with Michael Heyman, Colonel of the 5th Nonsense Brigade </h3>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thursday, May 21 </h4>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;" title="7:30am in your time">5:00pm</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;">-</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;"> </span><span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;" title="8:30am in your time">6:00pm</span></h3>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a aria-describedby="js_2t" aria-haspopup="true" aria-owns="js_2s" class="_5xhk" data-gt="{"entity_id":"170883036304174","entity_path":"WebEventPublicProdFeedPermalinkController"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=170883036304174" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Max-Mueller-Bhavan/170883036304174" id="u_jsonp_8_r" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #4e5665; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; z-index: 2;">Max Mueller Bhavan</a>, <span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #9197a3; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px; white-space: nowrap;">3, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi, India 110001</span></h3>
<br />
<div class="_5xhp fsm fwn fcg" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #9197a3; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px; max-width: 376px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;" title="8:30am in your time"></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;" title="8:30am in your time"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 18.7600002288818px;">Literary nonsense has a long tradition, going back to Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sukumar Ray, all of whom have proven the nobility of this serious and silly, rebellious and strict form. Yet, whether we as writers and illustrators strive to work solidly in the tradition of nonsense, or just want our work to shine a little with the tradition, there are many simple techniques we can use to throw a little, or a lot, of nonsense into our books for children. In this talk, Michael Heyman gives a guide onwhat nonsense is and how to use it.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-13608993572638884112014-09-22T08:38:00.003-07:002014-09-22T08:38:41.303-07:00Noodly Nonsensical Reminiscences <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oo42UkMpdOE/VCBAYzsuUBI/AAAAAAAAEA4/-gc7vHBYz-Y/s1600/10538057_331098447049906_8723270231484566395_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oo42UkMpdOE/VCBAYzsuUBI/AAAAAAAAEA4/-gc7vHBYz-Y/s1600/10538057_331098447049906_8723270231484566395_n.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Ah</span>, remember when a seven followed two zeroes and a two? Our most vaunted and anti-villanous villustrator, Vinayak Varma, has vaxed lyrically on ye dayes of olde, when lines were bold, and rasas were delighting. <a href="http://www.vvarma.com/2012/12/books-for-penguin.html" target="_blank">Below are his thoughts</a> on illustrating <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Tenth-Rasa-Anthology-Nonsense/dp/0143100866/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411400178&sr=8-1&keywords=tenth+rasa" target="_blank">The Tenth Rasa</a> (now on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tenth-Rasa-Michael-Heyman-ebook/dp/B00I5MC77Y/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1411400178" target="_blank">Kindle</a>, what what?)</i>... We owe him much for the book, and especially the cover, which brilliantly captures the vim of the <i>kheyal rosh. </i>Of course, the Guardians of the Rasas over at JNU might rant and rave ("There can be no tenth rasa!" they huff and puff), but, as Blake wrote, "Every thing possible to be believ'd is an image of the truth." Vinayak has, by his art, confirmed the Truth! Amen!<br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vvarma.com/2012/12/books-for-penguin.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> for his reminiscences...</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gVj58zfl8c/VCBAkhOzvKI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/utkigNqb7_4/s1600/tenthrasa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gVj58zfl8c/VCBAkhOzvKI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/utkigNqb7_4/s1600/tenthrasa.jpg" height="640" width="404" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z93wN5QtmUU/VCBAbbtCweI/AAAAAAAAEBA/Lwdk3xsvP50/s1600/10623537_331098793716538_2519144332082494708_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z93wN5QtmUU/VCBAbbtCweI/AAAAAAAAEBA/Lwdk3xsvP50/s1600/10623537_331098793716538_2519144332082494708_o.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3A8YCcFwTpI/VCBAeOXufEI/AAAAAAAAEBI/eGS1qQVoGoo/s1600/10646762_331098460383238_5817500363908348010_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3A8YCcFwTpI/VCBAeOXufEI/AAAAAAAAEBI/eGS1qQVoGoo/s1600/10646762_331098460383238_5817500363908348010_n.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-41401984996084547162014-09-06T10:59:00.002-07:002014-09-06T11:01:29.326-07:00Kitaabnama gets the title wrong, but the nonsense rightJust when you think a serious bookschnook is going to take on <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThisBookMakesNoSense" target="_blank">This Books Makes No Sense: Nonsense Poems and Worse</a>, </i>it turns out to be a whole other category of bookschnookery--but one that may be familiar to fans of Indian nonsense. A whole half hour on Indian nonsense, no less. Take a lookschnook:<br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://youtu.be/V_aPXpc22r8" target="_blank">Kitaabnama: Books and Beyond</a> (on <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Tenth-Rasa-Anthology-Nonsense/dp/0143100866/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410025080&sr=8-1&keywords=tenth+rasa" target="_blank">The Tenth Rasa</a></i>--not <i>This Books Makes No Sense</i>!!)</h3>
<br />
Props to Sampurna Chattarji, Anita Vaccharajani, and especially Anushka Ravishankar, whose praises cannot be undersung or overslung.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-41291120304890302042014-05-28T10:04:00.000-07:002014-05-28T10:56:22.141-07:00The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense, now on Kindle!That's right ladles and spats, <i>The Tenth Rasa</i> has sprocketed into the Future<span style="font-size: xx-small;">®</span>, where, at the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Tenth-Rasa-Anthology-Nonsense/dp/0143100866/" target="_blank">click of a button,</a> you may revel in the wonky layout of the Digital Delight that is a Kindle Book. All your favorite Indian nonsense literature, squinged into your Delectable Digital Device. Pinch it! Squinch it! Cinch it!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwQTpUns_0A/U4YWtcOeLPI/AAAAAAAAD_I/4n_pO_3gJxI/s1600/9780143100867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwQTpUns_0A/U4YWtcOeLPI/AAAAAAAAD_I/4n_pO_3gJxI/s1600/9780143100867.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
Visit your friendly Amazon site, for the old school hard copy (still a deal at $10!) or the Kindle edition $9.50: save fitty cent, save paper and shipping, and save yourself from being a carbon carbuncle. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Tenth-Rasa-Anthology-Nonsense/dp/0143100866/" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
This message brought to you by the Future<span style="font-size: xx-small;">®</span>, where <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Nonsense is a Digital Dirigible Clickbeat Away®</i></span></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-46745067617975416212014-02-14T06:11:00.003-08:002014-02-14T06:11:40.040-08:00The Winners! RivoKids nonsense contest results!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The <span style="font-size: large;">Winners</span> have been announced for the RivoKids<a href="http://rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest" target="_blank"> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">nonsense contest</span></a> spoonsored and forked by Duckbill Books. I was honored to be the Jerryrigged Jellycal Judge, and I had quite a few wonderful and completely crazy entires. Thank you to all the kids who entered such great pieces of non-binding narwhal-numbing nonpareil nonsense. Here are the winners, with some itty bitty ditties I wrote for each, according to the nonsense pieces they wrote. See the website for the full poems:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1. Akshay Rajmohan's "Nonsense is a nonsense thing" is <a href="http://rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
2. Abeer Dahiya's "A Silly Poem" is <a href="http://rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest?page=1&splash=" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3. Aarushi Dahia's "Wild Gone Wild" is <a href="http://rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest?page=2&splash=" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Keep writing nonsense!</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WPh8tS7WgNI/Uv4hRI_qLCI/AAAAAAAAD-A/DdFU-FYOCKE/s1600/non_winners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WPh8tS7WgNI/Uv4hRI_qLCI/AAAAAAAAD-A/DdFU-FYOCKE/s1600/non_winners.jpg" height="121" width="640" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-82375140387182660342014-01-17T07:52:00.001-08:002014-01-17T07:52:24.050-08:00<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> Nonsensoids!</i></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Announcing a <a href="http://www.rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">NONSENSE-WRITING CONTEST</span></a> for <span style="color: #351c75;">kids</span>,
<span style="color: #741b47;">squids</span>, and <span style="color: #cc0000;">vermicious knids</span>! Win prizes, fame, fortune, and platypus booty by
writing your very own nonsense poetry!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rivokids and Duckbill Books proudly present this
contest--<a href="http://www.rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest" target="_blank">click here to learn more and enter</a>. Also, be sure to click
on the link for the "<a href="http://www.duckbill.in/duckbillgang/?p=683" target="_blank">Nonsense Verse Masterclass by Michael Heyman</a>"
(me!) for some in-depth ideas on how to write
utter-butter-never-stutter-nonsense!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's an idea that will (almost) guarantee you win: you can
use poems from <i>This Book Makes No Sense: Nonsense Poems and Worse</i> and <i>The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense</i> as examples
and models!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the way, I am honored to be the Jovial and Jellyatinous
Judge of the contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to
see YOUR poems soon!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deadline is February 2nd!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Click <a href="http://www.rivokids.com/contests/nonsense-verse-contest" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the contest page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Click <a href="http://www.duckbill.in/duckbillgang/?p=683" target="_blank">HERE</a> for guidelines on writing nonsense!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Click <a href="http://youtu.be/RO10s_HK6d0" target="_blank">HERE</a> for banana hands.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d87UtEQWkLg/UtlQtO0UtsI/AAAAAAAAD9c/Yu88kze7uGk/s1600/fish.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d87UtEQWkLg/UtlQtO0UtsI/AAAAAAAAD9c/Yu88kze7uGk/s1600/fish.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-44754683464697263582013-09-23T09:44:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:44:58.165-07:00Ghosts of nonsenses past... a rare Asian import, B-side, export-only clip of nonsense songs in IndiaThe <span style="color: purple;">Singapore International School</span> in Mumbai had some secret cameras set up for my performance last winter, on my tour for <i>This Book Makes No Sense</i> (which is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Book-Makes-Sense-ebook/dp/B0094H0IPC" target="_blank">out on Kindle now</a>, by the way!). The song is Barry Louis Polisar's "I've Got a Teacher, She's So Mean"--a definite favorite in the set (at least, a favorite of the students... I'm not so sure about the teachers!). <a href="http://siselibrary.wordpress.com/visiting-authors-2/michael-heyman/" target="_blank">Here's the page</a> with a little write-up, and <a href="http://siselibrary.wordpress.com/visiting-authors-2/michael-heyman/" target="_blank">here's the video clip</a>! The only problem is that the write-up doesn't mention Sampurna Chattarji, the fantastic children's writer who performed with me that day (and who is in the photos). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCmm5_K4DAY/UkBu3dlt7RI/AAAAAAAAD8k/OqrlLbXUO8I/s1600/dscf4049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCmm5_K4DAY/UkBu3dlt7RI/AAAAAAAAD8k/OqrlLbXUO8I/s1600/dscf4049.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-66927551584074754612013-01-02T07:31:00.003-08:002013-01-02T07:31:52.677-08:00Facebook page for This Book Makes No Sense!This book makes no Facebook enemies, and hopefully makes some friends. "Like" <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ThisBookMakesNoSense" target="_blank">our new Facebook page</a>... and see photos of the authors and translators, and get other news and mews. Meyw!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U38cLm_r7rk/UORSvAc2DvI/AAAAAAAACv8/w1PvmRYUtOY/s1600/ThisBookMakesNoSense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U38cLm_r7rk/UORSvAc2DvI/AAAAAAAACv8/w1PvmRYUtOY/s200/ThisBookMakesNoSense.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-83493441783062297912012-12-19T06:47:00.002-08:002012-12-20T06:23:58.366-08:00Mini-review and interview, also Mr. Sputum expounding on the Scholastic blog<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DObeaaEX6YM/UNHPlswlZ1I/AAAAAAAACvk/Zvs_QXoe8Dk/s1600/IMG_2742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DObeaaEX6YM/UNHPlswlZ1I/AAAAAAAACvk/Zvs_QXoe8Dk/s320/IMG_2742.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Hero</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mr. Sputum says<br />
