Lok Paritran

Not many are aware of the party callled "LOK PARITRAN". It is a National Party registered since Sep-05 by 4 IITians and it is now in the process of contesting elections in Chennai for the May State Elections.

Since we see them to be a Ray of Hope off the Blue!! We request one and all to forward the message across on exsistence of such a party and they in turn should carry on the message to whomsoever they know.

We have scheduled a meeting on Sunday 9th April 06 at the K.N shanmugha Sundaram Hall in Mylapore near Nageshwara Park..

We request you all to pass on the message and as far as possible thro the electronic mail.

Lets all make sure that this mail reaches all and need like minded people with a vision to give something back to the society in which we live.

For more information you can log in to the website:
www.lokparitran.org

In person you can contact:

Hema - 9840239669
Srinivas - 9840338546
Badri - 9840719686
Indiresh - 9884487755

Chelsea Parody

This one is a famous Jose Murinho parody that has now acquired pretty much status of a classic.
I'll try to post the mp3 link sometime, for now here are the lyrics

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

I Sign a Little Player or Two is the follow-up to the José and his Amazing Technicolor Overcoat sketch on Today FM's Gift Grub show. It parodies the Chelsea manager José Mourinho and the Aretha Franklin song I Say a Little Prayer. It is performed by Mario Rosenstock.

Do you know some people will like to know
Why are we so successful
And why always that we are winning
And why also they are saying all the time that I am the special one
Well I also have song for this.


[Verse 1]
The moment I wake up (Damien, wake up),
Before I crack open my egg cup (Damien[1]: egg cup),
I sign a little player or two.

While combing my hair now (yes, very nice),
And wondering what coat to wear now (Damien: wear now),
I sign a little player or two.


[Chorus]
Because - forever, forever,
They will stay in my heart and I will love them all.
And whatever - perhaps never,
May be some will not start, it's possible.
But - together, together,
That's how we will be completely, I'm sorry.
And that's how it must be at Chelsea
Believe me, I know these things.


Okay?


[Verse 2]
While eating my sandwich (very tasty),
I call Roman Abramovich (Damien: ovich),
Sign a little player or two (okay?).

And if he doesn't work hard,
I'll probably tell Frank Lampard (Damien: Lampard),
We'll sign another player or two.


[Chorus]


Damien: Yeah but,
Well?
Damien: What about me?
Well Duff uh - believe me, believe me (believe me).
Damien: What?
For me there is no other winger but you.
Damien: Really?
Yes, this is true.
Damien: Wow, that's great.
Please love me too.
Damien: Okay,
'Cause I'm in love with you.
Damien: Pretty good.
Now kill yourself,
Damien: Huh?
Do it, do it.
Damien: What? Eh, okay.

The art of Sari wrapping :)

click on the image for enlarged version

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Khayalon mein kisi ke

Some songs just grow on you, some just gain in meaning with passage of time. Old is no wonder gold. Days after searching for this one, now that I finally have it, its two days and yet there's no end to this lovely hangover.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(khayaalon mein kisi ke, is tarah aaya nahi karte

kisi ko bewafaa aa aa ke tadpaaya nahi karte )-2

dilon ko raund kar dil apana bahalaaya nahi karte

jo thukaraae gae hon unko thukaraaya nahi karte,dilon ko raund kar

(hansi phoolon ki do din chaandni bhi chaar din ki hai

chaandni chaar din ki hai )-2

mili ho chaand si surat to itraaya nahi karte

kisi ko bewafaa aa aa ke tadpaaya nahi karte,khayaalon mein kisi ke

(jinhen mitna ho vo mitne se dar jaaya nahi karte

vo dar jaaya nahi karte )-2

mohabbat karne wale gam se ghabaraaya nahi karte

kisi ko bewafaa aa aa ke tadapaaya nahi karte, khayaalon mein kisi ke

(mohabbat ka sabak siikho, ye jaakar jalanewalon se

ye jaakar jalanewalon se )-2

ke dil ki baat bhi lab tak kabhi laaya nahi karte

jo thukaraae gae hon unko thukaraaya nahi karte

khayaalon mein kisi ke, is tarah aaya nahi karte

kisi ko bewafaa aa aa ke tadapaaya nahi karte, khayaalon mein kisi ke
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Geeta Dutt and Mukesh from Baawre Nain
Listen to this song at
http://gayaki.com/songs-of-Baawre-Nain.html

Serials on Doordarshan

• Saptahiki

Saptahiki was a weekly program that introduced the viewers to the interesting programs in the week ahead. The most interesting and eagerly awaited part of the program was ofcourse the announcement of the sunday evening movie. I think the program might still be on :)

• World of Sports

Remember Major Ahluwalia doing the equesterian rounds over Chetak or whatever the name of his horse was, or Mohan Bagan battling it out with East Bengal with Babu Mani, Krishanu Dey squaring it against Tushar Rakshit and company. And of course there were our own foreign imports in Cheema Okerie and Chibuzar. Remember 4:00 PM Sundays, just before the eagerly awaited evening movie.

