Had a lengthy chat with S this morning. Conversations with him make me feel as if I have walked into a labriynth. He psyches me out with his strange and eerie ideas which am afraid will cling on to me and become mine!! To say the least, he is goddamn convincing though.
Today it started with some allergy he had. I started saying 'oooo so sad' 'why don't u try Homeo,blah blah' in my usual 'I care for you' tone. :). Out suddenly comes an answer 'By natural selection,my grandfather should not have survived'!! How the hell should this make sense ? am standing there feeling like a fool...
Then he explains,how the recessive gene of allergies was now passed on to him from his ancestors. Fair enough! But suddenly he springs and says 'Medical science is responsible for this', and am standing there clueless 'how on earth can medical science' cause his allergies ? If anyone could cure it for him, it would be the doctor...he psyches me out really!!
Coming to how medical science can do otherwise,this is what the-great-guy asks me: 'Take a hypothetical case, you have developed cancer in your eye and the doctor has told you that if you don't remove the tissue,it will spread all over your body,what will you do ?'
Me: 'Of course,get it removed'
S: 'See you are viewing the body as an entity and hence to preserve the entity,you are ok to eliminate a part of it. I'm viewing the entire world as an entity and for this world to have healthier genes in the coming generation,it must be exterminated of the bad genes. Now,people with healthier genes are mating with the non-healthy ones and this has reduced the overall-gene-health of our population, and medical science is keeping people alive when they should have left this world long ago..'
By this time,I had dropped dead.. this man is known for his bizarre thinking I knew but, this was heights!!! Personally, he is humanitarian in nature,but his ideas are ruthlessly barbaric :) I was gladly praying that he did not turn up in some higher office of power...
This kind of conversation sparked a dormant interest in me,of the pure sciences. I was always a big fan of pure science and research in topics like genetics,astrophysics,microbiology and history and I must thank this sweet guy for renewing this interest in me. He is widely read though,this man, no wonder he has some ideas.I came back with a small piece of paper bearing the names of two excellent books on the matter.. More about those after I read them...
S - you rock dude!!!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Ramnavami and Bangalore...
Yesterday was Sri Ramnavami and during this time, entire Bangalore is geared up for celebrating the birth of Lord Sree Rama. The festival is marked by the distribution of diluted butter-milk ,lemonade and lentil salad. Pandals ae put up and pujas are held. Awesome season,spring afterall!! Our city resounds with Carnatic music during this time and the concert season in Bangalore now is comparable to the December season in Chennai.
To my knowledege, there are about 10 Sabhas all over the city. The most popular are Fort High School Grounds,Chamarajpet and the Seshadripuram College Grounds. To perform here is a matter of honour. It is amazing to see tradtion being continued for more than 75 years out in these places.
For me personally,this is the day on which my dear grandpa was born. He lived life like the Lord himself,simple and unassuming. I love the smell of mango leaves,the butter-milk and jasmine. This used to be the time our summer vacation would begin. I recall how we would sleep really late and when we woke up, th sun would be blazing hot and the house would be full of bright light.The scent of summer is characterised by various flowers that blossom at this time.
During the evening,it would always be music. Getting well dressed and going upto the venue, meeting old aquaintances,making new friends whom I term as casette buddies has always been the nicest part of my life. I started attending these concerts about 17 years ago. This part of my life has been one of the best,I can claim. During the years when I just started to appreciate Carnatic music,these venues gave me some brilliant music in the form of Maharajapuram Santhanam, Nedanuri Krishnamurthy,Yesudas,Sanjay Subramanyam ,Sudha Raghunathan,Nityasree Mahadevan ,Sowmya,Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath,Prof T N Krishnan including the greatest M S Subbulakshmi. Unfortunately, I heard the divine voice in person only once, the year was 1992 I guess.
Today my life is a lot different from then. The concerts have got diversified,more sabhas have sprung up, I have become too busy to attend many concerts,my life and interests have also broadened,etc, in short, I can say life is more complex!! The job,the car,the friends,the fun,the relationships,expectations,downfalls,shocks,thrills,let-downs,most importantly the ego - each of these have succeeded in moving my life away from what I term simple. But every year,come spring and the birthday of Lord Sree Rama, atleast for a month or so, am taken back to that life of simplicity,of good old music,of tradition only to be reminded of the core value system Hinduism has.
There is a big black-hole in my living inspite of the job,car,money,friends,fun and my pursuits. I have been doing things I like and wanting to do for years now. I have succeded in some and failed miserably in others. The hole seems to get wider by the day and at times it appears to engulf me. I have tried to dig at the root cause of this void (in a typical s/w enginner style) only in vain. Just a couple of days ago, the final nail was hit which left me in a state of shock and clueless about my priorities in life. Sitting down and taking stock of the situation,I realized that the only thing missing in my existence was 'SPIRITUALITY' and it is a big thing. It is the only thing that answers every question I pose. It is the only thing that makes me truly happy. For,it has nothing to do with people. It is a wondeful connection to a long lost space in this vast universe called 'Atma', in other words to the ONE residing in there! I realize that if I indulge in this, I will be happier no matter what other pursuits of the world fail. And the best thing about this is, it is not a replacement for whatever materialistic,instead, it is a way of interpreting every materialistic pursuit!!
Somehow Lord Rama still has his effects on us after so many years, what ?
peace-knocking-at-my-door
-Rekha
To my knowledege, there are about 10 Sabhas all over the city. The most popular are Fort High School Grounds,Chamarajpet and the Seshadripuram College Grounds. To perform here is a matter of honour. It is amazing to see tradtion being continued for more than 75 years out in these places.
For me personally,this is the day on which my dear grandpa was born. He lived life like the Lord himself,simple and unassuming. I love the smell of mango leaves,the butter-milk and jasmine. This used to be the time our summer vacation would begin. I recall how we would sleep really late and when we woke up, th sun would be blazing hot and the house would be full of bright light.The scent of summer is characterised by various flowers that blossom at this time.
During the evening,it would always be music. Getting well dressed and going upto the venue, meeting old aquaintances,making new friends whom I term as casette buddies has always been the nicest part of my life. I started attending these concerts about 17 years ago. This part of my life has been one of the best,I can claim. During the years when I just started to appreciate Carnatic music,these venues gave me some brilliant music in the form of Maharajapuram Santhanam, Nedanuri Krishnamurthy,Yesudas,Sanjay Subramanyam ,Sudha Raghunathan,Nityasree Mahadevan ,Sowmya,Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath,Prof T N Krishnan including the greatest M S Subbulakshmi. Unfortunately, I heard the divine voice in person only once, the year was 1992 I guess.