"Blog to blog,<br />
Bog to glog,<br />
Grog to Smaug!"<br />
<br />
Nimmy Chacko was kind enough to write a <a href="http://scholasticindiabooks.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/this-book-makes-no-sense/" target="_blank">lovely Scholastic blog entry</a> on <i>This Book Makes No Sense</i>, and you'll find included a little online interview, where I expound on nonsense, giraffes, nonsense giraffes, Alan Watts as a neo-giraffe, Samuel Taylor Coleraffe, Xanadu and Olivia Newton-Jiraffe, and other things related to nonsense theory and giraffes (oddly, without any reference to Dr. and Mr. Doris Haggis-On-Whey's brilliant nonsensical <i>Giraffes? Giraffes!</i>).<br />
<br />
Why Mr. Sputum?--I can't rightly say. He appeared in the <i>Indian Express</i> newspaper (I think) during my trip... and he has been wanting to contribute to the blog ever since...<br />
<br />
Here is the blog: <a href="http://scholasticindiabooks.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/this-book-makes-no-sense/">http://scholasticindiabooks.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/this-book-makes-no-sense/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-25516080173975769892012-12-14T08:04:00.001-08:002012-12-14T08:04:28.777-08:00This Book Makes an Appearance in Boston!This book makes no uninvited, unenlightened appearances in Boston. A local groovy bookshop in Boston is selling copies of <i>This Book Makes No Sense</i>... so if you're around and you need a gift for the holidays or a grift for the polypods, go to <a href="http://tridentbookscafe.com/" target="_blank">Trident Booksellers and Cafe</a>, and sprinkle some nonsense on your soup. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-19800339302255955882012-12-12T14:32:00.000-08:002012-12-12T14:32:44.647-08:0029-30 November, 2012: A mayfly in Calcutta!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday and Friday were spent like the mayfly: a brief
fecund flicker-flash! I visited five schools: Calcutta International, Birla
Boys School, South City International, and Mongrace Montessori (alma mater of a
certain Samit Basu, by the way!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I send out thanks to the teachers, administrators, and students for
welcoming me, keeping me watered and fed and pink and happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The events fizzed and zbinged, and I
spent a fair amount of time, with Sayoni’s unswerving nonsensical hand and eye,
illuminating the book with nonsensical drawings, captions, and signings…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some of the sights and ‘swounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjjPM37eOxs/UMkEeN3to6I/AAAAAAAACuk/9l2T_ujfqcQ/s1600/Calcutta+International-crowd+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjjPM37eOxs/UMkEeN3to6I/AAAAAAAACuk/9l2T_ujfqcQ/s320/Calcutta+International-crowd+me.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQ0jdQ_mdXo/UMkEli48AKI/AAAAAAAACvM/qjyIuehS-7M/s1600/South+City+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQ0jdQ_mdXo/UMkEli48AKI/AAAAAAAACvM/qjyIuehS-7M/s320/South+City+kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zFzmNYAw3SE/UMkEi7BlNCI/AAAAAAAACu8/3QtNelOwLzI/s1600/Birla+Boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zFzmNYAw3SE/UMkEi7BlNCI/AAAAAAAACu8/3QtNelOwLzI/s320/Birla+Boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birla Boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYQ9SH6tjRY/UMkEkImHyPI/AAAAAAAACvE/DTOtv0SL1k0/s1600/South+City+International.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYQ9SH6tjRY/UMkEkImHyPI/AAAAAAAACvE/DTOtv0SL1k0/s320/South+City+International.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_IVcvAZEC8/UMkEg4X6rCI/AAAAAAAACu0/xoLDSrchrfY/s1600/Mongrace+chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_IVcvAZEC8/UMkEg4X6rCI/AAAAAAAACu0/xoLDSrchrfY/s320/Mongrace+chaos.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mongrace minis!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-19834257712665893852012-12-08T06:15:00.003-08:002012-12-08T06:26:42.117-08:00Wednesday, 28 November 2012: Calcutta/Kolkata<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGZUBdGBFzg/UMNKywZousI/AAAAAAAACtE/2izguQvzjJE/s1600/jalebi304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGZUBdGBFzg/UMNKywZousI/AAAAAAAACtE/2izguQvzjJE/s200/jalebi304.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived in Calcutta again, after an absence of about 18
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>India moves fast—even
Calcutta moves fast despite the reputation of Bengalis (as Sampurna’s “bong”
poem implies!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far fewer plumes
of black exhaust, and far more buildings and overpasses being constructed these
days, but the old crumbling grandeur persists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Salt Lake still felt like a neighborhood, though, with the
local market where at 7:30am we got crabs from the elusive crab man and his
mysterious basket of crabs, not to mention freshly made jalebi from the Jolly
Jalebi Joe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuwqBxr88VU/UMNKH6V9PyI/AAAAAAAACs8/_YVxX_mpHLI/s1600/Seagull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuwqBxr88VU/UMNKH6V9PyI/AAAAAAAACs8/_YVxX_mpHLI/s320/Seagull.jpg" width="320" /></a>Mercifully, Wednesday was a bit of a break because of Guru
Nanak’s Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Still, Scholastic would not keep me entirely idle. I met my Scholastic connection, Debjani Banerji, who would prove to be a most able, amiable, affable, and taffyable guide over the next few days.</span> I was taken to
Seagull Books, which is a publisher, publishing school, and arts activist
organization among other groovy things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were hosting One Nation Reading Together, an event whereby
publishers donate books to worthy institutions and convey a pledge, and the
children dutifully repeat the pledge, about the value of books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year’s pledge was written by
Ruskin Bond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know quite
what to expect with this appearance, but I ended up doing a modified set (sans
guitar).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While some of the kids
there had less English, things went well, and the adults had particularly good
questions and comments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust the
Bengalis to dig nonsense!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://0318da2.netsolhost.com/pwarchive/?p=819" target="_blank">Here is a link</a> to the Seagull page, which has a blurb and some more photos from the event.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lhDQG8Kovvw/UMNOFcoV_NI/AAAAAAAACtY/Sh3NE6Hoi9E/s1600/Seagull2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lhDQG8Kovvw/UMNOFcoV_NI/AAAAAAAACtY/Sh3NE6Hoi9E/s320/Seagull2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-10030700098686787412012-12-01T19:57:00.000-08:002012-12-17T13:18:16.881-08:00Tuesday, 27 November: Mumbai with Sampurna!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3eJCKMokYW0/ULrNFe-h2BI/AAAAAAAACrA/fsN26rNb9UY/s1600/Dalmia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3eJCKMokYW0/ULrNFe-h2BI/AAAAAAAACrA/fsN26rNb9UY/s640/Dalmia1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here's what it looks like from our side!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hrough various misfortunes and profortunes, Sampurna
