Response to commenters -
There was a tenant in my house before 25 years. I was in 6th Standard then. He had a book very old and thick with yellowish pages. It was mahabharat poet and written by manbhatt. An interesting one and I read it entire one. Today I google it and found that manbhatta was some tradition and unable to locate that book now. I want to transfer the same knowledge to my children, which is base for all the success in career we have. Can someone help me find that? Being in this world of literature there are high chances that you know existence of such book and availability of that.
By V Patel on History of Gujarati Theatre by Hasmukh Baradi and ... on 4/5/11
Dear Mr. Patel,
From your note it seems like you had come across a copy of Kunwar Bai Nu Mohmeru by the poet Premanand (l636 - l734), He was one of the best Maan Bhatt of his time. As far as I know, Dharmiklal Pandya from Vadodara or Baroda is one of the best contemporary maan players today. He has provided many concerts in the tradition of Permanente. Doordarshan, Ahmedabad, has recorded many of his performances. I hope this information is helpful to you.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
'The Sahib's Dilemma' by Harish Trivedi
Copyright ©2011 First published in Muse India, May/June Issue
(Note: The octogenarian head of a penurious Indian American family finds it very hard to make both ends meet in the times of recession, and so no option but to bid goodbye to his two equally old pets.)
The news reports say that the national poverty level has reached nearly to fifteen per cent.
That may be so, but that figure probably does not include these folks we know only as the Sahib, his Missej* and their two cats - Baboo and Raja. Even in his own neighborhood somewhere in the Ohio suburb no one seems to know this family except as ‘that fellow from India and his cute wife’.
The Sahib family is living below the poverty level forever. His ridiculously low pension is not even good for their mortgage payments.
Baboo is nearly 70 years old in cat-years (fifteen-years in human years). He has arthritis, has lost his sense of smell and has a slightly impaired vision. He was also born with a neurological condition that has affected his walking. Baboo does not have any Medicare and has no HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) to cover his health expenses.
During the last few months only, the Sahibs have spent nearly $5,500 on Baboo’s health.
The Sahib is in his early 80s but he still looks youthful. His Missej is in her early 70s and looks fifteen years younger than her real age.
After being daily bombarded by the media with the news of various companies down-sizing, the layoffs, the rate of unemployment, the ever increasing rate of bankruptcies and foreclosures across the country, the Sahib was inspired to do something about his own ever increasing pet maintenance expenses and the couple’s nearly evaporated 401K account (Pension fund).
So one night, the Sahib called a little family meeting.
The Family Meeting:
The Sahib called Baboo and Raja and explained to them the state of economy, the ever-increasing expenses and the family’s very limited financial resources.
He said, “You guys are brave even though Raja runs away and hides under the bed as soon as hears the door bell ring. You have been a lot of fun and a lot of trouble too. We all have had wonderful time together the past dozen years or so. You know that, we all know about our fun times together. But I have to tell you some thing. It is very difficult for me to do this, but you know, nothing lasts forever. Even all-good things come to an end some day. I think for you guys, that day is today.”
He continued: “You have no idea about the bad condition of your Sahib’s finances … All you know is eating fancy foods, napping, eating fancy food and napping, eating fancy food … That’s the only thing you know. But let me tell you that time is over. I had to make a very tough decision. I do not know of any proper way of telling you this but I have to tell you …”
The Sahib’s voice cracked a little. He cleared his throat and continued –
“I have decided to let you guys go. You two will have to find something else to do with your lives.”
There was silence. Absolute silence. Only audible sound in that room was that of the Missej’s sobbing …
There was no evocative music to enhance the somber mood of that moment. The silence was very striking and unbearable.
After listening to his Sahib with open ears and closed eyes, Baboo, the bright one among the two cats (that is bright one compared to Raja), jumped down from his chair, came limping near the Sahib and said -
“How can you do this to us? What about all the joy and pleasure we have given you all these years? What about the guests I have hurt with my claws and scarred the hell out of them… What about my jumping and general running around the house? I did that to amuse you with my galloping gait. What about my informing you when the mailman or a delivery guy came to our door? Raja and I always sniff the newly delivered packages and make sure that the contents were safe for all of us. I have even let you take my videos when I was relaxing or cleaning my paws and my face ... I always stopped from my singing when you interrupted me by yelling at me.
“Some times when I am at the window of our dinning room and talking with the dogs next door you often shouted, ‘Stop it Baboo …’ And I always stopped… I have always obeyed your orders. Have I ever complained about anything? Don’t these things count for any thing? You cannot act like all those big corporations…you have to take our age, loyalty and love into consideration, after all we are a FAMILY, don't you understand that simple thing?
“And, tell us, who is going to adopt us old cats? Where are we supposed to go now? Do you want us to die under a car or die of a disease or you want us gassed by that inhumane Humane Society? C'mon, we know you are a kind-hearted man. We have heard Mom call you a Softy … Please, please, won’t you allow us to stay here, just for a few more years?”
Raja ever so royal and loyal had decided to find a place near his Sahib - or Saabjee as his Missej called him- with one of his paws in his lap. As usual Raja was sound asleep. As sound as only a cat could be… No one was sure if Raja had listened to any of the things that his Sahib had said…
By this time the Missej was to the last piece of her second box of Kleenexes and uncontrollably sobbing. Her nose and eyes had turned red. Baboo's nostrils were flaring (that can only be detected by the observant eyes of his Sahib or his Vet Ms Dawn). His pink nose had turned to apple-red. A tear or two had surfaced and were trying to roll down Baboo’s eyes.
The Sahib’s face had turned ashen gray. His hands were trembling. A sense of embarrassment and overwhelming feeling of guilt had taken over the Sahib’s usually calm and composed demeanor... He felt as if his heart had stopped. He could barely breathe… He tried to get up from his couch, but could not. As if all the strength from his body had drained out. Finally, with great effort the Sahib tried to stand up again and in the process he lost his balance and collapsed on the couch. The Missej requested her Sabjee not to move away from the couch. She went to the kitchen and got a glass of water for her Sahib.
