Rozaana

Sorry Shaktimaan!

2012-02-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Swades: Musings

2011-11-04T02:50:00.000-07:00

Shah Rukh Khan works his charm and energy to perfection in the song 'Yeh taara woh taara' from Swades. Right from his attire (a simple blue shirt with a pair of jeans) to those awesome signature dance moves - there is something so genuine about him in it that the song has an immense draw and repeat value (at least for me).

It doesn't hurt that I have some beautiful memories associated with it (and with Swades, in general). I can still remember the corridors of our hostel (Niveshnam) continuously echoing with the songs from Swades, specially 'Yeh jo des hai tera'.

Then there was this weekend in Nashville, TN - me and Swati were whaling away time, watching youtube. We started with Michael Jackson moonwalking gloriously in some stage performance, moved to 'We are the world', from there to 'Vande Mataram', and so on. By the time we reached 'Yeh jo des hai tera', we were both crying, literally. It was embarrassing and emotional at the same time - like a lot of things are. We had our share of fun in the US, but there was something amiss; and the songs of Swades reminded us of those things. Cliched, but true!

AR Rahman, you are a magician. That an article on rediff listing the best of your work in Bollywood movies can miss out on Taal and Lagaan shows the range of amazing scores you have to your credit. Having even one of these movies to their names would have made some other music director 'a force to reckon with' in media parlance.

The score of Swades goes on to show that it's not just with electronic arrangements and complex instruments that Rahman works his magic. Even a simple arrangement can be immensely beautiful and moving. Listen to any song, from 'Yun hi chala chal' to 'Yeh taara' to 'Pal-pal hai bhaari' to know what I mean.

Before I end this piece, did I mention about the charm and energy of SRK in this song? I did? Well, I'd never get tired of it :)

A different kind of afternoon

2011-10-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Have this sudden urge to write. As if I must write it all before something in me ends, as if I'm working against a deadline. I often have these phases when I stop writing altogether. Last time that phase lasted a few years.

On a totally different note, आज राजघाट के सामने बने इग्नू के सेंटर पर जाने का मौका मिला. वैसे काम तो इग्नू में था, पर वहाँ से ज्यादा अच्छा 'गाँधी स्मृति एवं दर्शन समिति' कैम्पस में जा कर लगा (इग्नू की इमारत इस के अन्दर ही है). शहर की भाग-दौड़ के बीचोबीच ऐसी शांत जगह की उम्मीद नहीं थी, इसलिए शायद और pleasant surprise था.

रीसर्च स्कालर्स के लिए बना गेस्ट हाउस देख कर लगा, मानो ये बिल्डिंग मेरे सपनो से निकाल के यहाँ ला कर रख दी गयी हो. चारों ओर से ऊंचे पेड़ों और हरी घास से घिरी, लाल ईंटों से बनी इस इमारत का आर्किटेक्चर काफी angular सा है. अपने मोबाइल फ़ोन के १.३ मेगा पिक्सल के कैमरे से चोरी से खींची हुई एक फोटो लगा देती हूँ, हालाँकि इससे उस जगह की खूबसूरती का बिलकुल अंदाज़ा नहीं लगता.

इससे थोडा आगे बढ़ने पर बायीं तरफ एक बड़ा सा lawn नज़र आता है. इसकी boundary walls काले रंग की wrought iron की छड़ों से बनी हुई है, जिस पर हिंदी के महान कवियों व लेखकों की तस्वीरों, कविताओं व गद्यांशों वाले करीब 3x6 फुट के कई बोर्ड लगे हुए हैं. मुंशी प्रेमचंद्र, अज्ञेय, गोपाल सिंह नेपाली आदि से कभी मुलाकात का मन हो, तो वहां जाइएगा.

आगे इग्नू की बिल्डिंग की ओर बढ़ने पर गाँधी जी के एक बड़े से स्टैचू पर नज़र पड़ती है. लेकिन इनकी दिल्ली या भारत में कोई कमी नहीं है, इसलिए ध्यान अभी भी पीछे छूटे कवियों पर ही अटका रहता है.

अक्टूबर के साथ शुरू हो चुके गुलाबी मौसम ने इस मौके को दोगुना ख़ास बना दिया. वैसे तो आज-कल अक्टूबर हो या जून, पक्षियों की आवाज़ सुने महीनों बीत जाते हैं.

वहां जा कर लगा, कभी बहुत से पैसे हों, तो खुद के लिए एक ३२-मंजिला घर बनवाने से अच्छा है खूब सारी ज़मीन ले कर, खूब सारे पेड़ लगा कर, उनके बीच एक छोटा सा दुमंजिला बनवाना. एक तरफ गुलमोहर, एक तरफ अमलतास, एक तरफ पलाश, कुछ बोटल-ब्रश. एक छोटा सा तालाब भी बन सके तो क्या ही बात हो!

Whistling and our family

2011-10-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Ours is a family where whistling is almost a tradition. Situ dada taught me the simplest form when I was around 8. I remember my classmates pretending to be outraged by it (I'm sure they were impressed, maybe even a little jealous). I understand that studying as we were in the RSS run Saraswati Shishu Mandir, it was expected of them to take the moral high ground all the time.

The more elaborate whistling (with fingers) was taught in a more elaborate class held by Cheeku dada, spanning various ceremonies in the course of Shraddha didi's wedding. Kids of all age-groups were welcome to learn the art, and the course was followed by practicals exams.

Now, be it in college auditoriums, after winning cricket matches, in cinema halls at item numbers, Dil To Pagal Hai style whistling on an empty moon-lit roads, while dancing at baaraats, tapori style whistling, or whistling for the heck of it at family gatherings - this is a tradition that has helped us connect with each other and baffle others over the years.

Here is to many more years of whistling our way out of blues!

Did you know?

1. RD Burman has used whistling in his songs a number of times.

2. Anu Malik is an accomplished whistler. He often whistles for his own songs (like Main Hoon Na title track)

3. I found the Sanskrit prayers we used to say in our school on the wikipedia page :D

The fingers of death

2011-10-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

This cruel, bottomless pit keeps dragging me back to its damp darkness. I try to claw my way back, but exhaustion is overtaking me. The touch of those cold fingers scares and appalls me.

I can still feel your touch at my fingertips. But it seems to be slipping away. I just want to put my head in your lap and sleep.

Daftar ke Din

2011-10-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

दफ्तर के दिन

एक को 'ग़बन' के सफहों के बीच बुक-मार्क बना के रख छोड़ा

कुछ को कॉफ़ी के संग निगल लिया

कईयों को अख़बार की तरह -

सरसरी निगाह से देख भर के किनारे रख दिया

कुछ दिन अब भी कनाट प्लेस के सर्कल्स के चक्कर ही लगा रहे हैं

दफ्तर के दिन, हम बस ऐसे बिता रहे हैं!

____________

Office Days

One is now a bookmark for 'Ghaban'

Some were gulped down with a hurried cappuccino

Many were just glanced upon like a newspaper, and cast aside

Some days are still hanging around at Connaught Place

This is how I'm spending, my office days!

तुम्हारी याद

2011-10-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

किसी शाम तुम्हारी याद यूं आती है,

मानो सागर किनारे खड़े हों,

और एक लहर तर-ब-तर करते हुए,

साँसों तक में नमकीन पानी भर जाए.

ऐसी शामों में, एक-एक सांस भारी हो जाती है.

हर सांस, लगता है मानो जान ले कर ही बाहर आएगी.

दर्द की इन्तेहा

2011-10-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

दर्द ऐसा कि बस, सहा न जाए

हर एक छुअन पर जान मुंह को आती है

उफ़! ये नाखून का यूं टूट जाना

Dilli

2011-09-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Don't press the panic button already, there's a Urdu-English word list at the bottom :)

कभी Psychedelic सपनों में रंगा, Kaleidoscope-नुमा ये शहर

कहीं, अंधे की आखों सा बेनूर दिल्ली |

नकाबों में छुपे, हज़ारों मशीनी चेहरे

ऐसे पत्थरदिल, कि रूह का सौदा कर डालें

ऐसे गर्मजोश, कि तबीयत हरी कर दें

इस शहर की शख्सियत अजीब है!
कभी भिखारी के चोगे में दरवेश सा पाक

कभी राजसी पैरहन से झांकती तंगदिली

कभी शातिर, कभी मासूम -
इसके मिजाज़ मौसमों-से बदलते हैं

इसका आज जितना हसीं है,
माज़ी भी उतना ही ख़ूबसूरत |
हुनरमंद है -
कभी बेपरवाही से झिड़क देना,
शोख अदा से कभी पास बुलाना

- कुल मिला कर उंगलियों पर नचाना

इसको बखूबी आता है |

दिमाग ने दुनिया देखी है, नकली चेहरों और जज्बातों से भर पाया है

अखबारों की headlines सुना सुना के डराता रहता है

पर दिल तो बच्चा है जी,
संगदिल माशूका से अब भी इकरार की उम्मीद रखता है

मुसलसल एक कशमकश सी है
रूमानी दिल की सुनें, या cynic दिमाग की?

Cheat sheet:

-नुमा = -like, similar to

गर्मजोश = warm

दरवेश = holy man

पैरहन = clothing
तंगदिली = misery, narrow mindedness

माज़ी = past

हुनरमंद = skilled

संगदिल = merciless

मुसलसल = continuously

कशमकश = tussle

रूमानी = romantic

My old poems

2011-09-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Browsing through my blog posts, came across a few decent (OK) poems written at various points of time by me. They're all in Hindi/Urdu. Sharing those again, hoping for some extra hits and comments :P

1. Farishta

2. Daayre

3. Har Roz

4. Kachche Dhaage

If you liked these, you can go to the "Poetry" section on my blog and read a few more.

Allah ke bande

2011-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Song: Allah ke bande
Movie: Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II
Written and performed by: Kailash Kher
Composed by: Vishal-Shekhar

This is one of my all-time favorites - mostly because it has been sung with such honesty. Kailash Kher's voice was really divine at that time - totally unmarred by commercial success and ego. He has sung this song with a joyous abundance of someone who's singing for the love of it - and not to sell records.

