Waqt ne kiya ............

My play-list seems to be stuck on "Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam........" .

The latest version of Media Player Classic doesn't stop when it needs to and the song plays on and on and on....... endlessly, and it fills the air with a tender pain which slowly makes it too thick to breathe in.

The soulful rendition of this timeless melody by Geeta Dutt in 'Kaagaz ke Phool' figures high up in my list of all-time greatest sad-songs. (Many say the palpable despondency in her voice was because of the intense turmoil in her personal life at that time regarding the Guru Dutt-Waheeda Rahman affair.) There was a time when the first lines from the song used to be a standing joke amongst us, selectively employed to tease the living daylights out of the Devdas-types at school. Then it seemed almost funereal, a song which by its very tenor of abominable melancholy attracted our collective distaste and scorn. Later, with life and its little lessons in 'disappointment' (not of the Devdas genre though) those very lines have acquired a completely different meaning , its lyrics a profound resonance with the very feelings of love, truth and pain, all enmeshed together to melt into a heady concoction of unstated grief. Some may find the plangency in the song belonging to defeat and distress but let it play for a few times in solitude and the spirit of human helplessness will quietly seep into you and make you drink the bitter sorrow with a ironic smile of grudging acknowledgment. Then there is the breath-taking climax of a nascent love throttled and the mournful acceptance of it.

Amidst all the gloom and heartrending pathos there is this lesson- The lesson of Acceptance which is feeble yet redeeming - a sagacious resignation before one's own fate.

"Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam
Tum rahe na tum ham rahe na ham
Waqt ne kiya…

Beqaraar dil is tarha mile
jis tarha kabhi ham juda na the
Tum bhi kho gaye, ham bhi kho gaye
Ek raah par chalke do qadam
Waqt ne kiya…

Jaayenge kaha sujhta nahi
chal pade magar raasta nahi
Kya talaash hai kuchh pata nahi
Bun rahe hain dil khaab dam-ba-dam
Waqt ne kiya…"

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Kanha- III

The adda session slowly drowning in intermittent cries of hunger, we decided it was time for dinner. The door of the dormitory was being locked when something of a spectacle struck us down cold.

Darkness!
Believe me, if you haven't been to a forest before, take it from me, "There are few things as supremely intimidating as a walk inside a forest in the night". It was literally 'pitch black' outside. The six of us were left looking askance at each other. Alu had suddenly become oblivious of any sensation known hitherto to mankind as 'hunger'. Dudu looked visibly shaken. With a resolve that ravenous men have when danger separates them from their food we moved forward in a battle formation that would make a retreat look more honorable. Small torches made their best attempt at lighting up the road for us but, what they really did was magnify the sheer completeness of the darkness. And that at all didn't serve the purpose!
We inched to the canteen where promptly the tables were set. The good food ( albeit completely vegetarian) assuaged to some extent the rigors of our recent 'adventure' and at the same time galvanizing strength and courage for a rerun on our way back to the hostel. Post-dinner I called out everybody to look up at the sky which was littered with countless constellations we knew no name of. The clarity of the sky coupled with the sheer presence of the dark forest, waiting almost in an endless anticipation made me feel dizzy by its sheer import. The stars were so real yet so distant. One feels too very lonely at times like these. The endless extent of Creation belittles you and you feel insignificant and small. Yet, there is an empowering satisfaction, a sense of absolute liberation in accepting that smallness, that insignificance. I don't know if it's normal or not but, at times like this I feel like dying. It makes me feel it would be the most wonderful moment to leave this world, when I am at complete peace with everything around me.


Digressions! Digressions!

So, after our rendezvous with the stars was left incomplete, we headed for the hostel with measured steps. We would be making an early start tomorrow. "Have to get up at 5. Get ready by 5:45. Gypsy arrives at 6"- made a mental note. The morning trip would be to a place called 'Bahmni Dadar' ( entirely Baekaa's idea considering he was the pro amongst us).
The chill was setting into the air and I suspected it was something around 5 or 6 degree Celsius. Thank God we had no way of being certain of the temperature!! That was one way of keeping warm. Ignorance.




to be continued.........................................

A Friendly Banter

I hear him consulting whispers

I hear him sing to me

Some tempting strains of melody

His voice pregnant with glee.

In his notes so vibrant, true

A smile too lights his face

Makes me think of brighter things

And joys I can’t express.

He talks of something he conjures

He thinks it high of all

I like to see him build at it

Lest I stroke its fall.

Looks at me with spirits high

His doubts just take a peep

Like good friends I cry, “Tarry!”

For joys can make you weep.

Caution maketh heroes none

And prudence breeds no love.

My skeptic soul would still profess

“There is no God above.”

Never love so deep and fast

n’ tie that silken thread.

If love cometh without a din

So can do hatred.

Delay, defer, prod and judge

Let love take all its time

As beauty ushers in true faith

With caprice emerge rhyme.

All my wisdom at his feet

I delve into his eyes

A serene smile etched out of lips

‘Love’ stares back in surprise.

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.

ODE TO A DRINK

Shining within slender shapes,
Luring all my lust
Clouding conscience between drapes
I ascertain, “I must
Savor it to satisfy
My inner Devil’s crave.”
Flabbergasted, I do cry.
Mirror makes me brave.
Tumbling off the smoothened edge
I pour my heart with it.
“Give me not that crooked gaze
And don’t you contradict.”
Now dejected, I feel whispers
Mock in frigid noise.
Fomenting the breathing scars,
Muffling inner voice.
My indulgences not in pain
Nor cruel memory.
Inebriated, not insane
I sing to reverie.
I forget if I am broke
Or fortune is my slave.
Tired hands in pockets poke
To find a gaping cave.
Half awake, half careless
Inattentive to loss
Hiding in my carapace
Courage gathers moss.
Slipping into world I own
I touch my floating dreams
Ambling down a fancy-zone
I wish if I could swim.
The river of my fantasy,
Me lonely in my boat
As ‘nother glass of ecstasy
Goes gurgling down my throat.
Dripping with a fluid glee
Feeling for my peer
Spicing up virgin whisky
With a touch of beer.
Looking confused to my eyes,
They ask if I am fine.
In lasting languor I surmise,
“I love my glass of wine.”

FEARLESS

FEARLESS

The morning-light that brings to life -
The treasures of the day;
The fearless mind to that awakes,
Proclaiming , “ come what may!”.

Harping on the missing zeal
And thoughts depressing –
Is no way to live a life ,
But living like a king .

What others do or others don’t
Does bother him the least .
Fired by that inner will
That dares tame the beast .

Sorrow seems to aid him now ;
For once it was his foe .
-“ Disenchanted ” of all love ,
for every thing must go .

Humans, if he was God ,
Would never have the mind ;
To overlook a hearts appeal ,
Though, it be this blind .

Seasoned by the treaded path ,
Tempered by his flaws .
Courage be his only shield .
“Death” - his only pause .