Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Bye 2008 !

As pages of city edition of my newspaper are filled with the advertisements for the parties on the eve of New Year celebrations, there are also news of people & institutions who are not celebrating this year cause of Mumbai terror attacks.

Attacks, invasions or terrorism are not new for India. Starting 325 BC by Alexander, hundreds of different invaders crossed the borders of India till now. If to talk of Independent India, within 60 days of Independence we were attacked by Pakistan in October 1947. We have fought four wars since then and fighting indirect war of terrorism for more than two decades. But something is different this time. What's is that?


Indians are up against terrorism this time. Unlike their usual behaviour, they are refusing to forget and forgive. Large amount of Indians are still carrying utter taste of attack even after a month. We like it or not but a war like situation is there in the air. For the first time in history, Pakistan is appealing for peace. Amid the various crisis, India seems to be standing with head held high. There are many signs (which we could not see just like Bruce Nolan in Bruce Almighty) pointing towards the rise of Indians and of India.

Celebrations or no celebrations but all I pray for is, no Indian should ever let this wound of attack heel. Cause if we did, we will have to face & bear much more new wounds. Whatever we do, we should never let interests of India off from our view. Every pride or fall of our nation should be our personal pride or fall. This torch of nationalism should never die down and we all will see the predictions of Maharishi Arvind and calculations of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam come true.

I wish the start of India's era by the end of that year and end of our plight by the start of this year. I wish an endless start of wonderful time for all of us and above all for our loving India.






Sunday, December 21, 2008

Careers in Pakistan

In the middle of Pakistani Government's shameless efforts to protect it's terrorist citizens, I received this apt and rock-hard fact mail from a friend.

Careers in Pakistan:-
If we were in Pakistan , our options for professional courses after Std. XII would be as follows :

JEE - Jehadic Entrance Examination
IIT - Islamic Institute of Terrorism
IIM - Institute of Infiltration Management
CAT - Career in Al-Qaida & Taliban
IAS - Iraq after Saddam
M Tech - Masters in Terror Technology
GATE - General Aptitude in Terror and Extremism
TOEFL - Test of Extremist Foreign Languages
GRE - Graduate in Relocation Extremism
MBBS - Master of Bomb Blasting Strategies
MBA - Master of Bombing Administration

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Tales Told By Mystics


After a long period, a good book was found and read. In a local book fair, among a few of books I purchased was one "Tales Told By Mystics" by 'Padma Shri' Manoj Das. As the title of book speaks itself, book contains around hundred of sweet short stories collected from folklore of India by author. Most of the stories are not from our Vedas or Upanishads but are those which have travelled and accumulated verbally since centuries. Sages, Ascetic and Sadhus have narrated these stories through ages to educate and enrich moral values to Indian society.


Stories in the book are short, beautiful, simple and above all, appealing. To clear the fog of confusion in our minds of Dharma or Adharma in routine life, one can find these stories very very useful and inspiring. Supreme Truth, Dharma, Humanity, Kindness are the main ingredients of these stories. Complexes & complicated principles of our various scriptures can very easily be understood and grasped by a common reader of any age through these small interesting tales.


A must read and collectors book especially youngsters!


Saturday, December 6, 2008

Afterthoughts of Aftermath !



No, I am not scared, I am not afraid of those terrorists or their unexpected bomb blasts. But yes, I am angry, I am very very furious .


Since 26th November midnight I kept glued to my TV, switching to different news channels, watching shamefully that blood boiling act of Jihadis. I saw those young terrorists roaming around in railway station and those who were in police van firing indiscriminately at Indians. I listened to one terrorist who called up a news channel and kept repeating his motives and motivations. I did not want to listen him, but I did, I wanted to snatch his words and gave him fitting reply but I couldn't. I wanted to crush him under my heel but I couldn't. I shamefully saw the fire in Taj, blasts in Trident, cries of various people trapped in the situation for long sixty hours. I am so ashamed that I could do nothing to protect my country, my home. I still feel so helpless that despite watching news I could not do anything.


