Monday 26 September 2016

O' Son! When we will be at war....



                   O' Son! When we will be at war....


This great nation will be one
Religions will melt
Castes will bury in oblivion
Tedium of bulletins
Dismissed as mundane
Hailed and heard for cleaver explanations
The birds who had flown far away
The bond had weakened
Will care to ask
In mighty surge of eloquence
Hearts will stir with stirring times
Blood, in its truest colour, will boil
Scrupulous emotions will flow
Desire to live, urge to die, at par
O' Son! When we will be at war.

Bullets and missiles will sway and swirl
Intercepting the sky, whoosh, and whirl
Winds and breaths will hum 
          prophecy of our victory
Aiding the blood-thirsty arms
          unerring trajectory
And, there in the terrains
Some men will wait to be martyred
Lonely, angry,eyes blank, lips parched
They don't eat, drink water by pint
Amidst the hissing bullets, bawling tanks and roaring aircrafts
Each shot is counted, every bullet is accounted
When some mortals will play 
The game of blood at far
O' Son! When we will be at war.



Thursday 25 August 2016

THE DEFINITION OF GRACE- WAHEEDA RAHMAN











THE DEFINITION OF GRACE- 
                                       WAHEEDA RAHMAN


A perfectly and exquisitely carved out face. Dense midnight-black hair flowing over shoulders. A few locks dancing on the face teasing the emotive and enticing eyes.The arched eyebrows looking down on the sweeping velvety eyelashes. The wheatish saffron-tinted complexion with a tinge of shyness humbling the golden sunlight. As if, God himself has sculptured her.
The song "Chaudhanvi ka chaand ho " perfectly corroborates it.



Satyajit Ray and Amitabh Bachchan are among the admirers of this quintessential beauty.
Satyajit Ray said that she was the most stunning woman he had seen.
And, Amitabh Bachchan thinks that nobody has quite the charm and beauty of Waheeda Rahman.
The legendary Guru Dutt's obsession for her is known to everybody.

To me, Waheeda Rahman is the poise, grace, dignity, decency, delicacy , womanhood all blended and personified. She had spelled a cast over me when puberty had not hit me and I knew little about the significance of the man-woman relationship
You may call it a hangover, but even today, if you ask me to name a woman I find the most gorgeous in a sari, my answer will be Waheeda Rahman. The lustre of her beauty is brighter than all the stars. She is more than just a divinely beautiful face on the screen. Her dances and emotive prowess helped her to be named as one of the finest actresses. Even now,at 78, she looks stunning.

To me, real beauty is sacred and not seductive. It should evoke spirituality. If a man feels aroused by merely the looks of a woman, then, it is the shallowness of his character or maybe, sensuality overshadowing the grace. Real beauty educes divinity and respect. It will not let your eyes incline beyond her neck. That's where I put Waheeda Rahman. It's remarkable that even when covered from head to toe, she looked sensuous. That's my definition of beauty. It doesn't need bare cleavage or thighs. Seeing her and being her admirer too early, my views and idea of womanhood are largely inspired by Waheeda Rahman's persona. The thing is still the same.  



 I vaguely remember that her first movie that I saw was "CID" in which she played a vamp. I was a kid then and obviously, a negative character didn't impress me. 
A couple of weeks after, the Doordarshan showed "Teesri Kasam". I noticed her in the role of a village Nautanki dancer. Then came "Guide". After watching it, I started recognizing her and remembered her name. However, she made a niche in my heart after I watched "Khamoshi". A teenager judges an actor on his or her screen presence and not on acting ability. I watched these movies in my adolescence and began to admire her for her roles.  


 Waheeda was born into a traditional Muslim family. She was a skilled danseuse trained in Bharatnatyam. It was her father's untimely death that forced her to seriously consider a career in films. From 1956 to 1962 she worked only for Gurudutt. 

She has been a part of some of the greatest Hindi films.


"Guide" was ahead of its time. It's considered one of the masterpieces of Bollywood. There are a few instances when a film outdoes the book it I based on. "Guide" is one such film. Rosie Marco was a character no heroine would have agreed to play. People said that she was a vamp. Rosie is one of the ridiculous women in Hindi cinema. She is a rebel. She leaves her husband to follow her dreams, commits adultery and then dumps her lover when he doesn't live to her expectations. The era was different from the one portrayed in "Guide". 