Vishal-Shekar's music is genuine and uplifting - unlike their faux-peppy songs in later albums like Dostana, I Hate Luv Storys, Anjaana-Anjaani et.al. Honestly, I may not be able to tell one from the other at some time in near future.

There is something in this song, something surreal almost, that touches my soul and makes me smile every time I listen to it. It may seem like an exaggeration, but it actually makes me a little more hopeful, and a little less cynical. Music can be so powerful at times.

Goodbye, Coffee!

2011-09-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Coffee,

I love you, but it's time we parted ways.

I know you've been with me in my most difficult times. And believe me, leaving you is a lot more painful for me than it will ever be for you. It's hardly been a few hours, and I already feel crappy.

But it has come to this - you have hurt me. I never thought you'd do this to me, knowing how much I depended on you. Guess that was my undoing. I wish I could say "It's not you, it's me." But it really is you. Mom used to constantly tell me that you're not good for me. I wish I paid heed before it was too late.

I think I'll even have to avoid coffee shops, given how much time we've spent together there. I might even bump into you sometime, and things might get awkward. 'Cause no matter what I say, it'll be hard for me to not fall for you yet again.

Know this, though - I loved you deeply. I loved waking up to you, loved the way you popped up in the middle of a dreary day and made it bearable, loved how you stayed up with me during my exams, even loved your dark and bitter side.

But I won't get swept off my feet again. I'm not averse to an occasional rendezvous, but that's all there will be to us.

Adiós!
~K

Image Source

Hindi

2011-09-14T04:53:00.000-07:00

हिंदी दिवस के अवसर पर यह सोच कर अच्छा लग रहा है, कि मेरी पढाई एक हिंदी भाषी स्कूल में हुई. इससे मेरी अंग्रेजी कमज़ोर नहीं हुई, पर हिंदी ज़रूर आज तक मज़बूत है.

आज भी मैं हिंदी उपन्यास पढ़ती हूँ, हिंदी अंको को पहचानती हूँ (कई लोगों को यह मुश्किल लगता है), और हिंदी की बारीकियों को समझ सकती हूँ. हिंदी कविताओं का एक अलग आनंद है. साथ ही, इससे उर्दू समझने में भी आसानी होती है.

इसका बहुत सा श्रेय मम्मी को जाता है. एक ऐसे समय में, जब हर कोई सोचता है कि अंग्रेजी स्कूल ही अच्छे हैं, उन्होंने एक स्कूल के माध्यम से ज्यादा उसमें पढाई के स्तर को अहमियत दी. साथ ही लगातार हमें हिंदी और अंग्रेजी दोनों भाषाओँ में ज्यादा से ज्यादा पढने के लिए प्रेरित किया.

साथ ही मेरे स्कूल, 'सरस्वती शिशु मंदिर' और बनस्थली विद्यापीठ को बहुत, बहुत धन्यवाद. उनके सिखाये हुए सिद्धांत उम्र भर मेरे साथ रहेंगे.

New Blog: Gulzar 101

2011-09-07T00:38:00.000-07:00

I've created a new blog: Gulzar 101

It's a blog where I write about my interpretations (mostly translations that make a little more sense than the ones already available on the web) of Gulzar's songs. They might not be deep, might not even be accurate; but hopefully might prove to be useful. Once in a while I might even go into the philosophy/thought behind the song.

I hope to update this blog regularly. But then, I'm a fickle, so I won't make any promises.

http://gulzar101.blogspot.com/

Please visit. Comments and brickbats welcome!

Sketch: Marilyn Monroe

2011-08-10T02:21:00.000-07:00

Another one of my sketches, of Marilyn Monroe. With it, I was mostly learning about drawing blonde hair. Hope you like it :)

I'm just learning sketching, and to add to it, am pretty irregular too. I have been forever trying to be more regular, but now I've accepted that that's just not me.

Johnny Depp and Audrey Hepburn

2011-07-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

So I've started sketching recently. Re-started, actually 8-|
Presenting before you, Johnny Depp and Audrey Hepburn :)

Rozaana updates

2011-02-06T22:28:00.000-08:00

Well, this post comes mostly because there are too many 'updates' to fit into one facebook status update.

For one, had a wonderful get-together yesterday with old project mates (MOJOiites). It's always so good to meet old friends... Surprisingly (or maybe not), we are all in different companies now. That's the way things are in IT sector, I guess... though I wonder if all of us have made many good friends in these many companies that we keep hopping to and from.

For another, I have re-discovered my love for qawwalis. Not that I'm into the 'real' qawwalis; I have heard just the ones I came across from Bollywood. What goes a long way into getting me fall in love with them is their witty word-play. Dear imaginary readers, if you too like witty wordplays, listen to songs like 'Na to karvan ki talaash hai' (from Barsat ki Raat) and 'Teri mehfil mein' (Mughal-e-Aazam) or maybe even 'Hai agar dushman [dusham] zamaana, gham nahin' from (Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin). Well, yeah, this song is not just a regular song from Antakshari; it displays some pretty good singing and good lyrics.

Picking up from somewhere in between the last paragraph, Mughal-e-Aazam was a treat to watch in color! (OK, so I watched it some 6-7 years back, but that doesn't mean I couldn't recommend it). Well maybe it wouldn't be quite that much fun when watched on a smaller screen... Anyhoo, the song 'Pyaar kiya to darna kya' (from the same movie) also touches some chords in my heart. The way it has been filmed, Lata's voice, Madhubala's defiant looks and the audacious lyrics - they all come together in such a powerful way that I can't help falling in love with it.

So, as might be pretty apparent, yesterday was my day with youtube and old songs and qawwalis. And I have to admit - though I might not be listening to music quite as much as I would like to, it always is such a pleasure to go back to it (even for small intervals)!

On that note, I bring to an end my random blog post. Well, almost...

Because I suddenly remembered just how much fun it was to attend a live qawwali session by Sabri brothers on the eve of Eid in Banasthali ... it was surreal and a lot of fun! Wish I could attend more live performances. Wish list includes Sonu Nigam, A.R. Rahman, sufi music, and well, anything to do with music!

PS for imaginary reader(s): If you come across any nice qawwalis yourself, please let me know.

The 'Book' Tag

2010-11-15T23:03:00.000-08:00

(My books: Click on the image to view in larger size)

Self tagged from Arpz's blog ;)

1. Favorite childhood book?

Somehow, my mom got around to getting us a lot of Russian books, translated in Hindi. My favorite used to be one called 'Roosi Itihaas ki Kahaaniyaan' (Tales from the Russian History).

2. What are you reading right now?

i. The Unbearable Lightness of Being

ii. Last Man Standing

iii. The Sound of Water

3. Bad book habit?

i. Leaving books unfinished, if I don't like them

ii. Not reading non-fiction

4. Do you have an e-reader?

No.

5. Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?

If I like the book, I read one at a time. If I find them not-so-good-not-so-bad, I keep jumping from one to the other.

6. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

No.

7. Least favorite book you read this year (so far)?

Some Nora Robert novel.

8. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

A few Agatha Cristie's ;) I love them all!

9. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

I keep trying to. Though I avoid self-help books at all cost.

10. What is your reading comfort zone?

Fiction, good humor, poetry...

11. Can you read on the bus?

No.

12. Favorite place to read?

On my bed.

13. What is your policy on book lending?

I lend only to people I know love books as much as I do, and will return my books.

14. Do you ever dog-ear books?

No.

15. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

No.

16. Not even with text books?

Sometimes. I also use a highlighter. Makes it easy to recall things.

17. What is your favorite language to read in?

English, Hindi, simple Urdu in English/Devnagri script

18. What makes you love a book?

i. Story

ii. Language

iii. Characters

19. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

It has to be really good!

20. Favorite genre?

Fiction

21. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?

Classics. There must be a reason why they're called classics!

22. Favorite biography?

I've only read 'My Experiments with Truth', since it was a course book.

23. Have you ever read a self-help book?

No.

24. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

Inspirational? Gulzar's poetry often inspires me to write :P

25. Favorite reading snack?

Chocolates.

26. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience?

The Alchemist and Animal Farm.

27. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I don't read critic reviews of books.

28. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

If I don't like a book, I say so.

29. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

i. Urdu for reading Ghalib and many others

ii. Spanish for reading Pablo Neruda

30. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?

I don't know how books intimidate! They can be boring, at max.

31. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

I haven't begun many classics since I don't know if I'll ever be able to finish them.

32. Favorite Poet?

Gulzar. Ghalib. Neruda.

33. Favorite fictional character?

Howard Roark.

34. Favorite fictional villain?

The Joker from Batman and Iago from Othello.

35. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?

Agatha Cristie or such.

36. The longest I’ve gone without reading.

A month or two, at max.

37. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

The latest is a Nora Roberts novel (the same from Q. 7)

38. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Nothing much. Unless the book's boring.

39. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

There are many good movies based on books - Fight Club, Shawshank Redemption and many more. But I haven't read these, so I'll say Silence of the Lambs.

40. Most disappointing film adaptation?

The Da Vinci Code.

41. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

Running into a few thousands, probably?

42. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Never. I read the back cover to determine if I want to read the book.

43. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Predictability.

44. Do you like to keep your books organized?

Yes.

45. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

I keep my books :)

46. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

Many classics.

47. Name a book that made you angry.

Ellsworth Toohey in The Fountainhead got me angry. I love the book, though!

48. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

I don't read a book if I don't expect to like it.

49. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

Animal Farm.

50. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

Suspense thrillers and Calvin and Hobbes.

What do you REALLY love doing?

2010-11-14T23:01:00.000-08:00

Last night, after a really long time, I spent some time listening to music. It was a beautiful night, with the winter setting in. Each whiff of air (with just a hint of cold) carried with it the light scent of tulsi and mustard oil (used to light the evening lamp). A perfect after-Deewali night of North India!

As I strolled on the terrace, the music created such a magical feel, that I wondered what indeed has come between me and my love of music? Looking back, I realized that I spend almost 2 hours every day watching TV (9-11 pm). This is a relatively new habit. Having only DD-1 at home when growing up, and thereafter being in a no-TV university for 8 years ensured that I never fell into this habit.