• Himalaya Darshan

Himalaya Darshan was my favourite serial. In those days most serials were given a 13 episode slot. Only a handful like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Hum Log, Buniyaad were given bulk slots. Himalaya Darshan was also a 13 episode serial, however it essentially turned out to be of 39 episodes. The first run of 13 episodes dealt with the Western Himalayas, with stories from the Kashmir, Ladhakh and higher up and west. Of the various stories the one I easily recall involved a film crew going on an expedition about the mysterious Snowman 'Yeti' and what happens when they finally see one. The second run of this exciting serial was based in the Central Himalayas. In one of the best episodes, a man while looking for his herd of sheeps ventures deep into the Kailash-Mansarovar territory. The man does not believe in god and ends up meeting Lord Shankar in disguise. The fellow accompanies lord Shankar to mount Kailash and spends 7 days with him. Finally after seven days when he returns back to his village, he realizes that its not 7 days but 700 years that have passed.
In yet another brilliant episode, Rama Vij's car breaks down near a Buddhist monestary and the monks does not allow her inside the monestary as women are not allowed there. What follows in short is that Rama Vij while sleeping in her car sees an old monk who later as we find out died long ago. Later in the morning, the monks tell her about the prevelant legend that the spiritual guru who founded this monestary still roams around and can be viewed only by the purest of souls.
The last run of this serial covered the Eastern Himlayas. I recall a story about the legendary tale of tracing the complete course of river Brahmaputra. A brilliant episode that told the story of the legendary character of 'Pundit' who seemingly was the first person to locate the source of the river, how the mystery of Tsangpo and Brahmaputra was solved and more.
Himalaya Darshan was perhaps the start of my fascination for the Himalayas, a fascination that over the times have grown more and more.

• Chitrahaar (Wed and Fri)
• Katha Sagar
• Gul Gulshan Gulfaam
• Kile Ka Rahasya
• Karamchand
• Police File Se
• Gopichand Jasoos
• Fatichar
• Daane Anaar Ke

Daane Anar Ke reminds one of all good things Doordarshan was. Shailendra and Nina Gupta as the start lead, Gulzar's beautiful 'Kissa hai kahani hai paheli hai, Zindagi yeh moosa ki saheli hai' as the title song with Vishal (Yes Vishal) doing the music. This incidentally was first song from the Gulzar-Vishal combo, that in times to come gave us gems like 'Goli maar bheje mein', 'sapne mein milti hai' among various others. The highlight though was the brilliantly written script by none other than great Sharad Joshi, the king of hindi humour. No matter the serial caught the fancy of people all over the country and still remains one of the most loved serial of all time. BTW the serial also starred Ajit Vacchani.

• Guniram

'Guniram Bhai Guniram, aa pahunche bumbai dham', I hope people remember the title track that pretty much summed the theme of the serial. Guniram played by Rakesh Bedi is a village simpleton who comes to Bombay (it was still bombay those days) and keeps on falling in one comical situation or the other. A decent comedy.

• Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi
• Gayab Aaya
• Super Six
• Ek Do Teen Char
• Rangoli
• Ramayana
• Mahabharata
• Uttar Ramayana
• Vishwamitra
• Shri Krishna
• Chanakaya
• Shrikant
• Vikram Betaal
• Simhasan Batissi
• Chandrakanta
• Humlog
• Buniyaad
• Dusra Kewal
• Tamas
• Chunni
• Saanjha Choolha
• Muzrim Haazir Hai
• Chunauti
• Circus
• Fauji
• Dada Dadi Ki Kahaniyan
• Byomkesh Bakshi
• Potli Baba Ki
• Jungle Book
• Aamne Saamne
• Baaton Baaton Mein
• Mr. Yogi
• Trishna
• Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne
• Wagle Ki Duniya
• Khel Khel Mein
• Malgudi Days
• Honee Anhonee
• The Sword of Tipu Sultan
• Shanti
• Swabhimaan
• Ji Matriji
• Kakka Ji Kahin
• Surabhi
• Bharat Ek Khoj
• Stone Boy
• World This Week
• Flop Show
• Giant Robot
• DD's Comedy Show
• Spiderman
• Nukkad
• Yatra
• Manoranjan
• Show Time
• Quiz Time
• Prashan Manch
• Indradhanush
• Zigma
• Udaan
• Rajani
• Sukanya
• Tehkikaat
• Reporter
• Dekh Bhai Dekh
• Junoon
• Shrimaan Shrimati
• Khandaan
• Mriganayani
• Aa Bail Mujhe Maar
• Farmaan
• Ulta Pulta
• Ados Pados
• He Man
• Ek Kahani
• Afsane
• Street Hawk
• Tele Match
• The Old Fox
• Froggle Rock
• Idhar Udhar
• Kab Tak Pukaaroon
• Mirza Ghalib
• Bahadur Shah Zafar
• Zamana Badal Gaya
• Dard
• Kashish
• Hum Hindustani
• Some series where Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath gave Cricket tips
• A Mouthful Of Sky
• Chayyageet
• Param Veer Chakra
• Hello Zindagi
• Tenali Rama
• Neev
• Aakhri Daav
• Karwa Sach
• Prahari
• Turning Point
• Aisa Bhi Hota Hai
• Darpan
• Dil Darya
• Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan
• Kahan Gaye Woh Log
• Udaan
• Chapte Chapte
• Choti Badi Baatein
• Charitraheen
• Wah Janaab
• Subah
• Kya Banoge Munna
• Itihaas
• Alif Laila
  
• Nirmala
• Intezaar
  

About Time

Counting time and holding spaces

drawing needles on empty faces
From dusk till the dawn
to the eras bygone
In the books of the mediveal
myths and mystics
todays are starting to look like antiques
The theories of finding,
sense and essence
it takes ages to pass through conscience
Of lost truths and buried lies
doubts that none nullifies
We travel back and forth again
crushed in the burden of our pain
and at the gates where all journeys end
lies the time, bored of routine
It stands still silently and waits
for one more journey to initiate.

Lost Song of the Winter

She was just whistling along

& I knew she wont continue for long
Cos' the winter is coming
and the time is running
So i gave her something to eat
She wondered and moved back her feet
and when I joined in
She didn't took it with pleasure
but I didn't stop whistling her song
I thought why should I care
Cos' the winter is coming
and the time is running
Soon there'll be white
all days and night
The window sill will remain empty
Till my Whistling Thrush returns in the coming spring.

A Swan Song Never Sung (For Sourav Ganguly)

If it was only a game

I could have played my part
But nights and no days
when no light passed
I realised
Game's over a little too soon
A shining moon of the past
A vicious ploy's victim at last
May be I'll fight and settle the score
May be my pain will grow a little more
Who knows what
but as of now
I stand alone, victimized.
Justice is a notion
good as a word,
No one speaks of it
like no one does for you
Cos' no one cares
Whether you are part of the game
or a victim of it.

Simple Today

Lazy afternoons and warm mornings
Life's limited to simple cravings
Music to soothe the soul
Books to lift your mood
Days can be cruel and complex sometimes
But this simple today is just too good.

Death Of A Clock

The Final Time
The only needle of the clock at the wall
Moved slowly like the pendulum swings
Making a sorrowful face
As if fighting a lone battle
in a race against time
There were no numbers to cheer things up
and no glass mask
covering its dust filled face
It was slow and painful
a mourning, tick tocking heartbeat
knowing the imminent
& yet waiting
for that last tick
before the fall.

Last Rites
I picked the pieces in the morning
and hurried them in a bag
To be thrown down the trash chute
The mortuary of the needless and neglected.

Paritrana - The discussions

www.paritrana.org

REPLY TO POOJA'S MAIL ABOUT PARITRANA AND RELATED ARTICLE IN TOI

times of india, well I stopped long back believing in them and thr news but then they have this website as well.
The website dont say much, would have been great to lean about thr ideology which is still not up on the site. President, vice president and treasurer all sport a sort of a freedom fighter kinda look, dont know if thats intentional or just part of thr personality.
Too early to say anything in terms of believing or not specially when u r so far away from India. Anyways, if the intentions r right, hope they get the desired success.