Today my life is a lot different from then. The concerts have got diversified,more sabhas have sprung up, I have become too busy to attend many concerts,my life and interests have also broadened,etc, in short, I can say life is more complex!! The job,the car,the friends,the fun,the relationships,expectations,downfalls,shocks,thrills,let-downs,most importantly the ego - each of these have succeeded in moving my life away from what I term simple. But every year,come spring and the birthday of Lord Sree Rama, atleast for a month or so, am taken back to that life of simplicity,of good old music,of tradition only to be reminded of the core value system Hinduism has.
There is a big black-hole in my living inspite of the job,car,money,friends,fun and my pursuits. I have been doing things I like and wanting to do for years now. I have succeded in some and failed miserably in others. The hole seems to get wider by the day and at times it appears to engulf me. I have tried to dig at the root cause of this void (in a typical s/w enginner style) only in vain. Just a couple of days ago, the final nail was hit which left me in a state of shock and clueless about my priorities in life. Sitting down and taking stock of the situation,I realized that the only thing missing in my existence was 'SPIRITUALITY' and it is a big thing. It is the only thing that answers every question I pose. It is the only thing that makes me truly happy. For,it has nothing to do with people. It is a wondeful connection to a long lost space in this vast universe called 'Atma', in other words to the ONE residing in there! I realize that if I indulge in this, I will be happier no matter what other pursuits of the world fail. And the best thing about this is, it is not a replacement for whatever materialistic,instead, it is a way of interpreting every materialistic pursuit!!
Somehow Lord Rama still has his effects on us after so many years, what ?
peace-knocking-at-my-door
-Rekha
Saturday, March 24, 2007
can someone please fix Bermuda Vs Bangladesh for me ?
It was less than a week ago I had an argument over India's loss to Bangladesh.
My worst fears came true today when India just now lost to Sri Lanka.I have seen enough Indian cricket (seen as in watched ball by ball) for 2 decades and it was with practical forethought that I was condemning India playing so badly against Bangladesh. (I said something to the effect of quote 'if Ind wins SL, everything is fine, but if Ind loses to SL, we shall know the value of the Bangladesh match!' unquote)
Philosophically thinking,(which is what is left to do now ) sometimes the best opportunities come free and come easy too,we always kick them away waiting for better chances,only to be fooled and deprived of the bare essentials later on...
I don't blame the Indians for today,I can't forgive them for the 17th!
now I only hope someone has fixed the Bangladesh vs Bermuda match....does life give a second chance ?
(not that my opinions matter to anyone...)
-devastated-at-2.30-me
My worst fears came true today when India just now lost to Sri Lanka.I have seen enough Indian cricket (seen as in watched ball by ball) for 2 decades and it was with practical forethought that I was condemning India playing so badly against Bangladesh. (I said something to the effect of quote 'if Ind wins SL, everything is fine, but if Ind loses to SL, we shall know the value of the Bangladesh match!' unquote)
Philosophically thinking,(which is what is left to do now ) sometimes the best opportunities come free and come easy too,we always kick them away waiting for better chances,only to be fooled and deprived of the bare essentials later on...
I don't blame the Indians for today,I can't forgive them for the 17th!
now I only hope someone has fixed the Bangladesh vs Bermuda match....does life give a second chance ?
(not that my opinions matter to anyone...)
-devastated-at-2.30-me
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
storytime...
a story is a wonderful experience - for the storyteller and the audience. It is so much fun to narrate one to a small group of kids :) and see them gape and wonder..
Recently DBT narrated a story to me.. I liked it and I cant figure out why.I present it here hoping that my readers might also like it.. DBT, am cutting out on details because I can't write as nicely as you narrated :)
...there were 3 trees in a forest. All three of them desired to be of use to someone great, i.e ,for making some wooden thing to be used by someone really big, mighty and powerful. They prayed and prayed for their dreams to be realized. Eventually,the tree-cutters arrived and chopped all three of them.
Tree A went on to become the cot of an emperor and he was very glad that his dreams were fulfilled. He thanked his stars and felt damn lucky. He continued to serve the king forever.
Tree B was shaped into a boat and was caught in a storm once with someone on board. That someone was able to stop the storm single-handedly and seeing this Tree B was astonished. He then realized that his dream was also fulfilled. His joy knew no bounds, for he concluded that anyone who could manage a storm in an ocean was indeed a great man..
Tree C was felled and left in the bazaar for many days with no buyers. He felt very very bad and was down with pain. He wasn't able to fathom why he lost when his dreams were as passionate as the others'. He prayed,cursed,wondered,cried and eventually stayed as is, waiting for an absolution,that never seemed to come...
One day,a group of men were desperately looking for wood to make two long planks. The planks had to be strong for they were going to be used for a special task, unheard of before. They had to tie up the planks in such a way so as to make a 'T' shape and hoist it up the ground. They scooted around the bazaar and not finding anything ready-made,picked up Tree C's wood and shaped it accordingly. Then, a man was made to haul the planks all the way up and upon reaching a certain place wherein a group had gathered to cheer and jeer,they did something totally strange... THEY NAILED THE MAN TO THE PLANKS FORMING THE Tee....
and the rest is history...
Footnotes: DBT,I can't thank you enough for narrating this to me.
Recently DBT narrated a story to me.. I liked it and I cant figure out why.I present it here hoping that my readers might also like it.. DBT, am cutting out on details because I can't write as nicely as you narrated :)
...there were 3 trees in a forest. All three of them desired to be of use to someone great, i.e ,for making some wooden thing to be used by someone really big, mighty and powerful. They prayed and prayed for their dreams to be realized. Eventually,the tree-cutters arrived and chopped all three of them.
Tree A went on to become the cot of an emperor and he was very glad that his dreams were fulfilled. He thanked his stars and felt damn lucky. He continued to serve the king forever.
Tree B was shaped into a boat and was caught in a storm once with someone on board. That someone was able to stop the storm single-handedly and seeing this Tree B was astonished. He then realized that his dream was also fulfilled. His joy knew no bounds, for he concluded that anyone who could manage a storm in an ocean was indeed a great man..
Tree C was felled and left in the bazaar for many days with no buyers. He felt very very bad and was down with pain. He wasn't able to fathom why he lost when his dreams were as passionate as the others'. He prayed,cursed,wondered,cried and eventually stayed as is, waiting for an absolution,that never seemed to come...
One day,a group of men were desperately looking for wood to make two long planks. The planks had to be strong for they were going to be used for a special task, unheard of before. They had to tie up the planks in such a way so as to make a 'T' shape and hoist it up the ground. They scooted around the bazaar and not finding anything ready-made,picked up Tree C's wood and shaped it accordingly. Then, a man was made to haul the planks all the way up and upon reaching a certain place wherein a group had gathered to cheer and jeer,they did something totally strange... THEY NAILED THE MAN TO THE PLANKS FORMING THE Tee....
and the rest is history...
