Bollywood

Last 2-3 years have seen the emergence of a new bollywood cinema where art and creativity meets the truth of life and emotions. We saw Mithoon's music take us to the level only A R Rehman's music was capable of. We saw amazing scripts from Jaideep Sahni, Vishal Bharadwaj, Anurag Basu, Nagesh Kuknoor, Anurag Kashyap, the 'Black' team, the 'Rang De Basanti' team and the 'Munnabhai' team. Rang De Basanti made me hear such a deep meaning dialogue I never, in even my dreams, thought I may hear in my life in a movie.

Bollywood is surely going through one of its best times after 60s and 70s.

The movies I liked in recent past were, and not in order of preference but ramdomness, Rang De Basanti, Black, Iqbal, Chak De India, Life in a Metro, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Omkara, Yahaa, Parineeta, Lage raho Munnabhai, Kabul Express, Black Friday, Gandhi My Father, Parjania... and many ones I'd be missing to see or recall here.

Quote from Jaideep Sahni

"Making a grand business, like most things to come out of a human mind, usually chooses the path of least resistance. The path which wants to shoot straight to the box office success riding on the rocket of whatever the latest trick is, in dialogue, in editing, in music, in the look,....."

- Bollywood Script Writer Jaideep Sahni in an article published in Economic Times, 29th Dec. 07. Jaideep Sahni has written the scripts of movies like Company, Khosla ka ghosla, Chak de India and Aaja Nachle. Since the times of Saleem- Javed, no script writer(s) has got so much acclaim as him.

Better World Through Research

Everyone has heard about the Bose speaker systems. Some of you also know that Bose Corp has invented the most effective suspension system for cars also. Person behind all these inventions is Prof. Amar Bose. A Bengali Indian American MIT professor, he's truly a great blend of a genius researcher and an entrepreneur with conviction. I was overwhelmed by reading about him some time back.

---------------------------------

From Various websites:

About Audio Speakers:

Actually it started while doing graduate work at MIT in the 1950s, Dr. Bose decided to purchase a new stereo system. He was disappointed to find that speakers with impressive technical specifications failed to reproduce the realism of a live performance. He aimed to design a speaker that would emulate the symphony hall experience in the home. His speaker system was one of the first to make use of sound reflecting off walls and the ceiling.

About Car Suspension System:

For Bose, the search began with a question he asked himself several decades ago. “I wondered,” he told Popular Science magazine, “what a car suspension could do without hardware constraints, if you could have any force you wanted, at any time, between the body and the wheel.”

Bose focused on figuring out mathematically what kind of performance was theoretically possible. Five years of mathematical analysis revealed a tremendous performance gap.

Throughout his life, Amar Gopal Bose has had the avid curiosity of a child, the tenacity to follow it through, and the gumption to flout conventional thinking.

In 1980 he decided to work on it. As is his wont, he ignored the 100-year-old beaten track of automakers who had perfected fluid-based suspension hardware. He threw away the hardware model, and along with it the limitations.

His Teaching:

At his alma mater MIT, when he was hired to teach network theory, he threw away the syllabus and confronted his students with nine blackboards. He urged students to ask tough questions, expected section leaders to think out loud to illustrate the problem-solving process, abolished exam time limits and allowed open books.

William H. Brody, now the president of Johns Hopkins University, says of him: “He would walk into a lecture to 350 students, and you could hear a pin drop. He commanded a lot of respect, because of the force of his intellect and his total dedication to the students. His class gave me the courage to tackle high-risk problems; it equipped me with the problem-solving skills I needed to be successful in several careers. Amar Bose taught me how to think.”

On Bose Corporation:

At the end of the day it’s Bose’s way of thinking that remains such a unique gift: Simply put, it is just a wondrously dogged courage to chase an idea to its very limit. Bose Corporation may have a billion-dollar turnover, but Bose says he started the company to chase ideas, not make money.

“I would have been fired a hundred times at a company run by MBAs,” he told Popular Science magazine. “But I never went into business to make money. I went into business so that I could do interesting things that hadn’t been done before.”