Despite flooding with anger, frustration, provoked thoughts and counter plans, I could not write a single word since that day till now. I have always argued to people who criticise India or its system. Even agreeing to them in a corner of my heart I always pretended to oppose them as I never can support criticism of my loving country. I always hated people who say they don't like here, they don't like the system of this country or they don't wanna live here. I always tried to shut their mouths and if possible shut my links with such persons. But today, I feel like saying myself, "I am ashamed of being Indian". The reason? I think, had I been the citizen of US, there would have some value of my life. Someone would have taken avenge for my blood. But here in India there is never an "Aar ya Paar" thing but only words, words and mere words. Sometimes I think what in world should our enemies do that our government take some real strong steps? What is this world could be the sheerest slap on our face that we got up with rage and say now its enough? What on this earth can be the deadliest attack on our Nation that our leadership shout back that either we will take revenge or let the Indians be eliminated once for all?


Sadly, our enemies have tried everything, let it be the four invasions, decades long terrorism, lakhs of dead Indians, countless blasts, dozens of assassinations, attack on assemblies or even parliament, hijacking Indians planes, getting their arrested leaders released, freely roaming around and having capabilities of planting bomb anywhere anytime, they could not make blood boil of any of our leaders (irrespective of any political party) in these sixty years. Seems like our leaders never had any blood in there veins.


Now, when smoke is clearing in Mumbai, Indian government has performed its custom of issuing warnings, some resignations have been written and new promises have been made, Mumbai is getting back on its track like they say of its so called 'spirit'. Prevailing of normalcy can be seen by the revolt of Narayan Rane. The stray street dogs who were stunned and hiding with the impact of sudden blasts are now normal and have resumed barking and fighting over a piece of bone in the trash bin on the road.


The images of this terror attacks are now travelling in the world. Each picture shakes me up. Since 26th, my anger is holding back my tears within myself. But I don't wanna cry, I will not cry. I want to keep this salty water save in myself. I don't want to waste it. I am moved with the awakening of common Indian. I am touched and delighted with the movement of every Indian heart this time. I am happy that senses of common Indian people are live and that at least their blood is boiling. I am praying to God that please don't let that awakening die by the passage of time, I wish every Indian will not let these images fade off their hearts ever. Because if we Indians will keep this fire burning in our hearts, no one on this earth can eliminate us. No Jihadi can terrorise us. We will charge back at them with full force no matter how many bullets enter our chests or of our beloved ones. We will torn these rats apart.


After failing of our system, its time now to stand ourselves and protact our beloved India ourselves. I am still optimist, I still listen to my heart who is saying, " I am proud to be an Indian" !






Monday, October 27, 2008

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

In "God's Own Country"

After long long fifteen years, I got second opportunity to be at beautiful Kovallam beach. Though the rainy season had turned the sea rough and grayish, and my two days there were fully engaged in a meeting to keep me bounded from strolling far away at beach or roaming around in Trivendarum streets, I enjoyed this short nostalgic trip.

Around fifteen years back, when I was a young school boy, I collected a bag full of seashells at that beach. The images on my mind of gigantic blue waves of that time came alive when I stepped on beach after such a long period. Another difference, in our previous visit years back along my parents, we stayed in a small middle class hotel in the city and after spotting a beautiful resort at Kovallam beach, I innocently complained my dad for not booking that resort and now this time when I checked in this resort, I really missed him.














Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Kung Fu Panda !




I was not at all in mood of this movie. I have never seen an animated movie in a cinema hall. But as on the almost bugging demand of his kids, Rajeev bought tickets for all of us and directed me to reach theater at six on the last Sunday evening. Till the end I tried to convince him to leave the kids in cinema and all the adults to scroll some other place somewhere but failed.

Anyhow, all the children were very excited and unable to find any rescue, I planned to have a little nap after the movie starts. Mostly entire hall was empty, I think there were only 50 - 60 people for this show.

First four - five minutes were going simply the same way as I assumed, but.........BUT.........but when the story started rolling on, my drowsiness was vanished, my eyes were wide open, ears concentrating fully on each sound and my funny bone working at its full capacity.

