awesome storage idea..

stella before

i dunno about you, but i love collecting flowers for my hair... and i also love gardening and taking care of my plants like my homies..well this obsession has become so immense that i seem to have no room to store all my flowers.. or to move without hitting a plant in my house ... not complaining .. just saying.. the other day one of my plants stella passed away and as usual, that gets me very depressed so while i was sitting around moping, i had a super idea. ....




say hi to stella ------------------------

stella after

<-------------- i grabbed all my flowers and placed them on her branches and she looked alive and vibrant ... and i got a fantastic way of storing my flowers ...
                     doesn't she look beautiful?

i heart storage ideas! 

jannat ..

 jannat ke phool .... zameen pe nahi milte .

jesus in love

photo:manoj jadhav

someday I’d like to have another drink

with you beside me

someday id like to take a walk on the beach

with you inside me

jesus is in love with you

jesus is in love with you

you pray for life

holding a knife

you lust for infinity

in virginity

jesus is in love with you

jesus is in love with you

free fallin...

“Make the world go away….get it … get it off my shoulder……yeah…make the world go away….say the things we used to say and make the world go away……”

He said,” I am a gypsy…I belong to the world… I left on my journey at 13.  Ive seen a lot of people and ive been with a lot of women.  Nothing you can say or do will surprise me as much as your presence does.  This strong smell of yours haunts me everywhere I go.  In a room full of nationalities you stick out like the green alien, except you’re red. 

She said,” Gypsy boy I am a dream.  Don’t try to make me a reality.  Don’t try to own me and don’t try to limit me.  Close your eyes and I will be yours forever.

He said, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.  Come see me.  I’ll make the world go away.  Come to me….

She said, “I must work….I must focus…I must make money…I must not lust…”

Days passed…

He said She said They said

The world The world The world… didn’t really matter…

He said, “ Dream are you playing games with me or are you gonna come true?  If not, you have to let me know for I have had the most beautiful love declaration last night.  And I don’t wanna sleep to dream anymore.”

She said, “Fly with love my gypsy.  Be happy.  I will always be around flying with you in a distance watching over you and smiling.  Go with love….fly fly fly…”

He said, “as you wish.”

And vanished.

She met him months later.  In her world.  He didn’t fit.  But he tried.  He sat on her bed and sang her Spanish folksongs as she drifted into her tent.

He said, “Lovely strong lady, you don’t belong in a tent.  Unzip and Unlip. 

He spoke of his current ladylove and she pretended not to look bothered. 

He said, “She is beautiful … you know what she said….she said “ive been in love with you for 2 years and watching you…but you never noticed me once….so here I am…jump….”  I was blown away.

She said, “that’s beautiful….love must be beautiful…”

He said, “yes it is….but love is like a dream again…..”  POOF VANISHED!

She said, “ I wish…I wish…I wish….”

And fell asleep….to dream….

He left

Day Dreaming…

Good night!

Elvis continued singing….nobody noticed….

“Do you remember when you loved me…

Before the world took you away..

Well if you do, then forgive me…

And make the world, make it go away..”

PS: being in a relationship is like sky diving…..it’s terrifying but you jump anyway….the thrill of the free fall.... The best part, when you binge on each other and every touch equals goosebumps.  The feeling in your gut, the adrenaline, the rush, the gush, the blush.  But at some point you feel like you’re gonna crash n burn so you pull the chute…and exhale in relief…you’re safe….in your mind….and eventually if you are an expert, you have a perfect landing on your two feet and walk away for another round. 

Note to self:

In these days of recession, binging on love seems to be the perfect thing to do.  Think about it…You don’t need food cuz you can live on soft kisses and air and you can stay up all night in candlelight discussing important issues like “who likes the other more” cuz it aint like you have to work the next day.  So forget the protective gear and free fall till you can free fall again….Chutes don’t even work sometimes.

whats the use of a title?

They don't make it
the beautiful die in flame-
suicide pills, rat poison, rope what-
ever...
they rip their arms off,
throw themselves out of windows,
they pull their eyes out of the sockets,
reject love
reject hate
reject, reject.

they don't make it
the beautiful can't endure,
they are butterflies
they are doves
they are sparrows,
they don't make it.

one tall shot of flame
while the old men play checkers in the park
one flame, one good flame
while the old men play checkers in the park
in the sun.

the beautiful are found in the edge of a room
crumpled into spiders and needles and silence
and we can never understand why they
left, they were so
beautiful.

they don't make it,
the beautiful die young
and leave the ugly to their ugly lives.

lovely and brilliant: life and suicide and death
as the old men play checkers in the sun
in the park. 

charles bukowski 

top hat

-->

photo by manushka khisty

Trace of white powder

Keeps me

On your trail

Musky scent

Of last nights love juices

Makes me frail

Unaware of my intentions

But of my convictions

Frail trail

To no avail..

I lust I lust I lust I lust

Building a bridge

To grab your

Undivided attention…

The magician sulks

In the corner

Naked With his

Top hat on display

Lights

Camera

Action…..

The lights dim

The show begins…..

Here I am…

I’m pulling rabbits outta my heart

I’m pulling rabbits outta my heart….

U are frail

White rabbits on your trail

White powder on the scale

Inhale / Exhale

I’m still pulling rabbits outta my heart

I’m still pulling rabbits outta my heart….

i heart instagram..

love instagram .. here are some nice ways to play with it .. http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/16-ways-to-play-with-instagram/

perfectly flawed

Is it possible to be so perfectly elated all the time? Is it snobbish? Photo by Joy Datta

Yesterday

Yesterday was the day days should be made of.  I woke up with a beautiful human lying in perfect symmetry, breathing in perfect harmony, mumbling in perfect harmony, drooling in perfect harmony, hallucinating in perfect harmony. Perfect seemed to be the word of the day.  Perfect is a word most people are afraid to use because of its well,  ‘perfect’ connotations. 

The day was more cinematic than 5 Tarsem movies put together.  The drums; humming, the guitars strumming, the shakers shaking, the clouds battling, the moon begging, and the road bragging as I packed my bags to descend on my perfect journey.  “Waka Chaka Waka Chaka” was the whisper that followed every footstep.  I am scared mostly of my perfectly happy state of mind.  The top is a lonely place full of empty souls parading their loaded lives. But I love it here. 

“Is it possible to be so perfectly elated all the time?”  “Is it snobbish?”  I have started realizing that happy people don’t have too many friends.  I guess nobody wants to hear a happy tale.  A fairy tale!

The drums hummmmmmm’d louder as each minute flew by.  I could not sleep.  I lay awake listening to Susheela Raman crying on an empty canvas.  Acrylic tears mixed in with laughter and an occasional vodka shot.

I had everything, even my molars were perfect! Was the story I convinced myself of and fell asleep smiling in my perfect dreams.

Today

Today I woke up to the same human but somehow didn’t find the harmony or the perfect symmetry.  The mumbling had turned into screaming and the drool had become quite disgusting. 

Today, instead I felt like a perfect loser.  I realized that “perfect” love is judgmental and insecure.  Love maybe possibly the only enemy of love. 

The “waka chaka waka chaka” turned to “whiny chatter” with each step.  Some say love is beautiful and some say love is a virtue.  Some say it sucks and some say it’s overrated.  I have been a believer and an atheist.  Love is the obstacle we all like to conquer to feel good about ourselves. Love completes the “perfect” picture.

“Love is…..as worthless as the comic strip.” Ya I could be pretty “perfound” when I wanted to be!

I sat at a local café staring at the half empty Ipads of the half full cups.  Even their fingers were ugly.  “Did I look the same to them?” “Are we just a reflection of what we think of others?” 

“Whah..i wanted yesterday back??” Who said the past was not important??

Now

Every mom wants their child to be perfect, every teacher wants their student to be perfect, every employer wants their employees to be perfect.  Every Plastic Surgeon wants their patients to look perfect. Every moviemaker wants the perfect opening. All you hear is Perfect Perfect Perfect! In an already stressed out world, too much stress on a word that is imperfect to begin with.

We place ourselves on a pedestal after a single victory.  We think the game was invented just for us.  Play one and get 2 free.  We become invincible and start thinking success gives us wings.  We go through humans like plastic chess pawns and wonder why we have no friends, just co-workers or acquaintances.  Our “perfect teeth” smile the “perfect fake” smile.  “So this is fame?” “This is what we do to appear perfect to the world?” “Is it worth it to pose “happy” (who the hell invented this pose?) wearing expensive clothes and selling an idea of perfection to the world that does not exist?” 