Footnotes: DBT,I can't thank you enough for narrating this to me.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Turned over a new leaf today.....
I dunno where to begin and what to write, rather what not to write because so many thoughts are circling in my head.. Bob Woolmer dead! - splashed across all TV channels today and the first news on New Year's was this :( Terrible is how I felt, for the man who died was no ordinary one in the game of cricket. He was an icon,a coach who founded a concept,new to the cricket world, one of systematic,methodical,analytical approach to bettering cricketers and their careers and the sport as a whole.
Two days ago,India lost to Bangladesh at the word go. To see a young Bangladesh enjoy the fall of an Indian batsmen(supposedly the best in the world),not once but multiple times over,in quick succession,reminded me of a young Pakistan years ago,the difference simply being that this time around, it was the Pakistan on the eastern side. It was the same fervour and fire within to be the best on that day, I have seen in the eyes of a Miandad or an Akram ages ago.
On the same day,a bigger tragedy struck. Pakistan lost to Ireland,thus losing their honor, chances in WC and above all ,a fantastic coach! Pakistan lost in the real sense because even today, many of us rate them as the potential danger unit in this game. Until now, we did. Today,things are different. Neither do they possess the ability to fight back like they did in 1992 and lift the cup,nor do we possess the ability to meet them in a semi/quarter final World Cup match,a virtual final for any Indian or Pakistani cricket fan..In short, we both lost!,as the papers said, together we lose... :)
Who is to blame ? No one,because after all this is a game and in sports such things happen. Everyone, because it is we (collectively fans,media and general public) who hyped up this game and turned it into a lucrative business. Vishwanathan Anand has done India proud just at the time when a Tendulkar or a Dravid or a Sehwag has let us down. Yet we don't care. Our hockey team is treated like s*** outside because we dont provide them with enough gear and support. It is we, who let noodle straps interfere with an in-depth analysis post-match, by experts. We are the ones who enjoy casual,double-meaning comments spawned by a mediocre cricketer and term it 'Siddhuism', while an Imran sits helplessly waiting for his turn to mouth some genuine cricketing ideas.Mandira Bedi or Sidhu is not a personal target but it is unbearable to see professionalism being replaced by mediocrity, class replaced by common, the gentleman replaced by a rogue..And we are responsible!
In a way am glad this happened. WC 2007 is a moment afterall and 4 years down the line there will be another WC and life will move on.. Bob Woolmer will receive his sympathies and tributes and Pakistan will get a different coach. Flintoff will probably quit drinking or quit playing, depending on which is more important. India's loss will be forgotten in a day or two hopefully, if we get back into the groove after this jolt ( we Indians need a slap afterall to realize ! ) or if India go the Pak way, we will all get back to normal within one week of frenzied media hoopla,someone will lift the World Cup and that someone appears to wear yellow...( form is of no consequence when u are damn lucky!)
What will change will the be the attitude of cricket fans, I hope. As I can speak for myself, I will venture to write down my new resolutions with respect to this game, hoping that every cricket fan will extrapolate this.
1. Cricket is a game, just as much as chess, tennis or hockey is.
2. Sachin is no God, he is a class player, nearing his retirement and having played enough takes it easy many a time, so it is time for me to move on beyond him.
3. Dravid is an excellent sportsman but he might be a better coach than a captain.
4. From now on, I shall watch every match India plays ( in Hockey ofcourse), atleast attempt at understanding Indian Hockey.
5. Bangladesh and Ireland are upcoming teams and it will be interesting to watch their growth in the years to come.
6. I will try to watch cricket matches telcast on DD rather than Sony Max for the simple reason that I can watch the complete over and also the wickie walking half-way across, however bad the transmission is.
7. I will not buy Pepsi,Coke,Anchor switch,toothpaste,jam,shoes,Bournvita,Boost ,anything that is endorsed by the Men in Blue.
8. I will no longer consider a day off for an India-Pak match,rather will want to watch an Ind-Bermuda or a Ind-Ireland in the future. Or Bangladesh ofcourse...
9. I will not bribe God during an Ind-Pak match :)
10. I vow to be a sports fan rather than a cricket fan,taking every game with a pinch of salt and a spirit of sportsmanship..
May the best team win WC 2007..
P.S :- My previous blogs on cricket stand null and void :)
Two days ago,India lost to Bangladesh at the word go. To see a young Bangladesh enjoy the fall of an Indian batsmen(supposedly the best in the world),not once but multiple times over,in quick succession,reminded me of a young Pakistan years ago,the difference simply being that this time around, it was the Pakistan on the eastern side. It was the same fervour and fire within to be the best on that day, I have seen in the eyes of a Miandad or an Akram ages ago.
On the same day,a bigger tragedy struck. Pakistan lost to Ireland,thus losing their honor, chances in WC and above all ,a fantastic coach! Pakistan lost in the real sense because even today, many of us rate them as the potential danger unit in this game. Until now, we did. Today,things are different. Neither do they possess the ability to fight back like they did in 1992 and lift the cup,nor do we possess the ability to meet them in a semi/quarter final World Cup match,a virtual final for any Indian or Pakistani cricket fan..In short, we both lost!,as the papers said, together we lose... :)
Who is to blame ? No one,because after all this is a game and in sports such things happen. Everyone, because it is we (collectively fans,media and general public) who hyped up this game and turned it into a lucrative business. Vishwanathan Anand has done India proud just at the time when a Tendulkar or a Dravid or a Sehwag has let us down. Yet we don't care. Our hockey team is treated like s*** outside because we dont provide them with enough gear and support. It is we, who let noodle straps interfere with an in-depth analysis post-match, by experts. We are the ones who enjoy casual,double-meaning comments spawned by a mediocre cricketer and term it 'Siddhuism', while an Imran sits helplessly waiting for his turn to mouth some genuine cricketing ideas.Mandira Bedi or Sidhu is not a personal target but it is unbearable to see professionalism being replaced by mediocrity, class replaced by common, the gentleman replaced by a rogue..And we are responsible!
In a way am glad this happened. WC 2007 is a moment afterall and 4 years down the line there will be another WC and life will move on.. Bob Woolmer will receive his sympathies and tributes and Pakistan will get a different coach. Flintoff will probably quit drinking or quit playing, depending on which is more important. India's loss will be forgotten in a day or two hopefully, if we get back into the groove after this jolt ( we Indians need a slap afterall to realize ! ) or if India go the Pak way, we will all get back to normal within one week of frenzied media hoopla,someone will lift the World Cup and that someone appears to wear yellow...( form is of no consequence when u are damn lucky!)