Chattarji was able to join me this day in her home turf, Mumbai, as we visited
N.L. Dalmia School, Singapore International School, and St. John’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, we’re being sent to some of
the swankiest schools around, and so we slung some extra-swanky hanky-spanky
round the marshmallowed halls.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-not3BGfhTgI/ULrNIFDss7I/AAAAAAAACrI/8kz2cd4xlAw/s1600/Dalmia-poses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-not3BGfhTgI/ULrNIFDss7I/AAAAAAAACrI/8kz2cd4xlAw/s320/Dalmia-poses.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nonsense faces always... Sampurna and me with our hosts at Dalmia.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was great to do these shows with Sampurna—who is zany and zippy and zinky and zlippy—and because we were together, we were able to do some different material, like “Nonsense Gonesense,” by Sukumar Ray, a kind of drama of nonsensical interruptions.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When we stormed off the stage in nonsense rage, we might even have frightened a few of the wee ones.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sampurna, being a beauteous Bong, read her poem “What the Bong Tree Grows,” and she did a great job with “There Goes Gran,” one of the many pieces she translated.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--DDnrJiMB1s/ULrOcYGOecI/AAAAAAAACrg/znYMpNnJ680/s1600/Singapore--show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--DDnrJiMB1s/ULrOcYGOecI/AAAAAAAACrg/znYMpNnJ680/s320/Singapore--show.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a06Ve4qkVa4/ULrOVEYh5qI/AAAAAAAACrQ/o615spcibPw/s1600/Singapore+signing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a06Ve4qkVa4/ULrOVEYh5qI/AAAAAAAACrQ/o615spcibPw/s400/Singapore+signing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOYQMqLpuBY/ULrOY_V84VI/AAAAAAAACrY/2_tDofYGQ_s/s1600/Singapore--howling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOYQMqLpuBY/ULrOY_V84VI/AAAAAAAACrY/2_tDofYGQ_s/s320/Singapore--howling.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loonar howlings and loonier howlings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At Singapore International, they asked if I wanted any
musical instruments for the performance, and I thought it might be fun to play
a little tabla—of course, using them to make some points about nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tabla compositions, for those who don’t
know, are transmitted orally, by a kind of drum language that only has meaning
in terms of correlation to ways of hitting the drums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These syllables, called “bols,” when strung together make
compositions, and so “sense” in that functional way, but these compositions (chanted
with great skill and delight) are also a kind of song, a joyful gibberishy
meta-music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why when you
see tabla players reciting their bols, they are often smiling. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dha tire kite dhe ge na dha ge ti na ke na.</i>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I tried to get a set of
tablas at Singapore International, there was trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went down into the music department, which was extensive,
and woke up the poor fellow who was obviously not expecting us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several Western drum sets sat out, but he
said they had no tablas—and only a “broken dhol.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here I am in the music department of a huge and wealthy Indian school—with no traditional Indian instruments. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How sad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is
where we bemoan globalization, but I’d rather bemoan gobi-ization, the
proliferation of cauliflower (or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gobi</i>)
dishes in India.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, cauliflower?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sampurna and I were then whisked away on our mini-tour through the crazy Mumbai traffic to St. John’s school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> As you can see below, much nonsense was made...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks to all the schools for being lovely hosts, for all the
wee sandwiches with the crusts cut off, for the endless cups of tea, and for
providing the kind of tireless, progressive education--where nonsense has value--to thousands and
thousands of bright children!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A most munificent and mungfishful day.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gL38fIhtRc/ULrPtdIf4JI/AAAAAAAACrs/kP9u3wgvZ3U/s1600/StJohn's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1gL38fIhtRc/ULrPtdIf4JI/AAAAAAAACrs/kP9u3wgvZ3U/s400/StJohn's.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-44764724571029514252012-11-29T04:49:00.002-08:002012-12-03T18:54:32.135-08:00Monday, 26 November: Mumbai Madness!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mumbai</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F62I6od4P0Y/ULdV6Kb_4_I/AAAAAAAACqs/bV-6WGl2o68/s1600/Bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F62I6od4P0Y/ULdV6Kb_4_I/AAAAAAAACqs/bV-6WGl2o68/s200/Bathroom.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully, Scholastic changed my ticket from 5:30am Monday
morning to the night before, so I was able to arrive, settle in, and actually
get a night of sleep. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Residency Hotel is upscale bourgeoisie but so much so that style sometimes
bludgeons sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathroom, for
instance, has all glass walls, so not only are you in grave danger any moment
of face-planting into a floor-to-ceiling glass door or glass wall, but your
options for having guests, spouses, friends, lovers, groupies, floppers, and
flappers (who might need to heed nature’s call) is limited to those said
guests, spouses, friends, lovers, groupies, floppers, and flappers whom you
might not mind seeing hunched on the pot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that, at least for me, is a limited set indeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
**<i>since writing this, I've been told that there may have been a screen to pull down... I'm obviously not clever enough to figure these things out.**</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But to return to matters of more meat, Monday was the
beginning of a more intense school visit phase: three schools today, three
tomorrow (with Sampurna Chattarji, yipyee!); and then in Calcutta, one day with