A battle I fight with myself everyday as one half strives to be perfect (cuz mommy would be so happy and people would love me for my achievements and only when I have achievements would I really Be Somebody) and the other just wants to sit on a bullet with my torn jeans and ride on the rooftop of the world with no one around to judge me in my perfect world! Oops there goes that word again!

“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.” Winston Churchill

****this article originally appeared in helter skelter in may 2011 http://helterskelter.in/2011/05/perfectly-flawed/  ***

lately...

ive been in a beautifully weird state of mind.  ... completely inspired by all things nonhuman after spending time on my recent holiday with kathakali dancers ... back in bombay with so many ideas and a bucket ful of d r e a m s and a mindful of drama .. inspired to the core ..not knowing what to do with it! everywhere anyhwere is invaded with so much mundane that there's hardly any room for the extraordinary! 

Raat by Airport

my first video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3cq2rjjFME

behind the scenes...

making of the video for my first video "Raat" ....

http://nh7.in/indiecision/2010/10/05/making-the-video-airport/

my baby production house is growing up...

ok here is the link to the song i made the music video to... listen to this and yup.. thank me later... !
http://nh7.in/indiecision/2010/10/04/airport-to-release-music-video-for-raat/

farmer's market 3-10-10 in bandra

i was very excited to see an invite for a farmer's market the other day on facebook..Yes..yes...yeeeeesssss!!! felt like i was back in los angeles on 3rd and fairfax with my homies, virg, natalie, and anj, spending the morning looking at fresh veggies and salivating over red luscious tomatoes of all things.
so i put on my sunday hat and headed down to the market.  the bjp flags outside kinda unsettled me for a second but then i got over it.  the market was wonderful..friendly vendors selling eco friendly clothing to flooring. i was in "organic" heaven.  the yummy theplas to karela ka subzi to dhoklas to mint water were perfect food on a hot summer afternoon.  and the best way to digest the meal was a sweet area where one was required to just take off their shoes, sit on the mat and read (which is where i spent most of my time). 
bandra is the bestest suburb. thank you for a wonderful sunday afternoon.

style o wot

a gold star for all the gals who have no idea of who i am and for the ones that do, i'd suggest you spend a little less time in front of the mirror.

my name is sapna bhavnani and i have been working in the fashion / beauty industry for the last 14 years.  and to be honest i find it the shallowest industry of them all.everyday i come across women with low self esteem, after staring at all the skinny models gracing the front covers of every fashion magazine.  i come across many more complaining of their limp, dull, fine hair after watching the false hair advertisements on television.  everyone seems to be in pursuit of outward beauty.  and to many this book might seem like a book promoting just that.

bohemian girl

punk rock girl

librarian girl

the reason i thought of writing this book was to help introduce you to the beautiful world of fantasy and dress up.  i think as a girl growing up partly in india and partly in america, i had the pleasure of growing through all these phases.  i mean it.  from punk rock girl, to librarian girl, to tomboy girl, i went through them all till i got to the best one; "myself."  there is no chapter on "myself" girl in this book because that is a stage we all get to in our own time.  and i hope you get there faster than i did.  i also included a music play list because i think music sets the tone for everything in life.  i believe we all have our personal soundtracks that we groove to in our everyday life and i hope this selection helps you pick yours.

goth girl

please enjoy this book and try to play every character at least once.  for how boring would life be if you went through it entirely just as "goth girl" or "bratty girl."

http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2009/sep/070909-Hairstyle-Makeovers-Goth-Librarian-Sapna-Bhavnani-Syle-o-wat-A-Girls-Guide-to-Looking-Great.htm
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?edorsup=Sup&queryed=4&querypage=3&boxid=31446658&parentid=100519&eddate=09%2F19%2F2009

this book has been written by sapna bhavnani and illustrated by anushka anand

beautiful words by Swanand Kirkire on the Ayodhya Verdict!