What will change will the be the attitude of cricket fans, I hope. As I can speak for myself, I will venture to write down my new resolutions with respect to this game, hoping that every cricket fan will extrapolate this.
1. Cricket is a game, just as much as chess, tennis or hockey is.
2. Sachin is no God, he is a class player, nearing his retirement and having played enough takes it easy many a time, so it is time for me to move on beyond him.
3. Dravid is an excellent sportsman but he might be a better coach than a captain.
4. From now on, I shall watch every match India plays ( in Hockey ofcourse), atleast attempt at understanding Indian Hockey.
5. Bangladesh and Ireland are upcoming teams and it will be interesting to watch their growth in the years to come.
6. I will try to watch cricket matches telcast on DD rather than Sony Max for the simple reason that I can watch the complete over and also the wickie walking half-way across, however bad the transmission is.
7. I will not buy Pepsi,Coke,Anchor switch,toothpaste,jam,shoes,Bournvita,Boost ,anything that is endorsed by the Men in Blue.
8. I will no longer consider a day off for an India-Pak match,rather will want to watch an Ind-Bermuda or a Ind-Ireland in the future. Or Bangladesh ofcourse...
9. I will not bribe God during an Ind-Pak match :)
10. I vow to be a sports fan rather than a cricket fan,taking every game with a pinch of salt and a spirit of sportsmanship..
May the best team win WC 2007..
P.S :- My previous blogs on cricket stand null and void :)
Friday, March 16, 2007
Nostalgia...
I grew up on music, am sure most of my blog-readers would know by now. Surprisingly for you, it wasn't Carnatic music! I grew up on old hindi film songs mostly,the others came only later.
My first memories of the golden-era of hindi films were on that LP gramaphone system my dad had. ( he still does but it doesn't work anymore :( ) Of the many things am grateful to dad for, this one is one the top :)
My growing-up days were fun-filled in a different sense. Lots of play,lots of fun,both in real sense. Come summer and I can still visualise my sis and I playing all day on the streets, then return forcibly in the evening to amma's calls only to wash up, eat and then listen to THE ALBERT HALL,London LP of Lata Mangeshkar's. This one was a big recording, two LPs with live talk of greats of Indian cinema interspersed with Lata's golden voice. Some memorable songs from that LP :-
1.Aaeyegaa Aaanewaala ( with that small 'Khaamosh hain zamaana' piece in the beginning - the ultimate I have heard so far..)
2.Aaja re paradesi ( my all-time fave)
3.Piya bina piya bina ( visualise a young Jaya Bhaduri surpassing tall and lanky Amitabh with her class!! )
4.Yeh Shaam ki Tanhayiaan (Lata's young voice is unparalleled here!)
so many more..
Then would follow the movie-specific LPs. My dad has around 100 LPs of old movies!! which he collected as a bachelor,when he started working,he tells me. I'm in awe of that period, of those days.. When life must have been simple,when people used to sit together and listen to music and feel the heart-beat of the movie made miles away in Mumbai..Guess Mumbai dreams were born that way to many people who later went on to make it big in Bollywood...
My stint with hindi film music increased by the passing of the day until it grew on us( my sis and me) and we started out on our own, ofcourse this time we had the luxury of a tape recorder and casettes.At one point, we had more casettes than books!!
Those days, when we had power-cuts, 'Antakshari' took upon us like a storm. We used to emit out all the songs we had learnt so far :) and play on for hours even after the lights came back. Duets,sad-songs,Lata,Asha,Kishore,Rafi,everything and everyone..
Teenage kicked in and the hormones went hither thither :) It is so funny to ever imagine I went through that phase.. Never fell in love then but as SP says, romance is a subject dear to all and teenage years give you the kick :) :) That's the time, when I fell in love with songs in raag 'Pahaadi'. It does something to me even today...amazing how they knew to compose a love/romantic duet in this raag and get the 'just right effect'..
Somewhere amidst all this,Carnatic music came into my life. Slowly the hindi songs started taking a back seat,not because I din't like them anymore but more because the newness and unique musical appeal of Carnatic, demanded my attention and took me away,I would say.
This is not a regret but there are moments when I long to hear those old numbers and go back in time when life was more colourful..I long to think of myself as Madhubala in Mahal,Waheeda Rehman in Guide,Jaya Bhaduri in Abhimaan,Nargis in Aah or Sadhna in Mera Saaya,a melodious number playing in the recesses of my soul, me lost in the beauty of Kashmir or the valleys of Himachal,snow-capped mountains and rivers,free in spirit,romantic at heart....
my feelings at the moment reflect this song from 'Noorie'(1979,YashRaj Films)
dard jagaaye meetha meetha, armaan jaage jaage..
pyaar ki pyaasee mein diwaani kuch na sochu aage...
aaja re.. aaja re O mere dilbar aaja
dil ki pyaas bhujaa jaare..
.....
[Dedicated to my dearest friend Sheeja who has kept the flame of 'old hindi music' alive in me :) SP dear, you were so wise when you said to me once,'Rex,Romance is a subject and it never dies thus...']
My first memories of the golden-era of hindi films were on that LP gramaphone system my dad had. ( he still does but it doesn't work anymore :( ) Of the many things am grateful to dad for, this one is one the top :)
My growing-up days were fun-filled in a different sense. Lots of play,lots of fun,both in real sense. Come summer and I can still visualise my sis and I playing all day on the streets, then return forcibly in the evening to amma's calls only to wash up, eat and then listen to THE ALBERT HALL,London LP of Lata Mangeshkar's. This one was a big recording, two LPs with live talk of greats of Indian cinema interspersed with Lata's golden voice. Some memorable songs from that LP :-
1.Aaeyegaa Aaanewaala ( with that small 'Khaamosh hain zamaana' piece in the beginning - the ultimate I have heard so far..)
2.Aaja re paradesi ( my all-time fave)
3.Piya bina piya bina ( visualise a young Jaya Bhaduri surpassing tall and lanky Amitabh with her class!! )
4.Yeh Shaam ki Tanhayiaan (Lata's young voice is unparalleled here!)
so many more..
Then would follow the movie-specific LPs. My dad has around 100 LPs of old movies!! which he collected as a bachelor,when he started working,he tells me. I'm in awe of that period, of those days.. When life must have been simple,when people used to sit together and listen to music and feel the heart-beat of the movie made miles away in Mumbai..Guess Mumbai dreams were born that way to many people who later went on to make it big in Bollywood...
My stint with hindi film music increased by the passing of the day until it grew on us( my sis and me) and we started out on our own, ofcourse this time we had the luxury of a tape recorder and casettes.At one point, we had more casettes than books!!