Watch her in songs "PIYA TOSE NAINA LAGE RE...", and " AAJ PHIR JEENE KI TAMANNA HAI...". Simply unforgettable and irreplaceable she is. And, doesn't she rightly deserve that the fabulous Dev Anand sings for her, "LAKH MANAA LE DUNIYA, SAATH NA YE CHOOTEGA... AAKAR MERE HAATHON ME, HAATH NA YE 
CHOOTEGA...". 
Rosie's whimsicality would have been devastating for Waheeda's career but, she chose to do it and today, even after half a century, that stellar performance remains in the list of the most memorable performances in Indian cinema.

Her character Alka in "Kala Bazaar" too, was far ahead of her times. The cocktail of Waheeda's spontaneity with Alka's uncompromising morality took that character to a different level.
 All the songs in "Kala Bazaar" are memorable but I liked Waheeda's gestures in response to her puzzled parents' inquiring stares, lying on the top berth of a train compartment while a mischievous Dev Anand teasing her with an ambiguously worded song - "UPPARWALA JAANKAR ANJAAN HAI... APNI TOH HAR AAH EK TOOFAN HAI ".  It is always fun to watch this song.






Waheeda as the village nautanki dancer Hirabai in "Teesri Kasam" is mesmerizing. To me, that's the second-best Performance by my favorite actress. I can't imagine another actress doing that role to that perfection. She is astonishingly and breathtakingly beautiful in "Teesri Kasam" as much that the black & white doesn't bother. It's sheer ecstasy to watch her face doing the complete act. The calm, the caressing eyes exploring the confirmation of reciprocation in Raj Kapoor's eyes, her submissive smiles, and the translation of emotions by the silent gestures, everything is a treat for the film lovers. "Teesri Kasam" is a real classic with the story, screenplay, direction, acting, music and songs, everything tremendous. Waheeda Rahman's persona added to the marvel of the creation. Her eyes do magic in the song "PAN KHAYE SAIYAAN HAMAAR, SANWALI SOORAT PE HONTH LAL LAL..."



And, "Khamoshi", the timeless and mesmeric film. Most rank it the best movie of 60's. I can write endlessly about this movie. Unarguably, the best role essayed by  Waheeda Rahman. She effortlessly plays a devoted nurse (Radha) and a jilted lover. The trauma of a lacking professional who fails to keep her  emotions separate from her occupation.  The compassion and feelings can be heard in her silence. Her eyes are the most vocal in this 1969 classic. The nurse Radha in "Khamoshi" will stir you, shake you and if you are emotional, you will weep. You would fall for her and would feel anxious to bring her out of her trauma. And, the piercing poetry in the lyrics of the great Gulzar sahib adds to the marvel. The songs "HUMNE DEKHI HAI UN AANKHON KI MAHAKTI KHUSHBOO..." ,  "TUM PUKAAR LO..." , "WO SHAAM KUCH AJEEB THI..." are all ageless numbers. Youngsters too, love them.

Who can forget her National award bagging role in " Reshma Aur Shera"? She lived to perfection the transformation of Reshma's character from a giggling rustic girl to an erotic lover to a rebellious daughter to a tragic woman. This film was a flop but the Waheeda Rahman enacted an unforgettable role making Reshma immortal.

She had a small but significant role in "Sahib Biwi Aur Gulaam". I will not talk about this film. However, I loved her in the song "MERI BAAT RAHI MERE MAN ME...". It's one of the iconic songs of Asha Bhonsle and Waheeda Rahman subtly brings in all emotions and feeling matching the wondrous lyrics of  Shakeel Badayuni.

Another gem she has contributed to is the song from "Pyaasa" - "JANE KYA TUNE KAHI...JANE KYA MAINE SUNI...". Please pardon me for repeating it every now and then, but, but, I really love her eyes and the way they talk. And the elegance. No wonder she is my dream woman.

Her dance postures and the conveyance of her devoted love towards the so-full-of-attitude Dev Anand in "RANGEELA RE..." from "Prem Pujaari" has an unfading charm. 

The ethereal Waheeda Rahman has an indelible impression on me since my childhood. I so admire this woman that she is like an angel to me. She is the only woman I didn't mind to see wearing her hair in two braids otherwise I hate them. She is one of the very few people who has aged gracefully as she has ever lived her life. Hats off.



Her angelic smile is enough for a traumatic man to forget all his pain. Her silence is so vocal and again, sorry for that, her eyes are so expressive they don't leave much for her pleasing voice.

I am not hopeful that she would read this but if the God makes a mood and sprinkle any pint of good fortune on me and she happens to read this...then, 

With all respect, Dear Waheeda ji, this is for you.




Wednesday 3 August 2016

KISHORE KUMAR BOLLYWOOD'S ONE AND ONLY ALL-ROUNDER




                                       KISHORE KUMAR

    BOLLYWOOD'S ONE AND ONLY ALL-ROUNDER











Kishore Kumar aka Kishore Da, as most of the music enthusiasts across the world call him, is the voice that has influenced the taste of all lovers of Hindi songs in some way.

