मेरी आदत है कभी कभी एक पुरी कविता की जगह बस ३-४ पंक्तियाँ लिख देता हूँ । कभी ये अधूरी लगती हैं , कभी पुरी। कुछ ऐसी ही पुरानी रचनाएँ ...
१) न धरती पिघलती, न रोता आसमान
फ़िर क्यूँ बदलता है हर लम्हा इंसान?
२) खोखले जिस्मों की भीड़ में, एक रूह तलाशता हूँ मैं।
अब भी इन मुर्दों की बस्ती में, एक हमदर्द तलाशता हूँ मैं ।
अपने ही ख्यालों से दूर, अक्सर भागता हूँ मैं।
चाहत की अब चाहत न रही, फ़िर क्या चाहता हूँ मैं?
३) मैं तो सन्नाटों के ही शोर से परेशान हूँ,
जाने क्या हाल होता महफ़िल-ऐ-जहाँ में !
४) रखना सम्हाल कर बूंदों को , कल आँखें इनको तरसेंगी,
जाने किस देश की बूंदे हैं , और किस धरती पर बरसेंगी !
५ ) आबाद दिल के जहाँ को बरबाद कर गए,
एक रोज़ भरी महफ़िल में वो आदाब कर गए :)
६ ) गर निगाहें मिलने से ही , इश्क होता ऐ नादान ,
तो हर आँख दिखाने वाला मेरा महबूब होता !
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Its Truth or Perception?
If I am asked which is the most sought after secret the world over, I’d say answer to what ‘Truth’ is. Human civilization has tried to demystify ‘Truth’ through various paths since time immemorial. The concepts of religion, philosophy, physics, mathematics, chemistry etc are all derived as byproduct of the quest to answer this very question.
One day I gave it a thought too। After all, we all have the freedom to think! The enormity of this question dwarfed me just as the stretch of the blue sky above does. Let me share my line of thinking, let’s see if I get some interesting ideas from any of you too :).
Let us take a Red Rose. In absolute common sense, the truth is – it is a red rose. Why does it look red? Scientifically, it absorbs all the remaining colors of the spectrum except red, and hence reflects it. The human eye receives the red light reflected from the rose through its receptors and recognizes it as the color red. Hence, we summarize that this rose is red and there are no two thoughts about it, it’s the absolute truth. It can be verified again and again on consultations with our fellow beings around. Now, let’s see the same rose through the eyes of say a cow, a dog, a cat (think of all strange animals you have seen too!)? Do you think all of them would see this rose as red? No, they won’t. Because their eyes are different than ours! They are not designed to receive the same bandwidth of colors as are visible to the human eye. So what happens to our belief of this rose being red?
It turns out; it was our ‘Perception’ that the rose is red. In fact, the ‘fact’ that a particular frequency belongs to the color ‘Red’ is also a perception! Cats might be seeing the same frequency of light as ‘Green’, who knows? I just took a small example to analyze how we form beliefs. In the above example, it is our sense of sight that we have standardized as per our convenience over the years and that set standard is perceived to be absolute truth. I think we still are nowhere near solving this mystery of ‘Truth’. The best we can do is ‘Perceive’ :) .
One day I gave it a thought too। After all, we all have the freedom to think! The enormity of this question dwarfed me just as the stretch of the blue sky above does. Let me share my line of thinking, let’s see if I get some interesting ideas from any of you too :).
Let us take a Red Rose. In absolute common sense, the truth is – it is a red rose. Why does it look red? Scientifically, it absorbs all the remaining colors of the spectrum except red, and hence reflects it. The human eye receives the red light reflected from the rose through its receptors and recognizes it as the color red. Hence, we summarize that this rose is red and there are no two thoughts about it, it’s the absolute truth. It can be verified again and again on consultations with our fellow beings around. Now, let’s see the same rose through the eyes of say a cow, a dog, a cat (think of all strange animals you have seen too!)? Do you think all of them would see this rose as red? No, they won’t. Because their eyes are different than ours! They are not designed to receive the same bandwidth of colors as are visible to the human eye. So what happens to our belief of this rose being red?