Those days, when we had power-cuts, 'Antakshari' took upon us like a storm. We used to emit out all the songs we had learnt so far :) and play on for hours even after the lights came back. Duets,sad-songs,Lata,Asha,Kishore,Rafi,everything and everyone..
Teenage kicked in and the hormones went hither thither :) It is so funny to ever imagine I went through that phase.. Never fell in love then but as SP says, romance is a subject dear to all and teenage years give you the kick :) :) That's the time, when I fell in love with songs in raag 'Pahaadi'. It does something to me even today...amazing how they knew to compose a love/romantic duet in this raag and get the 'just right effect'..
Somewhere amidst all this,Carnatic music came into my life. Slowly the hindi songs started taking a back seat,not because I din't like them anymore but more because the newness and unique musical appeal of Carnatic, demanded my attention and took me away,I would say.
This is not a regret but there are moments when I long to hear those old numbers and go back in time when life was more colourful..I long to think of myself as Madhubala in Mahal,Waheeda Rehman in Guide,Jaya Bhaduri in Abhimaan,Nargis in Aah or Sadhna in Mera Saaya,a melodious number playing in the recesses of my soul, me lost in the beauty of Kashmir or the valleys of Himachal,snow-capped mountains and rivers,free in spirit,romantic at heart....
my feelings at the moment reflect this song from 'Noorie'(1979,YashRaj Films)
dard jagaaye meetha meetha, armaan jaage jaage..
pyaar ki pyaasee mein diwaani kuch na sochu aage...
aaja re.. aaja re O mere dilbar aaja
dil ki pyaas bhujaa jaare..
.....
[Dedicated to my dearest friend Sheeja who has kept the flame of 'old hindi music' alive in me :) SP dear, you were so wise when you said to me once,'Rex,Romance is a subject and it never dies thus...']
T Muktamma is no more - Obituary (delayed)
She was the one of few of 'that generation' with a grand lineage of music and dance. Unparalleled in javalis and padams which her school was renowned for,a lot of contemporary musicians used to frequent her home and learn even very recently.
May her soul rest in peace.
May her soul rest in peace.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
You have just won yourself 100$
i lost all my pictures taken from my digicam in the last 3 years. No trace of them on my office comp, on my usb hard disk, on my laptop and definitely erased from my digicam !!!
i need sympathy... visit this blog of mine and for every comment you give, you will get 100$ worth gift coupons.....
-devastated-self-sympathising-no-hope-of-recovering-them-
-tragedy-struck-stupidest-idiot-on-earth-me
Footnotes and morals....
1. Never clean up your comp..
2. Never have too many backups, none of them help when you need them most..
3. Never take pictures( this one is just a filler... somehow I need atleast 3 points silly me...)
my mood at present : self-pity,angry,amused...
i need sympathy... visit this blog of mine and for every comment you give, you will get 100$ worth gift coupons.....
-devastated-self-sympathising-no-hope-of-recovering-them-
-tragedy-struck-stupidest-idiot-on-earth-me
Footnotes and morals....
1. Never clean up your comp..
2. Never have too many backups, none of them help when you need them most..
3. Never take pictures( this one is just a filler... somehow I need atleast 3 points silly me...)
my mood at present : self-pity,angry,amused...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Hungry kya ?
...with permission from AV, am presenting this poem penned by the great actor Kamal Hassan. These are a few lines, yet they speak volumes of the ingenuity of this man - Kamal Hassan - in my opinion one of the finest actors the world has ever produced..
AV has been kind enough to translate this for me in English(thanks buddy!).
"Manidha kadalile oru nal
En chinna thoondilil
Sikkinar sila Nyanigal
Andreno pasiyillai
Samayalukku aalumillai
Kadalileye vittuvittu
karai nokki viraindhu vitten
- Kamal Hassan
ONE DAY IN THE SEA OF HUMANITY,
IN THE HOOK OF MY FISHING ROD,
A FEW SCHOLARS GOT HOOKED,
SOME HOW I WASNT HUNGRY THAT DAY,
ANYWAYS NOBODY HOME TO PREPARE TOO,
SO I LEFT THEM BACK IN THE SEA,
AND WENT BACK ASHORE SOON
- Translaton by Anand Vanchi
Life presents us wonderful opportunities in the form of relationships. The best and the worst in us is determined by the people who come into our life. Many a time,as Kamal here says,we are not hungry and leaving them aside, we come ashore not realizing that we have just lost a chance to better ourselves. Every relationship that we make,be it an aquaintance, a friendship, a lover, a spouse,determines just how much we are gonna progress in our life...A good fish and our meal is the best, a bad one, our meal is ruined, yet we have a chance to make a better meal the next day.
Worst is, when we are not hungry!,and we give vague reasons like 'none to cook the fish' as the poet puts it so beautifully.(a great metaphor for vague excuses we give !)
- 2 cents for my synopsis.
I would love to hear, maybe different interpretation than mine.. That's the fun of reading poetry isn't it ?
AV has been kind enough to translate this for me in English(thanks buddy!).
"Manidha kadalile oru nal
En chinna thoondilil
Sikkinar sila Nyanigal
Andreno pasiyillai
Samayalukku aalumillai
Kadalileye vittuvittu
karai nokki viraindhu vitten
- Kamal Hassan
ONE DAY IN THE SEA OF HUMANITY,
IN THE HOOK OF MY FISHING ROD,
A FEW SCHOLARS GOT HOOKED,
SOME HOW I WASNT HUNGRY THAT DAY,
ANYWAYS NOBODY HOME TO PREPARE TOO,
SO I LEFT THEM BACK IN THE SEA,
AND WENT BACK ASHORE SOON
- Translaton by Anand Vanchi
Life presents us wonderful opportunities in the form of relationships. The best and the worst in us is determined by the people who come into our life. Many a time,as Kamal here says,we are not hungry and leaving them aside, we come ashore not realizing that we have just lost a chance to better ourselves. Every relationship that we make,be it an aquaintance, a friendship, a lover, a spouse,determines just how much we are gonna progress in our life...A good fish and our meal is the best, a bad one, our meal is ruined, yet we have a chance to make a better meal the next day.
Worst is, when we are not hungry!,and we give vague reasons like 'none to cook the fish' as the poet puts it so beautifully.(a great metaphor for vague excuses we give !)
- 2 cents for my synopsis.
I would love to hear, maybe different interpretation than mine.. That's the fun of reading poetry isn't it ?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
marriage woes for Liz.. I find it funny and silly...
just read on indiatimes that Liz Hurley Nayyar who married thrice (the same guy ofcourse!!) is already having problems with her mother-in-law.. so funny.. the media would have been one lucky bastard had it not been World Cup season...