Kung Fu Panda, as a story is not a new tale but surly told in a new and amazing way and presentation is definitely superb. Po played by Jack Black is lazy waiter at his father's (who is a goose - a very interesting combination to be a father of a panda) noodle restaurant in the Valley of Peace and a crazy fan of Kung Fu martial art. He always keep dreaming of Kung Fu and to be a greatest Kung Fu warrior but his unique, typical and giant panda shape won't let him climb the very basic step of this fascinating martial art. The Kung Fu school/ palace in the celestial hill top run by tortoise master Oogway and Shifu, the red panda, was about to select it's mighty dragon warrior to fight Tai Lung, an evil leopard and former brilliant student of Shifu who escaped from prison and is a great threat to palace and people of Valley of Peace. While everyone is expecting the selection of Dragon Warrior from the famous Furious Five ( a tigress, a monkey, a crane, a viper and a mantis) excellently skilled students of Shifu, dying hard to be in the premises of closed walled arena of Kung Fu school, Po, the Panda, miraculously is selected Great Dragon Warrior. Shocking everyone especially the Furious Five and master Shifu, Po is no match even for weakest fighter in the Valley and he was expected to defeat mighty Tai Lung. What happened next is a hilarious account of tale with naughty touches of emotional spices.

The humor is classic, natural and enough forceful to burst someone in laugh. Animation of the movie is so gorgeous and soothing. The imagination is so rich and beautiful that some scenes can leave permanent mark on one's mind, like I got one of the starry night sky while tortoise master leaving for his last journey. The rich colors of Kung Fu palace, or the fantastic landscapes or even the sparkle in the eye of disappointed Shifu are un-washable impressions. Finally the dubbing, voices to these amazing characters are given by stars like, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and Jack Black. Fighting scenes are great, funny and enjoying.

Not only children but everyone presented in the movie hall loved this movie, I can tell this for sure as I heard everyone laughing whole heartedly while watching this tale. Great work indeed.



Friday, June 20, 2008

Heartstopper


While reading murder mysteries, every reader knows that at the end of the day the killer would be the only person who’s least suspected, even then some novels keep you thrilled till the secret is officially revealed in last pages.

‘Heartstopper’ by Joy Fielding is such a thriller. A serial killer is on the loose in a small town of Torrence Florida with population of less than 5000 and where everyone knows everybody. Killer’s only target was young, talented and real ‘heart stopper’ beautiful girls. And people of town used to find dead bodies with half of head blown off by gunshot as if killer wanted those bodies to be located easily (of course, along some hidden messages).

With a list of over a dozen suspects, involving family problems, complex relations, expectations and betrayals, town sheriff John Weber (who says a sheriff can’t be a serial killer) finds himself in the middle of nowhere while investigating gruesome killings. An entirely new concept I found in this novel is pages from journal by killer in between other chapters which made the novel interesting and keep a reader glued. Suspense reaches its height when town’s high school English teacher Sandy Crosbie’s budding daughter is gone missing and is about to be slaughtered.

What happened next? Keep Guessing!

Friday, May 2, 2008

Moveable God !

Sometimes for a change I play pool at yahoo games. At games I hardly involve in chatting but many a times other person seems cordial and we start chatting while playing. Yesterday too, I went to yahoo games after a long period, after couple of games I joined a table for a new game with new person. For some moments game went on silently and then the other person started talking and I responded while playing. Here are the exact words we two shared.

ABCD: Hello!
ME: Hi!
ABCD: asl please
ME: 34 m India, n u?
ABCD: 23 f usa (I am not sure he/she was telling truth or no but I think it was lie)
ABCD: r u Hindu?
ME: yup, u seems to know a lot bout India or u r the one?
ABCD: no, I am half American and half Italian
ME: Nice
ABCD: I attended classes on religion and read about all the main religions of world.
ABCD: pagwan !
ME: That sounds interesting (I was genuinely interested in her/his talks) and I think you meant by ‘Bhagwan’ :) !
ABCD: so you worship statue?
ME: (Feeling her real curious about Hinduism I thought of giving my best try to satisfy her curiosity) "Hinduism is very vast and wide way of living apart from religion, there is no restriction, you can worship any foam of God, be it a statue or as infinite."
ABCD: But one who can’t move itself, how can it help you?
ME: (I was surprised at his/her attitude) Religion and especially Hinduism is too large topic to be discussed here. (And to diversify the topic I said…) lol, is for you God is meant for help only? (I wrote ‘lol’ just to avoid any heated argument)
ABCD: I think statue and shit is same thing, they can’t move.