only one special event (more on that later), and then a day with two and a day
with three school visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so
off I went with Mohana Krishnana my Scholastic Mumbai Beatrice, to the first of
three: the SM Shetty International School, in Powai.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuPFSeSmVkY/ULdU2FcW5aI/AAAAAAAACqQ/bOhsdNh2vPY/s1600/ShettySchool1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuPFSeSmVkY/ULdU2FcW5aI/AAAAAAAACqQ/bOhsdNh2vPY/s320/ShettySchool1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SM Shetty International School</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scholastic seems to find it wise to send me to somewhat more
internationally-minded schools, which in some ways is quite nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The students are sharp and willing to
interact freely, without the trepidation that comes sometimes with too much stern
discipline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also tend to have
the skills to appreciate nonsense; that is, they are well-read, and their
command of English is such that they can pick out the sense from the non-sense.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These groups are more comfortable
getting a bit crazier in a school setting—and it’s therefore easier for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I wonder how the set
would work with different children, from less-advantaged backgrounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, they have just as much
nonsense in them—but how to access it, especially in a cross-cultural, cross-class
experience… I suppose I won’t find out on this trip at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are a few more shots from Billabong High, in Santz
Cruz, and Ecole Mondial, in Juhu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you to all the schools for welcoming me in and letting me loose!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_n-4bg7Oym0/ULdVtW_qNeI/AAAAAAAACqc/pn1LLFEvr3E/s400/Ecole-crazy1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ecole Mondial Madness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-43KFbJdpQLo/ULdV0LZFOLI/AAAAAAAACqk/Qfl5YrKhKOI/s1600/Billabong--rearshot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-43KFbJdpQLo/ULdV0LZFOLI/AAAAAAAACqk/Qfl5YrKhKOI/s400/Billabong--rearshot.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billabongittybong!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_n-4bg7Oym0/ULdVtW_qNeI/AAAAAAAACqc/pn1LLFEvr3E/s1600/Ecole-crazy1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-14042755465873722932012-11-26T09:58:00.000-08:002012-11-26T09:58:22.099-08:00Saturday 24 November: Bookaroo!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday, 24 November 2012</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so we come to one of the major reasons why I have to
come to India now, squink in the middle of a bleeding semester: the fifth <a href="http://bookaroo.in/">Bookaroo Festival of Children’s Literature</a> in
New Delhi!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday, since I had caught a cold, I actually stayed
home for much of the day—but I dragged myself and my croaky extra-baritone
boomboxvox out to do the doings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
arrived in time to see much of Sampurna Chattarji’s session, dealing with her
new YA book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ela</i>, which showed a
serious side to the festival amongst what can often be easy silly pandering to children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ta8M12QkPI/ULOrFtCuEjI/AAAAAAAACpY/mafYstJDPaA/s1600/Bookaroo--Sampurna's+session.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ta8M12QkPI/ULOrFtCuEjI/AAAAAAAACpY/mafYstJDPaA/s320/Bookaroo--Sampurna's+session.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After several years, it was lovely to meet up again with
Sampurna—who had been so instrumental in making <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tenth Rasa</i> happen those years ago, with her incredible
translations and her own <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kheyaal rawsh</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have since had a few nonsensical
adventures, and I was pleased as a syllabub sea that we would be sharing the
session for this day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are a few shots from our joint session. I suppose we might have turned on a few nonsense lights this day--as the book sold out, both Saturday and Sunday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BU7pGdX1lMQ/ULOrdtMJOxI/AAAAAAAACpg/K-L0HRvgXpA/s1600/Bookaroo--Bathing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BU7pGdX1lMQ/ULOrdtMJOxI/AAAAAAAACpg/K-L0HRvgXpA/s320/Bookaroo--Bathing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Om</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y8wuV9pn0x4/ULOrx65H0SI/AAAAAAAACpo/JCBERL3C9V0/s1600/Bookaroo--Sampurna's+part+in+ours.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y8wuV9pn0x4/ULOrx65H0SI/AAAAAAAACpo/JCBERL3C9V0/s320/Bookaroo--Sampurna's+part+in+ours.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sampurna and The Bong Tree!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOk5xNareDA/ULOr5c1MV0I/AAAAAAAACpw/eyzN3fVCkIg/s1600/Bookaroo--guitarcrowd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOk5xNareDA/ULOr5c1MV0I/AAAAAAAACpw/eyzN3fVCkIg/s320/Bookaroo--guitarcrowd.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rwUguSYAAW0/ULOswW-tHeI/AAAAAAAACp4/XKK53zl3FUI/s1600/599900_10151108042861065_130434551_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rwUguSYAAW0/ULOswW-tHeI/AAAAAAAACp4/XKK53zl3FUI/s200/599900_10151108042861065_130434551_n.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the students who saw me at my school visits found me at Bookaroo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-22170717608114680182012-11-26T04:27:00.001-08:002012-11-26T04:27:27.132-08:00Thursday, November 22, 2012: JNU Nonsense Lecture
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hITKP6_2vp4/ULNfMOJDFTI/AAAAAAAACow/Fc9w2o8qjwc/s1600/JNUposter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hITKP6_2vp4/ULNfMOJDFTI/AAAAAAAACow/Fc9w2o8qjwc/s200/JNUposter.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The event of note today was a visit to JNU (Jawaharlal Neru
University) for a talk on nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My connection to JNU goes way back to Aradhana Bisht and her uncle
Pushpesh Pant—the very two lovely loons who inspired “Bisht-Bosht Mudpies,” one
of the poems in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Book Makes No Sense.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time around, I was contacted by
one of the Brave New Newminous Nonsense Noodles, Anurima Chanda, who is just
finishing up a Master’s degree on----Indian nonsense literature!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the benefit of easy access to
nonsense scholarship or nonsense scholars, and with some of the typical
institutional prejudice against nonsense literature, she has managed to blaze a