Lizzie,(apologies to Jane Austin for using this nickname)
wrong timing baby!!
Lizzie,(apologies to Jane Austin for using this nickname)
wrong timing baby!!
Monday, March 12, 2007
To the Wall and his boys in blue...
Dear Rahul,
I wish you bring home the World Cup this time atleast for the following reasons :-
The media has spent so many millions on you and your boys and your families and your wives' families in bringing them to the TV, asking them questions, tarot reading,blah blah, have some regard for that ok ?
You yourself have come on NDTV, 24by7, Aaj Tak and all their brother and sister channels telling all junta in your ever-professional manner, in very many ways that you will get back the Cuppa for us.., keep up your word..remember you are THE HONEST man out there...one of the last surviving gentlemen in the game-for-not-so-gentlemenly...
You have strived so hard to see that your dearest pal, Veeru is included even though playing cricket is the last thing on Veeru's mind at the moment.. With this one,dear Rahul,I feel you may have made your life's biggest mistake!! but let me not discourage you, afterall hope is life and life is cricket and cricket is WC at the moment..
I know and fully agree that your team is one of the best as of now, especially with the Down-Unders being down and under but dont you forget that 4 years ago, you were almost degraded by the simple Kenyans in the very first match and this time around, you are playing our friendly neighbours from the east who are not so dangerous like our friendly neighbours from the west so..dont you dare be over-confident.. ufff...
Coming to the friendly neighbours from the West, there is little chance you will not be playing them on April 15, anyways, am glad it is Sunday and not a Friday :) but that doesn't mean you can give your bat away.. on this front,am a little more confident owing to your history, however it is my duty to forewarn you...
Most importantly, you have to win the WC because Guru Greg, your teacher for the moment,has been paid such a huge 'Gurudakshina',not by you but by the entire country ... and now is the time to give back. Understand that money rules and is the most important commodity in world cricket today (you know it by heart by now!!)
and,don't forget to tell that little guy in your gang that it is his last chance to pack away his enemies-with-the-microphone to the moon or Mars or wherever. If he doesn't,he can go back to his upmarket kitchen and cook for the rest of his life..and then also tell him that if he doesnt play now, he will become 'the little man' litrally!!
Finally, remember that lots of Gods and Godesses up above are also helping you this time.. especially with all the bribes they have been getting, it would be stupid and un-Godly to not respond,wouldn't it ? So,use that to your advantage, don't forget to bribe them before you pick up the bat and walk into the stadium...ask your boys to do the same too,it helps you know when everything else fails...
Some do-s and dont-s for you personally (as if all this isnt enough)
1. Don't bite your nails no matter what.. it is a bad habit..
2. Don't keep that 'about-to-weep' face when Inzi is on the crease, learn some coolness from instead.... (Substitute Inzi with anyone else... doesnt matter!!)
3. Don't fight with Dada, he has fire-in-the-belly this time;use it to your advantage
4. Don't do everything Guru says,afterall he is also a human.. ofcourse,you can always make up later by chanting 'Gurur devo bhava'
5. I know you bat well (that's why am writing this letter) but can't you bat faster please ? You are wearing blue and the ball is white, don't forget that yaar...
6. Practise before your matches, don't sit there and swim,surf or ogle at those beauties, they aren't going to give you the Cup...
7. Learn to lead my dear Rahul, No one seems to take notice of you... Your word is the last one,drive that to their heads.. especially that Veeru.. oh how afraid I'm of his abilities...
8. Trust those children - Robin,particularly. I like him..
9. Have you given enough thought to them ? oops! I mean the 5 musketeers who bowl ?
Make it six at times of emergency, the little guy is unpredictably smart in situations.. remember Hero Cup finals ?
Last last one.. when u get the Cup which I think u will after all his hammering, don't remove your shirt and fling it.. you are a criceketer not a male model...
That's all, I know you dislike me for writing this long letter, but Rahul,I'm your big big fan, so you see I'm concerned for you..
ok bye and all the best....
fanning you forever...
-Rekha
I wish you bring home the World Cup this time atleast for the following reasons :-
The media has spent so many millions on you and your boys and your families and your wives' families in bringing them to the TV, asking them questions, tarot reading,blah blah, have some regard for that ok ?
You yourself have come on NDTV, 24by7, Aaj Tak and all their brother and sister channels telling all junta in your ever-professional manner, in very many ways that you will get back the Cuppa for us.., keep up your word..remember you are THE HONEST man out there...one of the last surviving gentlemen in the game-for-not-so-gentlemenly...
You have strived so hard to see that your dearest pal, Veeru is included even though playing cricket is the last thing on Veeru's mind at the moment.. With this one,dear Rahul,I feel you may have made your life's biggest mistake!! but let me not discourage you, afterall hope is life and life is cricket and cricket is WC at the moment..
I know and fully agree that your team is one of the best as of now, especially with the Down-Unders being down and under but dont you forget that 4 years ago, you were almost degraded by the simple Kenyans in the very first match and this time around, you are playing our friendly neighbours from the east who are not so dangerous like our friendly neighbours from the west so..dont you dare be over-confident.. ufff...
Coming to the friendly neighbours from the West, there is little chance you will not be playing them on April 15, anyways, am glad it is Sunday and not a Friday :) but that doesn't mean you can give your bat away.. on this front,am a little more confident owing to your history, however it is my duty to forewarn you...
Most importantly, you have to win the WC because Guru Greg, your teacher for the moment,has been paid such a huge 'Gurudakshina',not by you but by the entire country ... and now is the time to give back. Understand that money rules and is the most important commodity in world cricket today (you know it by heart by now!!)
and,don't forget to tell that little guy in your gang that it is his last chance to pack away his enemies-with-the-microphone to the moon or Mars or wherever. If he doesn't,he can go back to his upmarket kitchen and cook for the rest of his life..and then also tell him that if he doesnt play now, he will become 'the little man' litrally!!
Finally, remember that lots of Gods and Godesses up above are also helping you this time.. especially with all the bribes they have been getting, it would be stupid and un-Godly to not respond,wouldn't it ? So,use that to your advantage, don't forget to bribe them before you pick up the bat and walk into the stadium...ask your boys to do the same too,it helps you know when everything else fails...
Some do-s and dont-s for you personally (as if all this isnt enough)
1. Don't bite your nails no matter what.. it is a bad habit..
2. Don't keep that 'about-to-weep' face when Inzi is on the crease, learn some coolness from instead.... (Substitute Inzi with anyone else... doesnt matter!!)