So, with almost 12 hours (8 am - 8 pm) spent in and commuting for my job - followed by these 2 hours - I am left with only 10 hours a day. And I sleep for 8 hours out of these 10. Where is the time for things that used to be me? Where is the time for music, dance, books, movies, sketching - all these things that as a student I used to call my passion?

The point I am trying to make to myself is,

(i) I should probably shift to a place relatively near to the office (commuting for job accounts for 3-4 hours a day - WAY too many!) - but I love our current apartment just too much for that :(

(ii) I should cut back on watching TV. (Wish they showed really bad shows on Star World too, just like on almost all other channels)

@Everyone: Do you find time for yourself? If yes, how? If no, it is time you started thinking about it too.

PS: I was listening to songs by Gulzar.

An Idea can change my blog's life?

2010-11-02T05:06:00.000-07:00

Any idea on how to revive my blog? I want to write, but I can't get myself to do it. And when I do write something, it's not good enough to be posted online :-|

Transition

2010-06-28T02:45:00.000-07:00

Life has suddenly become so different. I foresaw some changes, but not so many, and not so drastic, and definitely not for the worse :(

I sincerely hope things will get better with time.

(PS: For all those who are reading between the lines - This is about a job change, and certainly not about my personal life.)

Depressing (Depressed) Post

2010-01-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

*Caution - Depressing post ahead!*

With every moment of awareness, there's this nagging thought - that even though things are perfectly amazing around me; there's something fundamentally wrong in me, about me. By what age do people normally become aware of what it is that they want to do with their lives? Because I have no idea what I want with mine! This sense of aimlessness is constantly painful, to say the least.

Not that I'm not doing well enough in whatever it is I do. But when I stop and ask myself, "Is this what I want to do all my life?", the answer is always a No. But the problem is, I do not know doing what could change that answer to a Yes!

Are consultants really wise enough to know what I don't know about myself? Can they help? Or do I just need a break? There's really nothing that seems to be helping me out of this senselessness - no thought sounds thoughtful enough, nothing helps me sustain my fleeting moments of happiness.

Please help! Suggest something/anything that can get me out of this awefully gloomy state of mind. :(

Favorite songs, 2009

2010-01-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

Now that we're into a new year, I'm trying to decide whether or not to make 'writing blogs regularly' my resolution for 2010. Though it will hardly be possible, here nevertheless is a random post for January 2010, a list of Hindi movie songs of 2009 I played over and over again:
1. Songs of Delhi-6: Right from ‘Masakkali’ (a very different use of Mohit Chauhan's voice) to ‘Maula’ (loved this, still don’t know the singers. Was it Rehman himself?) to ‘Genda Phool’ to ‘Yeh Delhi hai mere yaar’ to ‘Rehna tu’, I think this was an album where every songs stood out.
2. Dev-D: It all began with watching the first promo on Youtube and ‘Emosanal Atyachar’. Though FMs made us have too much of it, the song was a path-breaking one nevertheless. My favorite from the movie, though, is ‘O pardesi’.
3. Slumdog Millionaire: Jai Ho brought the Oscar glory home, a fitting one for all time favorites Rehman and Gulzar. The song will always be special for India, though FMs did an overkill with this one too. ‘Ring Ring Ringa’ has very catchy beats.
4. Kaminey: Gulzar works magic with his pen once again! The title track has lyrics to die for. And ‘Raat ke dhai baje’ has some amazing vocals. Not to forget, there was the unforgettable ‘Dhan te nan’. Aa ja ke one-way hai yeh zindagi ki gali ek hi chance hai!
5. Gulaal: Though not widely heard, the songs are an eclectic bunch. Out-of-the-box lyrics (which is an understatement) make Piyush Mishra someone to look out for. ‘Beedo’ is my favorite and ‘Aarambh’ Rahul’s. ‘Duniya’ is an entirely different take of Guru Datt’s legendary ‘Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kya hai’.
6. Songs of Love Aaj-Kal: Surprisingly, I haven’t been able to find any sources of inspiration for this Pritam album as of yet (other than the obvious Naagin thing in Twist), but this was a good collection nevertheless.
7. Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahaani: ‘Prem ki naiya’ is a personal favorite :P, though ‘Tera hone laga hoon’ and ‘Tu jaane na’ can be heard on a loop. ‘Tu Jaane Na’s Kailash Kher version is to die for!
8. Tum Mile: A third for Pritam! But (negative) prejudices aside, this album does have some amazingly melodic compositions. ‘Tum mile’ and ‘Tu hi Haqiqat’ ‘s different versions have turned out to be immensely likeable.
9. ‘Goonja sa hai koi ektaara’ (Wake Up Sid)
10. ‘Shukran Allah’ (Kurbaan)

This list, by no means, can be called complete. Please write your favorites for 2009, 'coz there might be something that might have entirely slipped my mind, or there might be songs I might never have heard in the first place. :)

And, welcome to a new year!

Kashti

2009-03-19T02:33:00.001-07:00

Doobti ubarti zindagi ko
Kinaara dikha diya hai
Teri aankhon ke saagar mein
Tairti hui muskuraahat ne
.

Har Roz

2009-01-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

To all those who do not know this already - I'm getting married. In 20 days' time - the date is 14th Feb! Life's getting busier and better, with each day getting spent in purchasing things and collecting memories...

Har roz, raat hote-hote

Saare din ikattha kiya hua dard, aakhir nazar aane lagta hai

(Shukra hai yeh dard dil mein nahin,

Haathon aur pairon mein hi hai)

Har roz, yoon ghoom-ghoom kar

(Kabhie Chandani Chowk ki tang galiyon mein

To kabhie kisi mall mein)

Hum jo waqt guzaar rahe hain;

Woh waqt guzar nahin raha, kahin jama hota ja raha hai

Waqt milne pe in lamhon ka ek calendar banaayenge

Har roz ki, jitni bhi thakaan hai

Jitni bhi shikaayatein

Sab gaayab ho jaati hain

Bas jaate-jaate ek baar muskurate ho jo tum

Har roz, saamaan sahejte hue raat mein

Kisi na kisi khyaal ka silsila chal padta hai

Khwaab ab zyada nazdeek se dekh paati hoon

Har roz, din par din

Tinka Tinka

2008-11-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

Tinka-tinka, hum-tum dono,

Sapnon ka asbaab sametein

Daayre

2008-10-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

Kuchh lamhon ko, vaakayon ko,

Bayaan karna galat hai

Lafzon mein baandhna bemaani hai

Naam inke, aankhon ki chamak mein rahte hain

Inki pehchaan, hansi ki dhanak se hoti hai

Lafzon ka kya hai,

Unke kuchh maayne hote hain

Fasaane saare,

Daayaron mein qaid hote hain

Yex-periment

2008-09-30T11:22:00.001-07:00

Futility

2008-09-25T03:57:00.000-07:00

How hard you tried to fill your empty life with big words!
Too bad the words were hollow.

Kachche Dhaage

2008-09-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Kuchh rangeen rishton ke dhaagon se sili hui
AaDhi-teDhi, patchwork si zindagi
.

An Ode to Leisurely Days

2008-07-21T01:45:00.000-07:00

Dil dhoondhta hai, phir wohi, fursat ke raat din
Baithe rahein, tasavvur-e-jaana kiye hue
[Ghalib]

Galiyon mein baarishon mein, bach kar chalo jo tum
Hans dein hum, dhaani chunri pe chheente uchhaal kar
Dekha karein, aankhein teri shikwe liye hue

Phir gungune patjhadon mein, shaakhein chuna karein
Yaaron ke beech baith ke; yaadein buna karein
Chuskiyon mein chaai ki, ghul kar hanste hue

JaaDon ki narm dhoop aur, aangan mein let kar
Aankhon pe kheench kar tere, aanchal ke saaye ko
Aundhe paDe rahein kabhi, karwat liye hue

Yaa garmiyon ki raat jo, purwaaiyaan chalein
ThanDee safed chaadaron par, jaagein der tak
Taaron ko dekhte rahein, chhat par pade hue

Barfeeli sardiyon mein, kisi bhi pahaaD par
Waadee mein goonjti hui, khaamoshiyaan sune
Aankhon mein bheege bheege se, lamhe liye hue
.

This song never fails to make me yearn for the leisurely days back in Rewa. I tried adding two more verses to the first one (written by Ghalib) and the last three (written by Gulzar).
.

Foodies

2008-07-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

Delhi for sure is food-lovers' heaven! Last weekend we got a glimpse of it.

Eating doesn't get better than this! :)

[Connaught Place - Gole Market - Karol Bagh - Ghulaabi Bagh - Ramjas Road - East Patel Nagar - Connaught Place - India Gate]
.

What a delicious trip! :)

Farishta

2008-06-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Intezaar hai, tumhara

Aao, aur ek baar saare ankahe lafz sun lo
Saari khwaahishon ko samajh lo,
Zinda kar do mujhe

Bejaan aankhein panaah chaahti hain,
Thak chuki hai zindagi,
Berukhe sannaton se

Chhoo kar apne haathon se meri ungliyon ko,
Jaan daal do badan mein
Sukoon do rooh ko

Kahan ho tum?
Intezaar hai, tumhara -
Lamha-lamha bujhti zindagi ko!

So Bad It's Good

2008-06-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is not yet another philosophical / dark post :)

Instead, I'll talk about (after a long, long time) a favorite topic of mine - movies. Indian movies, to be specific. Indian movies of the 80s and early 90s, to be even more specific. Remember, the movies that were so bad they actually made you laugh? The movies of, well, 'Jani Dushman - Ek Anokhi Kahaani' kind? [Okay, yes, you caught it right - the movie was released in 2002, and not in the 80s - but it was the first example that came to my mind - suits the blog title so well, you know]

So, when was it last that you saw an ichchhadhari naag, or the Indian version of superman? This reminds me of another evergreen SBIG movie. And you thought the legendary Duryodhan's was the only role played by Puneet Issar?! Well, watch this movie to learn how animation works [or worked, at least in the initial stages of animation in Bollywood]

And then there was this Bhojpuri movie I stumbled upon [I've heard they're almost just as good] in which the hero, with his hands cut off mind you, shoots the villain with the gun clutched in his feet! This, we must admit, is the supreme example of the Indian determination and certainly deserves a standing ovation.