trial here, and for that, I sing her hozzannahs and zing her zazzonnas!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I helped Anurima a bit with her
research, and she was kind enough to put me in touch with the Centre for
English Studies, where Professor Saugata Bhaduri, the Centre’s Head, arranged a
lecture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so skipped in I, with my bushels of bosh, whistling a
merry kazoon, to be welcomed by the Rusticated Religiously Regulatory Registry
of Rasa-gollas (known as the RRRRR), the grand and grumpy school of truly
gifted aesthetes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The RRRRR let it
be Known that there was no such thing as the Tenth Rasa, that it was impossible,
that the mere idea of it purplified them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You see, since the ninth rasa, that of shanti or peace, is meant to
contain them all, there simply couldn’t be a tenth. Such fizzdom!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Sukumar Ray, and many million Bengalis, might have a thing or two by say by way of a response…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After decided declamations of
purplification, the students finally had the chance to ask a question or two,
and much fun and nonsense was made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many thanks to Professor Bhaduri, the students of JNU, the RRRRR, and
Anurima.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exploring nonsense around the world is indeed often a
perilous undertaking—especially when some Orientalist (tee-hee) foreigner comes
in with his Bosh Blunderbuss, telling unsuspecting folks that some of their
ancient and honorable artistic traditions might participate in a bit of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nonsense</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh the hubbub!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, the hubbub only lasts until one understands exactly (or,
well, as best we can) what a truly magnificent, trans-continental, and kingly title
“nonsense” really is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">And as Blake (a true nonsense genius—just read his “<a href="http://www.bartleby.com/221/0903.html">An Island in the Moon</a>”) once
put it, “I have also The Bible of Nonsense, which the world shall have whether
they will or no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or something
like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-73290589510728636342012-11-22T18:32:00.000-08:002012-11-22T22:42:50.230-08:00Wednesday, 21 November--Maxfort School, Dwarka<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wednesday, 21 November</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-12dVQCnb3iQ/UK7bMxlzRGI/AAAAAAAACnk/M8oNcMJgGPk/s1600/Maxfort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-12dVQCnb3iQ/UK7bMxlzRGI/AAAAAAAACnk/M8oNcMJgGPk/s200/Maxfort.JPG" width="150" /></a>Another day, another school visit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I headed out with Himanjali as Beatrice to the Maxford
School, a newer institution in the Delhi area with several locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took us quite a while to find it as
we rolled through some frustratingly ubiquitous Delhi streets, but time is wibbly,
and so it wasn’t a problem when we arrived a bit late. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a quick
chat in the Director’s office, we were whisked away to a huge covered amphitheater,
chock full with what must have been around 500 students in their red and tan
uniforms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I approached the
stage I was greeting with a few rousing cheers--and then repeatedly buffeted
with chants of my name! My goodness!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did what is now becoming a regular set—with a few tweaks
here and there as to how to explain nonsense. "The Bathing Hymn" and "I've Got a Teacher, She's So Mean" are becoming the go-to gold. A wireless mic let me do a bit of crowdsurfing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqIwVdA6jCc/UK7fR-w8CkI/AAAAAAAACoY/GOHqnlM_TE8/s1600/Maxfort--crowdsmiles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqIwVdA6jCc/UK7fR-w8CkI/AAAAAAAACoY/GOHqnlM_TE8/s320/Maxfort--crowdsmiles.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zanbfBg-MzA/UK7dxErtFhI/AAAAAAAACn8/yxn9twQnNAs/s1600/Maxfort-Crowdsurf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zanbfBg-MzA/UK7dxErtFhI/AAAAAAAACn8/yxn9twQnNAs/s320/Maxfort-Crowdsurf.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT-RGFzjDz4/UK7bTboOKOI/AAAAAAAACns/qJdhjS23JW4/s1600/Maxfort-Guitar1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT-RGFzjDz4/UK7bTboOKOI/AAAAAAAACns/qJdhjS23JW4/s320/Maxfort-Guitar1.JPG" width="240" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 50.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pK74ZkBTjMU/UK7enaFj74I/AAAAAAAACoQ/5WzzRiJjgH8/s1600/MaxfortNonsenseFace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pK74ZkBTjMU/UK7enaFj74I/AAAAAAAACoQ/5WzzRiJjgH8/s320/MaxfortNonsenseFace.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nonsense Faces! Click to see the kids...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tea and bikkies afterwards with a few of the school officials… everyone was very kind, and the students hopefully were indoctrinated into the rebellious and mysterious ways of nonsense!<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-39325848232045290892012-11-20T09:58:00.000-08:002012-11-27T10:27:19.962-08:00British School Babel!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because one of the potential school visits did not happen
today, my take-off time was moved to 11:30, meaning that I was able to sleep
in… which, in my current state of jetleggedlaggedness, meant waking up at
5am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a rousing gobi paratha with ginger pickle breakfast
(far, far from Cornflakes Land (or even Cornflex Land, as it sometimes is spelled here)), I was whisked away by another Scholastic
Beatrice, this time Shailee, a Marketing maven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cabbed it to Chanakyapuri, the ritzy
district full of wide, leafy lanes and huge consulates and embassies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It was here, about ten years ago, that
I went to a Fourth of July party at the American Embassy, where I found to my
surprise not only real beef hamburgers, but an entire baseball stadium within the embassy compound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figures, eh?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed to the British School, which is housed in the
British Embassy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was led in and
around and up and down, until we came to the school, and the teacher’s
lounge—where I met many pretty, personable pakora-bearing pedagogues, and also
a passel of grandparents, as it happened to be “bring your grandparents to
school day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they asked if
there was anything I needed for the performance, I requested a chair, a glass