Kishore Kumar excelled as the 
playback singer, actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and every role he played. To me, he is the most successful playback singers of the Hindi Film Industry. Apart from Hindi, he sang in many Indian languages including BengaliMarathiAssameseGujaratiKannadaBhojpuri,MalayalamOdia, and Urdu.

He has won the most Filmfare awards, (eight) in the category of the best male playback Singer.

Right from my childhood, I am his fan. It's an uphill task for me to choose ten best songs sung by him out of the thousands of mesmerising numbers to which his manly voice with great depth and range, has given life but, I can't list all of them. So, here are my ten best songs sung by my favourite Kishore Da.






1.

O Hansini  - Zehreela Insaan 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Vj_XsfHTM

"Aaja meri saso me mahak raha re tera gajara aaja meri ratome lahak rahare tera kajara.........." great lyrics, soulful music by R. D. Burman.

2.

Rim Jhim Gire Saawan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VzUxxa0c2I

Unarguably, the best song during drizzles. Beautiful lyric and sung from the heart.

3.

Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi Shikwa To Nahin |

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-HnmVg0-O8
The combo of the greatness of three magicians, Gulzar sahib, Kishore Da, and Pancham. I love this composition so very much.

4.

Aadmi Jo Kehta Hai - Majboor 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ArgZa-UsAM
I think, everyone who hears this song, connects to it. Piercing words....The genius of Laxmikant Pyarelal, touching words and the emotional singing by Kishore Da...
"koi bhi ho har khwaab to sachha nahi hota bahut jiyada pyaar bhi achha nahi hota..."

5.

Koi Hota Jisko Apna

Film Mere Apne (1971) Music Salil Chaudhary, Lyrics Gulzar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Bgn53YJQY
Just listen to this song. It brings tears to my eyes, every time I play it.

6.

Jeevan Ke Din Chotay Sahi 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVusJw_Gng8
Lovely inspirational song...Lyrics by U.P. ki shaan Majrooh Sultanpuri...
" yeh zindagi dard bhi hai , ye zindagi hai dawa bhi , dil todna hi na jaane , jaane ye dil todna bhi..."

7.

Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhen- Safar 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VZDEcwcCak

The sheer poetry in this song is mesmerizing. The romance in words is sure to flatter your muse...
"आँचल का तेरे हे तार बोहत, कोई चाक जिगर-सीने केलिए"...इंदीवर साहिब को प्रणाम

8.

Diye Jalte Hain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bh4FebE14A
The best song dedicated to friendship. It's my favourite since the school days.
Indeed Anand Bakshi is one of greatest philosophers of Indian cinema.

9.

Phir Wahi Raat Hai 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-5WjfVmxKQ
Artists complement each other. Gulzar sahibs heart-piercing poetry combined with the soul-stirring voice of Kishore Da makes it an immortal song.
"
कांच के खाब है
आँखों में चुभ जाएंगे Only Gulzar sahib can imagine such words

10.
Cheel Cheel Chillake - Half Ticket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhZvU3mTZR4
What an awesome song!!!!Kishore Kumar was one of a kind!!
Noone can dance and sing like him. I rate it the best humourous song ever made. Loved by the people of all ages, this song is unforgettable.



Tuesday 2 August 2016

THE WAIT... A micro story



                                                                         
                                                                                
                                  THE WAIT






Like every day, he was here, opposite the pillar No. 2345 on the India- Pakistan border as early as the sun appeared on the horizon. The eight-kilometre walk from his village Barmer was taxing for his old legs. 




The tremulous gaze of his stone-still eyes fought with the dying hope of seeing his son alive again and the dazzling sunlight. Strong wind barged its way across the border shoving his beard to flick against his suffering chest and sticking straws to it as if to tease him.


Two months have passed since his only son, Jaidev had forayed into the territory of Pakistan. The village apothecary had told that the panacea which could save his ailing mother was found exclusively at nearby Pakistan village. The father tried to stop him but failed. 


Since his wife died forty days ago, he came here every day and waited for his son.

‘You’re taking too long for a journey of twenty kilometres, Jaidev. Come back, son. Come back before I leave,’ he would mumble throughout the day. 
Prolonged uncertainty over his son’s life haunted him. The sun started with him, soared up slowly, shone over his head and then drowned far in the West, snatching away some breaths from his feeble hope every time.