So number crunchers’ myopic obsession with the bottom line was out, a commitment to pure research was in.

Bose says it’s the principle of allowing bright minds to search for answers that was more important to him

Popular Science, in a long, admiring essay, sums it up best about the merit of Amar Bose’s mindset and contribution.

“The value of Amar Bose—and by extension, his company—isn’t so much in the things he has invented, but in the sense of possibility he inspires,” the magazine wrote. “Bose reminds us that we could all afford to be much more skyward-looking, far-fetched and curious, and that we could all believe more strongly in our own potential to create.”

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amar_Bose

http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2005/january2005.html

An article by Suchitra Krishnamoorthi

I found this article on the net by actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamoorthi. The truthfulness in the article can not stop me but to post the article on my blog.
-Gaurav.

-------------------------------

Where is the love?

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi- April 22, 2007

The world around me is changing…or perhaps it’s just me thats changing-maybe I’m finally able to see things from a more rounded perspective.

I have to admit I’m a bit jaded. I’ve been out of it for too long,
actually make that forever.

Even my parents have been encouraging me to go out –not just with my girlfriends but also to meet guys on dates etc. “It dosent have to be serious you know -just enjoy yourself” they tell me
now I know the world is really changing!!

Just the other day my teenage neice played me a song that’s a huge hit in school and college campuses all around India. Its called “Soota na Milla” supposed to be anti tobacco song… looks like the underground music scene is India is coming of age… but the lyrics…Oh my God! I’m still blushing…BC & MC & (*%^%) “so what’s the bid deal-I think its so cool “ she said ,eyes closed and her head nodding to the beat of the song, the butterfly tattoo at the base of her spine shining.
Jeans have to definitely be worn below the tattoo I’m instructed. “Cool na”?

So I’m trying to catch up with cool.
In an effort to expand my universe and throw my blinkers out, I’ve been going out a lot. Travelling, partying, doing things I’ve never done before, trying to overcome my fears and inhibitions, putting myself out there and trying to see the world devoid of my earlier conditioning.The judge has fallen off the moral highhorse and is slowly turning into a dinosaur

I discover
there is a communication explosion
The demarcations of age, sex, economic status etc are blurring and people are suddenly happy to just be people. The online friendship and dating sites have miraculously shrunk the world, and no one is a stranger anymore. People are feeling less isolated.

Some are single, some are attached, some are dangling at a precarious angle between single- double, single- triple, while some are multiple only please etc. And yes some are happily married and monogamous too.
One repeatedly announces that she is a lesbian when asked what she does. Hello-since when did that become a profession? Whatever… I’m learning to not ask too many questions
I’m also learning to be anonymous, blend in, and play the part of observer.
Sometimes my face comes in the way. When people ask me if I’m Suchitra I deny it & announce myself as her twin sister Sitara!
Some actually believe me, while most don’t ,but the hilarity of it seems to set the tone for the interactions that follow.

I discover
sexuality is open.
People talk about it in very simple terms.
It is refreshingly candid and a far cry from the cloak and dagger hypocrisy of the past.
I learn that to some sex is merely a bodily function-almost like going to the toilet. They just have to let it out.There is no thought or emotion attached to it.
Many do it for proffesional gain –and no they don’t see anything wrong in it. So what if the boss has a wife/ husband-that they say is the bosses problem.
After all isn’t “I saw losing my virginity as a career move” one of Madonna’s most famous quotes?
Discussion of these issues is no longer taboo
Yes people watch porn-and log on to porn sites
There seems to be no guilt or shame in anything anymore.
Everything is consensual and to each his own.
Some people are dating with a vengence while some people are dating till they find the right one
More and more older women are dating younger men- economic independence has erased the lines of earlier traditional norms.
People meet on line and meet up on holidays across the country or sometimes the world.
People are determined to enjoy themselves.

I discover a whole new vibe.
There is a controlled aggression in the way people are going about their lives.
Everybody is fiercely individualistic. As long as they get what they want their world is a happy place.
They are out there, working hard, earning well, partying hard, exercising hard, and living life on their own terms.

