Fursat ke raat din

misra ghalib ka hai (misra: couplet)
aur khaifiyat har ek ki apni apni (khaifiyat: mood)
dil dhoondtha hai
phir wohi fursat ke raat din (fursat: respite)




The Original Version:
jii dhoondthaa hai phir vahii fursat, ki raat din
baithe rahen tasavvur-e-jaanaa.n kiye hue (tasavvur: imagination)
- Mirza Ghalib

The Contemporary Version:
dil dhoondthaa hai phir vahii, furasat ke raat din
baithe rahe tasavvur-e-jaanaa.n kiye hue
....
....
- Gulzar


Listen to the song here.
Singer: Bhupinder
Music: Madan Mohan

"Man's greatest asset is the unsettled mind."

- Isaac Asimov

tumula... continues

I am having a tough time getting sleep. Probably its the caffeine effect or it is because of some unanswered questions. But they were answered! Were they? No. But why?

Grady Booch once said that the problem with raising the level of abstraction very high is that it becomes difficult to debug problems at lower levels, this applies to not just a computer program but to life as well. We are talking here only of mortals. Philosophy, like any theoretical science can only talk in abstract terms. Yes, Jiddu is a different kind of philosopher, a very different kind indeed. Infact he was questioning this very act of theorizing and abstraction. But how different is sensitivity from any other approach? Is it another kind of abstraction? I don't know. I probably haven't understood it completely. Can a mediocre understand any of these philosophies and truely apply them in a day to day life.

It appears like there can be only two outcomes to this scenario. Either, give up the fight or continue the struggle giving in during the process. For now though, I can see a third option, try to catch some sleep.

tumula: Of Ambitions and Mediocrity

Why am I mediocre? I often question myself; it either makes me hate myself when I feel that I am the reason for it or pity myself when I feel that maybe I am not the reason. Irrespective of these feelings, the thought persists. It continues to hurt. Why do I feel so? For one, it is because that I pursue petty things. For another, it is because I feel insignificant. The insignificance of the pursuit and the self itself is the cause.

Unfortunately Mediocrity and Ambition often go together and that is when it hurts. If you had no ambitions, life would be easier. But would I prescribe complacency to someone? definitely not, that’s another issue. Someone said there is perhaps more uniformity in excellence than in mediocrity. It appears puzzling rather counter-intuitive, but a little deeper thought reveals what it means. However it only raises further questions. Coming back to the question why I am mediocre, I don’t know, the simplest answer would be that it is probably because I am not a genius. Is it just that? The mind wanders, and hopes it is not.

What about individualism then? Doesn’t it suggest that mediocrity is self-imposed? Ayn Rand says "Mediocrity doesn't mean average intelligence; it means an average intelligence that resents and envies its betters." I don’t necessarily agree with this. To me mediocrity is about me, it is not a relative term.

This quote has kept me interested for a long time,

"But even when we are sharpened and quickened intellectually by argument, by discussion, by reading, this does not actually bring about that quality of sensitivity. And you know all those people who are erudite, who read, who theorize, who can discuss brilliantly, are extraordinarily dull people. So I think sensitivity, which destroys mediocrity, is very important to understand. Because most of us are becoming, I am afraid, more mediocre. We are not using that word in any derogative sense at all, but merely observing the fact of mediocrity in the sense of being average, fairly well educated, earning a livelihood and perhaps capable of clever discussion; but this leaves us still bourgeois, mediocre, not only in our attitudes but in our activities."

- Jiddu Krishnamurthy
The Awakening of Intelligence

I tried interpreting it in several ways, but it still did not answer my questions on mediocrity. Though I understood the importance of sensitivity, I wasn’t sure of it’s relevance to mediocrity, Yes, I certainly realize that sensitivity negates mediocrity in our attitudes, but actions? Well, I will also have to agree that attitudes reflect on our actions but does it help me overcome the insignificance of my actions or my self itself that I questioned initially. Hmmmmm... It probably does!

Mohammed Rafi- The Virtuoso

There are probably only two other male playback singers equally popular to him in the history of Indian Cinema, However he beats everyone in the number of songs that he has sung(around 26,000) and more importantly because he is probably the only singer who has excelled in almost every genre of singing in Hindi film music. Ladies and Gentlemen, this blog is about the virtuoso, a true fankaar, the one and only Mohammed Rafi.