CORRECTION TO EARLIER MAIL

My bad, they have thr ideology page up, must say they choose thr words well.

VIEWS ON PARITRANA

Pooja's mail reminded me of a blog entry that I read sometime back. I am putting the same below. It has nothing to do with doing somethg for the contry's sake but one common thread that runs through the two stories is that people are willing to take the risk. They r willing to explore thr true worth, they want to do wht they feel will make them happier. There's a confidence in their decision, of course thrs risk involved but no new path is treaded without a sense of risk, its just that the achievers are the ones who dont let these fear of risk prevail.
Paritrana evokes a sense of doubt in me perhaps bcos our political system is so much corrupted that one tends to be distrust even the best of intentions. Is this a true news, does it have the right intentions or its just another way of tricking the already troubled youth. But I dont want to skeptical as well, so lets hope that someone has really initiated a movement which hoepfully will realise the goodies it promises of.


This is what IIM A grad Sidin Vadukut had to say about his decision on his blog:

Dear All,
Finally after weeks of contemplation and thought and watching Friends reruns I have decided to finally do it. A few days from now I will cease to be a consultant. Instead I will be a writer.

As we speak an email is hurtling its way across the nation to my HR and MD indicating my imminent departure from AT Kearney. From next Friday I will be a free bird and will immediately embark on a book, freelancing, columning and anything else I can force people to hire my writing skills for.

The reasons are numerous. But in the end I decided I needed to do what I was happiest doing...

For the amazingly talented guy who penned the now-classic Travails of Single South Indian Men writing is that source of happiness.

MAIL TO BIT GROUP

A bit of surfing revealed that the guys r really ex IITians.
though i'm not sure if they will do great as politicains or not, i think its a decision worth applauding. Of course to do that we need to get over the cloud of doubt our present political system has created in our minds, cos every such effort no matter how true it is to its cause, is always viewed with skeptism.

An Autumn's Tale (Autumn In My Heart)

She liked to walk along the ocean
Often singing her song aloud
She used to tell me, of her life and love
And it was me they were all about
She talked
and I listened
When we walked
along the ocean

We knew the invetiable
So we waited for the moment
And then came the day
We were having our walk
With her on my back
When she closed her eyes
and died
While we walked
She didn't replied
While I talked
Not even yes or no
No emotions to show
But I continued my walk
By the shore
With her on my back
Like we used to before
Thought she listened to me
As into the ocean I walked wishpering
'I love you', 'I love you'
The song that she used to sing.

A Love So Platonic Still Exists

Afraid of shadows of happiness,

Lying on my bed,
Scratching pillows with its nail,
Looking for some blood,
Concealing her beastly face,
Your sadness hungers for a life.
And it still has a chance
cos' I never burned that picture,
The one that now lies buried
In the thick dust of happiness.
You want the things changed,
You want the roles reversed,
I doubt, but may be you do.
Well, now that this thought has occurred
I'll wipe away the dust,
I'll lie down on the nails
and embrace your sadness
So that you can sing
"A Love So Platonic Still Exists".

Infatuated

A Winter's Morning

The Cold wind rushes past.
Standing at the window,
With my eyes weary of the night's dream,
I wander into illusion.
Far beyond the horizon
where the blue shades paler
off my mind
and a sublime peace takes over
covered in the warmth of white.
Back after a while,
the morning struggles to break away
from the clutches of the clumsy night.
With all the might
finally somewhere far
there appears the first ray of light.
Golden orange, soothing warm,
It'll be yet another day soon
A beautiful day.

Forget Michael, will India learn to rock?

Sumit Bhattacharya

September 30, 2005

Michael goes to Bed, declares Alec Smart in a tabloid headline about the Danish rock band visiting a Mumbai lounge bar. India is finally rocking, is the general feeling, with everybody from Eric Clapton to Megadeath rumoured to be India-bound soon.

Please give me a break. Somebody.

I have nothing against the mush factory's, or greats', discovery of India, but it makes my blood boil to see the marketing and media juggernaut put its weight behind anything that comes from the West, no matter how dated or clichéd it might be.

And that when we have killed some great rock music from India by our ignorance.

Like Lou Majaw, the grand old man from Shillong whose life reads better than any bestseller. He fronted a band, Great Society, that was as good as any the West has ever produced.

When he sang his Sea of sorrow, you could feel the pain of a man who had even worked as a labourer in Calcutta to survive.