I discover a whole new vocabulary where
Attitude is the key word.
Memory is a selective word
Promiscuous is definitely not a bad word
Honest is an untrue word
Selfish is a good word
Morality is a debatable word
Friendship is an all encompassing word

I have been discovering so many things
and though I’m still wildly oscillating between being jaded and catching up with cool
I’m actually having myself a really good time… but yet, I cant help thinking…
In all this… where is the love?
Is this my tipping point? :-) am I on the verge of discovering a brand new meaning of love…

Jin par naaz hai Hind ko woh kahaan hain?

Last night I was watching Star News when the story of a college principal came who was murdered by goons of a local MLA since he did not take back the suspension of some MLA affiliated corrupt students who were caught in some serious criminal activity in the campus. People were telling that the phone from the MLA told the principal to re-admit his people in 8 days, otherwise aapki izzat neelaam kar dee jaayegi... but the man of principle didn't heed and was murdered in the daylight within the campus.

Our Police, Judicial System... all seem to have been filled by the people of dead character. The biggest idiots are the people of India who vote for such politicians and make them attain power.


Another similar incident which occurred one year back reported on a blog:
http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2006/09/help_komal_sing.html

Bangalore's Live Traffic Update

You can check the live Bangalore traffic at www.btis.in. It uses the concept of density of mobile phones at a predetermined place to evaluate traffic jam situation etc. on roads.

Excellence

For Adam Gilchrist it's that split-second when he connects sweetly with the ball to send it skywards for a six that gives him the best adrenaline rush in cricket.

"There is a split-second, a nano-second, just a moment in time when you are the only person in the whole world who knows that you've hit it right in the middle (of the bat)," Gilchrist said

"A second later everyone else knows but that's just the best feeling as a batsman because you've probably taken a bit of a risk (to hit it)"

"When I'm not thinking about trying to be overly aggressive and not trying to hit the ball over the fence that's when my natural instincts come in and it happens a bit more"

Click here for Full Article

confidence

संसार का इतिहास उन चंद लोगों का इतिहास है, जिनमें आत्मविश्वास था|

-स्वामी विवेकानंद

Rubiyat e Omar Khyaam

Oh threats of hell and hopes of paradise!
One thing at least is certain: This life flies.
One thing is certain and the rest is Lies;
The Flower that once is blown for ever dies!


The Moving Finger writes: and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it


-Piety: Piousness, Wit: Intelligence. Sent to me by my friend Lokendra.

ये दुनिया अगर

ये महलों ये तख्तों ये ताजों की दुनिया
ये इंसाँ के दुश्मन समाजों की दुनिया
ये दौलत के भूखे रवाजों की दुनिया
ये दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है

Life of a language

A language that doesn't give bread, will die.

-Josh, a famous Urdu poet.

Quote-Unquote

The best time to be in the market, is now. When it dips, you wont be able to buy because of the fear of further dip. When it is up, you wont be able to buy because of the feeling of loss. -Anon.


Only one thing is known in the market- That it will go up in the long run. -Anon.


Aim: To win all wars despite losing many a battles. - RJ.

Steve Jobs Speech @ Stanford University

Steve Jobs is the CEO of Apple Inc. From electronic circuits to computer softwares to spirituality, he has an interest in all. An innovator and entrepreneur, this address of Steve Jobs delivers the wisdom he gained through his life's experiences. It was really a kind of address I heard in many years now.

You can google to know more about him.


".....And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on."- from the same speech.

"Let me tell you guys...........it was the best speech I have ever heard in my life............ Hope you all will also like it.........." -My friend Nitish after watching it.


Click on the link below to see the video.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

अब मैं बस...

कभी उठता हूँ, कभी गिरता हूँ
अब मैं बस भागता फिरता हूँ


दुख मुझको एक ठहराव देता था
कहाँ उसके जाल में घिरता हूँ!


अब मैं बस भागता फिरता हूँ

Procrastination

I will keep no work pending henceforth.

Perfection

"I take great joy in doing things well. Whether it's studies, playing any sport or captaining, I like to be focused and enjoy doing things nicely, to the best of my ability".