of water, and a pony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After tea
and bikkies (and much more), we went to the venue, where about 80 children were
seated on the floor (classes 3, 4, and 5)—and as I walked through to set up,
they sent up a hearty cheer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Huzzah! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubx_Om3yT2Y/UKvCaFoeDPI/AAAAAAAACm4/SUjt-nwUbHk/s1600/BritishSchoolCrowd1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubx_Om3yT2Y/UKvCaFoeDPI/AAAAAAAACm4/SUjt-nwUbHk/s320/BritishSchoolCrowd1.JPG" width="240" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a diverse crowd—with many flavors of Indians, along
with ex-pat children from around the world.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The set was longer today--about an hour and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with Sarita Padki’s “The
Bathing Hymn” (sure-fire favorite!).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZewuUmM3CY/UKvDKPocqXI/AAAAAAAACnM/qNKh5WeMLrQ/s1600/Bathing+Hymn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZewuUmM3CY/UKvDKPocqXI/AAAAAAAACnM/qNKh5WeMLrQ/s200/Bathing+Hymn.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because this piece is me, pretending to meditate and chant
prayers—but all in the service of taking a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bath</i>—the
children find it hilarious and outrageous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such spiritual subversion!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went through superheroes and other things from
yesterday—but added a few more—like “Chandrabumps,” a hilarious story by
Kaushik Viswanath about a fellow who can’t seem to keep his pants on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story ends with the hero asking questions
of his own pants… and so this segment ended with the children telling me
questions they ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i> pants—and
how their pants respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made
portmanteau nonsense words together about school, and I also threw in some
throat singing for good throaty measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the children said he knew Tuvan, but I have my doubts!</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aisbous_Ss8/UKvChAst5NI/AAAAAAAACnA/J1YuvqzU4Ss/s1600/BritishSchoolhugetractsofland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aisbous_Ss8/UKvChAst5NI/AAAAAAAACnA/J1YuvqzU4Ss/s320/BritishSchoolhugetractsofland.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A story about huge tracts of land, apparently</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The kids were great—and it was nice to have a somewhat more
intimate experience than yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m still waiting for my pony.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the event, we went back to the staff room for more food and tea and a roundtable discussion on the virtues of nonsense. The gospel continues to spread!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SV2clRnLJ6Y/UKvEGmo0BSI/AAAAAAAACnU/vGj2UfT3qfM/s1600/BritishSchool1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SV2clRnLJ6Y/UKvEGmo0BSI/AAAAAAAACnU/vGj2UfT3qfM/s400/BritishSchool1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-45519730809201088842012-11-19T07:31:00.000-08:002012-11-19T17:30:21.288-08:00Nonsense arrives at DPS 45 School!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing like meeting a fully fuliginous 4am to stimulate the
stomata!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a big day, but I had
no idea how big it would be… {cue harp run}</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A heaping plate of aloo-stuffed parathas went some way in
alleviating jetlag, and soon I was whisked off by Himanjali Sankar, one of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Book</i> editors at Scholastic, to the
DPS Sector 45 school in Gurgaon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZCewuf7Nq8/UKpM9Ah5thI/AAAAAAAACmE/4VsiYFdZLYs/s1600/DPS45.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZCewuf7Nq8/UKpM9Ah5thI/AAAAAAAACmE/4VsiYFdZLYs/s200/DPS45.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DPS Sector 45 School</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we approached, the massive structure (and this photo is
just a tiny corner of the compound) I noted a dull roar, a writhing soundcloud
of jeers and cheers, chatting and splatting: the multitude of a massive public school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Himanjali and I wandered about through courtyards and passageways
packed with chatty chirpy uniformed kids until we were told to hang a right at the Gandhiji,
to find our hosts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a quick
tea, I was escorted into an enormous auditorium, every seat filled with a
bright and squirming 9-year-old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each and every of the 600 or so seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I stood with gob falling on shoe, holding my guitar and
bag, I was announced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dropped my
bags, walked to the podium, and spoke gravely into the mic:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nonsense!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may have said a few other words, after which I ran over to
set up…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjtalY-FehE/UKpNPNsX3fI/AAAAAAAACmM/iMBspuSroVw/s1600/Performing1_11:19:12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjtalY-FehE/UKpNPNsX3fI/AAAAAAAACmM/iMBspuSroVw/s200/Performing1_11:19:12.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The show soon began, starting in a spiritual vein with Sarita
Padki’s “The Bathing Hymn.” “Om” I intomed, and when I chanted “haveum bathum
namaha” the crowd giggled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
kids knew it was a joke, but the teachers panicked, fanning out into the crowd
to suppress the laughter at such a deeply spiritual moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the teachers caught on, however,
and the session began with a laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went through my brand new set list, with Samit Basu’s superhero poems,
and They Might Be Giants’ song “Particle Man,” my “Bisht-Bosht Mudpies,” a
little tutorial on nonsense and school subversion using the Appendix/Alice
mash-up at the end of the book, followed by Barry Louis Polisar’s song “I’ve
Got a Teacher, She’s So Mean.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They mainly laughed where there were supposed to, and
participated fully in chanting “Awk nok diddy wok, dicky picky poo!” (the
phrase I still remember from my elementary days, though I think it was my
brother and not I who saw Polisar do that song). And so I learn: trust kids and nonsense.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XR1k1_g-yrs/UKpNkhsZ5mI/AAAAAAAACmU/bxsRTSevQLo/s1600/Crowd1-11-19-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XR1k1_g-yrs/UKpNkhsZ5mI/AAAAAAAACmU/bxsRTSevQLo/s320/Crowd1-11-19-12.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all filed out, and I had a quick tea before being