Rafi's romantic duets are probably among the best one can get to listen. Though the highest number of them are with Lata, I am especially fond of the ones with Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle. My all-time favorite is the one with Geeta Dutt "hum aapki aankhon mein" from the 1957 classic, Pyaasa. Other personal favorites of this pair are "jaane kahaan mera jigar gaya ji", "aankhon hi aankhon mein" and the lesser popular "yeh hai bombay meri jaan". Rafi and Asha made a great combo too. Who can ever forget “Achha ji mein haari chalo maan jao na” - A sensuous Asha and a teasing Rafi, both at their best. Another song, where Rafi and Asha outperform each other is the song, "Deewana Mastana Hua Dil".

A pious Muslim, Rafi delivered probably the most authentic bhajans of Indian Cinema. My favorite being "man tadpat hari darshan ko aaj", It is a beautiful bhajan which could turn an agnostic into a devotee. Set on Malkauns Raaga by Naushad, written by Shakeel Badayuni and sung by Rafi, it is symbolic of India’s secularism. Nothing pseudo about it.

Rafi had a classical training under masters like Abdul Wahid Khan and Ghulam Ali Khan. Rafi was a perfectonist and it is almost impossible to find any naunces in his singing. He could effortlessly sing classical based songs. Listen to "madhuban mein raadhika naache" or the high pitched "o duniya ke rakhwale", he could easily switch between third and first octaves, yet maintain his mellifluous voice.

Rafi was undoubtedly the all time best Qawwali singer, Indian Cinema has seen. Each one of his qawwali is superb. Be it "pardah hai pardah", "hum kisise kam nahin" or "chandi ka badan". My all-time favorite though is from 1960 movie, Barsaat ki Raat: "na to caravan ki talaash hai", the song starts off beautifully by Manna dey and Asha bhosle and is brilliantly taken over by Rafi.

Rafi excelled in rendering patriotic songs: "kar chale hum fida" from haqeeqat, "sarfaroshi ki tamanna" from shaheed are some of the memorable ones. Rafi sang the youthful peppy songs as well with equal ease. Most of them were pictured on Shammi Kapoor. Movies like Junglee, Kashmir ki Kali, Dil Dekhe Dekho, Brahmachari, An evening in Paris, Teesri Manzil had some great songs by Rafi and were a rage in the 60s. Though there were too many good songs of this type, I would like to point to two songs which I particularly like, one is "jawaniyan yeh mast mast" and the other is "ayyaiyya karoon mein kya sukoo sukoo".

Rafi has sung many beautiful ghazals. Two such ghazals have been sung solo both by Lata and Rafi. Personally, I like the Rafi version. These are "teri aankhon ke siva" and "ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar".

The versatility of Rafi makes it impossible to brand him as a specific type of singer: there can be nothing which is rafiana andaaz. But specifically, a few of his romantic numbers are my personal favorites. The best of them all is "chaudvin ka chaand ho, ya fitaab ho, jo bhi ho tum khuda ki kasam lajawaab ho" :aahh.. this one is a gem of a song, Rafi at his romantic best. Another one is "zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat". Rafi's personal favorite that he himself acknowledged in one of his interviews is "suhaani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tum kab aaoge". A few other romantic songs that comes to my mind: "din dhal jaaye" , "tere mere sapne", "abhi na jao chodkar", "hum bekhudi mein tumko pukaare".

I know this was a futile attempt at paying a tribute to Rafi in a single post, and I also know that I have skipped many of his great songs. It has been 26 years since he left us all, but here I am sitting in another corner of the world and typing this as his songs continues to play on.

Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge
haan tum mujhe yuh bhula na paoge
Jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere
Sang sang tum bhi gun-gunaoge

Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Singer: Mohammed Rafi

An Inconvenient Truth

It had been some time since I watched a good movie in a theater, and last weekend I happened to watch a very good one: "An Inconvenient Truth", a documentary film by Al Gore about Global Warming and the science and politics surrounding it. The movie is based on Al Gore's works and his mission. I was curious about the movie for two reasons, one the topic and another Al Gore himself, whether he was trying for a comeback after his narrow defeat in the controversial 2000 US Presidential Elections to George Bush and if this movie would hint anything about it.

It took only a little while into the movie to realise that this was not a politically motivated movie but based on his works and interests which have been there for a long time now. Al Gore was introduced to the topic of Global Warming when he took a course at Harvard University under Professor Roger Revelle, who was the first scientist to measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since then he has been consistently rallying on this issue as a senator in the Congress. He authored a book in 1992, "Earth in the Balance" which reached the New York Time's Bestseller list.