-Rahul Dravid. Read this quote with Deepak Chopra's quote posted below in past .

Silence

"All man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone."

-17th century French scientist Blaise Pascal, best remembered for his contributions to pure geometry and inventions such as the syringe, the hydraulic press, and the first digital calculator.


What sleep is to the mind, silence to the soul.

-Unknown


Q: What do you like second most after the music?
A.R. Rehman: Silence.

Javed Akhtar's Autobiography

Javed Akhtar's Autobiography. I have read very little prose, but I think this must be one of the finest pieces of prose that I'll ever read.


Click here to read it!

lagta hai..

lagta hai, jaise zindgi mein kuchh kiya hee naa ho...

Liked it!

Egocentricity of man today is the reason behind the process of breaking – taking man away from nature, away from the society and away from his family….so where does the way out lie?? How to stop this process of breaking??? The solution lies in ‘sacrifice’….the truth which holds the roots of our culture. Quoting the analogy of electrovalent and covalent bonds, he said that in case of electrovalent bonding, there is complete donation of electrons from donor to receiver, an example of sacrifice…and hence electrovalent bonding is much more stronger than covalent bonding. Same being the case with human bonds too. “Tyaag” is the reason behind eternity.

- A speaker, Sudhanshu Trivedi, as reported by a correspondent, in an alumni meet of my friend Ramanuj.

Education

We need to make education joyful, interesting and meaningful so that children develop a desire to go to school.

-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an address to nation on 15th August 2005.

Free coaching for poor but brilliant IIT aspirants

I read this article in a magazine. This is about a rich NRI in US who has established a free coaching institute in Kota for IIT aspirants from economically weaker families. Hats off to you, Mr Pabrai !!!!


Click here for the article

Liked it !

"Diamond is just another coal... which did well under pressure"

Liked it...

The Worst thing in life is "somebody has tears in eyes bcoz of you", and the Best thing is "somebody has tears in eyes for u".

Quote-Unquote

People tend to underestimate low probability events when they haven’t happened recently, and they tend to overestimate low probability events when they have happened recently.---Warren Buffet.

"Optimism for a Fundamentalist is the highest at the Tops while the Optimism for a Technical is the greatest at the Bottom" - Unknown.

किसी शख्स की art उस के अन्दर की peace दरशाती है...

-Raghuveer, my friend, in a conversation.

When sorrow ends, wisdom starts.

-J. Krishnamurthy.



The process of enjoyment occurs when one goes into timeless awareness. That's when one is in a state of bliss.

- Deepak Chopra.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's Quotes

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is one of the leading equity investor of the country. I find he always gives some or the other thing in his interviews, which will make your understanding of the financial world a lot better than that was before reading the interview.
Here are some of his comments which I liked recently.

• one of my biggest learning as an investor is that good stocks always remain expensive.
• Investment strategy: If you find an idea that you are convinced of take a position which if proved correct makes a meaningful difference to your Balance Sheet.
• Do you think analysts know what value and valuations are? They would be the richest people in the world.
• When I bought Praj, it was very difficult decision because in January of 2003 the price was Rs 10; I bought the stock at Rs 100 in December 2003. So the stock had appreciated 10 times in a period of one year before I bought the stock. So, I don’t know; stock appreciated 10 times is a vast appreciation and I bought after that. So I am not buying anything to be different. I am only buying it if in my thinking, the earnings will grow and valuations are reasonable.
• The other lesson is that do not expect that you will have this kind of return constantly. Some of the worst mistakes are made when you get an abnormal return and then you start feeling that you must take steps so that this return can be replicated.

On the face of it, they look very common sensical, but it is this common sense that we loose completely when we make major decisions, I feel. And that's why perhaps he emphasizes so much on these.

Nahi rakhta...

A song from Lucky Ali's Album 'Sifar' whose lyrics I like very much. Written by Syed Aslam, these are mesmeric...



नहीं रखता दिल में कुछ
रखता हूँ ज़ुबाँ पर
समझे ना अपने भी कभी...

