I render my apologies for being away for so long without any communication. I had actually not planned that I will not write. It's just that sometimes you don’t do much in life which is worth writing. But surely this weekend I experienced something which is as much worth writing as it is worth knowing. Here I introduce beatboxing to the uninitiated.
As defined by the World Beatboxing Community, beatboxing is the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, voice, nasal passage and throat. As per me, I think it is the coolest form of music one can hear. Without using any musical instruments a beatboxer creates different musical sounds. Enthralling - isn’t it?
The concert that I saw at Queen Elizabeth Hall of Southbank Centre, London was called “Music Through Unconventional Means”. The world-renowned beatboxer Shlomo collaborated with Gauri Sharma Tripathi, an exponent in Indian classical dance form of Kathak. Having learnt Kathak as a kid, I always wondered if the way I was taught Kathak is the only way Kathak can be. But seeing this performance of Gauri Sharma changed my opinion. She concentrated on sounds more than bols (or words); she concentrated more on the rhythms in the movements than choreography. I realised one can experiment with everything as long as one is honest in the experimentation.
I quite liked the idea of merging beatboxing with Kathak. Both forms of producing music are based on rhythms.
The collaboration did not end here. Shlomo brought on-stage an acclaimed British Tamil musician Susheela Raman. Even though she sang in Tamil, of which I understood not a single word, but who needs words when the whole ambience is taken over by the might of music. The sounds were reaching the ears with emotions that meant so much; one was free to interpret it the way one wanted. Music is a language in its own right.
I experienced enchanting music full of creative imagination. Attending such concerts gives an opportunity to listen to very good music, to experience the magic created due to synergies of different music forms, to appreciate the extent of man’s creative imagination and to wonder about the capabilities of human faculties.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I am a woman
Let me raise my head with pride,
For I have worked hard to reach here –
Let me walk straight and unveiled,
For I have lots to show and share.
Why should I be mocked at?
For my lips are coloured –
Why should I be taken lightly?
For my skirt is flared.
I can do all the work that you do,
But I can do much more –
Should you not be embarrassed?
For being such a reckless bore.
I am a creation of a woman I admire,
You too had to be created,
What then is the attitude for?
When you too had to be initiated!!
P.S Dedicated to a woman I know...
For I have worked hard to reach here –
Let me walk straight and unveiled,
For I have lots to show and share.
Why should I be mocked at?
For my lips are coloured –
Why should I be taken lightly?
For my skirt is flared.
I can do all the work that you do,
But I can do much more –
Should you not be embarrassed?
For being such a reckless bore.
I am a creation of a woman I admire,
You too had to be created,
What then is the attitude for?
When you too had to be initiated!!
P.S Dedicated to a woman I know...
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Emergency service exercise
I was watching BBC the other day and found out about the concept of emergency service exercise. The report talked about a simulation of a hypothetical scenario in which multiple locations in the United Kingdom face a terrorist attack. The exercise was to develop and practice ways and processes to be used to come out of such a situation. The report said that it took 2 days for the officials to simulate such a scenario and now it would take another 24 hours for the on-field officials to finish off the operation successfully.
The report left me a little bewildered and happy at the same. Bewildered to imagine that a simulated act can in anyway match the gravity of a real occurrence and happy to see that atleast we are not sitting hand in hand doing nothing in order to prepare ourselves for such a dastardly act.
Recently the terrorists attacks in Pakistan on the Sri Lankan Cricket team deserves the worst of condemnation. Having grown up watching Sri Lankan cricketers like Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas, I felt very sorry to hear the news. I fail to understand what is the message that these terrorists are trying to convey? I fail to understand how can youngsters like me (most of whom are intelligent, smart and opinionated) get disoriented and lost by people who clearly are spreading violence, panic, terror, anxiety and distrust all in the name of God?
The ongoing economic turmoil should be enough for us to understand that we have already created a lot of mess around in the world, let's now start the process of resurrection. Let's get together to remove the insecurity we have created in our lives - insecurity of whether I will have a job tomorrow, whether I will be able to pay for my house tomorrow, whether I will have my life tomorrow!
The report left me a little bewildered and happy at the same. Bewildered to imagine that a simulated act can in anyway match the gravity of a real occurrence and happy to see that atleast we are not sitting hand in hand doing nothing in order to prepare ourselves for such a dastardly act.