I've known hunger since I was ten
Loneliness is my good friend
I've learnt to laugh when I feel sad
When I see good times turnin' bad

And when he asked you to Paint a picture, you heard, mesmerised.

Tell a man to paint a picture
To paint in sorrow, paint in pain
I will look through the eyes
Of a world driven insane

To this day, the 50-plus Majaw organises a Bob Dylan festival in Shillong every year during the Tambourine Man's birthday. But he seldom sings his own songs, songs that will give you gooseflesh with their sheer starkness. Songs like Shadow of the sun, songs like Little man.

Then there was High from Calcutta. With singer-songwriter Dilip Balakrishnan and bass man Lew Hilt at the helm, till Dilip passed away. For those of you who haven't heard Monkey's song, with its out-of-the-world chorus of Sing, sing, sing for a bottle of wine, you have missed some great music:

And he knew that his days had come and gone
But in his heart there was this burning, raging storm
To be free…

Stuck in past, I am, you think? Think again, my friend. Lew Hilt now plays in a band called HFT (High F**king Time) in Delhi. The trio – with Hilt on bass, Arjun Sen on guitar and Adhiraj Mustafi on drums – plays some sublime instrumental rock music.

Then there's 40-plus Amyt Dutta, guitar god, who just teaches students in his Calcutta house on Wednesdays and Sundays. Though he plays in a band called Skinny Alley, the mastery and emotional appeal of his guitar sound goes beyond the band's mostly alternative songs. Catch Skinny Alley live – where they shed their strictly-songs skin -- to know what I mean.

Regional bias, you accuse me of? Go catch Thermal And A Quarter (The name derived from three Mallus and a quarter Mallu who make up the band) in Bangalore with their funk-driven Phish-esque sound.

And come back to Calcutta to watch Orient Express, a ten-piece, authentic Latin rock band with five percussion players playing Latin instruments the way they should be played.

Don't miss Cassini's Division, a punk rock band with stunningly original songs, while you are there.

I am just talking about rock bands and musicians I know about. There are many I haven't heard and don't know about.

In Bob Dylan's words, 'I could forever talk to you, but soon my words would turn into a meaningless ring, 'cause deep in my heart I know there's no help I can bring.'

No record company will touch an Indian rock band -- that sings in English -- with a barge pole. They will push for sick remixes instead, and suffer plummeting sales.

No one will organise enough concerts so that musicians like Ranjit Barot, Dhruv Ghanekar, Sanjay Divecha can free themselves from studio and sessions prisons.

You will just want Pink Floyd covers from an Indian band that manages to stage a show.

And you will still go watch any old trash that comes from the West.

And we, the media, will trip over each other to catch you gushing about it.

Who has changed OUR Life??????????? ........................

Didnt write this one but I relate to whatever is written.
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When gulli-danda and kanche (marbles) were more popular than cricket ...

When we always had friends to play aais-paais (I Spy), chhupan-chhupai and pitthoo anytime ...

When we desperately waited for 'yeh jo hai jindagi', When chitrahaar, vikram-baitaal, dada daadi ki kahaniyaan were so fulfilling ... When there was just one tv in every five houses

When bisleris were not sold in the trains and we were worrying if papas will get back into the train in time or not when they were getting down at stations to fill up the water bottle ...

When we were going to bed by 9.00pm sharp except for the 'yeh jo hai jindagi' day ...

When Holis & Diwalis meant mostly hand-made pakwaans and sweets and moms seeking our help while preparing them....

When Maths teachers were not worried of our mummys and papas while slapping/beating us ...

When we were exchanging comics and stamps and chacha-chaudharis and billus were our heroes ...

When we were in nanihaals every summer and loved flying kites and plucking and eating unripe mangoes and leechis ...

When one movie every Sunday evening on television was more than asked for and 'ek do teen chaar' and 'Rajni' inspired us ...

When 50 paisa meant at least 10 toffees ...

When left over pages of the last years notebooks were used for rough work or even fair work ...

When 'chelpark' and 'natraaj' were encouraged against 'reynolds and family' ...

When the first rain meant getting drenched and playing in water and mud and making 'kaagaj ki kishtis'

When there were no phones to tell friends that we will be at their homes at six in the evening ...

When our parents always had 15 paise blue colored 'antardesis' and 5 paise machli wale stamps at home

When we remembered tens of jokes and were not finding 'ice-cream and papa' type jokes foolish enough to stop us from laughing ...