And we can't forget to remember fondly all the movies that started with "Aaj tumhare pitaji hote to ...", or "Behan, dekh main tere liye laal joda lekar aaya hoon", went on to "Bhagwan ke liye mujhe chhod do" or "Is ghar ke darwaaze, tumhare liye hamesha hamesha ke liye band ho chuke hain"; and ended with "Police ne chaaron taraf sey tumhe gher liya hai, Apne hathiyaar phenk do" or "Kanoon ko apne haathon mein lene ki koshish mat karo. *Sigh*

It's a matter of immense grief for hardcore bollywood lovers like me that such movies are becoming a rarity. So, let me take this opportunity to call out to all bollywood fans out there to suggest some more unheard movies of the SBIG genre.

"Himmat hai to saamne aa!"

Ten Years

2008-05-26T02:29:00.000-07:00

It was 10 years ago that I left home for studies.
I completed my higher secondary school, graduation, post graduation and 2 years of working.
I failed, faulted, learned and unlearnt. Lived, loved, lost and moved on.
Got spectacles. Got a job. Got appreciated, loved and hated. Got above it all.
Changed cities, my life and myself. From Rewa to Jaipur to Noida to US. And back.

There's so much still to come. So much more to see. To discover. To be done.

[And after all this time, what I feel I need the most is some peace of mind.]

Jaipur Blasts

2008-05-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

'Why?' was the first thing that came to my mind. I've never seen a more peaceful / peace-loving city. In fact, why any place at all?

[And National Handloom (Johri Bazar) was the last shop I had been to on my last trip to Jaipur :( ]
.

It's only words!

2008-05-12T04:05:00.000-07:00

The room was dark, damp, empty. And the words, fluorescent, floated in the air. She sat in a corner, face buried in knees, trying to lose the sound and sight of the words.

The words were not accusing, or at least so they claimed. Some said they were here to help. Why then wouldn’t they let her be? She felt she must sleep, but with eyes shut that hard, sleep wasn’t possible.

And then there was silence. An almost ominous silence, she thought. There also was a sudden chill in the air, as she thought she felt the words closing in on her, silently. She also thought she could feel them breathing - on her arms, her shoulders, on her neck.

She was afraid to scream or protest, ‘coz that would mean adding more words to the clamor. The air was getting colder, and she wondered if she would die. But, of course, words don’t kill. She felt them oozing, seeping from the ceiling, the walls; crawling on the floor. The air hung, heavy and humid, barely breathable, almost liquid.

She wondered how longer she could resist them, and would it be better to let them feast upon her heart, brain and soul. They said it was painless. She thought of robots and zombies. Then she knew.

She walked out of the room, her room, into the sunshine. The words followed, but out here they didn’t seem ominous. She thought they looked almost ridiculous. The sun winked at her from behind a cloud, and she laughed back.
.

Gard (Dhool)

2008-05-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

Badi tanha thi woh, aur
Zindagi thi badi lambi
[Waqt saara zindagi ki,
Gard jhaadne mein hi jaata tha]

Sapnon se gard jhaado
Waadon se;
Gard jhaado khwaahishon se,
Yaadon se!

[Waqt saara bas yun hi
Nikal jaata tha]

Bas itni si kahaani thi,
Ek din woh nahin rahi;
Magar mitti se bhi uski,
Aati hai boo-e-zindagi!
.

Safar

2008-05-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Yun lagta hai ki sirf chalte rahne ki dhun mein is safar ke maani kahin kho gaye hain. Bas, chale ja rahe hain - kabhie aadatan, kabhie majbooran.
.

Saath Tera

2008-04-29T03:42:00.000-07:00

Jashn-e-hasti, raahat-e-rooh; mire janaab
Saath tera

Hijr ki sab raaton ka durust jawaab,
Saath tera

________________________

Jashn-e-hasti : A celebration of one's being
Raahat-e-rooh : Peace for one's soul
Hijr : Separation
Durust : Apt
________________________

Andhere-Ujaale

2008-02-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

Yeh kaun sa pehar hai?

Maano mazaak-mazaak mein kisi ne din ke andhere aur raat ki roshni ke beech ki lakeer mita di ho!

Yeh shaam hai ya sehar hai?!
Yeh kaun sa pehar hai?

Qayaamat

2008-02-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Dam liya tha na qayaamat ne hanoz
Phir tera waqt-e-safar yaad aaya

[Ghalib]

Gham-e-Hasti

2008-02-03T23:53:00.000-08:00

Gham-e-hasti ka Asad kis se ho juz marg ilaaj
Shama har rang mein jalti hai sehar hote tak

[Ghalib]

Translation:
If you're suffering from the pain of existence, there's no cure for you (save death)
A candle has to burn (in all its colors) till dawn

What I think it means:
Just like a candle has to burn (be in pain) constantly till the morning; in a similar fashion, for someone in love, life itself becomes a constant suffering , and there is no respite till death.

Word meaning:
Hasti = existence
Juz = other than
Marg = death
Ilaaj = cure
Shama = candle
Sehar = dawn

Parvaaz (Flight)

2007-12-08T04:22:00.000-08:00

Dastakein dein, dar naye kuchh khol dein
Hansein, khilein,
Chup geeton ko phir bol dein
Andhera chubh raha hai aankhon mein
Syaah raaton mein chaandani ab ghol dein

Dilon ki bandishon se nikaalein raaz ko
Khula gagan dein, pankh dein parvaaz ko!

Milein, puraane doston ko naye naam dein
Thak chuki aankhon ko kuchh aaraam dein
Hadd mein baandhein kyun zehan ke khwaabon ko?
Khwaahishon ko aao hum anjaam dein!

Chalo, aawaaz de bula lein apne aaj ko
Chhoo kar hawa ko, pankh dein parvaaz ko!

Kabragaah

2007-12-05T00:46:00.000-08:00

Chand (चंद) khwaab dafn hain yahan
Ek rooh bhi.
Aur dekho, kitne pyaar se
Koi roz berukhi ke phool chadha jaata hai!
.

Nothing funny

2007-11-29T02:52:00.001-08:00

Don't try to be my fortune cookie!
Don't tell me what's in store for me

Echoing Silences

2007-08-20T04:05:00.000-07:00

If I lose you, my love
I'm scared, not of
Years wasted
And neither shall I
Find myself unable to live without you

[I'll be strong and move on
And all that, you know!]

What does scare me, love
Is the thought of
My dreams, trashed -
Rendered pointless
Of pain excruciating,
But meaningless
Of a pain that will
Fade away with time -
Like a fading rag in the sun

There are things you're not supposed to
Talk objectively about
And I dread being talked of
Objectively - as your past
Like a long-forgotten taste of
Vanilla flavored coffee

And, sunshine, don't let my memory
Come as a lump of guilt
Or a pang of heartache
Or a moment of sundown
Let it play in the twitch of your smile

And promise me,
That a part of me will continue to live in you
And I swear, that
A part of you shall forever be in my soul.

Mostly Harmless

2007-08-17T01:56:00.000-07:00

My creation! :p
Anyway, with working hours stretching infinitely, this is how I feel.
And 'Mostly Harmless' is the novel I'm reading - Fifth in the H2G2 trilogy. (yes, I've already read the other four! ^_^)

A Sleepy Hello!

2007-08-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

From Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru's famous speech (Tryst with destiny) on Aug 15, 1947 -

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again. [...] "

Well, actually, just wanted to write a blog and all that - after all this time. And since some unforeseen event see me sitting at my desk at this ungodly hour (it Aug 14, 11:58 hrs), and fortunately I came across this speech, I don't really have to write something on my own!

So, a sleepy hello to all of you, and to the nation! I wonder if it's awake after all these years.

As for me, I'm very much alive, though very very much sleepy and tired and what-not. If time permits it, you'll see frequent posts on the blog in a few days :)

Intehaa

2007-07-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Raat gaye chaand, chup-chaap
Doodhiya syaahi faila jaata hai.

Lamhon ki ibaarat
Dhundhli ho chali hai ab
Yaadon ke zard pannon par

Reality Check

2007-07-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

"Ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha hai maine"

Wrote Gulzar once, and quite a number of couth Indian men went "Aah, wouldn't I love a life/wife like her!". Things, ofcourse, are not always as good as they seem. And neither was Gulzar's dream. Sigh!

"Gungunaati hui nikli hai naha kar jab bhi
Apne bheege hue baalon se tapakta paani
Mere chehre pe chhidak deti hai, tu Tikku ki bachchi!"

Sounds romantic, doesn't it? Well sure it does (sound romantic), but that's about it. Welcome to reality, Tikku! Chances are, Patidev loves his slumber more than you, and the scene would be - Patidev's in the bed, trying hard not to get woken up by your crooning, and if so much as the tiniest droplet of water from your hair reaches his face, all hell breaks loose! "Tikku, shut up with that stupid song and lemme sleep! I had been in the office the night before till eleven!! And it's just 9 in the morning for God's sake!!! *&%$#" ... And you wish you still stayed with your female flatmates (who'd break into an antakshari on the hint of a song!)

"Taash ke patton pe laDti hai kabhie kabhie khel mein mujhse
Aur kabhie laDti bhi aise ki bas khel rahi ho mujhse"

Very well written. But, ahem, reality check - The moment you start "laDna" (however playfully, however outta love), Patidev goes on the defensive "Can't you talk to me even for a moment without cribbing, complaining or sulking? I can't recall when it was last that we talked for an hour without arguing!! Blah Blah Blah?!!! Blah Blah Blah???" Oops!

So, wake up, women! Charm, courtesy and chivalry are not necessarily your guy's everyday adornments. Neither is romance. And wake up, men! Wake up before your girl runs away screaming.

Life's not a dream written by Gulzar, after all.

iGoogle

2007-07-06T01:55:00.000-07:00

What does your Google home page look like?

.