Recently the terrorists attacks in Pakistan on the Sri Lankan Cricket team deserves the worst of condemnation. Having grown up watching Sri Lankan cricketers like Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas, I felt very sorry to hear the news. I fail to understand what is the message that these terrorists are trying to convey? I fail to understand how can youngsters like me (most of whom are intelligent, smart and opinionated) get disoriented and lost by people who clearly are spreading violence, panic, terror, anxiety and distrust all in the name of God?
The ongoing economic turmoil should be enough for us to understand that we have already created a lot of mess around in the world, let's now start the process of resurrection. Let's get together to remove the insecurity we have created in our lives - insecurity of whether I will have a job tomorrow, whether I will be able to pay for my house tomorrow, whether I will have my life tomorrow!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Bollywood Award Functions
Since a child I have always had a fascination for Hindi Cinema. Due to time constraints, educational priorities and the fact that we had no cable connection in our house (which in India means having access to only Government regulated channel called Doordarshan) I got to watch very few of them. But now that I am at a point in life when watching a movie relaxes me the most, I am fulfilling my childhood wish of watching lots of Hindi movies.
Just as watching a movie is crucial for me, so is commenting on it which may be either a criticism or a compliment. I find a nice way to tally the comments I made throughout the year with the distinguished minds in Hindi Cinema is by watching the Award functions (another reason being to check out the actors, their hairstyles/costumes/makeup).
Yesterday night when I was watching the Star Screen Awards for year 2008 held in early 2009, I was so put off since the start with the presentation of the ceremony. None of the actors (male/female) were dressed up to the occasion (except for a handful). Probably because the Academy Awards held in Hollywood (Oscars) have set my standards a bit too high. Or may be coz I know that Indian actors can look so handsome/beautiful if they want to but I wonder why they come to award functions so casually dressed. Either they do not care or there are too many award functions to care. People may not have watched their movies, but they do take a note of them in the award functions.
Do I also need to add to it that the show host was absolutely distasteful? To make people laugh, he stooped down to levels one can only imagine (or probably not). He made me wonder throughout as to why I dint find any of his poor jokes funny (as audiences seemingly were enjoying them). I was in doubt since the start thinking that probably I have lost my sense of humour. Sajid Khan and sister Farah Khan were the hosts. Together with the distasteful jokes (about effiminate males and gayism), they were also passing comments on the speeches made by the recipients. For a short speech I heard comments like “For a writer like you it's surprising that you do not have way with words” and for longer speeches I heard “Your speech was just a bit shorter than your movie”. Wonder if we can use the pretext of entertaining audiences by hurting those who work hard throughout the year to achieve these awards so that they can thank those who made it possible for them?
Towards the end director Ashutosh Gowarikar (whose movie “Jodha Akbar” won many accolades including best director) had the courage to voice against it. Sajid Khan replied saying that “It is a TV show [and so we got to make fun so that audiences laugh and TRP rises]”. I disagree. It’s is not a TV show. Why does not Sajid Khan host a TV show in which he pulls people’s legs and makes distasteful jokes so that the TRPs tick northwards? This is an award function, something seen by people all over the world, something which represents Indian cinema, something which gives a chance to the fans to see their actors dancing without cuts, something for which film makers (cast and crew) work hard throughout the year to be recognised at the end. I am sorry but Sajid and Farah this is totally unacceptable!
Just as watching a movie is crucial for me, so is commenting on it which may be either a criticism or a compliment. I find a nice way to tally the comments I made throughout the year with the distinguished minds in Hindi Cinema is by watching the Award functions (another reason being to check out the actors, their hairstyles/costumes/makeup).
Yesterday night when I was watching the Star Screen Awards for year 2008 held in early 2009, I was so put off since the start with the presentation of the ceremony. None of the actors (male/female) were dressed up to the occasion (except for a handful). Probably because the Academy Awards held in Hollywood (Oscars) have set my standards a bit too high. Or may be coz I know that Indian actors can look so handsome/beautiful if they want to but I wonder why they come to award functions so casually dressed. Either they do not care or there are too many award functions to care. People may not have watched their movies, but they do take a note of them in the award functions.