कह नहीं सकता मैं क्या
सहता हूँ छुपा कर
इक ऐसी आदत है मेरी...

सभी तो हैं जिनसे मिलता हूँ
सही जो है इनसे कहता हूँ
जो समझता हूँ....

मैंने देखा नहीं रंग दिल आया है सिर्फ अदा पर
इक ऐसी चाहत है मेरी...

बहारों के घेरे से लाया मैं दिल सजा कर
इक ऐसी सोहबत है मेरी...

साये में छाये रहता हूँ...
आँखें बिछाये रहता हूँ...
जिनसे मिलता हूँ...



कितनों को देखा है हमने यहाँ
कुछ सीखा है हमने इनसे नया...

पहले फुर्सत थी अब हसरत है समाकर
इक ऐसी उलझन है मेरी...

खुद चलके रुकता हूँ जहाँ जिस जगह पर
इक ऐसी सरहद है मेरी...

कहने से भी मैं डरता हूँ...
अपनों की धुन में रहता हूँ...
कर क्या सकता हूँ...

दे सकता हूँ मैं थोड़ा प्यार यहाँ पर
जितनी हैसीयत है मेरी...

रह जाऊँ सबके दिल में दिल को बसा कर
इक ऐसी नीयत है मेरी...

हो जाये तो भी राज़ी हूँ...
खो जाऊँ तो मैं बाक़ी हूँ...
यूँ समझता हूँ...


रस्ते न बदले न बदला जहाँ
फिर क्यों कदम हैं बदलते यहाँ...





......................................

Click here listen to song

Liked it!-4

Good leaders are selfless, take initiative, and focus on their duty rather than obsessing over outcomes or financial gain.

- Times of India.

Meaning in Life...

मेरे जीवन के सर्वोत्तम पलों में से वो पल थे जब मैं IIT के पास rural बच्चों को पढाने जाया करता था। I hope life will give me more moments like those....

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"It was deeply satisfying...... Teaching children science was far more satisfying then working in a corporate. "

- Arvind Gupta.
http://www.expressindia.com/iit/kanpur_alumni_speak_arvind.html
http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/

Bangalore

बंगलौर का मौसम और यहाँ की greenery देख कर यहीं बस जाने का मन करता है!

Good article on shares

Good links for equity market learning...

Characteristic of a potential multibagger

Investment School

सुभाषितानी

"अमन्त्रं अक्षरं नास्ति ! नास्ति मूलं अनौशधं !! अयोग्य पुरुषो नास्ति ! योजकः एव दुर्लभः !! "

There is no alphabet from which a mantra cannot be made. There is no herb from which a medicine cannot be made. There is no person who is incapable. Who is rare is the one who can organize.

ऐसी बानी बोलिए

ऐसी बानी बोलिए, जम कर झगड़ा होए

पर उससे ना बोलिए, जो आप से तगड़ा होए !!!


-Poet unknown. May be Kaka Hathrasi??? Anyone to help??

My Portfolio Scrips

These are the companies I have invested in. I dont invest in cyclic old economy stocks as these involve extensive follow up and labour, with nominal, although less risky returns. My choice of area is the new economy sunrise sectors.

The stock idea should have a big long term potential, excellent management, an early mover and possibly catering to the great Indian middle class or else export oriented. There should be something in the story that can make me believe that if clicked, the idea can make a significant change in my portfolio.

Of late I have gained interest in software stocks also, which has made the portfolio loaded with some of these stocks. More are to come. One or two media stocks can also find place.

I recognize that 22 scrips is a huge number as far as the no. of scrips advisable in a portfolio. It should have been ideally 6-12. And I do recognize it's a symbol of investor under-confidence to invest in more and more companies. OK! my major holdings at present are in IBREALEST, Geoinfo, ENIL, Polaris, Indiabulls & Mindtree. & these companies account for over 70% of the portfolio. Other companies have a minor share of the pie.

I like to follow Vinod Sethi, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Ramesh Damani & and some mutual funds/ magazines also while selecting stocks. Though lack of time many times doesn't allow to do intensive research.