सतपुडा

2007-07-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

Well, ever since I posted the poem "Satpura Ke Ghane Jangal" in my other blog, I've been asked a few times for the full poem. And since I got it some days back, I'm posting the same here

सत्पुडा के घने जंगल

सतपुडा के घने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

झाड़ ऊंचे और नीचे
चुप खडे हैं आंख मीचे
घास चुप है, काश चुप है
मूक शाल-पलाश चुप है

बन सके तो धंसो इनमें
धंस ना पाती हवा jinmein
सत्पुरा के घने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

सडे पत्ते, गले पत्ते
हरे पत्ते, जले पत्ते
वन्य का पथ ढँक रहे से
पंक दल में पले पत्ते

चलो इन पर चल सको तो
दलो इनको दल सको तो
यह ghinaune-घने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

अटपटी उलझी लताएं
Daaliyon को खींच खायें
पैर को पकडें अचानक
प्रान को कस लें, कपायें

सांप सी काली लताएं
बला कीपाली लताएं
लताओं के बने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

MakDiyon के जाल मुह पर,
और sir के बाल मुह पर
मच्छरों के दंश वाले
दाग काले-लाल मुह पर

वात-झंझा वहन करते
चलो इतना सहन करते
कष्ट से ये सने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

अजगरों से भरे जंगल
अगम, gati से परे जंगल
सात-सात पहाड़ वाले
बडे, छोटे बाघ वाले
गरज और दहाड़ वाले
कंप से कनकने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

इन वनों के ख़ूब भीतर
चार मुर्गे, चार तीतर
पाल के nishchint बैठे
Vijan वन के बीच बैठे
झोपड़ी पर फूस डाले
गोंड तगडे और काले

जब ki होली पास आती
सरसराती घास गाती
और महुए से लपकती
मत्त करती बास आती
गूँज उठते बोल इनके
गीत इनके, ढोल इनके

सत्पुरा के घने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

जागते अँगङाइयों में
खोह, खड्डे, खाइयों में
घास पागल, काश पागल,
शाल और पलाश पागल,
लता पागल, वात पागल,
डाल पागल, पात पागल,
मत्त मुर्गे और तीतर
इन वनों के ख़ूब भीतर!

Kshitij तक फैला हुआ सा
मृत्यु तक मैला हुआ सा
Kshubdh काली लहर वाला
Mathit, utthit ज़हर वाला
मेरु वाला, शेष वाला,
शंभु और सुरेश वाला

एक सागर जानते हो,
उसे कैसे मानते हो?
ठीक वैसे घने जंगल
नींद में डूबे हुए से
ऊंघते अनमने जंगल!

धंसो इनमें डर नहीं है,
मौत का ये घर नहीं है,
उतरकर बहते अनेकों,
कल-कथा कहते अनेकों,
नदी nirjhar और नाले,
इन वनों ने गोद पाले,
लाख पंछी सौ hiran दल
चांद के kitne kiran दल
झूमते बन-फूल, फलीयां
खिल रही agyaat kaliyaan
हिरत दूर्वा, रक्त kislay,
पूत, पावन, पूर्ण रसमय,
सत्पुरा के घने जंगल
लताओं के बने जंगल!

(by Bhawani Prasad Mishra)

Huff! Now I know how Shankar Mahadevan must have felt after singing "Breathless" :p
But, nevertheless, it's a beautiful poem. If only someone could muster up the courage and patience required to finish it!

For you all, in Hindi! :) (Thanks, Ritz)

Wow! यह तो कमाल है! ;)

[Well, I found typing words like 'kiran', 'kitne' (basically anything with a chhoTee i ki maatra impossible! So, if anyone knows who to type them, please help me out :)]

Maha Random-Rants

2007-07-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

[Warning: Beware of Boasts]

Well, lemme introduce you to the brand new Sun Certified Java Programmer Kanupriya B-). Yes, I cleared SCJP today, with a score of nothing less than a boast-able 96%.

And for all the SCJP aspirants, here's a list of handy tips -

Beware of compiler errors! The most innocent looking code is just as evil (or eviler) than any other POC (piece of code - technical term). There were at least 7-8 questions in the exam which resulted in a compiler error.
Qestions on threads are devilish. I'm sure the person(s) who came up with them have a sadistic streak in them. Prepare well for threads, synchronization and the works.
Inheritance/Overriding/Overloading - people tend to take these too lightly. Don't!
Exceptions are not quite as bad as you think they are. Understanding just the basic concepts and exception hierarchy will take you a long way in exception handling.

Umm, I guess it doesn't make a lot of sense to post all this here, but whatever, I'm a proud Sun Certified Java Programmer, and I have every right to brag, for a day at least :p My PM was so happy with the result, he got a cake for the SCJPs of his project. So, that's a plus for me (especially just before the appraisal).

That reminds me, I hope I get a respectable increment in this appraisal. (My mom was not really happy about the fact that I haven't saved a penny in the 1 yr (almost - I complete one year in HCL tomorrow)). Again, that reminds me - a few days back I got a mail from my friend (who works in the same office as me), asking me for 500 bugs, urgently. Now, everyone needs a few bugs in the code (rozi-roti ka sawaal, you know!). But FIVE HUNDRED bugs! That crosses the imagination of even the most optimistic tester!

Anyway, she soon realised her mistake (on it being made into PJ, of course) and said she'd be rather happy if I could just lend her 500 bucks, which, for her dismay (this sure is an understatement), I didn't have.

And, last but not the least, I got a pedicure (for the first time) this weekend. :p And, I must admit, it was rather good. Though when I got to know what the 'good-ness' costs, umm, I was not very happy :p

So that kinda sums up this weekends events. Add to it a hurried (and fruitless) drive to Escorts and back; and lots of good food (luckily for me, my roomie's a good cook and fond of cooking too).

Signing off for now, I am, the 'Sun Certified Java Programmer',
Kanu :p

Satyameva Jayate

2007-06-28T23:06:00.000-07:00

'Truth Alone Triumphs'

[or, does it?]
.

Baarish

2007-06-26T01:37:00.000-07:00

Aaj ki baarish mein, dekho kaise!
Yaadon par chaDhi gard utar gayi hai
Barson door rakha ek lamha, saaf nazar aata hai.

[Photo courtesy: http://criss.site.voila.fr/]

I walk

2007-06-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

I walk, to a place called
Nowhere
Dusk in my hands
Red as blood, my own!
An odd melancholy in the air
Joking with the wind
I walk
To nowhere in particular!

.

.

Games You Play

2007-06-19T02:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord,
I don't like being yet another insignificant one in your world of crores. My dreams are tired, and I don't have an answer when they look at me, hurt.
It's easy for you, isn't it, making and breaking dreams, hopes, empires, hearts...? Does it matter to you if someone gets killed on his way to ur temple? Do you like it when in turn his relatives call upon you to render him peace in heaven? Isn't that sadistic?
Do you and your mates up there laugh at us, when you see how we're trying to be in control, while you have the remote-control to our destinies? Do you feel gratified when someone seeks your blessings? Do you grant wishes only when we beg for them?
Do you have an algorithm for time-slicing your resources, like an OS? Is everything random? Or is everything predestined?
Are you up there, smiling? Do you die? Are you ever going to grow up, and stop playing games?!

.

My Celebrity Look-alikes ;)

2007-06-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

.

.

(Feel-good post ;) )

Life

2007-06-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

On the downside,

It's awfully hot here in Dilli. (well, in Noida, too). And going by the weather forecast, things don't look really bright (they're too bright actually, and hot - with everyone for once looking for the dark cloud and not the silver lining therein). Anyway, I hope none of us are harboring any misconceptions on how reliable the weather forecasts are. (So, there's still some hope left :D)
I caught fever (or fever caught me, rather) - and I realised it's pretty boring (more boring than office). So much so that I was looking forward to (OK, not really) coming to office. And though I finished The English P atient (readable for the way its narrated) and started reading Path Ke Davedaar, it's not what my goal was ("Goal"!! Now that's talking like a true blue s/w engr - and how I hate it!). Anyway, the goal was to finish the Java certification book by Kathy Sierra. (By the way, surprisingly Google and Wiki don't have any useful information available on Path Ke Davedaar! (for the lesser mortals, it's a famous novel by Sharatchandra :-p))
And as if that was not enough, I caught a kind of eye flu (or some infection). And my left eye is all swollen up. People say I look like a pirate (aargh). Anyway, not that I can help it much. :(

And on the upside (or whatever that's called) -

I got a three and a half day break from office. Quite an unexpected one, I must confess - but then, it was not much fun - so not much of a confession anyway :p
Since I created quite a scene out of my fever, life's sort of cool (for the time being, at least).

Umm... so that kinda sums up this random post. I wish the temperature comes down a bit. And I also wish the eye flu goes away before my bday (hehe, yeah, it's my bday on June 16. Yay!)

Oops!

2007-06-06T01:25:00.000-07:00

.

Orkut's down for maintainance!

(... and back now) ;)

An Indian counterpart of Orkut - http://sirfdosti.com/ :p

Berozgaari

2007-06-04T02:18:00.000-07:00

Sulga li hai ek aur cigarette
Doobte sooraj se ghabra ke
Kuchh oob* aur umas* bhulaane ke liye bhi

Saath hi dekhta hoon -
Sulagta, dam toDta ek aur din
Lamha-lamha raakh hota waqt
Dhuaan hote kuchh sapne

Zehan* mein fizool se khyaal -
(Bhala ho municipality ka, jo yahan bench lagwa di
Khuda ka but* patthar ka ho, to dil mom* ka kaise hoga
Ghar par maa diya jala chuki hogi tulsi mein
Wagairah - wagairah)

Nakaamyaabi din bhar saaye ki tarah saath hoti hai
Raat ke andheron mein woh bhi nahin!
(Yun kahne ko hum chaar rahte hain ek kamre mein)

Lagta hai saalon guzar gaye
Par khatm nahin hoti berozgaar zindagi

Jalne ki ho chali hai, talabgaar* zindagi!

[Oob = Boredom; Umas = Humidity; Zehan = mind/dimaag; but = idol/moorti; mom = wax; talabgaar = addicted/wanting]

Music: Shaayraana si hai (Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayi)
Mood: Blank.

The Story of the Desert

2007-05-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

"Let's play a game!", he said. "Let's pretend you're the princess of desert and I'm the knight from across the seas."

So that's what she became, the princess of desert. Surprisingly, the otherwise unyielding desert agreed to play along. Together, the desert and the princess waited for the knight.