Do I also need to add to it that the show host was absolutely distasteful? To make people laugh, he stooped down to levels one can only imagine (or probably not). He made me wonder throughout as to why I dint find any of his poor jokes funny (as audiences seemingly were enjoying them). I was in doubt since the start thinking that probably I have lost my sense of humour. Sajid Khan and sister Farah Khan were the hosts. Together with the distasteful jokes (about effiminate males and gayism), they were also passing comments on the speeches made by the recipients. For a short speech I heard comments like “For a writer like you it's surprising that you do not have way with words” and for longer speeches I heard “Your speech was just a bit shorter than your movie”. Wonder if we can use the pretext of entertaining audiences by hurting those who work hard throughout the year to achieve these awards so that they can thank those who made it possible for them?
Towards the end director Ashutosh Gowarikar (whose movie “Jodha Akbar” won many accolades including best director) had the courage to voice against it. Sajid Khan replied saying that “It is a TV show [and so we got to make fun so that audiences laugh and TRP rises]”. I disagree. It’s is not a TV show. Why does not Sajid Khan host a TV show in which he pulls people’s legs and makes distasteful jokes so that the TRPs tick northwards? This is an award function, something seen by people all over the world, something which represents Indian cinema, something which gives a chance to the fans to see their actors dancing without cuts, something for which film makers (cast and crew) work hard throughout the year to be recognised at the end. I am sorry but Sajid and Farah this is totally unacceptable!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tagged
Thank you Renu for tagging me to write on the above picture.
The picture above is a similar picture (in essence) that I came across last year (of my friend with her boyfriend walking hand in hand in Russia). I was so moved by the picture that I requested her to give me a copy of it on which I always wanted to write a blogpost (I have her permission to publish it on my blog). Thanks to the tag now, it will now be finally written after almost a year.
I wonder what did I find so fascinating about this picture that I so badly wanted to keep it with me and to write on it? I feel that the pictures above can be looked at for hours giving rise to myriad thoughts.
I find shaking hands very special. I know it might sound American/English style of greeting somebody, and I do think ‘Namaste’ (Indian style of greeting with folded palms in front of the chest) has its own charm, but definitely a handshake is a little more personal (while a kiss on the cheek gets far more intimate and I tend to shun it). Holding hands while walking makes so much of sense. It constantly ensures that you are aware of the presence of the person walking beside you and don't have wandering thoughts about anybody/anything else.
Holding hand means a promise, a promise not to leave it again, a promise to hold in sickness and health, a promise to be a shield in times of trouble. Walking hand in hand means walking together the tumultuous journey of life; it means a pledge to understand and undertake the ups and downs of life together.
I might have exaggerated it a bit, but then I am sure these pictures do remind us of somebody. Somebody with whom either we have walked hand in hand or would have wanted to walk hand in hand. In both the scenarios I think we have been a winner as we have proved to ourselves the level of commitment that we are willing to take, the promises that we are willing to keep. In both the scenarios we prove to ourselves that we are lucky to have come across somebody worthy of that. And if not, then we rather need to go on a search of the self!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
My Raiganj Trip
I had a genuine reason to be away from blogging for a while now. I was in Raiganj for a two week holiday. It has been the best holiday I have had in times I can remember. Let me try to give words to the overwhelming experience I went through in one of the busiest, most exciting and memorable holidays of my life.
Onward Journey:
I chose Air India to fly down to India from London (and return) over numerous European flights – reason being simple – food. And I did not feel let down as the food was indeed amazing (so much so that I told my mother not to bother herself about packing food for the return flight). The flight was very comfortable unlike what my friends had alarmed me about. Most of the time I read the book “The Shadow of the Wind” that I was carrying and rest of the time watched the movie “Naseeb” starring Amitabh Bachchan (Din’t have any good English movie option, and I din’t mind it either).
On reaching Delhi, a very close friend of mine from undergrad days was waiting at the airport. I must have caused her a lot of pain because of the wait and confusion of domestic/international terminal, but I was glad she undertook it without complaining. We are friends since 8 years now, I have never felt so touched by a gesture of a friend that I felt this time. I gave her a bag (apt for weekend travel) I bought for her in London as a wedding gift which she seemed to have liked.