To become the President of a nation is the highest ambition of any one's political career. Hardly is there anyone in the history of a democracy to have come so close to achieving it but falling short by a whisker as Al Gore did. After his failed attempt at the presidency in 2000, Al Gore changed his direction in life to combat Global Warming.

Kudos to Davis Guggenheim - the director of the movie, it conveys a very powerful message effectively. Based on Al Gore's book which goes by the same name, it wonderfully weaves in his personal experiencies in American Politics and brings out the seriousness of the problem to a lay man. Al Gore has given slideshows on this topic since 1989 about a thousand times in different cities in the US and some places around the world and the recently released movie and his book attempts to reach this out to a wider audience.

Climate change is a much bigger problem that humanity is facing today than poverty, hunger or terrorism as it brings into question the basic existence of civilization. The ten hottest years ever measured have occured in the last fourteen years. This has a direct correlation to the human produced carbon. The human population has quadrupled in the last century. China is opening a coal fired power-station every 5 days. The rate of melting of ice in the polar caps and greenland has increased ten fold and if it continues for another ten years, the sea levels are going to increase about 20 feet which could be devastating. The wind and ocean currents are undergoing dramatic changes and hurricanes like Katrina are only a warning of more serious catastrophes. The movie brings out several such startling facts into light and points out that we may be entering a point of no-return in as short a period as ten years.

Are the facts that the movie brings out absurdly alarming? Is this an exaggeration? Should Al Gore be believed or is this a political motive? Consider the following.

The scientific community is at a consensus that we are responsible for global warming, there have been 928 peer reviewed papers in scientific journals between 1993 and 2003 and the number of papers which disagree with this is 0. But if you take a similar sampling of stories in the popular media, 53% of the stories try to press that Global Warming is unproven!! Why is this skewed? This is because of a lack of political will and the lobbying of oil and coal companies. Exxon Mobil, the largest company in the US and the world's largest oil company has funded about 40 organisations to brand climate change and it's activists as skeptical.

Why is Al Gore's work and mission in the US crucial ? We all see US as an angel, pollution cannot be percieved here simply because of the vastness of the land and it's limited population. we consider the demons of pollution being the developing world, most notably being China or India, because of their increasing energy needs and their populations. But take a look at some figures. Be it, country wise oil consumption or percentage of emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. The share of US is disproportionately higher to any other country. The contrast is especially stark when you consider the relative populations as well. The fuel and emission standards used in China are better than the standards used in USA!! The Kyoto Protocol brought into effect in February 2005, is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases. 163 of the countries around the world have signed this agreement and there are only two countries in the world not to have ratified it: USA and Australia!! and the reason Bush Administration isn't doing it is because of the strain it puts on the economy!! and Whose advise did this administration take to arrive at this decision? - Exxon Mobil. A senior scientist Dr. Robert Watson, who was in favor of Kyoto was removed from the US negotiation team on the advice of Exxon and in came Harlan Watson recommended by Exxon to represent US in the Montreal convention last december.

Al Gore stresses this is not a political issue, but an ethical and more so a spiritual one. Whether he will be able to change the minds of the american people about climate crisis so that the country moves past a tipping point and people demand a solution to this problem when the politicians face the electorate is to be seen. It is a must watch movie, and the movie finely ends with ways each individual can contribute in solving this problem.

The most powerful line of the movie comes towards the end when he points out that there is always an urge to move away from denial to despair without pausing on the intermediate step of actually doing something about the problem. Are we moving away from the truth because we know that the moment we acknowledge it, there is a moral imperative to act upon it? Is it simply more convenient to ignore it. After all, it is an inconvenient truth, or an Ardh Satya.

"The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequence."

-Winston Churchill.


Suggested Links:
--> Movie Trailer
--> Official website of the movie
--> Al Gore's interview on Charlie Rose show
--> Al Gore's interview on Guardian Unlimited

Ab ke hum bichhade ...