Very early every morning, they dressed up in molten gold and pretended to be angry half the time, remorseful the other half. Bored in a few hours, the sleepy desert half-opened its sand-dune eyes, and went back to its afternoon nap.

"Winds from across the seas will bring my news", he had said. And she thought she could hear waves crashing against the shore. But the winds never brought any news. (Though sand in her eyes hurt like held-back tears, and it had a curious pungent taste, too.)

So they waited till sundown, and the desert draped her in a dusky red velvet. "Even stars will celebrate the day we reunite". (This was her best dress, and red was his favorite!) Every night, stars gathered for the celebration and sighed in silent mourning as another night slipped by. The chill in night-air was unmistakeable.

Moonlight in her dreams always made the desert look like a giant crumpled bedsheet. She felt herself decaying into the sand-sheet with time. Perhaps it was just in her dreams, funny as they are, that it became increasingly difficult to identify herself from the desert. "Come on, you're the princess around here!", she shouted at the top of her voice. But the stars looked on in amazement, as they thought they saw a sudden whiff rise and die away, from a single sand-dune.
.

Vulnerable

2007-05-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

Did a bit of sketching after a long interval, and finished this one quite quickly (around 20 minutes). Since it didn't turn out to be that bad, my braggart self decided to post it ;)

Mood: Happy :)
Music: Piyu bole (Parineeta)

Demons

2007-05-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Some unanswered questions - unanswered, and uncomfortable - chasing you round the clock, staring at you silently (pretending to be dead, yet very much alive) - demanding their answers.

And answer you must. You don't want dead questions following you like dogs, do you? You don't want to relive their death, do you?

And yet answer you can't, because they expect words. A teary-eyed you - devoid of words, with a lump in your throat and sleepless nights by your side - can do nothing but annoy the Gods all the more. Devotees are most welcome, so long as they're not emotional fools.

Your existence is questioned, and that you're alive is no proof. Someone who's been suicidal for years can't possibly be alive, they say.

The walls of hope give way, and your own questions seep through. Assuring you of a death no worse than you deserve. A death of drowing in the waters of suspicion. Of doubts that others invented, and you lived with. (And will die with)

Mood: Indignant/Confused/And now tired
Music: Ek khyaal ke bagal mein kaise saari zindagi guzaar dein?

Ummeed

2007-05-17T20:49:00.001-07:00

Chalte rahe hum roshni ka thaam ke dhaaga
Chaadar andhera har taraf bunta chala gaya

(It needs to be completed, but that'll need some time. Till then, I thought, why not let others add some lines to it?)

Waah, Gulzar!

2007-05-03T06:44:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know there've been enough posts about Gulzar and ARR in my blog already. But then, you can't expect much else from a diehard Gulzar fan, and more so one who has developed a newfound interest in writing herself.

Frankly, I don't think I'm the stuff poets are made of. I know that of late I've just been posting my so-called poems, but they're not spontaenous. They usually come up after a lot of fiddling with words and playing with thoughts and ideas. I don't know if everyone writes like that, but I do.

And so, it surprises me how someone can write as simply, yet as beautifully as Gulzar does. There's no trace of slogging with words and ideas. The words seem to flow, to slide on a ground frictionless, to just have occured in someone's heart and moulded themselves into poetry. Nothing seems deliberate!

'Jab bhi thaama hai tera haath to dekha hai
Log kahte hain ki bas haath ki rekha hai
Humne dekha hai do taqdeeron ko juDte hue'

No big words, nothing unusual, yet such an extraordinary piece. And then,

'Parashtish ki yaa tak ki ey but tujhe
Nazar mein sabon ki khuda kar chale'

Or a superhit dance number, which has some meaning too -

'Woh yaar hai jo khushbu ki tarah
Jiski zubaan urdu ki tarah
Meri shaam-raat, meri qaaynaat
Woh yaar mera saiyaan saiyaan'

Even an item number gets a distinct Gulzar touch, and becomes Kajra Re (or 'Bidi Jalai Le')-

'Aankhein bhi kamaal karti hain
Personal se sawaal karti hain'

Never mind using other poets works (of course, with due credits given), they're all enriched, reinforced and given a new meaning (and popularity) altogether -

'Dil DhoonDhta hai phir wohi, fursat ke raat-din
baithe rahein tasavvur-e-jaana kiye hue'
(by Ghalib)

I can go on and on, but I realize that others do not necessarily share my enthusiasm on the subject. Moreover, this can probably go on forever (I haven't even mentioned his non-filmi compositions). So, here's to the wonderful lyricist, poet, scriptwriter and director.

We salute you!

Ideas, and the lack of them

2007-05-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it so happens that I've had some idea for a blog for a long-long time, just the idea, somwhere in the back of my mind, that I mean to write about, and then when I have the time, it seems as if words always ditch me. (I guess writing such long sentences, with commas seperating them, is a bad idea - but then, I didn't want to go through it again, trying to correct it! I've never been in the habit of revising things, not even my exam papers.)

Anyway, coming to back to the point, it so happens that you never find the words you're looking for when trying to write something. And then the idea slowly turns itself into something much more severe, demanding all of your time and attention. And then you really wish the thing had never occurred to you in the first place! Gulzar has a wonderful poem about the situation, but I don't quite remember it as of now. I'll post it if I happen to find it.

So an Idea happened to me. And having heard somewhere 'An Idea can change your life', I sat down with the idea, trying to change mine. Well, my life didn't really change, but the idea did ;) and what I wrote was something quite different from what I intended to.
.

Raat Ki Syaahi

Tumhari aankhein dekh ke, jaante ho, kya sochti hoon?
Ab tak aur na jaane kitni raatein qaid ho chuki hongi unmein!

Gusse mein toofaan waali ek barsaat ki raat,
Aur ek, jismein sharaarat ka ek sitaara chamka hoga
Murjhaaye patton waali ek patjhaD ki bhii!

Vaisi hi ek raat ki syaahi se jo misre likhe
Sapne kuchh berang se ubhar aaye

Abki baar jo aana, do mutthi waqt saath laana
Sapno mein rang bharna aasaan nahin!
.

So, that's that. And as I said, it's not what I wanted to write, but since it's about eyes (they always fascinate me), I thought I could post this just as well. And now, over to you.

=))

2007-04-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

Chhoti-Chhoti Baatein

2007-04-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

(Nanda Devi - Taken by RajaG)

I find it strange how, at times, something as simple as a photograph can make you feel. Well, in this case, this particular photo of Nanda Devi - other than making me want to go there - made me imagine (and think about) a whole lot of things (mind you, it's not a small achivement, given that of late nothing - no novel, no poetry, not a big amount of coding, no trees, flowers or smell - has made me think so much, and for so long. And I say 'so long' 'coz when you're all tired and exhausted, to lie in your bed thinking about a pic (and the place the pic was taken at) till 3 am in the morning, when you supposedly have a short attention span - it is.)

Anyway, to cut the long story short, it made me think of how the nights at Nanda Devi will be, how the moon will look - something on these lines. And I wrote a small poem about moon at Nanda Devi -

Chaand
Sanjeeda* pahaaDi ka
NaTkhaT sa beTa chaand
Barfeeli vaadiyon mein
ThiThura* sa gol chaand
Phir garm baadalon ke
Kambal mein dubka chaand
Baatein tumhari-meri
Sunta shareer* chaand
[Sanjeeda = grim; ThiThura = cold/shivering; Shareer = mischevous]
.

And that, in turn made me want to write something about the mornings/afternoons as well. I wanted to write about sunlight in mountains, but it turned out to be something about sunlight in general-

Dhoop
Sooraj ka haath thaame
Bholi si beTi dhoop.
KhiDki ke chaukhaTe* se
Chupke se jhaanke dhoop.
JhrumuT* mein khel khele
Chhaaya ke sang dhoop.
Har saanjh hai jalaati
Chanda ka diya dhoop
Taaron ke chheenT* waali
Raat oDh soti dhoop
[KhiDki ka chaukhTa = squares of the window; JhurmuT = grove; chheenT = print]
.

Well, there were poems in my mind about 'Nadiya' and 'MiTTi' too, but my thoughts were interrupted by a song on FM, a line of which said something about a guy standing on the kagaar (edge); and I, in turn, imagined myself standing on the edge of some high mountain, looking in the depths of the infinite valleys below. And here're the lines that came to my mind -

Gahraayi
Gahraayi ki kami hai mujhmein - yahi kaha tha na tumne?
Dekho, ab gahraaiyaan khud mujhe aawaaz de rahi hain!
Apna rahi hoon inhe, ab aur gile* mat karna.
[Gile karna = to complain]
.

And that, when I'm faaar removed from any suicidal tendencies of any sort! :-p
Anyway, that was the end of it - of my thought-train, i.e. And the result for you all is, a rather long post by me at last! :-)

Contempt

2007-04-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

*
Waah! Vaaqaye ko fasaana banaane chali
Rasm-e-deewanagi,
Ek shakhs ko zamaana banaane chali

*

[Vaaqaya - Incident]

Sapna

2007-03-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ajeeb sapna tha!

Tum saath the mere
Chup si baarish;
Maano khaamoshi ko todna gunaah ho!

Kashish, qurbat, chubhan, raahat
Khaamoshi ki sharaarat ko
Jyon ishq ki bhi panaah ho!

Gum se lamhon se bani shaam
Chup se khwaabon se saji shaam
Woh shaam hazaaron boondo ki

Ajeeb sapna tha!

Agli subah dekha - na jaane kaise
Baarish ki boondein takiye par thiin
Aankhon se chhalak gayin hon jaise

Bheega, nanha woh sapna -
Uneendi palkon se roka nahin gaya

(Kashish: Attraction; Qurbat: Closeness; Jyon: as if; Uneendi: Sleepy)

Khamoshi

2007-03-28T21:33:00.000-07:00

Lafz kuchh fizool, kuchh na-paak se lagte hain
Ek shakhs se khaamoshi baanti thi maine

Zindagi

2007-03-26T01:19:00.000-07:00

Guzara din ka kaarvaan bemaani sa
Phir anjaan shahar mein raat ka paDaav

Jhulasti dupehari mein waqt oonghta sa
Siharti chaandni ka bujhta sa alaav

Aakhiri mukaam ko dhoondhne nikla
Zindagi ki nadii ka maddham bahaav

Andhera

2007-03-16T00:27:00.001-07:00

Zindagi ke peele panne
Aur diya tere naam ka
Kuchh sawaal parchhaiyon ke
Yeh imtehaan tanhaaiyon ke!

