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
Saturday, March 24, 2007
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 ?
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