Wednesday 18 May 2016

COURAGE WITHOUT SANITY IS STUPIDITY

                             
            COURAGE WITHOUT SANITY IS STUPIDITY




It was on the last Sunday that I went to Mathura with my son. Due to some problem, I had to leave my car at home and travel by bus. As are the Summers in North India, it was a blazing day.
We reached the holy city after noon. The mercury was at peak. To go to our destination from the Bus Terminal, we took the tempo that seat twelve passengers. We sat on one of the middle seats with a young couple on our side and four youths opposite to us. The rear seat accommodated four other passengers.


The young men, all barely in early twenties or maybe below, had 'Gutka' in their mouths. Being on the extreme right, the hot air was roasting my face. To prevent direct exposure, I covered the side with my handkerchief.
Suddenly, the young wife, who was the only woman in the cab, slapped the youth sitting opposite to her.
'Can't you spit carefully... Twice before, droplets came to my hand,' she yelled at him after reddening his already burning cheeks.


The boy was mad and tried to return the slap that was intercepted by the husband. I screamed at the fuming boy warning him not to retaliate. The group confronted me. Their point was that she should have cautioned him after the first instance only and shouldn't have 'assaulted' their friend. The poor husband was meekly listening while I was having words with the furious boys.
The belligerent woman was unapologetic. The husband was timid. My son wanted me not to meddle in. I was concerned about the dumb but courageous woman. The cabby was indifferent and kept on driving.


Even after I told them the consequences of thrashing a woman, the youths were not ready to let it go. The cab had reached the place where I had to get down.
As I asked the cabby to halt, the boys started screaming at the woman. The husband was so frightened that he asked her wife to get down too. Rightly so, considering the rage of the boys. Poor he. I really pitied him. They had just started their life together and with such short-tempered partner, his life is going to be miserable.


The youths too, came down.
'I will call the police, if you don't go inside the cab and move away,' I sternly warned them. The other passengers told them the same thing.


The cabby speeded away as the boys re-settled. I stayed with the couple until they got another cab to go further.


No doubt, the woman was bold but, my point is that one should never forsake sanity ever so courageous he or she may be.
I am not favouring the tobacco chewing and spitting hooligans but, she should have conveyed her discomfort before taking the extreme step. Could she or her husband have contested with four young men?


Things would be ugly if I had not stepped in.


Good that women are finding voice, but it better would be better if they use their wisdom to understand when, where and how to use it.



Sunday 1 May 2016

DREAMING, NOT BREATHING, KEEPS YOU ALIVE


       

         







DREAMING, NOT BREATHING, KEEPS YOU ALIVE


I was doing quite well before my life had a major disaster. Suddenly, I was thrown down to ground from a decent height I had achieved. I was jobless and was meeting ends by taking tuitions in a 50 square feet room. The saddest part was that I had no plan or desire of improving or expanding it. I was tired, ambitionless and dull. I picked up quarrels with everyone who criticized me. The graph of my life had plunged to its deepest and my morale was at rock bottom, though, I feigned it. My ego was at prime. I was earning a meagre fifteen thousand rupees. Life was nothing more than a formality and I was alive just for the sake of my family. I mostly wore unironed clothes, would shave only on Sundays and would wear shoes only when I had to go out. I taught my students wearing slippers.

Then, the calendar turned up to show the magical date of the 5th of May 2005 (5-5-5). I woke up to a telephone call to hear the news of the death of a relative. When I reached their house to attend the funeral, there was some delay because they had been waiting for a distant cousin. I had lived in the same locality before. So, everybody there knew me. An old friend took me to his house for a cup of tea. He revealed the purpose of his hospitality before serving the tea and showed me the ‘Plan’ of a multilevel marketing company. 

I joined it just for my long camaraderie with him. I didn’t work much but I did attend their educational and leadership seminars. That education changed everything about me. It injected positivity in me and made me understand the importance of dreaming.
I remained presentable and cheerful always. The sickening ego drained out of me. I wanted to do more for myself and my family. And, in eleven years following that magical turnaround, I am a different person. I owe the change to the resurrected desire to do something to be able to leave an indelible mark when I finally depart. I am still working on it and have no doubts about accomplishing it.

DREAMS- not those which we see in a state of dormant consciousness with our eyes closed and those which sneak in involuntarily, but those that we see with open eyes with gambolling consciousness, those, which make their presence felt with a gleam in the open eyes.
With my experience of life, I assert that only a person who dreams is truly alive. A person who is privileged to live on this hallowed coliseum of earth must do something worth remembering and appreciable as a price for eating up the natural resources. It is morally wrong to populate a heaven as a parasite.