In that little time that we had, as I had to catch a connecting flight to Kolkata, she showed me the largest shopping mall in India (I think in Asia as well, not sure) called Ambience in Gurgaon. We had a nice lunch and nicer conversations. For a 5 O’clock flight I managed to reach the airport at 4.15pm only to be told that my flight is closed and departing as it has been re-scheduled for 4.30pm. Phew! After not much argument, they decided to send me on a later flight with no extra charges. I was bowled over by the hospitability. Delhi airport came across as clean and not very different from London Heathrow airport in terms of management and facilities.
I reached Kolkata quite late in the night which meant that the train booked for Raiganj had already left. With no alternative we (my father and my younger brother who had come to receive me) agreed to go by bus. Father’s network helped and we got three reserved tickets on a bus. The journey from Kolkata to Raiganj was really miserable. An over-night journey with no proper seats to relax, pathetic roads, and to top it all I felt the need to go to the toilet. The bus stopped in the middle of the night for dinner. I rushed to the ladies toilet of the road-side hotel (called “line hotel”) after ordering some dinner for the three of us. My younger brother warned me about the hygiene of the food, but I decided to eat it anyway. The food served on unclean plates was very tasty - simple chapattis with tarka daal (black curry made with pulses). However the toilet completely put me off. I was on the verge of vomiting. And it is something that I felt concerned about throughout my holiday. Sanitation in India is a huge matter of concern.
Raiganj:
Raiganj was as warm as it has always been. Nothing had changed in the town (apart from the renovation my mother is getting done in our showroom). My mother had planned out lots of visits to family and friends which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found warmth in them. I found an eagerness to embrace shedding apprehensions of all sorts. I felt genuineness in their love, respect, kindness and hospitability. I felt touched. More than once did I have tears in my eyes when I bid adieu to them.
My School:
I went to my alma mater with a joy of seeing the teachers who have made me what I am today, without whom I would not have understood the importance of consistent hard work, the importance of not just reaching the top but also maintaining the position.
I was overwhelmed by the warmth my teachers exuded. They invited me for a talk so that I inspire the current students to aspire and motivate them to work towards achieving the aspirations. I took no time to accept the invitation. On a later scheduled date I spoke to the current students and got an overwhelming response from them. My school celebrates its 100th birthday in 2011 for which I have promised to try my best to gather all the alumni spread across the world on one platform. I reckon to make the celebration worth remembering for times to come.
Cinema:
One thing that I love since childhood is to go to cinema followed by a nice family dinner in a restaurant. “Luck By Chance” was on Asha Talkies and I could not resist my temptation. I coaxed my younger brother and two other kids in our locality to come along with me. My parents could not manage time to go with us for the movie on one of the three cinema halls in Raiganj (the third one generally plays adult or B-grade bollywood movies). All the hype about this movie seemed unwarranted as very soon I found my younger brother, on my left, going off to sleep. The two kids, on my right, were not able to understand what was happening in the film so I started explaining them the scenes. A group of loafer guys were making so much of noise that I myself was not able to understand half of the movie. Thankfully the storyline was the most unpredictable and boring one so it was very easy to fill up the gaps. The gang of guys would start clapping very loudly sometimes when the heroine hugs the hero or gives a sly smile or just like that with no reason which in a way helped my brother to ward off his sleep to an extent. I enjoyed every bit of my time watching Luck By Chance in Asha Talkies.
Return Journey:
It was time to go back. It was time to leave all the warmth, love, and camaraderie back and return to work. I felt weak. I cried in my bathroom or in the room which has temple in it facing God asking Him to take care of my parents and to keep them away from any worry. Coming back from holidays has always been tough for me, but this time it seemed tougher. Life gives and takes so much. Even with so much of maths that I have done, I am yet to understand and formulate the equation of life.
Onward Journey:
I chose Air India to fly down to India from London (and return) over numerous European flights – reason being simple – food. And I did not feel let down as the food was indeed amazing (so much so that I told my mother not to bother herself about packing food for the return flight). The flight was very comfortable unlike what my friends had alarmed me about. Most of the time I read the book “The Shadow of the Wind” that I was carrying and rest of the time watched the movie “Naseeb” starring Amitabh Bachchan (Din’t have any good English movie option, and I din’t mind it either).