Next few months I aspire to learn technical & fundamental analysis of stocks. Till the next posting in this field,

Good bye!

चंद अशआर

देखा तो मेरा साया, मुझसे जुदा मिला ..
सोचा तो हर किसी से, मे्रा सिलसिला मिला !

फ़ुर्सत किसे थी, जो मेरे हालात पूछता..
हर शख्श अपने बारे मे, कुछ सोचता मिला !

Nazm by Nida Fazli Sahab...

मुहब्बत

वो दोनो,
बहुत गरीब हैं.
उनका कोई घर है ना ठिकाना,
लेकिन छः रोज़ मुसलसल,
अलग-अलग मकानों में
मेहनत-मजदूरी करने के बाद
जब वो
इतवार कि शाम को
एक-दूसरे से मिलने आते हैं
तो, सारे शहर को अमीर बना जाते हैं.

Random Thoughts...

इन्सान जितनी ऊँचाई पर चढ़ता जाता है, उसे क्षितिज उतना ही दूर दिखाई देने लगता है....!

Dealing with corruption and work-evasion

One can lodge complaints if any problem arises while dealing with Government officials or departments like Passport Office, Electricity board, BSNL/MTNL, Railways, PSU banks etc. Directorate of Public Grievances has facilitated this website. Why I have included this in my blog is, that this complaint system is actually reported by people to be working and asking for explanation from the concerned govt. officials!

Use it whenever you feel frustrated and let down by the system. It may work!

• Full List of Deptts for which complaints can be made

• Grievance Lodging

मौन होने दो...

शब्द के संसार को अब मौन होने दो॥

दीप जीवन का सजा है चाँदनी बन
ताप के अहसास को कुछ सघन होने दो।
शब्द के संसार को अब मौन होने दो॥

अधर की मुस्कान आँखों की चमक को
सपन सा सुकुमार कोई बीज बोने दो।
शब्द के संसार को अब मौन होने दो॥

पूरी कविता के लिए यहाँ click करें...

रचयिता : समणी सत्यप्रज्ञा

Liked it! - 3

When corruption is Queen, confusion is King..

-Unknown

Every act of love is a work of peace,
no matter how small.
-Mother Teresa

(Taken from Deepak Chopra's website intentblog.com)

Cric Jokes

1)

Sachin's SON: Mummy mummy !! dekho papa six pe six maar rahe hain

Sachin's WIFE: Beta theek se dekho,advertisement hoga


--------------------------------------------------------
2)

After the shameful defeat of Team India ,
the team members were not able to
show their faces to people and they
chose not to go in public and rather
just pack up in hotel rooms.

Dravid could not resist for too long to be
in the hotel room and still not be able to go out shopping.

So he disguises himself as a Sardar and goes out.

He meets a woman at the exit of the hotel
who greets him "Hi Dravid!"

Surprised for having been caught he
comes back and makes himself up as
a muslim woman - in Burkha etc and goes
out. Yet the same woman greets
him "Hi Dravid!".

Dravid comes back
determined to give it yet another try with the make up
of a Hippie wig and shorts etc.

All in vain, the same lady catches him
again and greets him "Hi Dravid!".

Bewildered by now, he could not help asking, "How did you
recognise me?"

The lady replied - "I am Sachin!"

Liked it! - 2

Zyada paisa kamaa lena ya concrete ki aur zyada imaaratein khadi kar lena..... main ise development nahi manta... aadmi aadmi se door hota ja raha hai... yeh kya developmet hai? kise tum development kahte ho??

- My friend Nitin Gautam, in a conversation to someone.

Liked it!

There are two forms of love prevalent... spiritual and physical. Internal and external. The spiritual ones dislike the physical ones, whereas the physical ones think spiritual ones as stupids. The physical ones mostly are extrovert and the spiritual ones introvert.
-Anonymous.

My favourite websites...

Here are some of my favorite websites!