Sipping some water with his trembling hand, the Sahib was quiet for some time, as if reflecting about all that had happened during the last few minutes. He looked around the room and finally looking at Baboo and Raja the Sahib said something that only this Sahib from India could say at that time -
‘Okay, you guys never asked us to be with us. We brought you here to stay with us. I believe in fate.’
The Sahib remembered the day they had brought Baboo home. The images on the Sahib’s memory screen rapidly moved backwards to the day when they had spotted a little kitten in a parking lot of a hotel where their guests were staying.
Baboo had then looked like a little panda cub… His eyes were matted and barely open … he came staggering near their car … The Missej picked him up, looked up at the kittens belly area and told the Sahib, ‘It is a BOY… We got to take this little guy home.’
She thought of a suitable Indian name for the little guy and came up with Baboo. And the little guy thus became Baboo. They thought that Baboo might be missing his siblings, so the Missej picked up Raja from a pet adoption agency. There the volunteers called him Neville. And the Missej changed Neville to Raja…
The film in the memory stopped there … The Sahib looked at Baboo and said,
‘We have had a great time with both of you. Your first Christmas and the photo session with Santa at the pet store, new collars … the warehouse full of toys that you guys never played with… The annual shots, monthly pedicures, the catnip treats…’
‘My heart tells me that we have owed you something from our past incarnations. The Missej and I are just paying our Karmic debt by taking care of you. By having you here, we are not doing any favors to you. We are just repaying what we have owed you… You guys came into our lives because of some good Karmic deeds you must have performed in YOUR last incarnation. Everything happens for a reason.’
The Sahib paused for a moment. There was a total silence in the room. He continued,
‘You guys win! You guys were meant to be with us. You will be staying with us. You will be staying with us forever …’
The Sahib wiped his eyes, looked lovingly at Raja and Baboo with a steady gaze.
The Missej was still sobbing.
Raja jumped down from near his Sahib’s side and ran towards the hallway as if signaling to Baboo that the game of chase was on.
The Sahib remembered a few lines of an old Indian movie song … ‘Life is now infused with new hope,Brothers, the days of sorrow and sadness are ove r…’ (Dukhbhare Din Beetore Bhaiya … etc.
A faint smile emerged and a soft glow could be detected on the Sahib’s face. He got up from the couch and started to walk slowly towards the bedroom.
And while walking, the Sahib said to himself, ‘Sahib, now you better think of doing something about the Missej ...’ No, that’s not true. Only a silly writer can think of such humor.
The Sahib loved his Missej too much to entertain such thoughts. He was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. His mind was numb … He was in no condition to think about anything at that time.
And before the Sahib could reach the bedroom, the Missej grabbed him from behind … The Sahib was startled and looked at his Missej… the Missej wiped her tears and said in a choking voice, “Hubbyjee, you know something? You are the greatest Hubby in the world!”
The Sahib slowly turned around, put his trembling hand over the Missej’s shoulder and pulled her close by his side and they continued walking towards the bedroom.
If this was an ordinary story, it would have ended with the predictable coda, ‘The Sahib, his Missej, and their two cats – Baboo and Raja lived happily ever after.’
Raja and Baboo do not know what was going on in their owners’ lives and we have no way of knowing what was going on in the Sahib’s mind.
Tomorrow the sun would rise in that Ohio suburb as it always has all over the world. People in that neighborhood and across the world would carry on with their lives as they have always done and one only hopes that the Sahibs too would live their anonymous lives as they have always lived …
END
* Some people in India pronounce Mrs as Missej.
(Note: The octogenarian head of a penurious Indian American family finds it very hard to make both ends meet in the times of recession, and so no option but to bid goodbye to his two equally old pets.)
The news reports say that the national poverty level has reached nearly to fifteen per cent.
That may be so, but that figure probably does not include these folks we know only as the Sahib, his Missej* and their two cats - Baboo and Raja. Even in his own neighborhood somewhere in the Ohio suburb no one seems to know this family except as ‘that fellow from India and his cute wife’.
The Sahib family is living below the poverty level forever. His ridiculously low pension is not even good for their mortgage payments.
Baboo is nearly 70 years old in cat-years (fifteen-years in human years). He has arthritis, has lost his sense of smell and has a slightly impaired vision. He was also born with a neurological condition that has affected his walking. Baboo does not have any Medicare and has no HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) to cover his health expenses.
During the last few months only, the Sahibs have spent nearly $5,500 on Baboo’s health.
The Sahib is in his early 80s but he still looks youthful. His Missej is in her early 70s and looks fifteen years younger than her real age.
After being daily bombarded by the media with the news of various companies down-sizing, the layoffs, the rate of unemployment, the ever increasing rate of bankruptcies and foreclosures across the country, the Sahib was inspired to do something about his own ever increasing pet maintenance expenses and the couple’s nearly evaporated 401K account (Pension fund).
So one night, the Sahib called a little family meeting.
The Family Meeting:
The Sahib called Baboo and Raja and explained to them the state of economy, the ever-increasing expenses and the family’s very limited financial resources.
He said, “You guys are brave even though Raja runs away and hides under the bed as soon as hears the door bell ring. You have been a lot of fun and a lot of trouble too. We all have had wonderful time together the past dozen years or so. You know that, we all know about our fun times together. But I have to tell you some thing. It is very difficult for me to do this, but you know, nothing lasts forever. Even all-good things come to an end some day. I think for you guys, that day is today.”
He continued: “You have no idea about the bad condition of your Sahib’s finances … All you know is eating fancy foods, napping, eating fancy food and napping, eating fancy food … That’s the only thing you know. But let me tell you that time is over. I had to make a very tough decision. I do not know of any proper way of telling you this but I have to tell you …”
The Sahib’s voice cracked a little. He cleared his throat and continued –
“I have decided to let you guys go. You two will have to find something else to do with your lives.”
There was silence. Absolute silence. Only audible sound in that room was that of the Missej’s sobbing …
There was no evocative music to enhance the somber mood of that moment. The silence was very striking and unbearable.
After listening to his Sahib with open ears and closed eyes, Baboo, the bright one among the two cats (that is bright one compared to Raja), jumped down from his chair, came limping near the Sahib and said -
“How can you do this to us? What about all the joy and pleasure we have given you all these years? What about the guests I have hurt with my claws and scarred the hell out of them… What about my jumping and general running around the house? I did that to amuse you with my galloping gait. What about my informing you when the mailman or a delivery guy came to our door? Raja and I always sniff the newly delivered packages and make sure that the contents were safe for all of us. I have even let you take my videos when I was relaxing or cleaning my paws and my face ... I always stopped from my singing when you interrupted me by yelling at me.
“Some times when I am at the window of our dinning room and talking with the dogs next door you often shouted, ‘Stop it Baboo …’ And I always stopped… I have always obeyed your orders. Have I ever complained about anything? Don’t these things count for any thing? You cannot act like all those big corporations…you have to take our age, loyalty and love into consideration, after all we are a FAMILY, don't you understand that simple thing?
“And, tell us, who is going to adopt us old cats? Where are we supposed to go now? Do you want us to die under a car or die of a disease or you want us gassed by that inhumane Humane Society? C'mon, we know you are a kind-hearted man. We have heard Mom call you a Softy … Please, please, won’t you allow us to stay here, just for a few more years?”
Raja ever so royal and loyal had decided to find a place near his Sahib - or Saabjee as his Missej called him- with one of his paws in his lap. As usual Raja was sound asleep. As sound as only a cat could be… No one was sure if Raja had listened to any of the things that his Sahib had said…
By this time the Missej was to the last piece of her second box of Kleenexes and uncontrollably sobbing. Her nose and eyes had turned red. Baboo's nostrils were flaring (that can only be detected by the observant eyes of his Sahib or his Vet Ms Dawn). His pink nose had turned to apple-red. A tear or two had surfaced and were trying to roll down Baboo’s eyes.
The Sahib’s face had turned ashen gray. His hands were trembling. A sense of embarrassment and overwhelming feeling of guilt had taken over the Sahib’s usually calm and composed demeanor... He felt as if his heart had stopped. He could barely breathe… He tried to get up from his couch, but could not. As if all the strength from his body had drained out. Finally, with great effort the Sahib tried to stand up again and in the process he lost his balance and collapsed on the couch. The Missej requested her Sabjee not to move away from the couch. She went to the kitchen and got a glass of water for her Sahib.
Sipping some water with his trembling hand, the Sahib was quiet for some time, as if reflecting about all that had happened during the last few minutes. He looked around the room and finally looking at Baboo and Raja the Sahib said something that only this Sahib from India could say at that time -
‘Okay, you guys never asked us to be with us. We brought you here to stay with us. I believe in fate.’
The Sahib remembered the day they had brought Baboo home. The images on the Sahib’s memory screen rapidly moved backwards to the day when they had spotted a little kitten in a parking lot of a hotel where their guests were staying.
Baboo had then looked like a little panda cub… His eyes were matted and barely open … he came staggering near their car … The Missej picked him up, looked up at the kittens belly area and told the Sahib, ‘It is a BOY… We got to take this little guy home.’
She thought of a suitable Indian name for the little guy and came up with Baboo. And the little guy thus became Baboo. They thought that Baboo might be missing his siblings, so the Missej picked up Raja from a pet adoption agency. There the volunteers called him Neville. And the Missej changed Neville to Raja…
The film in the memory stopped there … The Sahib looked at Baboo and said,
‘We have had a great time with both of you. Your first Christmas and the photo session with Santa at the pet store, new collars … the warehouse full of toys that you guys never played with… The annual shots, monthly pedicures, the catnip treats…’
‘My heart tells me that we have owed you something from our past incarnations. The Missej and I are just paying our Karmic debt by taking care of you. By having you here, we are not doing any favors to you. We are just repaying what we have owed you… You guys came into our lives because of some good Karmic deeds you must have performed in YOUR last incarnation. Everything happens for a reason.’
The Sahib paused for a moment. There was a total silence in the room. He continued,
‘You guys win! You guys were meant to be with us. You will be staying with us. You will be staying with us forever …’
The Sahib wiped his eyes, looked lovingly at Raja and Baboo with a steady gaze.
The Missej was still sobbing.
Raja jumped down from near his Sahib’s side and ran towards the hallway as if signaling to Baboo that the game of chase was on.
The Sahib remembered a few lines of an old Indian movie song … ‘Life is now infused with new hope,Brothers, the days of sorrow and sadness are ove r…’ (Dukhbhare Din Beetore Bhaiya … etc.
A faint smile emerged and a soft glow could be detected on the Sahib’s face. He got up from the couch and started to walk slowly towards the bedroom.
And while walking, the Sahib said to himself, ‘Sahib, now you better think of doing something about the Missej ...’ No, that’s not true. Only a silly writer can think of such humor.
The Sahib loved his Missej too much to entertain such thoughts. He was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. His mind was numb … He was in no condition to think about anything at that time.
And before the Sahib could reach the bedroom, the Missej grabbed him from behind … The Sahib was startled and looked at his Missej… the Missej wiped her tears and said in a choking voice, “Hubbyjee, you know something? You are the greatest Hubby in the world!”
The Sahib slowly turned around, put his trembling hand over the Missej’s shoulder and pulled her close by his side and they continued walking towards the bedroom.
If this was an ordinary story, it would have ended with the predictable coda, ‘The Sahib, his Missej, and their two cats – Baboo and Raja lived happily ever after.’
Raja and Baboo do not know what was going on in their owners’ lives and we have no way of knowing what was going on in the Sahib’s mind.
Tomorrow the sun would rise in that Ohio suburb as it always has all over the world. People in that neighborhood and across the world would carry on with their lives as they have always done and one only hopes that the Sahibs too would live their anonymous lives as they have always lived …
END
* Some people in India pronounce Mrs as Missej.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Montaigne (Michel de Montaigne)
Harish Trivedi,
© 2011
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes[1] and autobiography—and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written… - Wikipedia).
Montaigne has credited Aristotle with the maxim, “A man . . . should touch his wife prudently and soberly, lest if he caresses her too lasciviously the pleasure should transport her outside the bounds of reason.” The real source of this unromantic advice is unknown.
and more -
Like Socrates, Montaigne claims that what he knows best is the fact that he does not know anything much.
One of Montaigne’s most valuable insights is that self-knowledge is connected with the knowledge of others, and that empathy is the heart of morality.
Montaigne complained that “there are more books on books than on any other subject: all we do is gloss each other.”
“Be born,” “Do a good job, but not too good a job,” and “Question everything.” But the one that resonates most strongly with his biographer Ms. Sarah Bakewell is “Read a lot, forget most of what you read and be slow-witted.” Somewhat unconsciously or sub-consciously I live by the last dicta of Montaigne.
The above is just a tip of the iceburg (lettuce), for a whole salad bar read Montaigne's Essays. Still in print after some four-hundred years. His book of essays was banned for nearly two-hundred years by the Vatican.
He is considered to be master of digression and often his essays are too revealatory. Montaigne informed his readers about his small penis (no wonder that the Vatican found his writings objectionable) what kind of wines he liked, women he liked... so on and so forth.
As a matter of fact, Montaigne is credited with 'inventing' the art of essay.
Montaigne retired from public life in 1570 and a little over a quarter century later British British philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon published his own collection of small pieces in 1597.
Montaigne essays melds the intellectual and the personal, and his musings have inspired countless writers, including William Hazlitt, Friedrich Nietzsche and Virginia Woolf.
This idea — writing about oneself to create a mirror in which other people recognize their own humanity — has not existed forever,” Ms. Bakewell writes. “It had to be invented. And, unlike many cultural inventions, it can be traced to a single person.”
Ms. Sarah Bakewell is the winner of the National Critic Circle Award this year (announced only two days back) for her biography of Montaigne titled "How to Live" with the sub-title “Or a Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer” published by the Other Press.
Written by Harish Trivedi and based on Anthony Gottleib's essay, Montaigne Moment, NYT, Sunday, March 13, 2011 and Patricia Cohen's review of Sarah Bakewell's biography of Montaigne ' How to Live' (NYT Dec. 17, 2010)
Few more Montaigne bon mots –
Selected by Harish Trivedi
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them.
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind than it does on the face.
Ambition is not a vice of little people.
An unattempted lady could not vaunt of her chastity.
An untempted woman cannot boast of her chastity.
Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity
Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.
Death, they say, acquits us of all obligations.
© 2011
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes[1] and autobiography—and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written… - Wikipedia).
Montaigne has credited Aristotle with the maxim, “A man . . . should touch his wife prudently and soberly, lest if he caresses her too lasciviously the pleasure should transport her outside the bounds of reason.” The real source of this unromantic advice is unknown.
and more -
Like Socrates, Montaigne claims that what he knows best is the fact that he does not know anything much.
One of Montaigne’s most valuable insights is that self-knowledge is connected with the knowledge of others, and that empathy is the heart of morality.
Montaigne complained that “there are more books on books than on any other subject: all we do is gloss each other.”
“Be born,” “Do a good job, but not too good a job,” and “Question everything.” But the one that resonates most strongly with his biographer Ms. Sarah Bakewell is “Read a lot, forget most of what you read and be slow-witted.” Somewhat unconsciously or sub-consciously I live by the last dicta of Montaigne.
The above is just a tip of the iceburg (lettuce), for a whole salad bar read Montaigne's Essays. Still in print after some four-hundred years. His book of essays was banned for nearly two-hundred years by the Vatican.
He is considered to be master of digression and often his essays are too revealatory. Montaigne informed his readers about his small penis (no wonder that the Vatican found his writings objectionable) what kind of wines he liked, women he liked... so on and so forth.
As a matter of fact, Montaigne is credited with 'inventing' the art of essay.
Montaigne retired from public life in 1570 and a little over a quarter century later British British philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon published his own collection of small pieces in 1597.
Montaigne essays melds the intellectual and the personal, and his musings have inspired countless writers, including William Hazlitt, Friedrich Nietzsche and Virginia Woolf.
This idea — writing about oneself to create a mirror in which other people recognize their own humanity — has not existed forever,” Ms. Bakewell writes. “It had to be invented. And, unlike many cultural inventions, it can be traced to a single person.”
Ms. Sarah Bakewell is the winner of the National Critic Circle Award this year (announced only two days back) for her biography of Montaigne titled "How to Live" with the sub-title “Or a Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer” published by the Other Press.
Written by Harish Trivedi and based on Anthony Gottleib's essay, Montaigne Moment, NYT, Sunday, March 13, 2011 and Patricia Cohen's review of Sarah Bakewell's biography of Montaigne ' How to Live' (NYT Dec. 17, 2010)
Few more Montaigne bon mots –
Selected by Harish Trivedi
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them.
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind than it does on the face.
Ambition is not a vice of little people.
An unattempted lady could not vaunt of her chastity.
An untempted woman cannot boast of her chastity.
Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity
Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.
Death, they say, acquits us of all obligations.
Natwar Gandhi’s Pennsylvania Avenue sonnet collection released in Mumbai
By Harish Trivedi
© 2011
According to the PDF copies of news articles and interviews forwarded to friends by Natwar Gandhi, on February 11, 2011 a new collection of his sonnets titled Pennsylvania Avenue was released in Mumbai with much fanfare and aplomb.
(I got the abovementioned forward from a kind friend who keeps me informed about such goings on here as well as in India and even from across the world).
But let’s move on -
Book release parties in the big cities like Mumbai are more or less formulaic – readings from the works of the writer/poet/playwright, speech full of lavish praise by the publisher who also acts as a cheer-leader- in- chief for his client writer/poet what have you… attendance by available writers or client writers of the publishing house, other literati, journalists and hangers on make a large part of audience at such gatherings. The gala event for the release of Pennsylvania Avenue was no exception.
The world renowned Santoor player and the current president of the Indo-American Society (and a good friend) Snehal Mozoomdar (his preferred spelling) made introductory remarks, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, the octogenarian poet – much respected and admired for his Gazals and Sonnets, journalist, past president of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad presided over the event. Suresh Dalal - a poet, critic, columnist and an impresario who is known for hosting his client writers book-launch parties and the chief honcho at the publishing house Image Publications of Mumbai made incidental and predictable remarks praising Natwar Gandhi to high heavens. (For an alleged 100,000 to 200,000 rupees a book this things don’t come cheap). Incidentally, the Image Publications had also published Natwar Gandhi’s earlier sonnet collections America, America (2004) and India, India (2006).
Noted actors, poets such as Utkarsh Mazumdar, Ankit Trivedi, Chirag Vora, and Panna Naik et al provided dramatic reading of some of the poems by Natwar Gandhi.
At the book release event in Mumbai, everything was great no everything was fantastic. Some may even call it awesome and why not? Every one must have had a jolly good time and satisfaction of having attended a literary event (that it was). Even cynics like me are impressed – I particularly love the amount of the hot air that the speakers blow at such occasions. I was so overjoyed by reading the description of event in Chitralekha (March 7, 2011) and an interview with Natwar Gandhi accompanied by big photos in Mumbai Samachar ((February 26, 2011) that I dashed off an email congratulating Natwarbhai Gandhi. I must say that Natwar Gandhi’s poems make enjoyable reading. So more power to him! May he write many more poems and essays for our enjoyment and entertainment.
So if you are wondering, why am I writing about a month old book release party in Mumbai? Wonder no more…
It is the irony of this whole shindig (the book release party or the Vimochan samaramb for the launching of Pennsylvania Avenue in Mumbai) that I could not miss noticing.
The Image Publications of Mumbai, publishers of the Pennsylvania Avenue is known for being one of the more popular vanity publishers and it thrives on publishing works by NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for big bucks. If your work is published by the Image Publications, pre and post publicity of your work is guaranteed. As the name suggests, these folks are image-makers. This is a business and I am not quarreling with Image Publication’s business practices. But it would be nice if the newspaper that carries Suresh Dalal’s column recognizes the conflict of interest when Suresh Dalal fawns over or indulges in openly apple-polishing every book that his company publishes in his columns. One feels like wiping off the drool after reading such columns.
Having said this, let’s look at some excerpts from the much discussed and much praised essay titled Gujarati Diaspora Writing--A Call for Independence by none other than Natwar Gandhi. He has publicly criticized such events and diaspora writers who seek out approval from Indian critics etc.
‘We look to India to get a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval…’
‘Dependence of Diaspora
‘Gujarati NRI writers look homeward for approval particularly for what they write. They strive to get good reviews and they get them easily in India. A North American return address on the envelope or a call from North America works wonders in India. As long as you are willing to pay, Indian publishers are willing to print and publish any rubbish any one pretending to be a writer comes up with. They would even hold a book party at your expense. Eminent Gujarati writers would show up at book parties to give their blessings. Photographers are at the ready and for the right price the newspapers are eager to publish the “news” of the party with appropriate pictures. Favorable forewords and book reviews can also be bought. NRI doctor, engineer or accountant is now an established novelist or poet! TV and radio interviews soon follow.’
‘This game is mutually satisfactory. The NRI’s long deferred dream of being a writer is realized while the publisher or a promoter makes a fast buck. The promoter’s dream of making an all expense paid trip to the United States might also be realized. A favorable foreword, a follow up column along with a literary prize could make such a trip a reality’.
‘The NRI writer who would happen to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant is often lauded for his literary interests. He is also applauded for being a good ambassador of Indian culture and literature in the United States. …In short, it is a sham’.
This proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he so strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah (pronounced hutspa)? or just plain audacity of hype - You be the judge.
© 2011
According to the PDF copies of news articles and interviews forwarded to friends by Natwar Gandhi, on February 11, 2011 a new collection of his sonnets titled Pennsylvania Avenue was released in Mumbai with much fanfare and aplomb.
(I got the abovementioned forward from a kind friend who keeps me informed about such goings on here as well as in India and even from across the world).
But let’s move on -
Book release parties in the big cities like Mumbai are more or less formulaic – readings from the works of the writer/poet/playwright, speech full of lavish praise by the publisher who also acts as a cheer-leader- in- chief for his client writer/poet what have you… attendance by available writers or client writers of the publishing house, other literati, journalists and hangers on make a large part of audience at such gatherings. The gala event for the release of Pennsylvania Avenue was no exception.
The world renowned Santoor player and the current president of the Indo-American Society (and a good friend) Snehal Mozoomdar (his preferred spelling) made introductory remarks, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, the octogenarian poet – much respected and admired for his Gazals and Sonnets, journalist, past president of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad presided over the event. Suresh Dalal - a poet, critic, columnist and an impresario who is known for hosting his client writers book-launch parties and the chief honcho at the publishing house Image Publications of Mumbai made incidental and predictable remarks praising Natwar Gandhi to high heavens. (For an alleged 100,000 to 200,000 rupees a book this things don’t come cheap). Incidentally, the Image Publications had also published Natwar Gandhi’s earlier sonnet collections America, America (2004) and India, India (2006).
Noted actors, poets such as Utkarsh Mazumdar, Ankit Trivedi, Chirag Vora, and Panna Naik et al provided dramatic reading of some of the poems by Natwar Gandhi.
At the book release event in Mumbai, everything was great no everything was fantastic. Some may even call it awesome and why not? Every one must have had a jolly good time and satisfaction of having attended a literary event (that it was). Even cynics like me are impressed – I particularly love the amount of the hot air that the speakers blow at such occasions. I was so overjoyed by reading the description of event in Chitralekha (March 7, 2011) and an interview with Natwar Gandhi accompanied by big photos in Mumbai Samachar ((February 26, 2011) that I dashed off an email congratulating Natwarbhai Gandhi. I must say that Natwar Gandhi’s poems make enjoyable reading. So more power to him! May he write many more poems and essays for our enjoyment and entertainment.
So if you are wondering, why am I writing about a month old book release party in Mumbai? Wonder no more…
It is the irony of this whole shindig (the book release party or the Vimochan samaramb for the launching of Pennsylvania Avenue in Mumbai) that I could not miss noticing.
The Image Publications of Mumbai, publishers of the Pennsylvania Avenue is known for being one of the more popular vanity publishers and it thrives on publishing works by NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for big bucks. If your work is published by the Image Publications, pre and post publicity of your work is guaranteed. As the name suggests, these folks are image-makers. This is a business and I am not quarreling with Image Publication’s business practices. But it would be nice if the newspaper that carries Suresh Dalal’s column recognizes the conflict of interest when Suresh Dalal fawns over or indulges in openly apple-polishing every book that his company publishes in his columns. One feels like wiping off the drool after reading such columns.
Having said this, let’s look at some excerpts from the much discussed and much praised essay titled Gujarati Diaspora Writing--A Call for Independence by none other than Natwar Gandhi. He has publicly criticized such events and diaspora writers who seek out approval from Indian critics etc.
‘We look to India to get a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval…’
‘Dependence of Diaspora
‘Gujarati NRI writers look homeward for approval particularly for what they write. They strive to get good reviews and they get them easily in India. A North American return address on the envelope or a call from North America works wonders in India. As long as you are willing to pay, Indian publishers are willing to print and publish any rubbish any one pretending to be a writer comes up with. They would even hold a book party at your expense. Eminent Gujarati writers would show up at book parties to give their blessings. Photographers are at the ready and for the right price the newspapers are eager to publish the “news” of the party with appropriate pictures. Favorable forewords and book reviews can also be bought. NRI doctor, engineer or accountant is now an established novelist or poet! TV and radio interviews soon follow.’
‘This game is mutually satisfactory. The NRI’s long deferred dream of being a writer is realized while the publisher or a promoter makes a fast buck. The promoter’s dream of making an all expense paid trip to the United States might also be realized. A favorable foreword, a follow up column along with a literary prize could make such a trip a reality’.
‘The NRI writer who would happen to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant is often lauded for his literary interests. He is also applauded for being a good ambassador of Indian culture and literature in the United States. …In short, it is a sham’.
This proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he so strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah (pronounced hutspa)? or just plain audacity of hype - You be the judge.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Jaipur Literature Festival and Gujarati Writers
By Harish Trivedi
© 2011
Recently a revered Gujarati scholar and journalist Deepakbhai Mehta lamented about the absence of Gujarati writers and the absence of a vast majority of writers from other states in India at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival.
Deepakbhai’s article appeared the Gujarati daily Mumbai Samachar under the section that is called Dialogue, but in effect it was a monologue.
This is my humble effort to turn that monologue in to a true dialogue.
Deepakbhai starts out by mocking at the festival being described as The Greatest Show on Earth.
Background about the phrase:
It is said that the great impresario and circus owner P. T. Barnum coined the phrase The Greatest Show on Earth and by1872, Barnum was already referring to his enterprise as 'THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH' - and it was! 'P.T. Barnum's Traveling World's Fair, Great Roman Hippodrome and Greatest Show On Earth' It covered five acres and accommodated 10,000 seated patrons at a time ... and, to reach more people, took to the rails and traveled across the country and also took the show to England. Queen Victoria is reported to have been very impressed and amused by the show.
The phrase The Greatest Show on Earth is a copyright phrase owned by P.T. Barnum and Bailey Circus. (The full name is RINGLING BROS.-BARNUM & BAILEY COMBINED SHOWS, INC.) The company has filed lawsuites to protect their copyright for the phrase and has won it everytime in the courts of law in the United States.
In 1952 there was a movie titled The Greatest Show on Earth. It was a drama film set in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The film was produced, directed, and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie had lavish production values, actual circus acts, and documentary, behind-the-rings looks at the massive logistics effort which made big top circuses possible. Bosley Crowther, the esteemed New York Times critic called the movie a "lusty triumph of circus showmanship and movie skill" and a "piece of entertainment that will delight movie audiences for years"
Richard Dawkins' 2009 best seller is titled The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution.
For over a century the phrase is used to describe any big or spectacular event. It is in this sense that Tina Brown described the Jaipur event as the greatest show on earth.
Tina Brown, the legendary editor of such internationally known magazines as the Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, described the Jaipur Literature Festival as the Greatest Literary Show on Earth. She is the founder and editor of the webzine the Daily Beast. Recently the weekly news magazine Newsweek merged with the Daily Beast. Tina Brown acts as an Executive Editor for both the publications.
Deepakbhai is critical of the construction company DSC for being the major sponsor of the Jaipur event. Forget the fact that the Sahitya Academy, the National Book Trust and nearly a dozen Gujarati publishers stage book fairs each year and some even host similar events (Pustak Melo) fair many a times during the year. Gujarati publishers host such events at their own expense. The Sahitya Academy and the National Book Trust host such events by using taxpayers’ money. These government bodies even participate in international book fairs at the taxpayers’ expense. So why is Deepakbhai criticizing the DSC and its many sponsors?
Further on Deepakbhai states that the Jaipur Literature Festival is not similar to (meaning not as good as) the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad and the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.
On one hand the scholar criticizes the lack of marketing by the Sahitya Academy affecting sales of its publications, but then he is quick to mock the Jaipur event as a product of modern marketing and criticizes the advertising agencies that supports the Jaipur Festival. This does not make any sense, does it?
The advertising agencies or major multi-nationals that sponsor such events look at the audience, the demographics, and the segment of population that would attend such event and the prestige of participating in such event itself.
Can the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad provide the demographics that these agencies are covet?
Then Deepakbhai accuses that the sponsors of the Jaipur Festival look for English publications that are either popular or controversial. Nothing could be farther from truth. Just look up the names of literary celebrities that attended the Jaipur Literature Festival – 2011 in the attached document.
The Jaipur event is open to all; any one can attend the event. Folks who want to attend as a ‘Delegate’ have to pay fees that cover their lunch etc. I am sure some of the multi-national publishing houses pick up the tab of ‘their’ writers to showcase those writers’ work. Are there any Gujarati publishers who are willing to pick up a tab for their writers?
How many Gujarati publishers advertise their publications in newspapers and magazines? How many novels, short story and poetry collections are reviewed in Gujarati newspapers? How many Gujarati books are sold each year? The publication scene for the Gujarati language is pathetic, to say the least. Here is a question: Since the Jaipur Literature Festival was open to all, did Deepakbhai attend the event and write a first hand review of the event? How many Gujarati newspapers sent their reporters to cover this major international publishing event?
How are people from beyond Gujarat to know about Gujarati literature if the Gujarati literary establishment and governmental agencies do not make concerted effort to publicize the works of major Gujarati writers? Why criticize modern marketing methods - the potent tool of marketing in this age of globalization?
Deepakbhai laments the absence of writers from many other Indian states… The event, as mentioned above was open to all so if writers from any state could have attended the event if they wanted to attend. Why blame the Jaipur event sponsors for it? The sponsors of the Jaipur festival are not obligated to have representation from every state of India. Where did Deepakbhai get this idea?
Name-calling the English literary works is not productive and diminishes not only good writers but it also diminishes the person who makes such ignorant remarks.
Deepakbhai wonders if prominent public servants such as Kapil Sibal, Manishankar Aiyar or Nirupama Mennon Rao have written any books and thus casts a shadow on the ability of these individuals to write anything worthwhile. So for record, let me say a few words about these people who were unnecessarily maligned by Deepakbhai.
An Anthology of Kapil Sibal's poems titled \"i witness\" was published by Roli Books in 2008. He has also contributed several articles on various topical issues in national dailies and periodicals.
Manishankar Aiyar has written several books including Remembering Rajiv", Rupa, New Delhi, 1992, "One Year in Parliament", Konark, New Delhi, 1993, "Pakistan Papers", UBSPD, New Delhi, 1994 and numerous newspaper articles.
Nirupama Menon Rao is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, and the current Foreign Secretary of India, serving the External Affairs Ministry.
She has also served as Ambassador of India to China, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Moscow and as a Minister at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. Nirupama Rao has written a book of poetry, named Rain Rising. Her poems have been translated into Chinese and Russian.Nirupama Rao’ speech/article at Singapore Consortium for China-India Dialogue titled Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of India and China: A twenty first century perspective should be a ‘must’ reading to any self professed Tagore expert.
Now everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions. Unfortunately the opinion expressed by Deepakbhai are tinted by his provincial and myopic understanding of how international literary events are organized, his views are based on mere speculation, and he does not provide any evidence to substantiate his rant.
We have a phrase for such attitude. It is called sour grapes. The phrase refers to envious behaviour, especially pretending to not care for something one does not or cannot have, a condition called cognitive dissonance.
© 2011
Recently a revered Gujarati scholar and journalist Deepakbhai Mehta lamented about the absence of Gujarati writers and the absence of a vast majority of writers from other states in India at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival.
Deepakbhai’s article appeared the Gujarati daily Mumbai Samachar under the section that is called Dialogue, but in effect it was a monologue.
This is my humble effort to turn that monologue in to a true dialogue.
Deepakbhai starts out by mocking at the festival being described as The Greatest Show on Earth.
Background about the phrase:
It is said that the great impresario and circus owner P. T. Barnum coined the phrase The Greatest Show on Earth and by1872, Barnum was already referring to his enterprise as 'THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH' - and it was! 'P.T. Barnum's Traveling World's Fair, Great Roman Hippodrome and Greatest Show On Earth' It covered five acres and accommodated 10,000 seated patrons at a time ... and, to reach more people, took to the rails and traveled across the country and also took the show to England. Queen Victoria is reported to have been very impressed and amused by the show.
The phrase The Greatest Show on Earth is a copyright phrase owned by P.T. Barnum and Bailey Circus. (The full name is RINGLING BROS.-BARNUM & BAILEY COMBINED SHOWS, INC.) The company has filed lawsuites to protect their copyright for the phrase and has won it everytime in the courts of law in the United States.
In 1952 there was a movie titled The Greatest Show on Earth. It was a drama film set in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The film was produced, directed, and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie had lavish production values, actual circus acts, and documentary, behind-the-rings looks at the massive logistics effort which made big top circuses possible. Bosley Crowther, the esteemed New York Times critic called the movie a "lusty triumph of circus showmanship and movie skill" and a "piece of entertainment that will delight movie audiences for years"
Richard Dawkins' 2009 best seller is titled The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution.
For over a century the phrase is used to describe any big or spectacular event. It is in this sense that Tina Brown described the Jaipur event as the greatest show on earth.