Tanha sa peela chaand bhi
Khoya hai kaale bhanvron mein
Teri aankhon ki gehraaiyon ke
Yeh imtehaan tanhaaiyon ke!

_______

Kal Raat

2007-03-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

Ek dhaaga aur liya teri yaad ka
Ek sapna aur buna kal raat humne

Tanhaayi, khaamoshi ke kisse ka
Ek lamha aur suna kal raat humne

:)

Happy Holi!

2007-03-02T04:32:00.000-08:00

Kabhie

2007-02-25T23:28:00.000-08:00

kisi shab chaand baatein kare
kabhie tum ek sher kaho
kabhie hum shaam dekha karein
kabhie tum dhoop-chhanv hanso

ki phir pedon se panchhi ude
kabhie saanson mei aanch chale
kabhie saawan ki barsi ghata
kahin baahon ke jhoole pade

kisi ke sard aangan mein
andheri raat taare jalein
dilon ki mehfilon mein daur
tere naam ka chale

Girl-talk ;)

2007-02-20T00:46:00.000-08:00

So, you've been this super-girlfriend who's ready to do anything for The-One-for-Her? A girl proud, a girl happy, a girl-who-thinks-she's-lucky to have found the right One? You think you're cool 'coz you've turned from the girl that you were to his girl?

Well, how about you go get some life? How about being loved for what you are? How about being trusted, respected, cared for and not being governed? How about not being sorry about what you've said, done or been? Just once in a while, how about it?

When was it last that you were right in an argument? When was it that there was no argument? When was it that you had others to argue with?

And no, you're not being adviced to break-up/get divorced or something. But give yourself a break, girl! What's the hurry? You have the entire life to forget the way you wanted to live your life. But while you still can, why not remember that you can eat like pigs, dance like crazies and live like tribes? If that's your idea of fun, go do that!

Men and women are as different as they could be. Chalk & cheese, oil & water or maybe heart & mind. That they still have to live together is a blunder iGod made, and we put up with. If man can come up with an instrument that would help men understand women and vice-versa, that'd be the greatest discovery of our time. Till then, may there be peace.

And girls, "Live. Your time starts now."

______________________

PS: This post was mostly written out of frustration (so most of it is not how I feel all the time), but I'd still like to remember how I felt at that certain moment. Hence this blog, w/o any changes. :-)

Nothing to do

2007-02-15T02:50:00.000-08:00

Well, the server crashed!

____________________

Mood: Not really happy
Music: None

Izhaar-e-ishq

2007-02-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

Likhe the aasmaani kaagaz pe
Baadalon ki syaahi se, bikhre hue kuchh harfe
Chaand ka ek phool bheja tha
Subah tak woh bhi murjha ke gir gaya
...
Izhaar-e-ishq humein karna nahin aaya!

Tehreer (Writing)

2007-02-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Duniya ke saare shahron ka culture yaksaan
Aabaadi, tanhaayi banti jaati hai.
(All the cities in the world have the same story to tell -
The more crowded it is, the lonelier people become)

~ Bashir Badr

(A poor attempt at translating the sher (meaning couplet, plural ashaar (pronounced ash-aar)), but I hope it conveys the basic idea.)
____________________

By the way, I like the word 'Tehreer', which means writing. I also like the phrase 'Ret pe Tehreer', meaning 'Writing on the Sand'. :-)

I wish

2007-01-29T07:17:00.000-08:00

I wish I were more at ease with myself, more in control of things. Why's it that words/thoughts desert me when/where they matter the most? It feels so dumb!

...I wish I were smarter 8-|

.

2006-12-20T01:39:00.000-08:00

Live. Your time starts now.

DoorDarshan

2006-12-02T23:58:00.000-08:00

Today, while sitting in the office, I found myself humming

"Ek kahaani kahte-kahte ek kahaani aur mili
Dil ki Dagar pe chalte-chalte, ek nishaani aur mili"

and suddenly the memories of good ol' DoorDarshan days came rushing back to me.

Some of you may still remember, it was the title track of a serial based on Gulzar's short stories, "Ek Kahaani". Such a bunch of heart-warming little stories they were! Then there were serials based on short-stories/novels by Chekhov, Maupassant, Tagore, Sharatchandra, Premchandra, Satyajit Ray, RK Narayanan, Ruskin Bond, Rahi Masoom Raza and names I might have forgotten.

"Chekhov Ki Kahaaniyaan" used to be one of my favorite serials. The stories were so touching, and had this quality of making your heart go out to the characters. No other serials have been able to capture childhood fantasies and present them in the manner RK Narayan's "Malgudi Days" and Ruskin Bond's "Ek Tha Rusty" did.

Or even the serials based on old indian stories like Vikram-Betaal or Sinhaasan Battisi - they were too dramatic at times, but made their point nevertheless. And then, there was this series for kids, "Kahaaniyon ka Guchchha" - its title track makes all the more sense now -

"Khatti ho to namak lagaake
Gale mein aTke paani le lo
Guchchha hai bhai guchchha hai
Kahaaniyon ka guchchha hai
Kahaani le lo"

:) Isn't that so very true about life as well?

I was not old enough at the time of Hum Log or Nukkad. But the other serials I remember watching and loving are Farmaan, Circus, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Vyomkesh Bakshi and Aarohan. Even Shekhar Suman's Reporter was something I remember our family waiting eagerly for, every monday at 9 pm, if I remember it right.

Not only the stories, even the actors and the characters they've played have became immortal in the history of indian television. Be it Pankaj Kapoor as KaramChand or Vijay Anand as Sam D'silva in Tehkikaat, it's hard to imagine someone else playing the characters.

Despite a hundred music channels, no programme has equalled the popularity of Chitrahaar, which made people forget all their assignments and sit glued to the TV at 7:30, every Wednesday and Friday. Or even Rangoli, which made us get up at 7, even on Sundays.

*sigh* I can go on and on writing about these serials, and how they always managed to bring the whole family together for lunch or dinner. I do miss the golden DoorDarshan days!

"Sadiyon sadiyon wahi tamaasha
Rasta-rasta lambi khoj
Lekin jab woh mil jaata hai
Kho jaata hai jaane Kaun"

:)

2006-11-29T05:07:00.000-08:00

Beautilful, isn't it?

Khalish

2006-11-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

.
Khanjar se haathon pe lakeerein
Koi bhala kya likh paaya
Humne magar is paagalpan mein
Khud ko chhala hai seene mein
.

Rishte

2006-11-23T01:27:00.000-08:00

________________________

Rishte - I

Bheegi ret mein seepii chunte, chaand mein chehre dhoondhte
Khud mein hi hanste-muskaate, paagal se yeh rishte hain

Teri hansi ki dhoop ke jaise, narm meherbaan roshan yeh
Sarson ke peele kheton se, lahke se yeh rishte hain

Har dhadkan mein saanse lete, har halchal mein mil jaate
Aahon mein bante-bujhte se, pighle se yeh rishte hain

__________________________

Rishte - II

Kheench ke suljhaana chaaha tha, kuchh gaanThein hi haath lagi
Resham ki naazuk doron se, uljhe se yeh rishte hain

Maine jab bhi rokna chaaha, haath chhuDa ke bhaag gaye
Anjaane logon mein bachchon se sahme yeh rishte hain

Sambhal ke rakhna paaon zameen pe, sannate na chubh jaayein
Is ghar ke zarre-zarre mein, bikhre se yeh rishte hain

_____________________________________

Pal

2006-11-21T06:23:00.000-08:00

..
Kabhie zindagi ki daud mein
Tezi se bhaagta hua
Phir teri hansti aankhon mein
Wohi pal mila hai ruka hua

Dekho zara is waqt ka
Bhi bachpana hai gaya nahin
Sab dhoondhte hain yahan-wahan
Hansta kahin, yeh chhupa hua

Tumse bataao kisliye
Yeh dushmani hai waqt ki
Tum aaye, aur woh chal diya
Jo tha lamha kab se thama hua

Pichhli mulaqaat mein
Kuchh pal tum bhool aaye the
Chaukhat ke shayad paas hai
Ek pal abhi bhi pada hua

Alsaaya sust ek pal
Aangan mein dhoop senkta
Ik bhoola-bisra lamha hai
Choolhe pe sulagta hua

Satrangi shaam bhi to yeh
Guncha hai rangeen phoolon ka
Yeh lamha tere naam ka
Hai indradhanush mein bandha hua

Tu hansta hai to saath mein
Yeh bhi to khilkhilaata hai
Gusse mein teri baaton se
Phir dil ko cheerta hua

Humne to intezaar mein
Dariya yeh baandh rakha tha
Tumhe yaad karte hi bah chala
Jo yuun hua, to kya hua

Aa jaao ki din thak gaya
Sooraj ne aankhein moond lii
Dekho diya hai bujh raha
Pal uD rahe hain dhuaan-dhuaan
.

Baadalon Mein Sona

2006-11-18T23:40:00.000-08:00

Baadalon mein sona, kaisa lagta hoga?

Kya taare kuchh paas nazar aayenge?
Kya chaandani kuchh zyada thandi hogi?
Jheeni chaadar ka kona, kaisa lagta hoga?

Baadalon mein bhi,
Ret-se ghar bante-bigadte hain
Aur sooraj ka khilauna, kaisa lagta hoga?

Tanha se kuchh sur, gar mann udaas karte hon
Paani se bane narm takiyon mein
Muh chhupa ke rona, kaisa lagta hoga?

.
.

Rainbow

2006-11-18T01:34:00.000-08:00

Who stole the colors? Where’re the violets, indigos and blues? Why didn’t I notice the green fading away? Lost my yellow, orange and red somewhere along the way.

I see the world in a kaleidoscope of grey. The kid’s soft pink cheeks are now white. The pretty librarian doesn’t smile with her shining sea-green eyes anymore.