3. Don't fight with Dada, he has fire-in-the-belly this time;use it to your advantage
4. Don't do everything Guru says,afterall he is also a human.. ofcourse,you can always make up later by chanting 'Gurur devo bhava'
5. I know you bat well (that's why am writing this letter) but can't you bat faster please ? You are wearing blue and the ball is white, don't forget that yaar...
6. Practise before your matches, don't sit there and swim,surf or ogle at those beauties, they aren't going to give you the Cup...
7. Learn to lead my dear Rahul, No one seems to take notice of you... Your word is the last one,drive that to their heads.. especially that Veeru.. oh how afraid I'm of his abilities...
8. Trust those children - Robin,particularly. I like him..
9. Have you given enough thought to them ? oops! I mean the 5 musketeers who bowl ?
Make it six at times of emergency, the little guy is unpredictably smart in situations.. remember Hero Cup finals ?
Last last one.. when u get the Cup which I think u will after all his hammering, don't remove your shirt and fling it.. you are a criceketer not a male model...
That's all, I know you dislike me for writing this long letter, but Rahul,I'm your big big fan, so you see I'm concerned for you..
ok bye and all the best....
fanning you forever...
-Rekha
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Chinna chinna aasey...............
these are a few of my small dreams...
writing a bestseller that wins me a booker prize(without using hi-fi language or vocab)
Walking in the monsoons along a mountain path with man of my dreams (not fearing catching a cold or a fever)
listening to Lata Mangeshkar's hits all day long on radio (with no commerical breaks and stupid nonsensical RJ'ing )
meeting a person who looks like me, talks like me and acts like me (who doesnt sing like me )
seeing the world by the age of 50 (and still call India my home)
baking a rich chocolate cake and see it getting eaten away in minutes (without the cake cracking away in the center )
gazing at the ocean from sunrise to sunset (without getting a sunburn or a bumburn!!)
winning the muncipality elections in V V Puram (without chicken biryani and beer distribution!! )
to be a mom to identical twin girls (whenever that happens!!)
execute a Khanda nadai RTP in Kambodhi to perfection at the Music Academy (without missing a tala )
to cook a 5 course meal for my mom and dad on a Sunday (without asking mom for salt measure)
have my own salad bar in V V Puram's food street :) ( a salad for Rs 2 )
to visit all the shrines in India (ending with the Shringeri Sharadamba temple on a Friday )
to direct a movie a la Kukunoor style (no frills attached sorts)
to converse in French with a Parisian man (*wink*)
scale Mt Everest and call out 'coooooooo who's there ?' from the top!!( to hear an echo 7 times in succession...)
win a 100m swimming competition ( beat the champions ofcourse!! )
spend eternity with my grandpa in his room amidst his books,radio,box,photographs,letters responding to his calling me 'sonamma'...( am crying now!!)
the list goes on.. but I cant write anymore after the last one.. If God were to grant me one wish, I would want my dearest grandpa back forever...Aja, I love u and miss you like hell..
writing a bestseller that wins me a booker prize(without using hi-fi language or vocab)
Walking in the monsoons along a mountain path with man of my dreams (not fearing catching a cold or a fever)
listening to Lata Mangeshkar's hits all day long on radio (with no commerical breaks and stupid nonsensical RJ'ing )
meeting a person who looks like me, talks like me and acts like me (who doesnt sing like me )
seeing the world by the age of 50 (and still call India my home)
baking a rich chocolate cake and see it getting eaten away in minutes (without the cake cracking away in the center )
gazing at the ocean from sunrise to sunset (without getting a sunburn or a bumburn!!)
winning the muncipality elections in V V Puram (without chicken biryani and beer distribution!! )
to be a mom to identical twin girls (whenever that happens!!)
execute a Khanda nadai RTP in Kambodhi to perfection at the Music Academy (without missing a tala )
to cook a 5 course meal for my mom and dad on a Sunday (without asking mom for salt measure)
have my own salad bar in V V Puram's food street :) ( a salad for Rs 2 )
to visit all the shrines in India (ending with the Shringeri Sharadamba temple on a Friday )
to direct a movie a la Kukunoor style (no frills attached sorts)
to converse in French with a Parisian man (*wink*)
scale Mt Everest and call out 'coooooooo who's there ?' from the top!!( to hear an echo 7 times in succession...)
win a 100m swimming competition ( beat the champions ofcourse!! )
spend eternity with my grandpa in his room amidst his books,radio,box,photographs,letters responding to his calling me 'sonamma'...( am crying now!!)
the list goes on.. but I cant write anymore after the last one.. If God were to grant me one wish, I would want my dearest grandpa back forever...Aja, I love u and miss you like hell..
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
All the World(Cup)'s a stage
All the world(Cup)'s a stage,
And all the men (and no women ) merely cricket players:
They have their exits(off the pavilion) and their entrances(onto the crease);
And one man in his time plays many parts(all-rounders),
....
...
Last scene of all,(the final ofcourse!)
That ends this strange eventful history,(of repeating itself ?? )
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,(of fighting spirit?)
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. ( sans Mandira Bedi&Co )
-William Shakespeare's remix(remake) poem!!
If Shakespeare were to rewrite this grand poem with WC 2007 in view,it perhaps would be on these lines.(pun intended)
The ICC has already drawn up the Super 8 schedule based on ratings so far and as per that one,India plays Pakistan on a Sunday in April and the like. Rediff says this pre-determined, setup is to boost TV ratings,what else ?
Even before a ball is bowled,the last 8 have been sieved out, tcheee.. To think am planning to take vacation to watch these ICC orchestrations suck!! Damn that ICC and the bunch of idiots sitting there who probably suck up to the TV bosses..
The WC 2007 should be boycotted by the other 8 who have been asked play night-watchmen. What a pity,we dont have cricket played for its sake anymore!!
Even the India Vs Pak match raises eyebrows, what if some bizarre reasoning already inplace to ensure Pak loses ??
Two cents for the weirdest reason for Pak losing the Super 8 match to Inda...
how about a boosting beer/liquor sales during the celebrations (in case of Pak loss)
in the aftermath of the match (a la 1996 Bangalore ) thus giving Vijay Mallya enough money to procure more aircraft with skimpier hostesses,leading to a new reality TV show titled 'Big Hoss(tess)' wherein contestants are thrown into a flying aircraft for 3 months with no contact with the earth below, the winner gets a
job in Mallya's private aircraft ? This show could be the next talk of the town and
TV bosses want just enough capital generated via ratings to start this reality show (reality and show are so ironical *wink*)
Isnt this a practical reason for Pakistan to lose in the Super 8 ? Come on, forget that we have been their arch rivals in cricket and that a good Ind-Pak match is a sweet memory no matter who wins..all crap... TV rules and ratings are our Gods....