When we were not seeing patakhes on Diwalis and gulaals on Holis as air and noise polluting or allergic agents the list can be endless .................

On the serious note I would like to summarize with ...

When we were using our hearts more than our brains, even for scientifically brainy activities like 'thinking' and 'deciding' ...

When we were crying and laughing more often, more openly and more sincerily ...

When we were enjoying our present more than worrying about our future ...

When being emotional was not synonymous to being weak

When sharing worries and happiness's didn't mean getting vulnerable to the listener ...

When blacks and whites were the favourite colours instead of greys ...

When journeys also were important and not just the destinations ...

When life was a passenger's sleeper giving enough time and opportunity to enjoy the sceneries from its open and transparent glass windows instead of some super fasts second ac with its curtained, closed and dark windows ...

I really miss ........ do u??????????....???????????..................

An Evening's Dream

Here's a new one "An evening's dream". Dont know why I called it so, it could have been "A day's dream" or just "Daydream". But now that it has happened, so be it.
The idea behind this one is obvious, the dreams. We all daydream, me in particular a little too much. Some of these are fulfilled and some are not. But for me, they all do, if not in reality then in dreams. The ones that happen to you in that state of thinklessness called sleep, when all else cease to exist and what remains is dreams.
Frankly this wasn't the idea with which the lines were written, they just occured spontaneously. Three days later, as I re-read them now, the above idea makes more sense and may be more appropriate as well.

Vanished dreams of the daylight
will find their evening of realization
In the setting sun,
the golden sand and the falling leaves
sing a passion song,
for the one unknown.
No one feels lonely then,
for the moon rises above the hills
to talk to the distant stars,
and lying beneath the beautiful sky
You and I, in our respective worlds
dream with open eyes,
travel to imaginary lands
In a region of clouds
amongst the rainbows,
we talk of love
And as the night passes by
a feeling of thinklessness prevails
when just the dreams remain
and all else ceases to exist.

Burn - II

Is that what one sees
Charred pieces, ash and grease
Or does one
emerged pure
Cured of burdens
and the ghosts of the past
Bless you
My possessed soul
Are you ok now
Open up and talk
See the things
my way
Its all green and blue
everything's new
But what about happiness
And when given the option
to be the dead one
You wanted possession and prison
Its difficult to be free
Isn't it
then to be dead
or possessed
And we thought
someone burnt
But wasn't someone burning
All these years
Always.

Burn - I

Will burn someday
Just like that
Just for someone's sake
Somewhat faked up
and somewhat real
To see how it feels
Does something melt
Remember someone telling
How it felt
When its there
and when its gone
But would like to
Keep it going on
For your pleasure
and your pain
To remain
Forever.

( A Love Song Requires Effort )

How do I feel today
Couldn't have been better
For the moon is beautiful
& I can feel you smiling
This is a jasmine night
Like the one when I fell in love
and tomorrow when the sun comes up
I know I'll be seeing you
Charming just like the rose
My dreams sleep peacefully
in this winter's night
They'll wake up by the warmth of your sun
To rise above
Some realized and some just lost
Shall I curb my anxiety
Cos' someone tells me to do so
Tomorrow will come tomorrow
Till then
Let me write a love song
A song to sing for you.

My Sweet Lord

"Music touches you deep", dont know who said that but the there cannot be anything more true. Often I hear a few tunes and they just leave me spellbound. When George Harrison sung "My Sweet Lord", dont know who was the lord he was refering to. Was it the almighty or was it the lover. To me if there's ever a westernized version of sufiana music, the only song that can lay the claim is perhaps "My sweet lord". While listening to this song, many a times I felt connected, to the almighty, to the mother nature, to the ones I love. And yes true to the every word,

"I really want to see you lord,

but it takes so long, my lord"

Who is my lord, whom am I craving for, I dont know. May be I do but thats not important, important is the fact that music creates magic, a wave of positive vibrations gently swaying, making you aware of how good the life is, how good it is to be in love and to be loved.