So, for all those who haven’t started nurturing dreams, here is a push-start button.
Not having any dream or ambition bluntly signifies that nothing motivates you; nothing evokes your interest, you are ill of negativity. All these, together mean that you are dead.
Narrow down your focus. Combat negativity. Keep your motivation up. Relish everything that fires your interest. Search the fuel to light that interest.

You must know what you want. Brainstorm, meditate and find out what you love to do. Find out what invigorates you and what makes you feel fulfilled.

Talk to yourself. Find out your bad habits. Try to improve yourself. Admit your faults and mistakes to yourself and never hesitate to admit them to others. Correct yourself. Every new person you meet has some good traits and some bad. Learn whatever you can from him and ignore his bad traits. Unrealistic planning, bad habits, incorrect beliefs, negative character traits are obstacles. Shun them for good.

One thing we all must know is that it is easiest to change our self.
Be crazy while dreaming. Dream big, really, really big. All big achievers were dreamers once.
Believe it or not, but big dreams are easier to achieve.
If I ask you to hit a ball inside a circle, when it will be easier for you- targeting inside a small circle or inside a big circle?

In a village, there lived a giant on a big tree. When hungry, he got down the tree and wolf down whoever he would find. One day, a tired traveller slept under the tree unaware about the giant.
The villagers woke him up to warn. The stranger wondered why the villagers didn’t do anything to get rid of the giant.
The villagers conceded their debility stating that the giant was too big for them. The stranger propounded that his big size makes his killing easier. He suggested them to call the whole village near the tree. He asked them to take a stone in their hand and wait for the giant to come down. When the giant woke up to devour another life, each villager aimed the stone at him. The giant got hit at different parts of the body and crumpled to death.

Bigger targets are easier to hit.
So, walk out of your comfort zone. Drop the beliefs that limit you. Stop indulging in everything nonsensical. Don’t fritter away your energy on unproductive things. Stop rueing, arguing, overthinking, quarrelling and all such things that are a waste of time and energy.
Inspiration and opportunity can visit us at any time. Always welcome them. Be a good host. Listen to them and don’t discard at once.

Think more of the ways you can be successful than entertaining the ways to fail.  One great characteristic of a human brain is that it can achieve what it perceives. When we tell it that we want to get something, it starts finding and suggesting us the ways to reach our goal. On the contrary, when we tell it once that we can’t get to our goal, it would come up with hundreds of reasons to corroborate it.






Motivation is a verb and not a noun. It demands more action and fewer emotions. Positive affirmations boost your confidence.
Negativity is toxic to success. Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is not the end result. They have a great worth in terms of experience.

After Thomas Edison succeeded in creating an electric bulb, he said, ‘I didn’t fail, I just found 2000 ways not to make a bulb.’

If you are determined not to give up on your ambitions, failures can’t be permanent.

So, come on. Be brave to take your first steps. Once you do it, you cross the biggest hurdle. Your path becomes clearer. Now, keep saying to yourself, “I have to do it and I will do it.”

1.      FIX YOUR DREAM TODAY-

Sit alone for a while and think. What gives you pleasure? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years from now? What do you want your life like?
Get the answers and hold on to the most appealing thing you want to do.
Your dream should be-



SMART


S- SPECIFIC
             M-MATERIALISTIC
       A-ACHIEVABLE
   R-REALISTIC
       T-TIME BOUND


2.      PASTE IT-

Get some pictures of your dream and paste them everywhere- in every room of your house so that it remains in your vision all the time. Paste it in the washroom, on your study table, and on the television so that whenever you fritter away time needlessly in the washroom or watching TV.

3.      TELL EVERYBODY-

You may hesitate to do so, but telling everybody around about your dream would prove the most helpful in achieving it. When you tell people about your sky-high ambitions (they would consider them so), they would make fun of you and that should work as fuel for you. Also, they would keep on reminding you what you’d told them and their frequent nagging would impel you to keep following your dream.

4.      GIVE IT A DATE-

Binding yourself and your dream with time helps in achieving your goals. A big and long term dream can’t be achieved with a big single leap. To remain focussed, you should divide it into an appropriate number of short -term targets to be accomplished in a fixed period of time.

If you don’t do it, you might be behind it always.



"Many of man's greatest achievements are the products and accidents of their ambition."

Always start your day early. Stop hating people. Harness your ambition so that, it fires you but without burning you.

 And lastly, a message for all students. Love mathematics and study it  as long as possible. If you really have an interest in it, make it a part of your life. It helps you to think logically and believing that every problem has a solution. 

All the best to you all. May all your dreams attain shape.

Let's  dream.




DREAM

BELIEVE

CREATE

ONE TOUGH DAY THAT BROKE THE DREAM OF A BILLION PEOPLE

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