It turns out; it was our ‘Perception’ that the rose is red. In fact, the ‘fact’ that a particular frequency belongs to the color ‘Red’ is also a perception! Cats might be seeing the same frequency of light as ‘Green’, who knows? I just took a small example to analyze how we form beliefs. In the above example, it is our sense of sight that we have standardized as per our convenience over the years and that set standard is perceived to be absolute truth. I think we still are nowhere near solving this mystery of ‘Truth’. The best we can do is ‘Perceive’ :) .
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
कल की कल्पना
रात के समाचार में आतंकवाद , नक्सलवाद, मिसाइल, बम जैसे शब्दों को सुनकर जब चांदनी रात के आसमान की ओर देखा तो कुछ ऐसे ख़याल आए :
लगता है ये चाँद कभी किसी आतंकवादी गिरोह का आत्मघाती सदस्य रहा होगा। एक रोज़ जब फिदाइन हमला करते हुए इसे पकड़ लिया गया, तो इसने ख़ुद को फांसी लगा ली और बम से उड़ा लिया।
ये जो सफ़ेद सा गोला रोज़ आसमान में दिखता है ना...... वो उस आतंकवादी का फांसी में लटका हुआ सर है। और अपने कमर से बांधे हुए बम से उसने अपने शरीर के असंख्य टुकड़े कर लिए , जो पुरे आसमान में तारे बन कर बिखर गए हैं।
लगता है ये चाँद कभी किसी आतंकवादी गिरोह का आत्मघाती सदस्य रहा होगा। एक रोज़ जब फिदाइन हमला करते हुए इसे पकड़ लिया गया, तो इसने ख़ुद को फांसी लगा ली और बम से उड़ा लिया।
ये जो सफ़ेद सा गोला रोज़ आसमान में दिखता है ना...... वो उस आतंकवादी का फांसी में लटका हुआ सर है। और अपने कमर से बांधे हुए बम से उसने अपने शरीर के असंख्य टुकड़े कर लिए , जो पुरे आसमान में तारे बन कर बिखर गए हैं।
वक्त रहते कुछ नही बदला तो शायद भविष्य की कल्पना ऐसी ही हो :)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
एक ख़याल
हर रोज़ नए चेहरे, हर रोज़ नयी बातें ,
जाने कितनी झूठी और कितनी सच्ची मुलाकातें
है वही ज़मीन और वही आसमा पर,
हर रोज़ नए दिन हर रोज़ नयी रातें
जाने कितनी झूठी और कितनी सच्ची मुलाकातें
है वही ज़मीन और वही आसमा पर,
हर रोज़ नए दिन हर रोज़ नयी रातें
Friday, October 16, 2009
Happy diwali !
गीली मिटटी का एक दिया, जब अमावस के अँधेरे से लड़ता है...स्वयं राम बन हर आँगन सु-राज की कोशिश करता है !
हो खुशियों से भरा यह दीपपर्व जो सब को प्रकाशित करता है !!
दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं. :)
हो खुशियों से भरा यह दीपपर्व जो सब को प्रकाशित करता है !!
दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं. :)
Friday, August 21, 2009
Isn’t ‘I’ taller than ‘We’?
It’s said that man is a social animal.
Well, accepting the animal part is a bit awkward for some, but most of us take pride in the ‘social’ tag and it shows!
Around the world people are identified by their names, which majorly constitutes of 'Last Name' and 'First Name'. The ‘Last Name’ usually depicts an association to a family, village or society. We join clubs, social organizations, political parties, religious cults etc.
There is a definite pattern when we look at the basis of all the above associations – a sense of ‘common’ identity. The underlying ‘commonness’ could be religious belief, family name, or a political ideology!
The latest victim of this ‘Herd mentality’ is Jaswant singh. The poor man was expelled from BJP just because the views he expressed in his book did not match with the ‘ideology’ of his party. I look at this incidence from a different angle than – ‘Was Jinnah a saint or Satan and how true is the book?’
Does an individual’s association to a group dissociate him from his own self? Do his individual thinking, logic, reasoning have no right to exist? The people at helm say, ‘They can exist but within the close confines of one’s mind’.