People don’t turn green with envy and purple with rage. Blushing red and gloomy blues are long forgotten.

I still see a silvery desert on a black moonless night, the golden sky above an ashen grey sea, and sparkling diamonds on pale, bleached faces – but, oh, where’re the colors?

Work!

2006-11-12T01:35:00.000-08:00

As soon as I wrote the word ("work", silly!), I knew I'm not the best person to write a blog about it; simply because I'm just as lazy as a gemini could be. And my being in office on saturdays and sundays does nothing to contradict the fact; because I'm not in office 'coz I'm a workaholic, I'm in office simply 'coz I did not feel like working almost the entire week. Again, which doesn't mean I did not work at all; it just means that I worked just as much as was enough to let everyone know that I was working. =))

Coming to which, I think that working in a team is really difficult - so kudos to all you who think team work is cool. I mean, it's really necessary when you need some help, 'coz experience does count; but otherwise it requires a lot of dedication (at least from me) if you want to focus on your work, and not on tea/coffee/gup-shups with your 'team' :-p

Again, coming to which, I think dedication is an element that iGod altogether forgot to put in me (especially, dedication when it comes to 'working' ;)) 'coz even when I'm looking all sincere with my assignments, my mind is flashing with scores of ideas of anything under the sun, right from a long-forgotten movie to the way the person I'm talking to keeps repeating a certain phrase. :-p

Well, mom says I have a brilliant mind ;) ;), and so I can do whatever I set my eyes upon and do it brilliantly (I think every mother thinks the same of her child, but who am I to question what my mom says? :-p). So I've been trying hard (not to do something brilliant, but to set my eyes upon something that I'd want to do brilliantly :-p) ; may my mom's wishes come true. Amen!

2006-11-09T00:15:00.000-08:00

chanchal si, hansti hui, uchhalti hui ... .dikhti thi hamesha....
koi poochhe to kehti ke bahut door jaana hai...

dariya thi wo, mil gai saagar mein....

(oh, btw, this is not an original one :) I just read the lines somewhere)

Mera yaar mila de saaiyaan

2006-11-07T02:27:00.000-08:00

Movie: Saathiya
Lyrics: Gulzar
Music: A.R.Rehman

Songs, like ghosts of memories buried long ago, keep coming back to you. Songs of Saathiya are not new to me. But for the last 2 years, they've been nothing more than an occasional background sound in the clamorous drama of my life.
I recently rediscovered the songs while searching for Gulzaar, who essentially stands for 'meaningful lyrics' to me.
With Rehman, the more you listen to his music - the more it gets on you. But almost always, of all the songs in the movie, my favorite turns out to be the song he has sung himself. Take Dil Se title track, Swades title track, Khalbali from Rang De Basanti, or Yaar Mila De from Saathiya - they all are in Rehman's voice.

So, here are the (very roughly) translated lyrics for the song :)

Banjar hai sab banjar hai, hum dhoondhne jab firdaus chale
Teri khoj-talaash mein dekh piya hum kitne kaale kos chale
(Seeking a garden, all that I see is this barren land.
How many joyless/vague miles must I travel looking for you?)

Mera yaar mila de saaiyaan, ik baar mila de saaiyaan
(Meet me, my love; beloved, meet me just once)

Maine foRa foRa falak chhaana, maine toRe toRe taare chune
Sirf ek teri aahat ke liye kankar, patthar, but saare sune

(I've cracked open the sky, and broken apart the stars.
Seeking the sound of your footsteps, I've borne the silence of stones and idols alike.)

Mera yaar mila de saaiyaan

Taaron ki chamak yeh subah takal
Lagti hi nahin par barf talak
(The light of stars doesn't last till the dawn,
It doesn't strike the snow)

Maine foRa foRa falak chhaana, maine toRe toRe taare chune
Sirf ek teri aahat ke liye kankar, patthar, but saare sune
HuN mere se ruswaaiyaan
(And I find only disgrace)

Aa dekh meri peshaani ko, taqdeer ke harfe likhe hain
Main kitni baar pukaarun tujhe, tere naam ke safhe likhe hain

(Do you not see the words of fate written on my forehead?
How many times must I call out to you? Pages have been written only of your name.)

Mera yaar mila de saaiyaan
.

Friday, finally!

2006-10-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

A friday, at last. The day I can't work, however much I force myself to - not that I force myself much ;)
So, everyone has a smile (genuine), noone's fretting over work, and the 'bosses' are not acting as bosses. We have three training sessions, all scheduled at the same time, and two in the same conference room ;) It's funny how the project leads don't discuss things with their colleagues, at the same time instructing their team to discuss everything with everyone else.
And then there's this weekly team meeting, that everyone looks forward to. They'd have been even more successful had there been refreshments to go with the 'weekely team break' :-p

Yet another thing to look forward to is the Circus show we're planning to go to. I don't think it'll materialize, though. Not because we're lazy - just 'coz it's a friday, and we should have booked the tickets some time in advance.
The last time I visited a circus was in Chennai - The Gemini Circus. The performers were efficient, the show excellent - at the same time, heartbraking. Most of the performers were so young, they should have been studying in a school, playing, reciting rhymes - and not risking their lives, while people like us clapped for them.

Also in the list this weekend is some last-minute (last-weekend) Deepawali shopping before I leave for home next thursday. (Suggest some gift for my bhabhi, anyone ;) ). Would also love to have a good coffee at Barista this weekend, if I could convince someone to come along. I wonder if the Bad coffee in the office is on purpose, so that we don't get addicted. Such altruism on the part of HCL!

And yet again, I wish I could be more like my mother. I'm a dreamer, she - a doer. If I see something bad around me, I know it's bad, I also know why it's bad, I can tell others that it's bad. If she sees it, she'll do something to set it right; and not sit around criticizing it. If I see something good, I'll praise it, I'll love it. If she likes something, she'll do something similar, or better.
What do you see me doing now? Praising my mother, criticizing the coffee at office - but 'not feeling like doing anything' :-p

So, let me at least make a wish-list.

I wish I could be more focused.
I wish I could prepare a list (another list) ;) of movies/music I like (a task given to me days back)
I wish I could write better. I wish that over and over again, every time I read anything well-written.
I wish I could take some time out for myself, and learn something new.
I wish I were not this lazy.
I wish I could take a long leave. :-<
I wish I wished less, and did more. :-p
I wish you all a happy weekend ;)

Everything's Fair in Love and War!

2006-09-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

Let's leave the 'war' part for now :-p

And in love, well, loving each other is not enough. It may be the beginning AND the end, but there's a lot in between. Trust, for example. And this 'taken-forgranted' trust (or the lack of it) often decides the shape of a relationship.

It's all rosy in the beginning. Thing is, we don't care! It doesn't matter what the other person is doing. Or WHY. But as things move on, this 'why' becomes the most-used word in couples. Why didn't you call me? Why did you get late? Why didn't you let me know? Why're you talking to me like this? Why do you go to that restaurant? Why do you wear that? Why do you talk to XYZ? Why don't you like talking about ABC? Why don't you shave? Why do you watch that stupid channel? And so on and so forth. For every why there's a counter-why. And neither partner lets the other remain 'why-less' for long. And most of the time, it doesn't even mean anything. Most of the time, the question is irrelevant. It's the tone that tells the story.

And that brings us to another highly used tool in love. Sarcasm. Actually, it's as beautiful as it is intricate. It's not like a missile that'll go 'boom' and destroy everything, it's like burning coal that'll burn your hand - slowly - and hurt till it turns itself into ashes. And maybe that's why - it's mostly the weapon of guys (like crying is of girls ;) ).

In fact, people in relationships (both guys and girls) have even confessed to getting pleasure out of hurting their partners. "Just wanted to ensure I could still hurt you!" Ha, Nice! And it's not sadism, just "I'm still the boss" feeling.

Gee, I'm on the wrong track :D Am feeling like a 'Love Guru' :D Will post it anyway! :) And here's a link, just for fun ;)
http://www.funnyhub.com/pictures/img/a-happy-couple.jpg

Innocence

2006-09-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

It is desirable, most of the time – expected, especially in girls.
I’m not claiming innocence; in fact, I confess that I’m not innocent – innocence, as in naivety. But then, what’s the big deal? Do only men have the right to be intelligent?
I want my freedom, my space, recognition, money, love. Or maybe, I want to be lost, be left alone. Whatever!
Or, leave my being ‘girl’ aside. Suppose I’m any X-Y-Z around you. Suppose I’m you. Now, isn't the right to 'want' something, or to 'not want' something else, a most basic one?
Why can't I be mean to others, why do I have to be mean to myself?
.............

[Oh, and this is not directed towards anyone. I mean ANYONE whosoever. Thank you!]

Tere Aane Ki Jab...

2006-09-18T04:09:00.000-07:00

Tere aane ki jab khabar mahke
Teri khushbu se saara ghar mahke

Shaam mahke tere tasavvur se
Shaam ke baad phir sahar mahke

Raat bhar sochta raha tujhko
Zehan-o-dil mere raat bhar mahke

Yaad aaye to dil munavvar ho
Deed ho jaaye, to nazar mahke

Woh ghadi do ghadi jahaan baithe
Woh zameen mahke woh shajar mahke

Kanha

2006-08-16T03:28:00.000-07:00

I was five years old, when I asked mom what my name meant. "Radha," she told me "Kanu means Krishna, and Priya means beloved, so Kanupriya means the beloved of Krishna, that is - Radha.
So, on Janmashtami, here's to my beloved, Krishna - Happy B'day!
And for all Krishna devotees, here's a beautiful collection of pics (from the net) -

(This one's my fav!)

Chitvan

2006-07-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

Chitvan
Janm-MaraN-Aakarshan

Chir swatantrata ki akanksha
Ya phir aTooT yah ik bandhan

Bhor ki komal shvet namee
Phir kaali raat ka woh anjan

Kabhie laakhon-laakh khyaalon mein
Kab nis-din ik hii dhun mein magan

Palkon ke tale sameTe hue
Dharti, taare, yeh chaand-gagan

Ik pal ko thame, phir chanchal yeh
Jeevan ke raag ka jyon gunjan