Mai Nikhattu ,Desh Nithalla
Din Bhar Bematlab HoHallaa

Bhikhmango ke Raam aur Allaa
Vyopaari kaa Dharam hai Galla
...
T.V Video Game hai Challa
Jo haar Mile Toh Jhaad lo Palla

Maraa Kabeer aur Maraa re Bullaa
Yahan pe Nanga Naache Dallaa

Karo Siyasat kaato Sar
Bahut hai Ghar Mein Lalli Lallaa

Note Aur SIkkon Kaa Rasgulla
Khaa kar Netaa Haj ko Challaa

Mai Nikhattu, Desh NIthalla
Chale tere Bharose Ram aur Allaa!

The Band Airport

so my small baby production house has made its first music video... it's for an Indian Band called Airport and the song is called "raat."  it's a beautiful song and i hope you enjoy it as much as i do.  the video has been directed by sid sikand (formerly head of promos for ch v) and shot by the talented mofo kartik vijay (formerly known as kartik vijay)... i will post the video on the www on monday..your input is important!  here are the lyrics in the mean time... enjoy..

Wake me up..

When September ends.... It's October people..so much of nothing happening around us.. yet no good reason to wake up...

does a spider ever strangle in its own web?

This is a story…this is a story…this is a story about love. And a little bit of hate. And a little bit of respect. And a little bit of commitment. And a little bit of icing on top. And maybe a little bit of polygamy.

Close by…earth..

In a big little city called Bandra there lived a couple and their couple problems. Now this couple could be any couple and maybe even you. They decided to move in together and share life on their terms without the marriage mumbo jumbo stamp. She did not want marriage or kids. At least in the beginning. He spoke of marriage and kids. At least in the beginning.

In a world 100 miles from earth…lets call it earth two…

A couple moved in together only because he did not have enough money to get his own place. She was fine with that. At least in the beginning.

In a world 100 miles from earth two…lets call it earth three….

A couple moved in together because they wanted to preview married life. The plan was simple. If shit worked out then in one year they would tie the knot and live happily ever after (ha ha ha..earth three people sure are stupid). If they fell apart then at least they didn’t have to go through a divorce. At least in the beginning.

In a world 100 miles from earth three…lets call it earth four…

A couple moved in together. Just because they wanted to dam it! But they were free to be with other people too. An open relationship if you will. These earth four people had it all figured out. At least in the beginning.

Tick Tock Tick Tock….

Close by … earth…

The woman started having those urges….oh those urges of motherhood and marital bliss (?) and the man, well lets just say started having urges. She got down on her knees and asked for marriage. He asked for time. After 5 years she had run out of time. So she decided to move on. And moved out. So did he. But that’s not important is it since this is a chicks story.

In a world 100 miles from earth…lets call it earth two…

He had lived with her for almost a year and still had no money. He wanted her to sit at home with him and hang out all day, dreaming of love and honeybees. All of a sudden he didn’t seem so endearing. She tried to be nice and push him to get a job in the subtlest way she could but he didn’t take the hint. So she asked him to move out. But he had no money to move out. So she did.

In a world 100 miles from earth two…lets call it earth three….

The first 3 months were fantastic. They did everything together. They picked out the furniture, they picked out the color of the walls, they chose the bathroom tiles and they decided on the television brand. The kitchen was her responsibility and the food on the table, his. In the fourth month he started ‘happy houring’ with his coworkers almost everyday. He started coming home past 9, sometimes 10, sometimes 11, and sometimes 12. She used to wait around by the dining table but gave up soon. That’s the thing about women these days. They learn fast. She decided to get her own job and her own food and her own happy hour. He couldn’t handle that and decided that she wasn’t marriage material. He moved out and found himself a cook this time.

In a world 100 miles from earth three…lets call it earth four…

She was delighted to get attention from 5 men at the same time. Men love women who don’t seek attachments. He was also happy wooing his own harem. They spent time with each other on their off nights and spoke of their other lovers casually. Right! Till one day, the woman fell in love with lover 3. Lover 3 wasn’t ready for LOVE. Lover 3 already had his love at home. She decided she couldn’t live with a man when she was in love with someone else. So she moved out. And gave up her harem. The men continued hareming.


Overheard: man asking his mother, “When will I find the perfect woman?” to which she said, “stop worrying about the perfect woman and work on making yourself the perfect man.”

Will somebody please build earth five quickly!