Copyright: direkishore (At baltimore harbor)


ab ke hum bichhade to shaayad kabhii khwabon mein milen
jis tarah suukhe hue phool kitaabon mein milen

(bichhade:part; shaayad:perhaps; khwab:dreams;
suukhe phool:dried flowers)

dhuundh ujade hue logon mein vafaa ke motii
ye khazaane tujhe mumkin hai kharaabon mein milen

(ujade hue:lost in desolate fogs; vafaa ke moti:pearls of loyalty;
khazaane:treasures; kharaabon:dark misfortune)

tuu khudaa hai na meraa ishq farishton jaisaa
dono insaan hain to kyon itne hijaabon mein milen

(khudaa:God; farishtey:angels; insaan:mortals; hijaab:veils)

gam-e-duniyaa bhii gam-e-yaar mein shaamil kar lo
nashaa badataa hai sharabein jo sharaabon mein milen

(gam-e-duniyaa: tragedies of life; gam-e-yaar: pathos of love,friendship;
nashaa: intoxication; sharaabein: liquor)

aaj ham daar pe kheenche gaye jin baaton par
kyaa ajab kal vo zamaane ko nisaabon mein milen

(kheenche gaye:tore us apart; nisaab:fate)

ab na vo main huun na tu hai na vo maazii hai `Faraaz',
jaise do shakhs tamannaa ke saraabon mein milen

(maazi:past; tamanna ke saraabon: mirage of desire)


Lyrics: Ahmed Faraaz
Singer: Mehdi Hassan
Album: Classical Ghazals, Vol 3

Confessions!

Now that I know the terms of this game, I was "unofficially" tagged by a comment on Teju's blog, and it's fun!

Guilty Pleasures:

- Drinking coffee at nights knowing very well that I will have a tough time getting sleep
- Sleeping after 8.30 AM when I can't be late for work any further

Things I Can't Forget:

- My school days and some specific things about childhood
- NCJ cricket days
- Late night harates with friends at dhruvan mane katte and cool corner joint.
- Thatha being carried away
- Vajpayee's speech in the parliament in 1999 when he lost the no-confidence motion by a single vote
- The few months that I worked in Blore with a great bunch of colleagues before coming to US
- The first time I heard Jagjit live at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, and the moment he sang "Aakash ka soonapan, Mere tanha dil mein", that moment when I felt what "tanha dil" truely was
- The time I spent with Naga's parents during his last few days
- Sunday visits to the church, walks between Buffalo and Amherst, joint cooking sessions, walks, talks and fights
- the evening when sis and bil returned back to India and it suddenly struck I was alone

Things I Wish To Forget:

- That laughter over the phone on the other side of the door

Unforgettable Dishes:

- UD Masale Dose
- Amma made Avalakki Voggarne
- Self made churmuri
- Vade and filter Coffee at SLV
- Set Dose I had once in Chitradurga
- Masale Puri on a chat bandi in Jayanagar 8th block
- Veggie Burrito Bol at Chipotle

Crushes:

- On the last day of my 7th standard, I confessed to her and so did she! but we never met after that day
- the singer(was purely for her singing)
- the one whom I dedicated a song in a high school reunion party
- the one whom I wish I had dedicated to in the same party
- a bihari batchmate at RVCE
- lovely eyes and long hair, I saw her on a snowy night
- this lebanese girl was my metro-companion for a month in DC

Close Brushes With Death/Danger:

- An unprotected left turn to the metro station when a car just missed hitting mine
- When my car skid on ice last winter.

Strangest Dream:

- Can't remember anything specific

Preferable Modes Of Suicide:

- Though I can't imagine why I would want to do it, I would prefer something painless

Favorite Characters:

- Roberto De Niro in Taxi Driver
- Aamir and his son's character in Akele Hum Akele Tum
- Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting
- Jim Carrey in The Trueman Show
- Om Puri in Ardh Satya

I tag Shubha and Guru.

Baitu Coffee- An immigrant's musing

I wanted to have some coffee this afternoon at work. For the last few months, I have reduced my caffeine intake to one cup per day or on some days even lesser. I wasn't feeling like having a cup on my own, so I thought I will call my pal next door to have a baitu coffee. Arghh... whoa.. it took a little less than a second to realise I wasn't home! I was found lost yet again...

For those who are wondering, Baitu coffee is basically kannada-ised word for by-two or (1/2) cup coffee. Whether it used to be evenings after playing cricket, or during long walks or bike rides, be it a moment of mutual contemplation or of pure joy, sharing a cup of coffee with a friend was blissful.

As each day passes, I only have started sympathizing first generation immigrants^^. Baitu coffee is only minuscule of what people miss being away from home. I often wonder if it is really worth being away from your dear ones and miss all the little pleasures and happy moments you once had, all of it which can only be a nostalgia. This is especially relavent when the skill-opportunity curve isn't any better here. Immigration from my country is no longer of low skilled workers aka cab drivers or coolis, which used to be decades ago when people had to migrate for better income. Now, these are educated, high-skilled "laborers" who migrate by "choice".