Wikipedia: What a site!
Raaga.com
Kaavyaalaya
javedakhtar.com
orkut.com
Flickr.com: My Photo Album
pagetutor.com : Excellent web page tutorials
mouthshut.com : Reviews and comments on anything
download.com
NSE stock chart
moneycontrol.com
The Equity Desk.com
Current Stock News: Link contributed by an Anonymous
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/OPINION/Columnists/Swaminomics/articlelist/21649661.cms

Kuchh is tarah....A song by Atif

Liked the below linked song sung by Atif, Music by Mithun.

Click here to listen

(The song would take some time to download fully. It can be then heard uninterruptedly again switching on the volume.)

Spring, Holi, & Khusro

Basant ritu aa gayi hai... balki yoo kahein, ki bahut kuchh ab toh jaane wali hee hai... pata nahin kyoon, in this season I often start recalling some of the Amir Khusro's poetry, the little that I have come across... the images that Khusro makes... so vibrant, so colourful... the energy of life Khusro was filled with.. and which has come in his poetry also...
Meanwhile just presenting a piece of quawwali that I recall most..


(Sakal = entire, Bun (Van) = forest, Gadhwa = bouquets, bunch of flowers)


Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,
Umbva phutay, tesu phulay,
koyal bolay daar daar,
Aur gori karat singaar,
Malaniyan gadhwa lay aayin karson,
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,

Tarah tarah kay phool lagaaye,
Lay gadhwa haathan mein aaye.
Nijamudin kay darwazay par,
Aawan keh gaye aashaq rung,
Aur beet gaye barson.
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson...


The yellow mustard is blooming in every field, every forest
Mango buds are clicking open, the 'tesu' flowers too;
The koyal chirps from branch to branch,
And the beatiful girl tries her make-up,
The gardener-girls have brought bouquets.

Colourful flowers of all kinds,
In hands everyone’s bringing;
But Aashiq-rung (the lover), who had promised to come
To Nizamuddin’s house in spring,
Hasn’t turned up - its been years.
The yellow mustard is blooming in every field.

--------

(Nizamuddin Aulia, a Sufi saint, the Peer (master) of Khusro. The tinch of pain in the end of poem makes it even more moving for me. The poem and translation were taken from here and here. -Gaurav.)

Movie Reviews

Doston,

A good site for having movie reviews.....

http://www.withoutgivingthemovieaway.com/reviews/

My favorite movie critics are Rajeev Masand(CNN IBN) and Nikhat Kazmi(Times of India). For most of the movies, their reviews are available on this site. I have learnt that Rajeev is an IIM-A passout and has turned into a movie critic for his interest in the subject. Just recalling another IIMian Harsha Bhogle at this juncture.

I find it always awarding to first see the ratings and then go for any movie. But dont know why majority of people just go and sit in the movie hall and then come out blasting the movie like anything if it is not good. It was their choice to go for it like this, ultimately.


Meanwhile, in the recent times I liked movies Black Friday and Parjania very much.


From Reviews:

"This week I watched Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday, a film about the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai and I've decided it's one of the best films I've watched in recent years."


"For at least a few days after I attended a screening of Parzania, I couldn't stop talking about the film to everyone I met.

It's not the greatest film I've seen, it's not the kind of film I could watch over and over again. And yet, it's a film I'll recommend to as many people as I can."

Me!

A poem by Nida Fazli

A poem by Nida Fazli that I liked recently...


सूनी सूनी थी फिज़ां
मैने यूं ही
उसके बालों में गुन्थी
खामोशियों को छू लिया

वो मुडी
थोडा हंसी
मैं भी हंसा

फिर हमारे साथ
नदिया, वादियां, कोषार, बादल,
फूल, कोंपल, शहर, जंगल
सब के सब हंसने लगे

फिर मोहल्ले में
किसी घर के
किसी कोने की
छोटी सी हंसी ने
दूर तक फैली हुई
दुनिया को रौशन कर दिया है

ज़िन्दगी में
ज़िन्दगी का रंग
फिर से भर दिया है


-Nida Fazli

Hi !

Hi! This is my first posting on the web. For years yearned for a vent for myself on web. I hope this will be the platform!

So friends! Here I am with a reflection of my being on the webpages though words, images and sounds.