I was astonished and then pitying on that person, I could have started arguing about his religion but taking other person as a spoiled kid I remained calm. I was thinking may be that kid has seen some ‘God’ moving in his/her life and that able to move ‘God’ may have taught him to insult other religion.

ABCD: Shoooooooot! Shoooooot! Don’t stop playing!

I was tempted of asking him which God he have seen moving or to ask him of his religion or to tell him about the greatness of Hinduism but on the other hand I knew that he/she is a gone case and was a person of sick mind so decided to remain silent. I didn’t even want to leave in between as a quitter, so I kept playing without any more word for that person.

ABCD: So your ‘pagwan’ is shit.
ABCD: Take my shit and put it ‘in’ your god and worship it, you shit worshippers.

Keeping my patience, I pocketed the black ball to win the game and that person took no time to leave the table.

I lost my interest in any more games and left the room. But I was thinking sadly what provoked that guy? The way that person vomited rubbish, how much idea could he had of any religion and he said he attended religious classes?

I never argue religion with anyone on or off net cause I don’t have to prove anything to anybody and more importantly, ‘Hinduism’ have taught me to respect all the religions. I am not attached to any particular way of worship as I strongly feel God within my heart and soul. But very politely I want to tell such kind of creatures that it is only ‘Hinduism’ in the whole world which gracefully gave shelter and passage to all the religions in India (without worrying how they behaved in return) and it is the only Hinduism which was never involved in any kind of Crusade or holy wars or to capture or convert others like all the major religions of rest of the world and cultures. Any person of healthy mind cannot deny that apart being the oldest religion, Hinduism is very polite, tolerant, forbearing, enduring, and full of freedom.

No doubt my endurance with that sick person was cause of Hinduism only. My request for such creatures: "Please wear this batch always!"








Thursday, April 24, 2008

The Natural Connection !

( A view of Sunni Town)

No doubt there is some connection, whenever I reach in hills, some unknown ecstatic excitement fills deep inside my heart. Nature always attracts me with full force. Exactly after a long spell of fourteen months I got a chance to recharge my spirits in mountains. Though it really was a very small visit, it indeed was a pleasant gift for me.

Occasion was of a friend’s marriage in an interior village near small town of Sunni in Shimla district. Nearly 45 KM from Shimla, Sunni is located on the banks of great river Satluj. We had to climb hilltop village Devarsu for marriage which was around 30 minutes walk from the road. Surrounded by large lush green fields and natural sources of water, this place gave tremendous look from height.

( Green Fields)


(Goshala )

Devarsu is a very small village of merely 25 houses with a centrally built one room Durga temple. Local ‘Band’ was playing classical raag on traditional musical instruments like pair of Nagara, Rannsingha, Karnal & Turhi when we entered marriage place. We were given warm welcome by the groom and his family, after all I was seeing that friend after almost twelve years. We ate traditional ‘Himcahali Dham’ in which all the guest sat down on earth and are served lunch with menu of rice and different dishes of Urad, Rajmah, Poldu, Kurri on ‘Pattal’ (the dishes made of ‘Taunt’ leaves) and in last as dessert Mishthan (sweet rice containing raisins and dry fruits) is served.


(The Band)


(An Old House in Devarsu)


We were compelled to stay there for a night by our host but some urgent business back home forced us to start back just after spending two hours in Devarsu. On the way back, up from village I saw two rafting boating in the far waters of Satluj down there. My heart bounced high to be there in that boat somehow but no, we had no time.

(Waters of Satluj)


(A wooden bridge at Satluj)

Lastly, we went down to the bank of Shatdru (Satluj) for ‘Jal Darshan’ (water view). This small trip was not less than a boon for me and asking for anything else would have been something too much that day.


Sunday, April 13, 2008

Punjabi Jutti

Earlier days among my other passions, one was Punjabi Jutti (footwear). Whenever I visited my father’s native village in Punjab, buying atleast one pair of this traditional footwear used to be a compulsory ritual. I was really passionate about these hand made beaded shoes.

Whenever I could not visit the village, I used to send a drawing of my foot for size as this footwear didn’t carry any size numberings. All the work was done manually in the family of these shoemakers. Surprisingly this footwear have no left-right sides, these shoes adopt their positions themselves with the passage of time of usage. Initially, if the wearer is not used to these kinds of shoes, he/she have to bear a little biting too. I too have proudly bore many blisters caused by these jutties. Wearing jutties always produced a sense of proud in me. My cousins in village used to wonder why I gave so much importance to these shoes as they always wanted to wear modern sports shoes. But for me this traditional wear was a reason of ecstasy and a feeling of importance.

I spent a handsome amount of my savings on collection of these shoes. Available in different colors and styles, each pair had a unique statement to present. These shoes have one another great specialty, specialty of producing very dramatic cracking sound while walking. No doubt the wearer feels a sense of style when heads turn around to watch such possessions. Not only for myself, I can’t forget a gorgeous pair of feet wearing such beautiful jutties presented by me.

In these days of globalisation, where everything is available everywhere, such possessions have lost their sparkles. You can’t have that joy nowadays, what I had in those days, while visiting village of such shopping or waiting impatiently for someone to bring those craftsmanship for me.


Sunday, April 6, 2008

Happy New Year 2065 !

Though a bad news of Vande's dad expiring came on very morning of very first day of this Hindu new year, I still wish for a happy and prosperous year।

Mostly this event goes away silently without much hip-hop unlikely Christian new year celebrations. A lot about this festival is roaming in my mind right now but as being too tired, may be I would try to write it down in coming posts. Till then may Shri Prabhu bless all on this new year.







Thursday, April 3, 2008

These Days !

Something is missing somewhere? Something is lost. Someone needs to solve that riddle. May be a competent Guru is required! But finding a real Guru is again something most difficult job to perform.

What to do, where to go, the question remains unanswered again.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Pathey Kann !

Once an intellectual visited Akbar’s court and challenged all the ministers of Akbar to reveal his mother land. He was very intelligent, expert in all the cultures and was fluent in all the languages of India. Many of the ministers asked him various questions in different languages and dialects but he very conveniently answered all the queries in respective tones. His personality, appearance, way of dressing, speaking, color or postures could not help any of the Akbar’s minister to answer his question. But of course Birbal accepted the challenge and asked for a day’s time.

Next morning in the courthouse as the challenger was sitting annoyed and down faced, Birbal declared the native land of that person. Surprised and pleased by the correct answer, when Akbar asked Birbal how he could manage to get the answer, as usual Birbal told the court that in the early morning when the challenger was sleeping soundly in the guesthouse, he poured a bucket of chilled water on him. Challenger jumped in the shock and yelled in his mother tongue. It was so simple.

So whenever we are ‘ourselves’, we express in our mother tongue.

So now it happened and it happened without any prior planning. Since some time a feeling for expressing in our own Hindi was emerging inside. I have always of the view and felt that a person can be master of any language but when he expresses in his mother tongue he is most genuine, exact, able to express the real emotions of his heart. So that tiny movement in the waters of heart became a bigger wave and emerged as Pathey Kann’.

I am not very regular in here at Praney’s Nivedan and I don’t know how much I could be at “Pathey Kann”, but when it’s done, it’s done. Who cares ?



Friday, February 29, 2008

Mithya


It was only “Mithya” for which I visited cinema hall after a long time. Generally, my instinct easily predicts me about a movie and usually it’s always right. So that way, I was sure of watching this movie and this time in cinema.

I have liked Ranvir and Vinay since the early days MTV in India and they both have done well in this movie too ( I wish Vinay had a longer role in this movie). Mithya is very beautiful, bounding, stunning, provoking movie. Did I miss the word hilarious? Yeah, it is a comic one but there are hidden surprises.

My advice for this movie? “Just don’t miss it and find out what is real and what is Mithya in a life !”


Tuesday, February 12, 2008

'Watch' It !


In early 90’s, in my college days, I used to get my shining black Royal Enfield serviced from a particular mechanic on much disciplined schedule. He used to regard me a lot and money for his services was never an issue among us. Many times he would refuse charging me anything, many times he would ask me to keep his fee with me safe only for his emergency time and many times he would ask me (and usually would get) for some money for his ‘half’ of whisky without any account. But story I am telling today is not of that mechanic but about something else.

The ‘workshop’ of that mechanic was so small that it consists only two hand held tool kits and one stool for himself and he used to sat outside a spare parts shop. While every service I had to buy some spares from that shop and the shopkeeper was very shrewd and used to charge too much for even cheep spare taking advantage of his only shop in that area. Being an experienced bike owner, at every purchase I used to insist him for genuine prices as I was very much aware of the prices and brands of the spares but he would simply not listen to me. I never liked his attitude and always advised my mechanic to shift his place to somewhere else.

One day there was some extra repair had to be done to my bike and some parts to be replaced. In the evening, when I went to collect my bike after repairs, while settling the account of spares I noticed some prices charged unnecessarily and other too high than actual rates. Though I filed with irritation but I had decided not to say a word. While checking his hand written bill, I saw that the shopkeeper had made mistake while calculating the amount and had wrongly written lesser total than actual. The difference was of around Two hundred fifty Rupees which may sound tiny amount today but it was a decent figure in 90’s and that too for a college student like me. The wrong calculations of that shopkeeper brought a smile on my face and I thought, “Here comes the judgement day”. For a minute a sense of honesty came to my mind and impelled me to correct his mistake but my disliking for his attitude stopped me immediately and ordered me to take advantage of his mistake. I paid his lesser calculated amount to him and inside my ego was bit satisfied by giving a slap of two hundred fifty rupees to that cunning shopkeeper.

Few days later, I had to visit a marriage function of a friend in a remote village. I along some other friends drove in my car to the nearest road around 60 Km from my town and then we had to walk uphill around two kilometers above the road to reach that village. Though we reached the village easily and enjoyed the marriage party, we faced great difficulty returning back downward on that trek. Trek was too narrow and was turned very slippery cause of the fallen needles like leaves of deodar trees. Some of us slipped and fell very dangerously including me. Luckily no one was hurt badly.

Next day while getting ready for college I saw my wrist watch was missing. “I surely have dropped that watch when I fell on that trek”, I thought while rubbing a small bruise on my left wrist and after uselessly searching entire home for my watch. Damn, it was Titan Fast track and I really loved my watch. I felt too bad for the loss. All the day in the college, I remained engulfed in bad mood and kept thinking of my watch. “You tried to be very smart buddy by saving two hundred and fifty bucks, now enjoy the party, your seven hundred rupees worth watch is gone”, my conscience started bothering me now. I felt like a defeated soldier with injured body and crushed ego. I had no answer.

On the way back home from college, I stopped at the same spare parts shop and went to shopkeeper. I handed him two hundred fifty rupees and told him that I checked the total at home and found his mistake. While handing over the money to him I expected a genuine thank-you gesture from him filled with greatness towards me but that creeper showed no such sign, put the money in chest and got busy in his business. I stand there for a second and then left his counter filled with rage for him once again.

“What was the use of this stupidity”, it was now my hurt ego’s turn to drill me. “You already had lost your watch and now you have thrown more money into waste, and that too for such a thankless person. Be shrewd, man! Who gives a shit to sincerity and honesty these days? Stop acting foolish anymore now”, my ego preached me. I spent a restless night that evening.