In context of this incident – I was listening to Mr Parkash Jawadekar (BJP Spokesman) in a news channel and he says – ‘Mr. Singh’s views hold right as an individual’s, but he cannot express them while being a member of a party that is opposed to them’. I find this argument justifiable too. It’s like saying that you have boarded a bus going to Mumbai and we all are going there too, if you have to go to Delhi, please change the bus! I say – why not have a car? :)
In my personal opinion, I hold an Individual’s right to exist superior than anything else. By existence, I mean physical and mental. There is nothing more powerful in this world than an identity that has realized its potential. Interestingly, all the achievements of mankind are attributed to individuals and not societies! Who invented telescope? ‘Galileo’. Who discovered Gravity? ‘Sir Issac Newton’. If anyone ever heard – let me know when a ‘community’ has been known to make a breakthroughJ. Even if it did – there would have been a single brain in there who would have suggested the idea ;).
Well, accepting the animal part is a bit awkward for some, but most of us take pride in the ‘social’ tag and it shows!
Around the world people are identified by their names, which majorly constitutes of 'Last Name' and 'First Name'
There is a definite pattern when we look at the basis of all the above associations – a sense of ‘common’ identity. The underlying ‘commonness’ could be religious belief, family name, or a political ideology!
The latest victim of this ‘Herd mentality’ is Jaswant singh. The poor man was expelled from BJP just because the views he expressed in his book did not match with the ‘ideology’ of his party. I look at this incidence from a different angle than – ‘Was Jinnah a saint or Satan and how true is the book?’
Does an individual’s association to a group dissociate him from his own self? Do his individual thinking, logic, reasoning have no right to exist? The people at helm say, ‘They can exist but within the close confines of one’s mind’.
In context of this incident – I was listening to Mr Parkash Jawadekar (BJP Spokesman) in a news channel and he says – ‘Mr. Singh’s views hold right as an individual’s, but he cannot express them while being a member of a party that is opposed to them’. I find this argument justifiable too. It’s like saying that you have boarded a bus going to Mumbai and we all are going there too, if you have to go to Delhi, please change the bus! I say – why not have a car? :)
In my personal opinion, I hold an Individual’s right to exist superior than anything else. By existence, I mean physical and mental. There is nothing more powerful in this world than an identity that has realized its potential. Interestingly, all the achievements of mankind are attributed to individuals and not societies! Who invented telescope? ‘Galileo’. Who discovered Gravity? ‘Sir Issac Newton’. If anyone ever heard – let me know when a ‘community’ has been known to make a breakthroughJ. Even if it did – there would have been a single brain in there who would have suggested the idea ;).
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
..Har kona hai 'Gulzaar' !
Just a few days back I heard songs from ‘Kaminey’ and got them on my music player. I did not see the name of lyricist first then heard this line –
‘Chaand ki gathri sir pe le li, aap ne kaisi zehmat ki hai…( Pehli baar mohabbat ki hai) ‘
And I knew it has to be Gulzaar saab !
What flower is without fragrance, is a man without emotions. Most of us ‘feel’ about the world around us but very few have the ability to convey the same. In contrast, there are some who can express feelings which are not their own! Imagine the same person as -
A kid having fun – Lakdi ki kaathi , kaathi pe ghodaa
A lone soul – Ek akela is sheher me, raat me aur do peher me
A celebrating spirit - Jai ho!
A lover - Aapki aankhon me kuchh, mehke hue se khwab hain.
A longing partner - Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahi
Think of any situation in life and you have a Gulzar song for it! Celebrating his 75th birthday today is one of the finest writers of our era – Sampooran Singh AKA ‘Gulzar’. I was watching a brief history of his work on a TV show today and was amazed to find that he has been writing since 1960s and exceptionally has never been out of synch with the pulse of the generation. He was as beautiful in writing ‘Mora gora rang dayi de’ in 60’s as he is when he declares ‘Beedi jalai le jigar se piya’ in 2006.