On reaching Delhi, a very close friend of mine from undergrad days was waiting at the airport. I must have caused her a lot of pain because of the wait and confusion of domestic/international terminal, but I was glad she undertook it without complaining. We are friends since 8 years now, I have never felt so touched by a gesture of a friend that I felt this time. I gave her a bag (apt for weekend travel) I bought for her in London as a wedding gift which she seemed to have liked.
In that little time that we had, as I had to catch a connecting flight to Kolkata, she showed me the largest shopping mall in India (I think in Asia as well, not sure) called Ambience in Gurgaon. We had a nice lunch and nicer conversations. For a 5 O’clock flight I managed to reach the airport at 4.15pm only to be told that my flight is closed and departing as it has been re-scheduled for 4.30pm. Phew! After not much argument, they decided to send me on a later flight with no extra charges. I was bowled over by the hospitability. Delhi airport came across as clean and not very different from London Heathrow airport in terms of management and facilities.
I reached Kolkata quite late in the night which meant that the train booked for Raiganj had already left. With no alternative we (my father and my younger brother who had come to receive me) agreed to go by bus. Father’s network helped and we got three reserved tickets on a bus. The journey from Kolkata to Raiganj was really miserable. An over-night journey with no proper seats to relax, pathetic roads, and to top it all I felt the need to go to the toilet. The bus stopped in the middle of the night for dinner. I rushed to the ladies toilet of the road-side hotel (called “line hotel”) after ordering some dinner for the three of us. My younger brother warned me about the hygiene of the food, but I decided to eat it anyway. The food served on unclean plates was very tasty - simple chapattis with tarka daal (black curry made with pulses). However the toilet completely put me off. I was on the verge of vomiting. And it is something that I felt concerned about throughout my holiday. Sanitation in India is a huge matter of concern.
Raiganj:
Raiganj was as warm as it has always been. Nothing had changed in the town (apart from the renovation my mother is getting done in our showroom). My mother had planned out lots of visits to family and friends which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found warmth in them. I found an eagerness to embrace shedding apprehensions of all sorts. I felt genuineness in their love, respect, kindness and hospitability. I felt touched. More than once did I have tears in my eyes when I bid adieu to them.
My School:
I went to my alma mater with a joy of seeing the teachers who have made me what I am today, without whom I would not have understood the importance of consistent hard work, the importance of not just reaching the top but also maintaining the position.
I was overwhelmed by the warmth my teachers exuded. They invited me for a talk so that I inspire the current students to aspire and motivate them to work towards achieving the aspirations. I took no time to accept the invitation. On a later scheduled date I spoke to the current students and got an overwhelming response from them. My school celebrates its 100th birthday in 2011 for which I have promised to try my best to gather all the alumni spread across the world on one platform. I reckon to make the celebration worth remembering for times to come.
Cinema:
One thing that I love since childhood is to go to cinema followed by a nice family dinner in a restaurant. “Luck By Chance” was on Asha Talkies and I could not resist my temptation. I coaxed my younger brother and two other kids in our locality to come along with me. My parents could not manage time to go with us for the movie on one of the three cinema halls in Raiganj (the third one generally plays adult or B-grade bollywood movies). All the hype about this movie seemed unwarranted as very soon I found my younger brother, on my left, going off to sleep. The two kids, on my right, were not able to understand what was happening in the film so I started explaining them the scenes. A group of loafer guys were making so much of noise that I myself was not able to understand half of the movie. Thankfully the storyline was the most unpredictable and boring one so it was very easy to fill up the gaps. The gang of guys would start clapping very loudly sometimes when the heroine hugs the hero or gives a sly smile or just like that with no reason which in a way helped my brother to ward off his sleep to an extent. I enjoyed every bit of my time watching Luck By Chance in Asha Talkies.
Return Journey:
It was time to go back. It was time to leave all the warmth, love, and camaraderie back and return to work. I felt weak. I cried in my bathroom or in the room which has temple in it facing God asking Him to take care of my parents and to keep them away from any worry. Coming back from holidays has always been tough for me, but this time it seemed tougher. Life gives and takes so much. Even with so much of maths that I have done, I am yet to understand and formulate the equation of life.