Not surprising that I remember the feeling of love this day, somebody just whispered 'Happy Valentine's Day', well not to me though. So what am I left with, perhaps

My sweet lord

Hm, my lord

Hm, my lord

I really want to know you

Really want to go with you

Really want to show you lord

But it takes so long, my lord

In A Moment Of Doubt

Am I in love with you
Shouldn't I know it better
Or just like everything else
Let me regret it later
Wish you life
And lots of time
I'm not able to find it now
You might have taken it
Its for me to see
And to hear
Your music, your laughter
Place in my hand
That thing called fortune
I've lost mine
My words vibrate
Sometime your name
And some echoes are still left
So let them pass
Then I'll start
Questioning myself again
Am I in love with you
Or is it just a feeling
That will pass away with time
Just like you did.

Spring 2004

Anshul's trip to cicninnati

This one is from Anshul's trip to Cincinnati during last spring. I think this was my maiden trip to Newport. I remember I was still with the Residents Hall during those days and since it was vacation times, busy doing 40 hrs of job. Anshul was as always 'kutto type', he still is. My plans to going to Maryland have not materialized yet, may be coming spring.
Talks with Chul over phone have offlate become sparse, I busy with one thing or the other and he with his job hunt. Hopefully he'll get a job soon.
Talking about Anshul, 28th was Qu's b'day. Anshul as usual used the occasion, the way we say it "Quuuyaami ki bahut li". Well me to was not behind. But Qu never minds, he doesnt have one you see :)).

First Snow

December 13th, '04
Cincinnati is experiencing the first snows of the winter since yesterday. There is a shade of white intermittent all over the greens making me realize that there's still some greenery left. The green appears to be more glowing, may be I never noticed before. May its the final glow before a give up. As the color of peace continues to take over and the wind continues to grow chilling and menacing, the trees are shedding their final leaves. A brief spell of sunlight, as the sun struggles its way way amongst the clouds to have a look at the earth, results in a wonder only mother nature is capable of. Its beauty beyond words, wonder how nature can lend beauty to a setting as artificial as this; a man made jungle of concrete with conciously laid down grass and trees. And then, just like every miracle, this one too lasts for a moment, the sun hides again and we are back to reality. The snow continues and a tinge of sad gloom prevails over the campus.

December 14th, '04
Seems like it has snowed the whole night. The white which was only intermittent a day before is now starting to dominate the green finally signalling the arrival of yet another winter. I have taken out my winter jacket and so have others. Who wants to take the warth of winter's fury. Like it or not, the time has come to welcome the winter, grateful that it delayed its arrival.

Complete Strangers

What prevents you from being happy
With my happiness
I know you are human
But its easy to be god sometimes
God and good
Too much to ask for
Ain't I human myself
A bad one too
But lets overcome
Good, bad
Lets be free of it
You be you and me myself
And no likings
For you and your deeds
No dislikes either
Pure and without feelings
How I wish it could have been easy
Just like that
To be complete strangers.

Shine on me

Shine a light on me
It's been quite some time
Digging deeper and deeper
and all one sees
Dark and gloom
Know what
This wont be happening
Without you
So shine a light on me
Jungles and jungles
to bring down
And a few ghosts to bury
While the train whistles past
Somewhere away
Dont let the moment slip by
Just like that
Shine a light on me
Before your fire dies
Leaving you to cry
Like me
Why waste my tears
When you can hear
My distant shouts
Come now
My saviour, lead me
Wont you shine a light on me

Rights & Wrongs : If There's Ever Anything Like That

Rights Became Wrong

Minutes Kept Wasting

Over The Phone

And The Sweet Home

We Built

Blew In The Storm

One Night

When Dreams Got Over

The Other Morning

Woke Up And Realized

Rights Were Rights

Wrongs Were Wrong

All The Same

Nothing Changed

Except

Me & You

Haphazard

Scribbing A Few Notes

Scratching

Trying To Think

The Writting Reflects

My Mind

Turbulence

I Bend Forward

On My Table

Concentrate

Swing The Chair

Wandering Again

Thoughts

Pain, Agitation

Heart Consoles

Time To Move On

Leave Imagination

Irritation

Calm Down

Get On With The Work

Heaven - Salvation - Destination ------ Illusion

I'm Going To Heaven

Troubled At Twenty Seven

Nothing Is Concrete

& All Things Must Pass

With My Blurred Visions Intact

Take Care Of Them

If You Can

Or Just Leave

As I'm

In Course Of Time

They'll Be Another Man's Dream

For Now Let Me Go

Dont Make Me Late

For My Salvation

Going To My Destination

I Was Mistaken

By Illusions

So I Leave

And If You Think Otherwise

Correct Me

If I'm Wrong

If I Return

Empty As I Am

From My Heaven