All the World(Cup) is a stage...
P.S : Anyone with weirder reasoning is welcome :)
old-school-cricket-fan
-Rekha
And all the men (and no women ) merely cricket players:
They have their exits(off the pavilion) and their entrances(onto the crease);
And one man in his time plays many parts(all-rounders),
....
...
Last scene of all,(the final ofcourse!)
That ends this strange eventful history,(of repeating itself ?? )
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,(of fighting spirit?)
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. ( sans Mandira Bedi&Co )
-William Shakespeare's remix(remake) poem!!
If Shakespeare were to rewrite this grand poem with WC 2007 in view,it perhaps would be on these lines.(pun intended)
The ICC has already drawn up the Super 8 schedule based on ratings so far and as per that one,India plays Pakistan on a Sunday in April and the like. Rediff says this pre-determined, setup is to boost TV ratings,what else ?
Even before a ball is bowled,the last 8 have been sieved out, tcheee.. To think am planning to take vacation to watch these ICC orchestrations suck!! Damn that ICC and the bunch of idiots sitting there who probably suck up to the TV bosses..
The WC 2007 should be boycotted by the other 8 who have been asked play night-watchmen. What a pity,we dont have cricket played for its sake anymore!!
Even the India Vs Pak match raises eyebrows, what if some bizarre reasoning already inplace to ensure Pak loses ??
Two cents for the weirdest reason for Pak losing the Super 8 match to Inda...
how about a boosting beer/liquor sales during the celebrations (in case of Pak loss)
in the aftermath of the match (a la 1996 Bangalore ) thus giving Vijay Mallya enough money to procure more aircraft with skimpier hostesses,leading to a new reality TV show titled 'Big Hoss(tess)' wherein contestants are thrown into a flying aircraft for 3 months with no contact with the earth below, the winner gets a
job in Mallya's private aircraft ? This show could be the next talk of the town and
TV bosses want just enough capital generated via ratings to start this reality show (reality and show are so ironical *wink*)
Isnt this a practical reason for Pakistan to lose in the Super 8 ? Come on, forget that we have been their arch rivals in cricket and that a good Ind-Pak match is a sweet memory no matter who wins..all crap... TV rules and ratings are our Gods....
All the World(Cup) is a stage...
P.S : Anyone with weirder reasoning is welcome :)
old-school-cricket-fan
-Rekha
Monday, March 05, 2007
Flavors.... of an Indian....
Watched this verry verry nice movie on Saturday. Every bit of it is well made. For facts,this is a movie about the Indian Diaspora in the 'US of A' ,in layman terms, 'NRI'. The movie is outright funny,sweet,snappy and comical. No tones/undertones/semitones of garishness(wrong word usage ??) of the likes of Gurinder Chaddha and that in my opinion makes a movie of this kind cool in its real sense..
Flavors deals with, well.. FLAVORS with a capital letter all through;of a dozen odd people,Indian in true core context settled/living in the "land of opportunities" (as told by one of the grad student character here :))
1.a couple whose son is getting married to an American girl and who have made a trip from India to see him say "I do",
2.a pair of friends,a guy and a girl,who,nature has destined,can hardly be friends and yet try to mask emotions of a different kind under the guise of friendship until the bubble bursts,
3.a trio who study their Masters but know they are useless after that too and try to make their most out there,
4.a newly married couple-the typical girl-from-India-married-to-NRI-now-a-bored-housewife and a NRI-boy-just-lost-his-job-after-marriage case,
5.a tomboy who carries in her wallet a picture of Lord Hanuman,yet can drown tequila shots like a thirsty Arab drinking water from the oases of a desert(pardon my attempts at dramatic metaphors!)
6.a wannabe-entreprenuer who tries to arrange his match with the girl in 2 above ( thats how the bubble burst for guy in 2 above :) :) )
7. An American girl who fraternises with her Indian MIL and FIL to-be (am sure we know what this means!)
8. a grad student who is hopelessly in love and out of it,who resembles a typical grown-up-on-Indian-movies lad for whom a girl glancing out of an eye-corner means she loves him!! (I pity this poor guy the most)
Above all, Flavors brings all these people together in 'The Wedding'. The movie is a must watch for its light-hearted approach to cinema yet for its brilliant portrayal of life in USA for us Indians and the emotions of the young and the free in the land of freedom. What I liked here most is it does not in the least condemn NRIs (for I find that damn hypocritical ),yet shows the shallowness of life out there but ends on a nice note of 'All's well that ends well' types. Most importantly it shows that no matter where we are, human emotions are the same - complex and simple,sweet and sour and that Indians are Indians!! (both postive and negative sense)
I wud recommend this movie to all.
Flavors deals with, well.. FLAVORS with a capital letter all through;of a dozen odd people,Indian in true core context settled/living in the "land of opportunities" (as told by one of the grad student character here :))
1.a couple whose son is getting married to an American girl and who have made a trip from India to see him say "I do",
2.a pair of friends,a guy and a girl,who,nature has destined,can hardly be friends and yet try to mask emotions of a different kind under the guise of friendship until the bubble bursts,
3.a trio who study their Masters but know they are useless after that too and try to make their most out there,
4.a newly married couple-the typical girl-from-India-married-to-NRI-now-a-bored-housewife and a NRI-boy-just-lost-his-job-after-marriage case,
5.a tomboy who carries in her wallet a picture of Lord Hanuman,yet can drown tequila shots like a thirsty Arab drinking water from the oases of a desert(pardon my attempts at dramatic metaphors!)
6.a wannabe-entreprenuer who tries to arrange his match with the girl in 2 above ( thats how the bubble burst for guy in 2 above :) :) )
7. An American girl who fraternises with her Indian MIL and FIL to-be (am sure we know what this means!)
8. a grad student who is hopelessly in love and out of it,who resembles a typical grown-up-on-Indian-movies lad for whom a girl glancing out of an eye-corner means she loves him!! (I pity this poor guy the most)
Above all, Flavors brings all these people together in 'The Wedding'. The movie is a must watch for its light-hearted approach to cinema yet for its brilliant portrayal of life in USA for us Indians and the emotions of the young and the free in the land of freedom. What I liked here most is it does not in the least condemn NRIs (for I find that damn hypocritical ),yet shows the shallowness of life out there but ends on a nice note of 'All's well that ends well' types. Most importantly it shows that no matter where we are, human emotions are the same - complex and simple,sweet and sour and that Indians are Indians!! (both postive and negative sense)
I wud recommend this movie to all.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
If...
this keeps me going when everything stops....( one of the best poems ever written IMVHO)
-Rekha
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
-Rekha
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
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