Christmas Mass at St. Paul's

Today I had a religious encounter of a different kind.
I visited the St. Paul's Cathedral with four of my friends and it was a truly novel experience.
Had to get up at 7:30 in the morning to get ready as a big crowd was expected at the premier Roman Catholic Church of Kolkata on Christmas morning and we didn't want to be late for the mass. Arriving on time and full of enthusiasm that winter mornings unfailingly inject into unemployed minds in this city we were pleasantly surprised to get a seat in the last row made up of make-shift plastic chairs when inside the Cathedral. Already the gathering was sizable and by the look of the continuous stream of people that trickled in I knew it wouldn't be long before the Cathedral would be full.

As the choir gathered momentum and the carols got fervent there pervaded a sense of measured solemnity that was too palpable to be missed by anyone present. Though none of us were Christians by faith (inherited i.e) we too were part of the ongoing ritual and it was a
thoroughly enriching feeling. After the gathering was addressed by the Bishop people were asked to queue up to pray at the altar. When our turn came, we prayed. On bent knees and with folded palms there wasn't any distinction that we felt while praying alongside people who wore crosses around their necks. After all prayer to the Supreme Being isn't constricted by barriers of faith, colour or creed. And Christmas was just a celebration of that universal truth. The Bishop then blessed us and we headed for the lofted gallery of varnished wooden chairs. There was a
sense of grandeur in them. A feeling of dignified antiquity. The final address by the Bishop and a few carols later we got up to leave.
Wherever we looked there was only the sight of jolly people wishing each other a "Merry Christmas'. There was that unmistakable mirth in their features which we, Bengali Hindus have during savoring our Nabami bhog or when my Muslim friends greet us during Eid. I presume this mirth is exuded from the inner goodness innate to human beings. And there's no religion for a smile to elicit a smile. It's that simple.

Merry Christmas, everybody!!




photo: flickr.com

Ode to Cleopatra

Her bend of nose like birds of prey

Her lips carved out of lust

Her mane the shape of setting sun

Her tresses dark as dusk.

Her secrets dwelled in wells of heart

Her eyes kept all to her.

Her smile concocted enigma

Which none could decipher.

Entranced, enraptured came to her

Men of Blood and Might.

Hearts on fire with a zeal

Desires burning bright.

The Bard could not in wildest dreams

Envision that his Muse

Would this day be robbed of Pride

Her legend made recluse.

Veils of mystery now to yield

The Mistress of the Nile.

A single Fading Coin to make

Beauty stand on trial.

Yet, with every equinox

When beauty is conceived

A smile resplendent with intrigue

I hear Cleopatra breathe.

Photo: google.com

Death of a Bastard in a lonely Hospital cabin

He cries in a noiseless din.

Silence in his grief.

Cornered by a thousand hands

Out to strangle him.

His eyes a screen of hazy words

Face pockmarked with quiz.

A pin-drop could be heard in haste

In these hollow corridors

Pain and panic fornicate

Head swims in a dreamy blur.

Sickly fumes that augur ill

And ward-boys at their chores.

A desiccated soul asleep

Behind glazed glasses

Every labored rippled breath

Whispering a horrid threat

In silent vigil of a death

His father slowly passes.

His name a shame from before birth.

A society’s discard.

Now his hands in hands so cold

As life unfastened its own hold

His mind could mock at fate unfold

No longer ‘A Bastard’.

This was named something else by me. One of my blogger friends suggested a more direct nomenclature. I owe him this.

Photo: gettyimages.com

Random Songs of Life

Rules :
1. Put your MP3 player/Media player on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write the name of the song no matter what.

Tagged by ad libber, I put both my Media Player and mind in 'shuffle' mode and this is what emerged. I am really really old fashioned. I might just put you people to sleep with my choices.

So, here goes the soporific.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY?” YOU SAY?

“Jeevan kyaa hai......chaltaa firtaa ek khilonaa hai.” by Jagjit Singh.

Good for a start. Ghazals always make so much sense.

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

“I know just how to whisper.......” by Air Supply

Hmm.....That's romantic with a capital 'R'.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

“Aapki aankhon mein kuchh mehke huye sse raaz hai......” by Asha and Kishore.

Timely. Very timely.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

“Amrican Pie...” byDon McLean

That's poignant.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?

“Piyaa toshey naynaa laagey rey....” byLata Mangeshkar.

Issshhhhhh...... Honesty bites.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

“Kal Ho Na Ho........” by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik

Great. I love this shuffle.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

“Winds of Change......” by Scorpions

Does that make any sense ??