Ya, I know of corruption, and I also know about the increasing traffic in cities. The friends I miss may no longer live around the place. Even I do love travelling and exploring new places and culture, but it is a different issue altogether to settle elsewhere as an alien.

Though I do not advocate Parochialism or even Nationality as that can only breed violence, there is a bond between a place and a person whether you like it or not. As Javed Akhtar puts it beautifully, "Ye woh bandhan hai, jo kabhi toot nahin sakta.."

Come to think of it, the social and cultural life of an immigrant is barren. I am receptive to change, but if you are a teetotaller like me, there is a very bleak chance for new social acquaintances. Yes, there are get-togethers within your own community, but ironically, I see that it is easier to get along with a localite than to mingle with fellow brethren from same country. Town houses, cars, greencards and citizenship should be a topic of your liking if you want to spend an evening with them.

Neither does it make an economic sense to me. After all, how many Laxmi Mittals or Vinod Khoslas do we have. If at all there is a scope for progress and development as a society and a scope for both lateral and vertical career growth as an individual, My dear friends, it has to be in the East. The "wild west" of the past is only a mirage. I can only see around me hoards and hoards of people living on monthly incomes defining and redefining mediocrity, forget if generating wealth was ever an incentive. People seem to find solace under the pretention of being "achievers" while actually losing out on a lot of things.

Every immigrant has to do this introspection at some point of time. I have been seriously thinking over my existence here.

For now though, I will have to mull it over a full cup of coffee.

^^DISCLAIMER: This blog by no means represents my view on the immigrant community as a whole or it's success. Please ignore any such generalization that might come across. This is a personal post to get clarity on my thought process and this commentary looks at only a very narrow group of immigrants when the word "immigrants" is used.

Current Music:

Seene mein jalan aankhon mein tufaan saa kyon hain ?
is shehar mein har shaks pareshaan saa kyon hain ?
...
...

Dil hain to, dhadakne kaa bahaanaa koi dhoondhe
patthar ki tarah beheesa-o-bejaan saa kyon hain ?
...
...

(Lyricist: Shaharyar
Singer: Suresh Wadkar
Album: Gaman, Year: 1979)

"Tugga" - Defining Leadership

I am easily drawn towards Leaders irrespective of the arena, and this blog is about one of them.

Jan 6th 2004: After being away from home for a year and a half, I was enjoying time with my family. I was also happy to be witnessing a great cricketing battle between India and Australia. India were 1-1 against the invincible Aussies and were totally dominating the third test with Sachin scoring a masterly 220 on the aussie turf !! But for that day, I wore a baggy green when the Australian captain walked down to the pitch for the last time in his cricketing career with the mighty aussies once again depending on him to take them out of trouble.

This blog is dedicated to a sporting hero from whom I have tried to learn so much about attitude, grit and a never-give-up attitude. Yes, I am talking about the "Tugga", and one of my all time favorite cricketers Stephen Rodger Waugh.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. There is no better example to this in Cricket than him, Steve Waugh saved that match for Australia with a gritty 80 and walked off the Sydney cricket ground amidst thunderous ovations. Grit and determination were his defining virtues once again.

Who could forget his 200 against the West Indies at Sabina Park in 1995, his twin centuries against England at Old Trafford in 1997, or his daring 120 against South Africa in a must-win match at the 1999 World Cup. This uncanny ability to fight his way out of trouble that has seen Steve making a name as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. A man who would put his best foot forward during times of adversity - a tremendous competitor.

Steve Waugh may not have had the talent of The God or The Don, the technique of The Wall or the attacking flair of The Prince. Infact he was considered the lesser talented than his twin, Mark. but I would rate him always a notch above the rest simply because of all that he brought to the game in terms of attitude, grit and more importantly, leadership.

Though many critics attribute the team's success to Warney and Mcgrath, It was beyond doubt that there was a noticeable change in strategy and style and the whole approach towards cricket under Steve. He led the Aussies to a World Cup triumph in 1999 and is still the most succesful test captain with 41 victories from 57 tests. It was under him, that a good team transformed into a great team.

That he is an Indophile and is committed to social causes is a folklore now, Steve Waugh was named Australian of the Year in 2004.

Coincidentally, his name Stephen in greek means 'Crown'!, but ironically, he is a perfect example of an average player achieving beyond potential.

What makes one a great leader? That will be in another post.

Talking about leaders, I am happy that Mr.Jairaj whom I wrote about in an earlier post is back as BMP chief in Bangalore.

Current Music:
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits