Concert update

It was to be a concert bringing the two greats...two maestros of 'Gazal' (Gazal can be termed as a light classical indian musical genre...wherein poems written in Urdu language are sung expressively) together...Jagjit Singh and Ghulam Ali..for the first time! I have followed these two greats since my childhood...thanks to my father who was a fan of Ghulam Ali and my elder brother who became a fan of Jagjit during his college days..! I was looking forward to see them singing together.. interacting together..but something unfortunate happened. :(

I was on my way to the concert..when I got a sms from organizers that Jagjit Singh would not be able to perform due to health reasons and instead..Hariharan is going to join Ghulam Ali. I was a bit disappointed ..though Hariharan is a wonderful singer...but expectations were already set to see the two Gazal maestros together whom I have admired for years. I sincerely pray to God for his quick recovery...a great singer who made Gazals accessible and popular among masses...Jagjit Singh ji...you have been an idol for me!

Hariharan started with some of his popular gazals like ‘kash aisa koi manzar hota’.. ‘mai khayal hoon kisi aur ka’ , 'mareez-a-ishq ka kya hai’, ‘patta patta buta buta’….all with some wonderful improvisations and he created some breakthrough moments when you automatically start clapping and sighing ‘wah wah’….but with due respect to him…somehow that ‘rooh’ was missing…

Nevertheless he was simply superb when he sang what he calls ‘urdu blues’, a gazal from album kash ‘ye aaine se akele me’…. because according to him when he was composing this track the notes resembled a lot with ‘blues’…a western musical genre. I have been to few other fusion concerts..but none of them generated much interest..all sounded like an stretched & forced alliance of eastern & western forms! But here…it was a wonderful seamless fusion of western and eastern music..I just wondered how effortlessly Hariharan was playing with notes as he wished and all that play was making people wanting more & more! 

Then came the maestro himself…Ghulam Ali…but he was a pale shadow of his own brilliant past…age seems to have affected his voice…he had to put a lot of effort in singing….still he pulled it off quite nicely..through his unparallel earthy eloquence…there is a lot to learn from him in the art of engaging the audience in a performance…his style of singing  some brilliant ‘sher’s..2 liners, explaining meaning of difficult urdu words…polite manners…quoting some old interesting stories about his musical journey..cracking jokes…all was quite charming.  He was absolutely brilliant and sometimes unbelievable on Harmonium….he didn’t need another Harmonium player..he played all by himself….and it would have been just perfect if his singing was also like the old days…. I was able to understand his ideas..& what he wanted to sing but couldn’t. I was thinking oh God...if only I was born few years earlier so that I could have attended his concerts when he was at his prime...! :-)

The concert ended with a jugalbandi, Hariharan giving company to Ghulam Ali for ‘Barasan lagi’ a dadra in raag piloo (a semi classical form) …quite melodious…was good to watch audience humming the ‘dhun’ of a semi classical stuff which was not that famous either.

Overall a good concert...but one who has listened to Ghulam Ali’s old concert recordings…he’ll be disappointed…badly missing that voice and style.

Learnings...

Just thought to write down the learnings from my life so far... will try to keep adding new learnings on a daily/weekly basis...

16th July 2011:

- There are indeed some basic principles that govern the life on earth...there is definitely a 'right way' to live....and if we don't live in accordance with those principles...we find ourselves in pain, agony and sorrow. Those who lead a life in sync/ in tune with these principles, are happy forever...always filled with eternal bliss.

For example some principles are:

Honesty, Integrity, Quality, Fairness, Growth, Service etc...things that define Humanity..things that differentiate Humans from the instinct driven animals.

- The material wealth...and sensory pleasures do give us happiness...joy...and even peace sometimes...but that's not long lasting...that's transient...temporary. And the trouble is the sorrow it gives...which is long lasting...even permanent in some cases!

But the long lasting bliss...peace and happiness can be found only within...only through meditating onto our true-self...which is not just the body....we are soul...we are GOD.

Hence we must know what we should be after..in our lives...temporary or permanent?

- I do believe in Hindu spirituality's following concepts: God has given a 'free will' to human beings...and a man can find true happiness when his will is in accordance with God's will... when this free will is in sync with God's will. One must understand or must try to remind oneself...that this whole world is an illusion...and we are nothing...it's not I who is taking decisions..who is running this world....but it's the almighty! There is no 'I'... the 'Ego' is an illusion..so just get rid of this ego...and start seeing God in everything and everyone in this world.

- Man's true nature is 'Divinity' and not animality...God has given a unique quality to Humans..that makes them different from animals... discrimination & conscience...i.e. their ability to differentiate between right and wrong...truth and lie....good and evil. Every Man deep in heart knows what he's doing...and whether it's right thing to do or not. So keep a basic faith or trust in people while dealing with them in our daily lives....and refrain from the instinct driven acts.

- Instinct driven acts can give some temporary joy but eventually it erodes self-esteem and character, causes guilt and suffering. Actions based on principles...rather than the instincts...will build our character...and will lead us to happiness and satisfaction within.

- I do believe in Karma theory...'Your present is the result of your actions of the past.' And hence, if we extend the theory a bit, today's actions will make tomorrow...so in a way 'Our future is in our own hands'. So plan for the future, list down your priorities, and start working NOW...stop 'just thinking', and start acting on that thinking.

- Past is past...you can't go back in time and change it. So accept your past as a fact of your life...and remember, that your past doesn't define you. You are much more than what you have been in past...You are DIVINE. Similarly Future is non-existent..only thing that exists....the only truth is 'Present'...this very moment of time...this is what exists...Past and future don't. Hence what matters is the present...and what are we doing in the present...and only that defines us.

- Learn from past....understand what mistakes you made...and remember not to repeat the same mistakes again. The Past should be used to become wiser and stronger.

- When ever you are feeling like going for one of the many choices you have......don't commit...take a day more to think about it and then go for it. At the outset, things might look simple and straight forward, but it can get complex and tricky....so always seek more time before committing finally. Once committed...give your full effort into the commitment.

- Difficulties/Failures always teach something...and we come out stronger...and remember only those fail, who have tried....so keep trying. Sometimes, your faith is tested by God..by life...by nature....so don't loose hopes soon...keep trying your best....it's only going to make you stronger and better than before.

- There are always 2 options to choose when we come across a problem in our life - Either to face the challenge and try to find the solution...or else try to avoid it...blame others...find faults in others...blame your fate..blame God...ask God why he made me so weak..why it's always me..etc..etc. The choice is ours...and so are the results.

- Whatever the failure is...and whatever the reasons are...and whoever apart from you was responsible for that..... it's always in our best interests..if we concentrate upon our own shortcomings...if we ask ourselves...that what I could have done better to avoid this failure? Finding faults in others is always easy.

- Whatever you are today in your life...you and only you are responsible for that.... understand this and take full responsibility of your own life. Don't blame anybody else at all for your failures...and give all the credit to GOD for your success. This will make you humble...and will open the gates for further success.

Mumbai...city of slums

Mumbai....some place..! I think I have a love-hate relationship with this city....financial capital...city of dreams...city of stars...at the same time...it's also a city of slums...abject poverty.

Today I was headed to the 'Mumbai property exhibition' held in the western suburban area- Bandra... this is supposed to be one of my serious initiatives in the direction of owning a house in Mumbai...if not to live myself...then may be as an investment...

As usual... I took a local train from Borivali and got down at Bandra this Sunday afternoon....but as I looked for exit at Bandra east platform, I found that due to some walker's bridge work.. I would have to take an exit route via the slums situated near the railway lines....my goodness... the sight of those clumsy slums was heart wrenching..... so called small huts or shanties...nothing but structures made of few wooden/steel bars and some large cloth covering it from top & sides....but I think probably there was a fire accident which burned down number of huts and these structures must be temporary ones....because I have seen slums in much better conditions...

Little children inside..some sleeping...some playing....ladies busy washing utensils..near sewage water...there is dirt and shit all over the place...it was like a scrapyard....so terrible conditions to live....looked like a refugee camp out there.....'how can human beings live in such conditions...that too not for few days or months...but for the whole life?' I thought, but then I was not watching this for the first time in my life...many a times I have seen slums and poverty in this city of dreams...! But I don't know why...today I was feeling ashamed of myself....I was thinking that I am so god damn lucky to be born in a well-to-do family....Suddenly I felt that God has given me everything....I grew up in a loving family....got well educated...got a decent job...got opportunities to see the world... yet I crib.....about high rents...unaffordable housing prices... and here millions are living out their whole lives literally in a toilet! Yet I have misused whatever God gave me.....I take all this comfort for granted...!

Another thought came in ..why there is so much poverty...and why such a huge divide between rich & poor? Why some people have to live like this....and some roam in air conditioned cars....just recently I read in the newspaper that these days lots of Indians are going for high-end luxury cars generally priced around Rs. 1 crore going even upto 20 crores! Such difference...Such gap...?

I don't know the reason .....there can be many....historic...karmic....economic...

Can't everyone get at least good and honourable living conditions....? What it would take to achieve that?

I don't know the solution either....

hmmm...Forget about it man....just sporadic thoughts...as usual...and no action....you are soon going to forget all about it and carry on your selfish living...so don't try to be a sympathetic hero of only words and no deeds...you moron!

Simply Simple!

Simple people...with a smile on their face...so talented...so learned...yet so down to earth...humble..such was the experience tonight...when we went for a concert..Hindustani classical..and got to meet such simple people. An eighty year old veteran...performed with the energy of a youngster..the sight of the audience in such small numbers...didn't make him discontent...he carried on..so engrossed into his music...it was like filling the empty canavas with vibrant colours...with beautiful imagination...and the mood..or rasa of the raga was totally extracted and sprinkled all over the audience...!!

All the artists...the percussionist, tanpura wadak, harmonium player... looked so happy while performing...truly enjoying their music....

I straight away felt like....I want to live my life like this.....I want to be there on stage...I want to be with them...learn this art from such great gurus....live out my passion and be happy like them...why can't I be happy chasing my dream?

I think...never in my life till now....I have done something with full devotion..determination....I have not given my everything to one goal.... but now I feel...that this is the goal....this is my destiny....

I don't know if I will succeed or fail......moreover....that also depends on what do I consider as success..! But if I can remain true to my own heart.....and carry on...on my chosen path with complete faith in my decision....that no matter what may come ahead....ups & downs..good times bad times...if I can carry on & on & on....then the journey itself will be fulfilling and satisfying...and ever blissful....and I think this is what the success is for me......the material benefits..money...fame...power..etc..are not at all the benchmarks of success...definitely not for me!

Run Forrest Run!!

'Mama always said, Life is like a box of chocolates Forrest, you never know what you are gonna get!'

Forrest Gump.....when I first time watched the movie...since I am a music buff...grew a liking to the background score of this movie quickly....the music adds on to the appeal and the emotional quotient of the movie.

"I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time."

When Tom Hanks said these dialogues....Forrest's whole life story started moving in front of my eyes...& then when I started looking at my life so far.....I thought, yeah....may be it's both...Forrest is so god damn rite! And that's why the life itself is so interesting....full of surprises...full of everything.... oh god....thanks for granting me a human life....

I don't know when the life will end...but I think one should live his/her life by following anything else but his/her heart....just like Forrest did....because heart never lies.

Life recorded...

"Bhooli bisri...chand ummeedein.... chand fasaane yaad aaye......Tum yaad aaye...aur tumhare..saath zamaane yaad aaye"....... from the Great Mehdi Hassan saheb... takes you to a relaxed and cultured environment...so alien to today's fast paced and self-centred world.....

I bought this cassette in Mumbai when I had recently started working after my graduation....it had all old classics from Mehdi Hassan....and straight away I started liking his pure way of singing...and as usual...I associated these gazals with my time in Mumbai...with sharing the flat in Borivali with my wonderful roommates....and with some really good time spent with them roaming around in Mumbai...!!!

So everytime I listen to this gazal in particular...all those memories come alive....that's my way of memorising my life story....ever since I started appreciating music...ever since I realized that I can't live without music....I started tagging my life with music...I identify various stages of my life with specific songs/gazals. Each song recalls the memories from the past...and brings joy/sorrow...all resulting in a drop or two of tears in my eyes...hehehe...I have heard that tears are good for eyes...improves farsight..!!

I think...I can not survive in this world...it's too harsh...and there is no margin for error...there is no place for somebody who doesn't understand 'duniyadaari'. Well....goddamn...who cares abt that...I am not going to change for the sake of surviving.....jab tak jiyo...dil se jiyo..majboori me nahi..!!

Mera saya

'Tu jahan jahan chalega...mera saya sath hoga'.... did I ever write about Lataji? She is absolute bliss....her voice...with all the emotions of the world...my god....it brings tears to the eyes...listening to her songs...!!

What a voice...and what control...just perfect..isn't it? I really love to listen to her old hindi film songs...specially 60's & 70's ....when she worked with SD burman, RD burman, MadanMohan etc..

I think no one can match her when it comes to bringing out the mood and emotions of a song..theme..or a raga....and that's what makes her different...and far ahead of all other singers..!

I always wanted to sing...but alas....these days I don't feel like I can be any good in any field...the confidence is just not there....but music is the only thing where I feel at home...at peace...at my own self...hmm....now that's beer talking...!

bye bye 39 fountain street

I miss 39 fountain street.....Gautam was the last person to leave...and we no longer will see this house no more..!! Me, Gautam and Soumen 'the jhaal' had some really good time here...and I miss all that even now! We had some great parties in this house with other pals...and also out in Leeds between 3 of us..together....and don't talk about the everyday hihi-hahas...we used to have.... pulling each others leg & all. Boy....when Soumen used to take command of the kitchen...my goodness...'dhoom macha deta tha launda'...he was our speciality chef...thai specialist..hehe! Aur ye log meri arabi ki sabji...ya patta gobhi aloo nahi bhulenge...3 hrs me jo banti thi....with 'in background' Jagjit singh hardcore on offer...hehe! Bytheway...Gautam was the best cook..his biryaani..his baingan bharta were awesome...and after few drinks his college time stories...boy he's got all the stories at his fingertips...and ask him anything abt any goddamn bollywood movie...he knows in & out..!! It was really a nice time of our lives we spent together... I think aise yaar bahut kam milte hain life me....aur inke saath naata zindagi bhar ka naata hona chahiye....ye nahi ki saath choot gaya to dosti bhi..!! I'll try to be true to my word!! Amen...!!

Humility- endangered species

Khuda humko aisi khudai na de...ki apne siva kuch dikhai na de.....! Indeed if I would believe in God and if at all I would want something from God...then I would ask for that..! Humility...I consider it the greatest of all the virtues of the world. I would never want to be blinded by whatever I have got...by whatever so called qualities I think I have...but I think in today's world humility is considered as a negative trait rather than a quality...those self praising so called music directors and singers who judge these mindless musical competition tv shows....are the typical examples of that. I don't think these guys have any right to be a judge to a music competition...and to pass comments on the legendry singers and music directors of yesteryears...but they do that frequently...they are famous...and they are rich...success means only fame and money these days...so they are successful!!

Mehndi Hassan- A phenomenon of its own kind

I didn't know about Mehndi Hassan much....must have heard his name somewhere in the musical circle..nothing more than that. Well...I already had Ghulam Ali thanks to my father....and then I had Jagjit Singh and Hariharan....thanks to my elder brother..so already 3 gazal maestroes..I was familier with..and I admired all the 3....so there was no place for a 4th one..!!

But after college...during my initial days of Job in Trivandrum..sourthern part of India...a cassette happened to catch my eyes in a music shoppe...Ghulam Ali & Mehndi Hassan - First time together! I thought why not try this...lets explore who's this guy called Mehndi Hassan.

So that was my first introduction to Mehndi Hassan...and it was a wonderful experience...his voice had a unique calmness..and softness...totally opposite of Ghulam Ali's restless one!

I really took a liking to his beautiful number ' Mai khayal Hoon kisi aur ka'....a complicated and serious gazal 'Ab ke hum bichhde' in a rare raga Bhoopkali...and some Rajasthani Folk as well...and then I bought some more of his stuff...and it was really good.

His style is very relaxed and he takes his time to expand and express the meaning of gazal woven into a raga...displays all the intricacies of the raga. He normally composes the gazals in a single raga...not mixing 2 ragas..tries to maintain the purity of the raga. The calming and soothing effect is awesome...and there are no parallels to it.

World of Finance

My cousin doing his MBA today met me online, he was writing some paper which he had to submit today on the subject 'World of finance'. He wanted me also to have a look and comment. So while going through it, I thought why not try this subject today for my blog...hehehe...!

World of Finance: It’s very boring....I hate financial jargon...like investments, shares, liquidity, interest rate, CRR, etc etc....I can relate to finance only to the extent to which any other common man could relate – Managing one’s money in such a way that one can run his/her family. Now I know that ‘running a family’ is a broader term, and for different people it can mean differently, the scale can be different – for a poor farmer, it might mean being able to cater for only the food, shelter and cloths for his family, whereas for a rich man, it would be being able to live a king size life. Still, more than that, I wouldn’t know about finance. But probably that might be the root...where this finance starts....people want to feed their family, they want them to wear good cloths, they want to live in a good accommodation, basically everyone wants a better quality of life...everyone wants to improve... so there is always a need...humans always need something...they are rarely content with whatever they’ve got...that might be the starting point of finance...may be.

Now the important question...am I good at it...am I good at managing my money? I am not... but what to do...mostly I spend money when I feel like spending...ofcourse my middle class upbringing makes me think about it once or twice but it fails to stop me though...investment, future planning...these things cross my mind but yet can't stop me spending when I want to.

But probably it'll all going to change soon..! I guess everyone must give some thought about investment and making one's wealth grow..it's hight time I should start the same.

That's world of finance for me...so mean so self centered isnt it?

Schindler's List

"It's Hebrew from the Talmud that says, 'whoever saves one life...saves the world entire..!" says Itzhak stern...Oscar Schindler's Jew accountant...while presenting him a golden ring forged using the golden tooth of his factory's worker...and Schindler breaks down....and says 'I could have got more out...if I had more money...I threw away lot of money...you have no idea..!' Itzhak says..."there are 1100 people all alive here..because of you...and there will be generations because of what you did..!"
That's one of the most touching scenes of 'Schindler's list'....wonderful performances...by both Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler and Ben Kingsley (Remember 'Gandhi' ? - every middle class Indian must have seen many times on DD-1 every 2nd of Oct - Gandhi's Birth anniversary!) as Itzhak.

The Holocaust was one of the very unfortunate and shameful event in the history of human race...and it's so difficult to digest the fact that around 6 million Jews were killed in Europe just because one fanatic Tyrant...'Hitler' hated them and thought them as an impure race! And it was not just killing...but it was systematic mass murder..they chalked out plans to kill.....executed them...created reports..everything from macro to micro...was planned by the German Officials...it was all official! Whole of the government machinery was put to work for this...scientists and doctors were deployed to experiment and invent faster and lethal ways to kill Jews in bulk! The school curricula were prepared to preach antisemitism & hatred against Jews!

I had only heard of gas chambers and concentration camps...but in the movie I saw all of that..and it all looked so real...specially since the movie is all in black & white..it felt as if I am too wandering in Europe of that time..! And since I have got an ear for music.....the background score moved me a lot....it brings out all the pain and sufferings of the victims of the Holocaust....and you can feel that. I often think..that people who had to suffer all of this..,.what was their fault...only this...that they were born Jews...and they were born during Hitler's time??

Isn't that incredible, that Today there are more than 7,000 descendants of the Schindler-Jews living in US and Europe, many in Israel. Before the World War II, the Jewish population of Poland was around 3.5 million. Today there are between 3,000 and 4,000 left.

Hats off to Oskar Schindler....and hats off to Spielberg for making him known to us.

Zindagi me ek lakshya hona chahiye...lakhsya ke bina zindagi ke koi mayne nahi hain..! Imagine you are just wandering in the world with no specific reason or motif. I am going through the same patch in my life right now....I dont know what's my lakshya....and whatever I am doing...I dont know why am I doing....that's really strange..and scarry. I dont even know why am I writing this blog today....but then I think why in the world everything should have some reason...

Someone Somewhere

Aadmi aadmi ko kya dega...
Jo bhi dega...wahi khuda dega..


Gazal from the album Someone Somewhere.....the last from the duo of Jagjit & Chitra....after this Chitra just retired into seclusion....after the shocking death of their only son Vivek..in a tragic road accident.!!


Each & every gazal from this album is a gem....you will find a new sound...a new wave in every gazal!


Mere dukh ki koi dava na karo....
Mujhko mujhse abhi juda na karo..


Another gem of a gazal....a solo from Chitra...different sounds...interesting sounds...in every stenza.....I can feel the pain of a lover..who wants to be in a solitude!!


Pain can be sweet....if you are able to appreciate the talent of Jagjit & Chitra...!!!


Dekha to mera saya bhi....mujhse juda mila...
Socha to har kisi se....mera silsila mila...


Last from the album ....a solo by Jagjit...the masetro himself....typical deep voice..and small harkatein...which are trademark of Jagjit's gayaki...!! You want to listen it...again & again...that's the magic of Jagjit.


I often wonder...is this something...only I feel...or there are others as well...in this world...who do feel the sameway...?? God knows....who cares...!!!

Music & words

Expressions...?? what are they..?? Can feelings be expressed in words?? May or may not be..!! But then why there are few songs/poems ..which directly touch your soul & heart... definitely words can express feelings..to such an extent..that a dead heart can feel the beats again!!!


Then words woven with music....make it more expressive...more easily absorbable...more touching!
So when the magician of words and the maestro of gazal singing come together...it becomes a treat to listeners..gazal lovers...!!! Yes...Gulzar and Jagjit Singh..the duo need no introduction...marasim is an album by them...gift for people like us.
"Haath choote bhi to...rishte nahi chora karte...
waqt ki shaakh se..lamhe...nahi toda karte..."


That's the 1st gazal...of the album...beautiful words..rendered beautifully by jagjit singh in his velvet voice.
The pain in his voice..can be felt...I don't know from where he brings that! Such a deep and effective voice takes you in a superficial world...they call it 'shoonya' !! I think heaven is not any where else..but on this very earth...!!

managing myself

Who is a good manager?? What is that quality which is a must...in a manager? I think..above all he should have a respect for his subordinates, he should be sensitive to his subordinates.
I don't care about anything else...whether he has got the business acumen or not, whether he has good communication skills or not...whether he is hardworking or not... all these qualities are of no use, if the manager is insensitive, doesn't respect his subordinates, and treats them as resources, instead of human beings!!!
Resources ...who are to be used to gain profits, who are to be put on fire to light the corporate house... that's it they are...in the eyes of such managers...they forget that their subordinates are not just resources...they are alive human beings...!


I have seen such insensitive managers in my career till now...which makes me feel sometimes that I could have done better than those...and I don't think they can do any good to the company they work for. It is due to such managers, that many good resources ..bright talent leaves the organization...as talent is always in demand in the market...and only those..who are useless..who have got no qualifications...remain in the organization..because they are ready to lick their manager's ass..!!! I could not find any other words to express..!


But again...management is something...I never ever fancied...I have never led anywhere..in my life..I have always been a team member... be it in school...college..be it within friends...in cricket team..or in my career till now..!! I have never led a group...I have always been doing my job..in any team..and..I have always been happy doing that.
My brother always encouraged me to do MBA...get into management..since I was in 3rd year of my Engineering...infact I took coaching for CAT..wrote CAT in final year...but probably..deep in my heart I was never ready for that..!


But again...things are changing so fast in the world...I don't know..what will happen in future..with so many engineers graduating every year..compitition is throat cutting...in India...what is the future of a software engineer..that too in old mainframe technologies?


Moreover...I am not an ambitious person....I have small dreams..I want to go back to my city..I don't want to live in Metros...I would be a happy person..if I can lead a comfortable life in my own city with my family..parents..my friends!
I don't know what's there in future for me... but I have never ever planned things in my life..took it as it came to me...that's how I am ..that's how I am made..and I can't change!


Wow...now, if I read this blog from start...great deviation from the subject I started with!! :-)
Is it about me...or a good manager? :-)

Gulam ka Gulam

Sochte aur jagte.... sanso ka ik dariya hoon main..
apne gumdashta...kinaro ke liye bahta hoon mai...


Gulam Ali sings this gazal and I keep on listening it agian and again!
Although not everything is easy to understand, due to the use of difficult urdu words in the poetry, but the melody is beautiful...the very inimmitable style of Ghulam Ali..free flow of voice...and classical touch...makes me to say... 'wah wah wah' .. :-)


Sometimes I feel that Gulam Ali is even more talented than many other classical singers.
His improvisations, and imaginations are really a treat to listeners.
If I can immitate atleast 1 gazal of him...then I will consider myself a singer...of good musical acumen.

My passion

Aapko dekhkar dekhta rah gaya...
kya kahoon..aur kahne ko kya rah gaya...


aise bichde sabhi raat ke mod par....
akhri humsafar raasta rah gaya....


when I listen this gazal sung by Jagjit Singh with my headphones ..full volume..it takes me to a different world...a world of emotions and imagination.... Jagjit Singh and his Gazals have always had a deep impact on me.... what a deep and sensitive voice he has got... gives his rendering of gazals a different edge... although not that technically complicated as compared to the other gazal maestro..Ghulam Ali.... but very effective.


I am not an emotional man...very little at emotions... so sometimes when I feel totally bereft of emotions....it is at this very hour....when Gazals.. and especially Jagjit's gazals help me... they charge me with emotions and sensitivity. I once again start to feel...feel for life.


Since I have been listening his Gazals for nearly 7-8 years now.... with each and every gazal I associate some or other memories from my childhood, from my college life...so a particular gazal of Jagjit takes me back in that time.


Sometimes I feel that I like to dwell in past much more than being in present...or imagining about future....!! probably that's the reason why I like to read about history related topics.
But people say that dwelling in past is a waste... but I cant help it...and I dont care about what others think about it.


duniya parai hui....mera thikana gaya...
ansoo hain sathi mere...ab muskurana gaya....


That's the song I am listenning to..right now... Hariharan's album 'Halka Nasha'.
What a wonderful singer he too..is.... great control over the fluent voice...and such a meticulus classical training...you can see in his songs.. he is one of the 3 great gazal singers I like.


The 3rd one is not to mention..one of the toughest to mimic..or copy...or immitate... the one and only..Ghulam Ali..! His rendition of gazal...thumri..or any other light classical forms..is such a master piece that no one can sing exactly with the same perfection.
His voice is not that sweet or deep as Jagjit's voice.... but still his style is unparallel to anyone.


I still remember those school and college days.... when me and my brother..who is also a gazal fan like me.... used to discuss for hours..on gazals... comparing these 3 maestros..trying to immitate their styles..and fighting over..as who is great out of the 3.
Similarly I got a great friend in my intial 2-3 months training in Trivandrum in TCS....he was also a music lover... specially gazals... and incidently we had to share the same room in the hotel...so here that room became like a recording studio..:-)


We used to sing...immitate...discuss over music...for hours...late night...now I really crave for such a musical company...especially the music that I like.... but alas..!!! no-one is here with that taste.. so sometimes I feel frustrated.
Anyways.... that's the way it goes...it depends on an individual...if he can find the company he wants...or if he becomes like the company he has got.
wow...!!.. that sounds poetic statement..!! :-)

Tit for Tat

Yesterday I watched one program on BBC channel4, about 1972 Munich Olympic where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by the Palestinian terrorists and after that massacre Israel decided to take revenge with those who were the master minds behind this attack.
'Mossad', Israel’s intelligence agency, took up this task to eliminate all those leaders of Palestine who had some or the other connection with this massacre.
It was really surprising and awe striking to see a government run agency targeting it's enemy as professional killers. More over they assassinated their enemies not in their own country, but across Europe and Middle East. Their enemies were living or hiding in countries as Lebanon, France, Rome, Greece etc.. But they succeeded to kill all of them.




Whether it was right act or wrong… is a matter of debate….but this definitely shows what is an Israeli’s commitment to his task and the determination. Israelis showed that they value their countryman’s life, and if their 1 man is killed they kill 10, a tit for tat policy.


Whether it resolved Israel’s problems…. whether it helped to curb terrorism in Israel… a big NO…. but even if Israel wouldn’t have taken this revenge…terrorism wouldn’t have stopped…..at least this revenge sent a strong message to terrorists that they will also meet the same fate of those innocents whom they kill ……..at least it terrified the terrorists!!!


Just imagine if India can adopt such a policy with regards to terrorism…no way…are you mad…..we believe in gandhiyan way…which is a way of non violence…a way of love…, there is no place for such a revenge and bloodshed…. That’s why we see everyday some or other terrorist or naxalite or Maoist or whatever you call them, killing innocent citizens and soldiers …..but we are holding the peace talks with those, so called freedom fighters.. because we believe that we got our freedom through non violent methods…we have full faith in our tried and tested non violent formula….so we will definitely be able to win hearts of terrorists…!!!!!


Those who kill innocent children, rape women, and kill man with utmost cruelty, can they have a heart to win..??? ..and winning hearts at the cost of whom…. ??Not at the cost of those leaders….but at the cost of lives of common men..!!
This policy can never stop terrorism… if this was the case, then why Punjab needed a man like KPS Gil, to convert it to a terror free state from a terror zone…..was he preaching love and non violence there on the streets of Punjab..??