Is the story over? For me, yes it was. I was left with a bitter lesson and an expensive one, no doubt. But still the lesson was not a clear mandate for me. Even then I was not sure who won that battle of ego and conscience. My conscience kept assuring me that I should have return his money unaffected by his attitude or thanklessness and on the other hand my brain kept suggesting me that when he never gave a fair deal to you how come he deserve a fair deal from you? Loosing the watch was just a coincident.

It was the day, when my friend visited my home back from his village after his marriage. He brought sweets for my family members and for me, he had something special. My fast track. One of the guests in their function spotted the watch and asked everyone present there. My friend recognized that it was mine and brought it back.

I smiled from the depth of my heart. And someone else was smiling too, 'my conscience'.




Thursday, February 7, 2008

How to be Logical ?

Why do we dream? Why do we desire?


Dreaming and desiring for the expensive most cars or a beautiful private beach house on the world's best exotic locations is understandable and also achievable today or tomorrow but desiring for moon or stars? Is it sheer stupidity to dream for stars? (Here mentioning moon & stars I meant by almost impossible targets) Is this is immature and childish act? Do mature people not dream or desire? Whom to listen, heart or brain? Or can anyone decide and select the ratio of advice to be adopted from both of heart and brain? R says, "We need to grow up" and I am asking the same question, " Don't grown ups have dreams in the layers of their aged, experienced and matured hearts”? I think only the depth and area changes among an adult and child's dream and rest remains the same. Even when we know that no one on this earth can own moon but still we dream and desire and imagine.


Is it possible to be calculative or to be logical always? Without dreaming or imagination can we last long on this planet as a human? I think that is one of the various factors which creates difference among human and animal heart. The fight of brain and heart is always there. But whom do we listen? A wallet full of money lying unattended on the road spotted by us could buy some happiness, but we listen to our heart who says this is not your.


I wonder how people can divert their mind and heart. I simply can't. I find this very difficult to lure my thoughts from the point it has stuck to some other point.

The Gopies of Varindavan had heavenly affection for Shri Krishan and when Lord shifted to Dawarika for states affairs, in his absence all the Gopies fell down to gloom and heart brokenness. Hearing this, Krishana sent his courtier and friend Udhav to make Gopies understand. Udhav tried to convince Gopies telling them that country and society need Lord more than Gopies and that now Gopies should divert their minds to somewhere else. Then sad and furious Gopies replied to Udhav in the words filled with pain, उद्धव, मन ना भयो दस बीस, एक हो सो गयो श्याम संग, को आराधे ईस ।


So tell me my heart, what to do now?


Monday, February 4, 2008

Ram Sethu



Really adorable song !

Chowringhee



Long time back a friend said to me, “Every human heart is an ocean, you never know what’s hidden in the deepest depth down there.”

Sankar in Chowringhee have written about some of such oceans who came across his life while he was working as a receptionist in one of the then most luxurious Hotel Shahjahan in the area of Chowringhee in Calcutta. Originally written and published in Bangla in 1962, I read its English version by Arunava Sinha.

Catching reader’s interest from very first page, ‘Chowringhee’, contains so much of human lives roaming around this very hotel as its employees or guests. Shankar a former clerk of an English barrister and then a door to door waste bin salesman and finally a receptionist at Shahjahan, found himself touched and moved by complicated webs of desires, dreams, lust, greed, grief, pleasure and affection of the various human beings affiliated to his glitzy hotel of metropolitan. The hotel manager Marco Polo, senior receptionist Satta Bose, cabaret dancer and her companion, hostess Karabi Guha, linen in charge Nityahari, Bar in charge, a private detective, Doctor Sutherland, Musician PK Gomez, film stars, celebrities, social workers, businessmen, company personals, politicians and every person in this book has his/her own story to narrate. Every heart in this novel is an ocean carrying countless hidden treasures and even unpleasant filth.

How much a human heart can take on? I think there is no limit. The state of mind I was going through when I started this novel, I think the stories of the lives of the characters in this book boosted my courage to face my problems with more strong heartedly.







Sunday, February 3, 2008

Help Me Prabhu !



Hurdles, hurdles and more hurdles. Nothing seems to be working in my favour past many months. Every this and that, which I had expected to be gone through smoothly for me, have been flown into ashes in front of my eyes. Problems and failures are like chasing and then embracing me with full force.

If I have to glance through positive lenses, there are few achievements too but I know there were some certain, sure shot & essential successes which blasted off on my face hurting me inside badly. Everybody seems to be on opposite side. And this is not at all an illusion. I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. Number of unforeseen and unexpected barriers has mushroomed in my way forcing me to change the route. But all the routs seem to be closed for me as off now. I have already faced a lot and I have no idea how much more is still waiting.

But here I wanna pat my back also. I have faced all the problems while standing tall and not kneeling down. I know I am alone standing against all the odds and there are couples of eyes watching me with their faiths and hopes to see me merging out as a winner. There are few who have prayed for me. I know I am not going to loose their faith. I will not let problems take me over. I still have so much of courage left to face these and much more if any. I won’t lie down, I won’t break and I won’t give up. All these problems are going to make me more strong and more powerful. That is for sure.

Just help me Shri Prabhu!












Saturday, January 5, 2008

Tishay - Art





It was used to be my laptop keyboard, which was 'test driven' by Mr. Tishay last night.



"Look what he has done

This is Tishay's latest fun

Mobile, toys, remote or brush

He would pull throw and crush"


- Father Praney :)

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Against The Storm !



He was lying on the woolen carpet in his tiny bedroom with his head in her lap while she was sitting on the carpet with her back against the wall. Bright and warm sun rays were flooding the room from large window pan and turning the chilled air of January of the snow covered mountains into a cozy atmosphere.

It was their one of the very eagerly awaited weekly meeting day and both of them were deeply indulged in the serious task of sketching their future plans. Telling her parents about ‘them’, getting their approval for marriage or getting married without their approval, his setting up a visible carrier, selecting a new town for setting and starting their new lives, all these issues were very serious and heart pumping.

All of sudden he turned his head and asked her amusingly, “hey fruit & nut, tell me, how come you are always smiling at me? That day when you were along your dad, you were continuously smiling?” Hearing this, she burst into laughter gracefully expending her rosy lips towards her pink cheeks and revealing her perfect row of white teeth, “Hmmm”, she thought for a minute and then replied while setting his hairs on his forehead, “I will give you that answer on appropriate time.” The tensed air of their hot discussion was quickly transformed back into their usual and precious warmth of love.

Days went on and their situation was not at all improving. Her parents had rejected him and were brutally pressuring her to get married to one of the boys of their own choice. Their loving and soothing relation was turning into the mouth drying act of walking on a tight rope thousands of feet high in air from solid earth. Their futures were uncertain. Weekly meetings were turning into fortnightly or sometimes monthly cause of the strict vigil of her parents and no longer were providing relax and comfort to them as used to be in earlier days but rather turning into hopeless empty arguments. Looks among them were getting confused and filled with lacking of confidence. He was having sleepless nights fearing of receiving some heart tearing news from her side any day. Any human heart could have broken under such emotional pressure and she is only a soft hearted girl, his mind kept hammering him every moment. Can she stand against the storm?

And one day, during such meeting, she pulled out an envelop from her bag, handed over to him and said, “Here is your answer”. Caught unaware, surprised and confused of her sudden act he was wondering what she was referring about? It was a greeting card. They used to exchange greeting cards a lot, piling endlessly in their respective cupboards. Those mute cards had expressed countless of their feelings among them. But for the first time he was afraid of opening that envelop. “Could it be a “Sorry” card or a “Goodbye for ever”, his hands were freezing, he tried to read her face but it was rock hard. Exhaling his sigh out, he pulled the card with a paled face. It was a very simple card, the front page had a smiling duck saying, “You would be smiling too…………..” unable to understand, he opened the card further and read inside, “……………..if you were in love like me”.

“You asked me a question sometime back and here in your answer stupid”. Hugging each other, they both had wet eyes.