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?

“Starry Starry night........” by Don McLean

One of my favorite songs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

“Main agar kahoon.......” by Sonu Nigam (Om Shanti Om)

often ??? That would be once in a trillion Pluto-years.

WHAT IS 2+2?

“Kajraa rey...kajraa rey...." by Alisha Chinoy

Father and son....and bahu, I think. Great timing

DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

“Believe....” by Cher

Could have been a more apt song.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

“Tumko dekhaa to yeh khayal ayaa.......” by Jagjit Singh.

See. Ghazals make sense. And they are punctual.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

“Jokhon porbey na mor paayer chinho....” by Hemanta Mukherjee ( Rabindragsangeet)

Dhushhhhh!! Should have been the one to be played in my sraddho. aagey bejey gechhey.

Just my luck!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

“Boro Boro......” by Arash

That's not 'boro..boro' ( big..big) in Bengali, I guess.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

“Hoshwaalon ko khabar kyaa........” by Jagjit Singh ( Sarfarosh)

Lucky Stars!

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

“Wahaan kaun hai teraa........” by S.D Burman ( Guide)

Graceful reminder.

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

“Zindagi maut na ban jaaye......” Sonu Nigam ( Sarfarosh)

Just my feelings. Just my feelings !!!!

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

“Mujhko kyaa huwaa hai.....kyon main kho gaya hoon....” by Udit Narayan ( Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai )

See. Funeral mein kya bajayoongaa sochaa thaa.......aur kya baj raha hai......

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

“Jibon Khatar protii pataay.......” by Shyamal Mitra ( Dewaa Newaa)

perfect!

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

“ Ghum nei keno chokhey....” by Hemanta Mukherjee

Mysterious me.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

“Chingaari koi bhadkey.....” by Kishore Kumar ( amar prem).

Yaa. Just have to see any of them in a fit of rage on their day, and you will understand.

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?

“ Khamosh sa afsanaa......” by Lata Mangeshkar ( Libaas )

Ending bhhi achha hai......

I would tag J. Alfred Prufrock, Blabberwocky , Antigone and Misha.

The New Airtel ad

The new AIRTEL ad really moved me. The idea that communication can dissolve boundaries between States and join people has that sort of an effect on me. Always. It gives me goosebumps.

The people behind making this ad really deserve praise. In times when everything from soap bars to sedans are marketed using the attention holding abilities of the unclad female body or star-power of film personalities, the idea of portraying a simple human story woven into the framework of an eternally relevant message is undeniably brave and positively reassuring.

The simple story where two little boys from two sides of a barbed wire fence decide to play football on what is understandably a 'no man's land' (LOC) conveys a simple message, but that which has a universal appeal. There is a certain sense of defiance in the way the two kids cross their borders to engage in a sport, ironic with a blissful disregard for human boundaries, consumed by their juvenile frivolity and characteristic innocence.
A swarm of thoughts flooded my mind on catching the ad for the first time on TV today.
It reminded me of Frost's 'Mending Wall'. It reminded me of the futility of divisions among humans. And how we all are a party to it.


I congratulate the team behind the concept of the ad. AIRTEL has been a leader in the way they market their product in a responsible manner and some of their previous advertisements bear ample testimony to that.

Here's another from their stable that touched me. Long back.




Video: Courtesy: Youtube.com
Logo: Google.com

Testing Times

Read, I shall.

Write, I will.

Be as smart can be.

To make heads turn

I have to earn

They say, lots of money.

I should turn out

Both stiff and stout

For knowledge makes for pride.

And wealth does count

As paramount

When looking for ‘that bride’.

All investments

Some own, some lent

Must bear this lovely fruit.

That my good name

Do garner fame

Worthy of some to brood.

Sometimes I think

At myself wink

That if I were to fail.

All hopes would dash

And walls would crash

I will have fled this jail.

To me success

Is one such mess

To onlookers pristine.

Out of sorts

Trapped in knots

You suffocate within.

Don’t look at me

For I can see

That cynic-smile on rise.

On your face

It’s out of place

On me it does look nice.

May be my words

Will touch no chords

Unlike last time I wrote.

I pray you feel

In my ordeal

My future goes to vote.

Ghosts of hope

In darkness grope

Expectant eyes on me.

In firing line

It suits me fine

For none will let me be.

For the time-being

I may just sing

That I will try my best.

In two-three days

Anxiety says

I am to face my test.