What I personally find distinct in Gulzar saab’s work is his abstract way of looking at things. The comparisons he makes are always his signature ones! His work will always open new windows of imagination for the listener/reader. I don’t have words to mention even an alphabet of his epics. Listing some of my favorites from Gulzar saab.. Happy Birthday Sir!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Tumhaare ghum ki dali utha kar, zubaan pe rakh li hai dekho maine..
Ye katra-katra pighal rahi hai, main katra –katra hi jee rahaa hoon.’
- Marasim -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
‘Dopehren aisi lagti hain , bina mohron ke khaali khane rakhe hain..
Na koi khelne wala hai baazi, na koi chaal chalta hai!
- Raincoat -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Saara din sadkon pe khaali rikshe sa..peeche peecha chalta hai’
-Satya -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Ae maut tu ek kavita hai’ ( Anand)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And innumerable others!!
‘Chaand ki gathri sir pe le li, aap ne kaisi zehmat ki hai…( Pehli baar mohabbat ki hai) ‘
And I knew it has to be Gulzaar saab !
What flower is without fragrance, is a man without emotions. Most of us ‘feel’ about the world around us but very few have the ability to convey the same. In contrast, there are some who can express feelings which are not their own! Imagine the same person as -
A kid having fun – Lakdi ki kaathi , kaathi pe ghodaa
A lone soul – Ek akela is sheher me, raat me aur do peher me
A celebrating spirit - Jai ho!
A lover - Aapki aankhon me kuchh, mehke hue se khwab hain.
A longing partner - Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahi
Think of any situation in life and you have a Gulzar song for it! Celebrating his 75th birthday today is one of the finest writers of our era – Sampooran Singh AKA ‘Gulzar’. I was watching a brief history of his work on a TV show today and was amazed to find that he has been writing since 1960s and exceptionally has never been out of synch with the pulse of the generation. He was as beautiful in writing ‘Mora gora rang dayi de’ in 60’s as he is when he declares ‘Beedi jalai le jigar se piya’ in 2006.
What I personally find distinct in Gulzar saab’s work is his abstract way of looking at things. The comparisons he makes are always his signature ones! His work will always open new windows of imagination for the listener/reader. I don’t have words to mention even an alphabet of his epics. Listing some of my favorites from Gulzar saab.. Happy Birthday Sir!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Tumhaare ghum ki dali utha kar, zubaan pe rakh li hai dekho maine..
Ye katra-katra pighal rahi hai, main katra –katra hi jee rahaa hoon.’
- Marasim -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
‘Dopehren aisi lagti hain , bina mohron ke khaali khane rakhe hain..
Na koi khelne wala hai baazi, na koi chaal chalta hai!
- Raincoat -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Saara din sadkon pe khaali rikshe sa..peeche peecha chalta hai’
-Satya -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Ae maut tu ek kavita hai’ ( Anand)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And innumerable others!!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Alas....His Name Is Khan !
The news bite just in says – SRK detained at Newark airport for being a Khan.
I pity our media and more so today for two reasons. First, is Shahrukh the first ‘Khan’ from India who has been frisked or been doubted at in the US? I am sure the answer is in negative. If the media is so concerned about the plight of innocent Muslims being targeted at in the US, why don’t we see a regular coverage on this topic on the front page?
Secondly, India is celebrating its Independence Day today but the news bite for SRK gets more space than the nation J what pride!
Moreover, I do not understand what is wrong when a nation suffering from terrorism decides to follow a set of security procedures? In fact it is commendable that they do it without any discrimination. Gone are the days of hierarchy and ‘Raj’, its time India wakes up and stops the special treatment it offers to its ‘privileged’ few. After all, most of them are criminals one way or the other – history sheeters, rowdies, rapists and even murderers, they all are welcome in the assemblies and parliament of Independent India :)
I pity our media and more so today for two reasons. First, is Shahrukh the first ‘Khan’ from India who has been frisked or been doubted at in the US? I am sure the answer is in negative. If the media is so concerned about the plight of innocent Muslims being targeted at in the US, why don’t we see a regular coverage on this topic on the front page?
Secondly, India is celebrating its Independence Day today but the news bite for SRK gets more space than the nation J what pride!
Moreover, I do not understand what is wrong when a nation suffering from terrorism decides to follow a set of security procedures? In fact it is commendable that they do it without any discrimination. Gone are the days of hierarchy and ‘Raj’, its time India wakes up and stops the special treatment it offers to its ‘privileged’ few. After all, most of them are criminals one way or the other – history sheeters, rowdies, rapists and even murderers, they all are welcome in the assemblies and parliament of Independent India :)
The Flu Blues...
‘Hey! Where is your mask?’ is the question my boss has been asking me every time he passes by from past 5 days! Not that I am reckless or love my live any lesser than anyone does, but trust me the mask is just a mean to falsely assure yourself of the safety unless you follow all the directions!
Just the day after first casualty was reported in Pune and the mass hysteria begun, I was standing in a traffic signal; to my surprise the little kids who were selling cotton clothes to wipe vehicles till yesterday had surgical masks in their hands today! I could not help but applaud the Indian business acumen. The surgical mask that has been reported time and again, to be useless in preventing the H1N1 virus has become a rage!
My point is – even if you are using the N-95 mask, you should change it every day. And I see people, using and re-using the surgical masks day after day – with the sneeze, cough and what not captured in it. And finally when they feel it’s time to change they throw it on road, open garbage …anywhere! So instead of preventing people, the masks are acting as career of diseases.
Talking of my boss…being an IT pro, he can afford to have N95 masks daily. But you know what, every hour he goes out to the tea stall (right next to a government hospital and our office) pulls down his mask, lights a cigarette with tea and resumes his mask routineJ
I feel the swine flu will be successfully eradicated soon, but not without making millions with masks look like Swine! No offence to anybody :)
Just the day after first casualty was reported in Pune and the mass hysteria begun, I was standing in a traffic signal; to my surprise the little kids who were selling cotton clothes to wipe vehicles till yesterday had surgical masks in their hands today! I could not help but applaud the Indian business acumen. The surgical mask that has been reported time and again, to be useless in preventing the H1N1 virus has become a rage!
My point is – even if you are using the N-95 mask, you should change it every day. And I see people, using and re-using the surgical masks day after day – with the sneeze, cough and what not captured in it. And finally when they feel it’s time to change they throw it on road, open garbage …anywhere! So instead of preventing people, the masks are acting as career of diseases.
Talking of my boss…being an IT pro, he can afford to have N95 masks daily. But you know what, every hour he goes out to the tea stall (right next to a government hospital and our office) pulls down his mask, lights a cigarette with tea and resumes his mask routineJ
I feel the swine flu will be successfully eradicated soon, but not without making millions with masks look like Swine! No offence to anybody :)
Monday, August 3, 2009
Happy Friendship Day !
2nd August 2009
Its friendship day today and I have just returned after meeting some of my college time pals in Pune. I believe that we do not need any special day to celebrate things like friendship, love, motherhood and many such ‘Days’ , but it has one advantage, it makes you think about the significance of some of the best part of your lives and friendship is definitely one of them ! So here is something that I feel about this wonderful relationship:
Friendship
There are some relations that we hold by virtue of our birth and we accept and obey them for what they are, and then there are relations which we nurture and cherish by virtue of our choice; friendship being the most beautiful among them.
It is very difficult to define and reason friendship. Be it a kindergarten going kid or an 80 year old gentleman – they both make friends. Be it a bushman from Kalahari Desert or a corporate honcho from the Wall Street – they both yearn for a true friend. Such is the magic of this bonding that it cuts across the differences of ages, sex, geographies etc.
According to me, a friendship result from the synchronization of one’s thinking with someone else’s. It’s a gesture to appreciate each other’s attitude, outlook and persona. But then, the kindergarten kid fails me :) , had any of us thought or even knew the above things when we made our first friend in those prayer queues, or playgrounds? I guess no.
Irrespective of how we perceive friendship, it has a major influence in our lives. We make friends in schools, colleges, work places and then this set of friends keeps evolving. However, at each juncture of our life, we are influenced by the thoughts, actions, behavior, mannerism and in fact the whole way of living of our friends. In the journey we share some immortal moments like the gully cricket fights, bunked schools, mark sheet secrets, crushes, love stories, late night chats, gossips, coffee corners... If life is a journey, friends are the interesting co-passengers who add to the spice! Life is so incomplete without them.
I personally have been blessed with ample of this goodie. I have had many great friends right from my school, college and working days. I have grown with them learning the nuances of life. Unknowingly, I have learnt things that should be done (and also some that should never be) in life. I have shared some of the best, and some worst moments of my lives with someone by my side who I can fall back on. I feel enriched by them and I feel that some part of each of them lives with me, let’s say when I listen to a song, and suddenly recall – Hey! I used to hum it along my way to school along with a friend.
Well, a lot to say but then I need to sleep now …but would like to say a big THANKS to all of my dear buddies! Life’s been a pleasure with you! Happy Friendship Day :)
Its friendship day today and I have just returned after meeting some of my college time pals in Pune. I believe that we do not need any special day to celebrate things like friendship, love, motherhood and many such ‘Days’ , but it has one advantage, it makes you think about the significance of some of the best part of your lives and friendship is definitely one of them ! So here is something that I feel about this wonderful relationship:
Friendship
There are some relations that we hold by virtue of our birth and we accept and obey them for what they are, and then there are relations which we nurture and cherish by virtue of our choice; friendship being the most beautiful among them.
It is very difficult to define and reason friendship. Be it a kindergarten going kid or an 80 year old gentleman – they both make friends. Be it a bushman from Kalahari Desert or a corporate honcho from the Wall Street – they both yearn for a true friend. Such is the magic of this bonding that it cuts across the differences of ages, sex, geographies etc.
According to me, a friendship result from the synchronization of one’s thinking with someone else’s. It’s a gesture to appreciate each other’s attitude, outlook and persona. But then, the kindergarten kid fails me :) , had any of us thought or even knew the above things when we made our first friend in those prayer queues, or playgrounds? I guess no.
Irrespective of how we perceive friendship, it has a major influence in our lives. We make friends in schools, colleges, work places and then this set of friends keeps evolving. However, at each juncture of our life, we are influenced by the thoughts, actions, behavior, mannerism and in fact the whole way of living of our friends. In the journey we share some immortal moments like the gully cricket fights, bunked schools, mark sheet secrets, crushes, love stories, late night chats, gossips, coffee corners... If life is a journey, friends are the interesting co-passengers who add to the spice! Life is so incomplete without them.
I personally have been blessed with ample of this goodie. I have had many great friends right from my school, college and working days. I have grown with them learning the nuances of life. Unknowingly, I have learnt things that should be done (and also some that should never be) in life. I have shared some of the best, and some worst moments of my lives with someone by my side who I can fall back on. I feel enriched by them and I feel that some part of each of them lives with me, let’s say when I listen to a song, and suddenly recall – Hey! I used to hum it along my way to school along with a friend.
Well, a lot to say but then I need to sleep now …but would like to say a big THANKS to all of my dear buddies! Life’s been a pleasure with you! Happy Friendship Day :)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Karna - The unsung hero of Mahabharat.
Right from my childhood days I have been fascinated with tales of mahabharat. I remember the days when the TV serial was aired, I must be studying in 4th or 5th standard at that time. I had a shorter version of the epic book at home and I used to read it just for the joy of knowing beforehand what was to be telecasted next. Childhood has a dream world of its own. I even used to play with the bows and arrows made from thin bamboo sticks. My cousins were the partners in crime and we often had earful of dose together.
I liked many characters in the story and my favorites were Bheeshm, Krishna and Arjun. I always fought to play Arjun whenever we role-played at backyard games. I had even mastered to hit a rotating fan right at its center and used it as a challenge for anybody who wants to replace me to play the archer's role.
All these memories were refreshed when I recently finished reading a wonderful book related to Mahabharat. The book is titled 'Mrityunjaya' (meaning - the death conqueror) and is written by Sivaji Sawant. It is based on the life story of Karna and is the best piece of character analysis that I have come across. The beauty of indian epics such as Ramayan and Mahabharata is that each of the character in them is an immense source of learning. Personalities such as Ram, Krishna, Lakshman, Pandavs, Rawan, Duryodhan, Bheeshm and many more teach us a lot. Perhaps, it may be due to the large number of characters in these epics that we do not see detailed analysis of each of them. Over a period of time, many lesser known characters are subdued by popular giants, especially in the common folklore. This is why a book like 'Mrityunjay' is a path breaker in its own.
Author has taken 'Karn', one of the unsung heroes, as the central character. As I read through the book, I couldn’t help but realize how tall this character was. Born to the sun god and a princess, he was destined to rule the world. But as luck would have, his life was marred with inhuman struggle and tests. Throughout his life time he was humiliated as he was known to be the son of a chariot driver. He was second to none in all the qualities associated with royal princes. Even when he knew that he is waging a lost battle, he never left Duryodhan. He finally gave up his life while knowingly fighting his own brothers. Not that he was any weaker; he was abiding by his own promise of not hurting any of them. There is a lot to his mesmerizing persona to conclude that he is the real hero of Mahabnharat. Thanks to the author for such a wonderful creation!
I am looking forward to find few more of the books from this author. Hope he repeates the magic in them!
PS: I am now reading ‘Rashmirathi’ a poem based on life of Karn by Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’.
I liked many characters in the story and my favorites were Bheeshm, Krishna and Arjun. I always fought to play Arjun whenever we role-played at backyard games. I had even mastered to hit a rotating fan right at its center and used it as a challenge for anybody who wants to replace me to play the archer's role.
All these memories were refreshed when I recently finished reading a wonderful book related to Mahabharat. The book is titled 'Mrityunjaya' (meaning - the death conqueror) and is written by Sivaji Sawant. It is based on the life story of Karna and is the best piece of character analysis that I have come across. The beauty of indian epics such as Ramayan and Mahabharata is that each of the character in them is an immense source of learning. Personalities such as Ram, Krishna, Lakshman, Pandavs, Rawan, Duryodhan, Bheeshm and many more teach us a lot. Perhaps, it may be due to the large number of characters in these epics that we do not see detailed analysis of each of them. Over a period of time, many lesser known characters are subdued by popular giants, especially in the common folklore. This is why a book like 'Mrityunjay' is a path breaker in its own.
Author has taken 'Karn', one of the unsung heroes, as the central character. As I read through the book, I couldn’t help but realize how tall this character was. Born to the sun god and a princess, he was destined to rule the world. But as luck would have, his life was marred with inhuman struggle and tests. Throughout his life time he was humiliated as he was known to be the son of a chariot driver. He was second to none in all the qualities associated with royal princes. Even when he knew that he is waging a lost battle, he never left Duryodhan. He finally gave up his life while knowingly fighting his own brothers. Not that he was any weaker; he was abiding by his own promise of not hurting any of them. There is a lot to his mesmerizing persona to conclude that he is the real hero of Mahabnharat. Thanks to the author for such a wonderful creation!
I am looking forward to find few more of the books from this author. Hope he repeates the magic in them!
PS: I am now reading ‘Rashmirathi’ a poem based on life of Karn by Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’.
We are all like a beach !
This is one of my writings from the past that I've loved. Posting again:
We are all like a beach.-
I was sitting alone on a beach today, facing the sea breeze when this thought came to my mind - we are all like a beach!
There are small grains of individual traits, like of sand, which put together make my personality. Grains of behavior, attitude, thought, reactions, dreams etc. I never realized that I am what I am - because of these grains. A grain in itself seems too small today, but years ago it was a part of a rock! Or may be a mountain! It’s only the weathering of time that has separated it from its original shape. My composition is not menial - I posses ingredients of gigantic mountains, though in their minimal form.
The outer world is the sea. Relentless waves from the sea hit the beach- right from the day when it was a rock beach. The constant challenge of the waves, reduced the rock beach into a more vulnerable one - composed of sand. The vagary does not end here! Even today each wave is taking some part of the beach away with it. The beach, however doesn’t seems to change much - as it seems just a few grains poorer.
The transformation of the beach from a rocky terrain to the friendly sands draws new guests. People get attracted to the beach. Hundreds of them visit me. Finding the sand flexible enough, they try to shape up their dreams on me. Some enrich me by making beautiful temples, some make castles. A few curious ones dig me for the shells; little do they know that I once nurtured a life inside each of these shells. They play for a while, enjoy spending their time here, looking at the sea - my way and enjoying the breeze I have been facing for years. Once the entertainment is done, they leave me at their own will. Leaving behind the remnants of things they built on me - temples, castles, names, faces and what not.
I heard somebody once commenting on me - “How resilient the beach must be to face the waves all day and night!". No wonder he was among the ones who loved making temples on me. Had he been a curious digger, he would have found out - I am already taken over by the sea!
I may appear to be the beach facing the waves, but the water has managed to seep into me deep down. I am no longer what I used to be, I have lost my grains for the drops of water. The sea is gradually taking me over from inside. A day will come when a big enough wave will come and wash away my entire existence from the scene. The sea will get bigger!
But I am not sad, I can already see the huge rocks lying behind me- and trust me it will take ages for the sea to make it into sand grains and sweep away!
We are all like a beach.-
I was sitting alone on a beach today, facing the sea breeze when this thought came to my mind - we are all like a beach!
There are small grains of individual traits, like of sand, which put together make my personality. Grains of behavior, attitude, thought, reactions, dreams etc. I never realized that I am what I am - because of these grains. A grain in itself seems too small today, but years ago it was a part of a rock! Or may be a mountain! It’s only the weathering of time that has separated it from its original shape. My composition is not menial - I posses ingredients of gigantic mountains, though in their minimal form.
The outer world is the sea. Relentless waves from the sea hit the beach- right from the day when it was a rock beach. The constant challenge of the waves, reduced the rock beach into a more vulnerable one - composed of sand. The vagary does not end here! Even today each wave is taking some part of the beach away with it. The beach, however doesn’t seems to change much - as it seems just a few grains poorer.
The transformation of the beach from a rocky terrain to the friendly sands draws new guests. People get attracted to the beach. Hundreds of them visit me. Finding the sand flexible enough, they try to shape up their dreams on me. Some enrich me by making beautiful temples, some make castles. A few curious ones dig me for the shells; little do they know that I once nurtured a life inside each of these shells. They play for a while, enjoy spending their time here, looking at the sea - my way and enjoying the breeze I have been facing for years. Once the entertainment is done, they leave me at their own will. Leaving behind the remnants of things they built on me - temples, castles, names, faces and what not.
I heard somebody once commenting on me - “How resilient the beach must be to face the waves all day and night!". No wonder he was among the ones who loved making temples on me. Had he been a curious digger, he would have found out - I am already taken over by the sea!
I may appear to be the beach facing the waves, but the water has managed to seep into me deep down. I am no longer what I used to be, I have lost my grains for the drops of water. The sea is gradually taking me over from inside. A day will come when a big enough wave will come and wash away my entire existence from the scene. The sea will get bigger!
But I am not sad, I can already see the huge rocks lying behind me- and trust me it will take ages for the sea to make it into sand grains and sweep away!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Restarting the engine !
I wonder if anyone ever succeeded in deciphering life. Its like a live-movie, where we all play our parts, but the script is never in our hands and the director unknown ! Well.. let me not delve further into it. I thought so because I never knew when did I stop writing !
I always have had something to say about things I see, I feel, I observe and I have been putting them into words of my own. But somehow - things changed in past 3-4 years. I got into the corporate world , got busy with new twists and turns of life and somewhere in between I lost the writer in me.
I realize, I have gained a lot in this period and now that I am at peace with myself and in sync with this new phase of life, let me restart the engine! So here I am blogging again !
Hope I keep it going !
Cheers !
I always have had something to say about things I see, I feel, I observe and I have been putting them into words of my own. But somehow - things changed in past 3-4 years. I got into the corporate world , got busy with new twists and turns of life and somewhere in between I lost the writer in me.
I realize, I have gained a lot in this period and now that I am at peace with myself and in sync with this new phase of life, let me restart the engine! So here I am blogging again !
Hope I keep it going !
Cheers !
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