escorted back into the auditorium to do it all over again for the next class… another
580 students. The second go-round I think was even more solid, and afterwards,
as the children filed out, one asked me to sign his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then another asked me to sign his paper. I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, within thirty seconds, it was a flurry of bits of paper and flailing appendages— I had
to shimmy up the stage as the teachers shooed them away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The teachers apologized, saying the children were not supposed to do that, but I was just glad that they seemed to appreciate a little nonsense!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jYiqkahjtVk/UKpN2UQXdOI/AAAAAAAACmc/iUg7-8NRSX8/s1600/MeatTable.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jYiqkahjtVk/UKpN2UQXdOI/AAAAAAAACmc/iUg7-8NRSX8/s200/MeatTable.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-87470371372916879622012-11-19T02:11:00.001-08:002012-11-19T07:32:04.460-08:00Sunday 18 November--First Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KI_YaGXotxc/UKoBD6j0GWI/AAAAAAAACl0/oilxfHEb0_4/s1600/Touching+Moments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="53" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KI_YaGXotxc/UKoBD6j0GWI/AAAAAAAACl0/oilxfHEb0_4/s320/Touching+Moments.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I will do my best to spare you the flotsam and jetsam of my trip, I take the liberty of chipping in a nonsense nugget now and then. And so... my first full day in Gurgaon, a suburb outside of New Delhi,
where massive modern steel and glass skyscrapers meet the mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How d’ye do? How d’ye do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I present here a “<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Touching Moment</span>,” and
perhaps a little nonsensical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
lunch, Sayoni and Paul (my most magnanimous, munificent, and mutton-bearing
hosts) brought me to Delhi Heights, which is neither very high nor in Delhi,
where we were seated near an impressive keyboard, behind which was an even more
impressive dude with a massively impressive pony tail, and himpostrously
impressive soul patch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He appeared
to be singing and playing to Men At Work’s “Down Under,” but then we realized
that the keyboard was a sham—and that he was actually hired as a professional
karaoke singer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here he is:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwrPXsnyN_2jVv1V0SH9JI8nTZvna7gpwnZyyMRPCKbX7RhkcIDzk9m-9xR_y3cbd2tiCgHgU9zd29BVbNGFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We spent lunch being serenaded by the greatest hits from the
80s, in full soul patchy, pony-taily, karaokey glory. But I think my favorite part is the poor fellow at the table there, looking at turns grumpy, and confused, and grumpy. At our table, we were anything but...</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6935348303289776239.post-33630058001590603442012-11-17T01:12:00.000-08:002012-11-19T17:34:38.390-08:00It begins blearily in Amsterdam... New Delhi or Bust!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
What better place to rest my flippers and conkimplate the
crockery than here at a Mad Tea Party at Schiphol Airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve not had a moment to spare in the
last few days, and so finally I begin this latest leg (surely at least an
octopod or dodecapod by now) of the Nonsense Way.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tv7nGTj-5lE/UKdUhedmWDI/AAAAAAAAClY/HgX7Oaihons/s1600/IMG_2722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tv7nGTj-5lE/UKdUhedmWDI/AAAAAAAAClY/HgX7Oaihons/s320/IMG_2722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those just tuning in, I’m beginning a little tour in
India for my new book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Book Makes No
Sense: Nonsense Poems and Worse</i>—just out now through Scholastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s long in coming, longer in humming,
and extrapolatedly belated, considering that this kind of book is more or less
what I had wanted to do way back when my teeth were less long, well nigh on
eleven donkey’s ears ago, when dastardly Penguinish forces steered me away from
a book primarily for children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
can’t complain about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tenth Rasa</i>,
but I never did get around to doing a children’s nonsense book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here I am, different publisher,
different dhoti (thankfully), same pair of shoes—with a book filled with
nonsense poems and stories by some of the top nonsense dogs of India, and some
very good eggs (dogeggs?), like Sampurna Chattarji, Anushka Ravishankar, Samit Basu, Kaushik
Viswanath (to name a few!), the ever-tubular translation talents of Anita
Vaccharajani, plus a special guest appearance by none other than Jonaraja, aka
JonArno Lawson, the Prince of Protopappadums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And it's all topped off with Priya Kuriyan's amazing illustrations. </span>It’s a Floyal Rush, if ever a whever a Wiz there was!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this time around I managed to fling
a few of my own nonsense falafels, including some poems and an Alice mash-up
that teaches the younguns how to write nonsense and subvert authority with both
hands and extra <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kapow</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book is out in India now—but not
available out of India, unfortunately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hope that may change at some point.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the trip in a nutshell… I’m flying in to New Delhi, where
I’ll be staying in the airy climes of Platypus Books (S. Basu, A. Ravishankar Proprietors)
the newest hippest publisher of children’s books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Delhi, my primary target is the Bookaroo children’s book
festival, where I’m doing a session with my nonsense partner of yore, Sampurna
Chattarji.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Connected to Bookaroo
and also separately through Scholastic, I’ll be visiting several schools,
performing pieces from the new book, from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Tenth Rasa</i>, from Jethro Tull, from They Might Be Giants, from Barry Louis Polisar,
and anything else I can mustard up and catsup down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m then off to Mumbai and Calcutta, to visit more schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal is to start what I’m calling
the Indian Spring, a nonsense revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Huzzah!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295570357610404208noreply@blogger.com0