Tina Brown, the legendary editor of such internationally known magazines as the Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, described the Jaipur Literature Festival as the Greatest Literary Show on Earth. She is the founder and editor of the webzine the Daily Beast. Recently the weekly news magazine Newsweek merged with the Daily Beast. Tina Brown acts as an Executive Editor for both the publications.
Deepakbhai is critical of the construction company DSC for being the major sponsor of the Jaipur event. Forget the fact that the Sahitya Academy, the National Book Trust and nearly a dozen Gujarati publishers stage book fairs each year and some even host similar events (Pustak Melo) fair many a times during the year. Gujarati publishers host such events at their own expense. The Sahitya Academy and the National Book Trust host such events by using taxpayers’ money. These government bodies even participate in international book fairs at the taxpayers’ expense. So why is Deepakbhai criticizing the DSC and its many sponsors?
Further on Deepakbhai states that the Jaipur Literature Festival is not similar to (meaning not as good as) the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad and the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.
On one hand the scholar criticizes the lack of marketing by the Sahitya Academy affecting sales of its publications, but then he is quick to mock the Jaipur event as a product of modern marketing and criticizes the advertising agencies that supports the Jaipur Festival. This does not make any sense, does it?
The advertising agencies or major multi-nationals that sponsor such events look at the audience, the demographics, and the segment of population that would attend such event and the prestige of participating in such event itself.
Can the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad provide the demographics that these agencies are covet?
Then Deepakbhai accuses that the sponsors of the Jaipur Festival look for English publications that are either popular or controversial. Nothing could be farther from truth. Just look up the names of literary celebrities that attended the Jaipur Literature Festival – 2011 in the attached document.
The Jaipur event is open to all; any one can attend the event. Folks who want to attend as a ‘Delegate’ have to pay fees that cover their lunch etc. I am sure some of the multi-national publishing houses pick up the tab of ‘their’ writers to showcase those writers’ work. Are there any Gujarati publishers who are willing to pick up a tab for their writers?
How many Gujarati publishers advertise their publications in newspapers and magazines? How many novels, short story and poetry collections are reviewed in Gujarati newspapers? How many Gujarati books are sold each year? The publication scene for the Gujarati language is pathetic, to say the least. Here is a question: Since the Jaipur Literature Festival was open to all, did Deepakbhai attend the event and write a first hand review of the event? How many Gujarati newspapers sent their reporters to cover this major international publishing event?
How are people from beyond Gujarat to know about Gujarati literature if the Gujarati literary establishment and governmental agencies do not make concerted effort to publicize the works of major Gujarati writers? Why criticize modern marketing methods - the potent tool of marketing in this age of globalization?
Deepakbhai laments the absence of writers from many other Indian states… The event, as mentioned above was open to all so if writers from any state could have attended the event if they wanted to attend. Why blame the Jaipur event sponsors for it? The sponsors of the Jaipur festival are not obligated to have representation from every state of India. Where did Deepakbhai get this idea?
Name-calling the English literary works is not productive and diminishes not only good writers but it also diminishes the person who makes such ignorant remarks.
Deepakbhai wonders if prominent public servants such as Kapil Sibal, Manishankar Aiyar or Nirupama Mennon Rao have written any books and thus casts a shadow on the ability of these individuals to write anything worthwhile. So for record, let me say a few words about these people who were unnecessarily maligned by Deepakbhai.
An Anthology of Kapil Sibal's poems titled \"i witness\" was published by Roli Books in 2008. He has also contributed several articles on various topical issues in national dailies and periodicals.
Manishankar Aiyar has written several books including Remembering Rajiv", Rupa, New Delhi, 1992, "One Year in Parliament", Konark, New Delhi, 1993, "Pakistan Papers", UBSPD, New Delhi, 1994 and numerous newspaper articles.
Nirupama Menon Rao is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, and the current Foreign Secretary of India, serving the External Affairs Ministry.
She has also served as Ambassador of India to China, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Moscow and as a Minister at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. Nirupama Rao has written a book of poetry, named Rain Rising. Her poems have been translated into Chinese and Russian.Nirupama Rao’ speech/article at Singapore Consortium for China-India Dialogue titled Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of India and China: A twenty first century perspective should be a ‘must’ reading to any self professed Tagore expert.
Now everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions. Unfortunately the opinion expressed by Deepakbhai are tinted by his provincial and myopic understanding of how international literary events are organized, his views are based on mere speculation, and he does not provide any evidence to substantiate his rant.
We have a phrase for such attitude. It is called sour grapes. The phrase refers to envious behaviour, especially pretending to not care for something one does not or cannot have, a condition called cognitive dissonance.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Re: Gazal-kaars, gazal singers, bhajans and bhajan singers
On a recent visit to India, the esteemed Gujarati writer Madhu Rye made remarks about Gazal writers who write absolutely abominable gazals and then email the same to zillions of people. Mr. Rye's made these remarks in Surat, the home town of noted' reputable/ certified Gazalkar Bhagwatikumar Sharma. Mr.Rye's comments erupted in to a crazy conflagration of fuming email discussions from the self-styled aficionados of Gazals that was stopped only when a well meaning and sane Gujarati columnist asked those folks to put an end to that silly tirade against Madhu Rye. (I must confess that I had contributed a comment or two in support of Madhu Rye.).
Wasn't that William Shakespeare who said or may be he should have said,
'Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time.
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
These so-called Gazalkaars are but a walking shadows, a poor players
Who strut and fret their hour upon the stage of cyber-space,
And then is heard no more. Their gazals are tall tales
Told by idiots, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. ..'
So why were these folks so upset about Madhu Rye's criticism of Gazalias or Gazalkaars?
I think all these people who keep forwarding these so-called Gazals should be banned from traveling the cyber-highways.
These new breed of Gazalkaars are nothing but self-hating and generally, what we call losers, they are no Omar Khayyams or Ghalibs or Rumis. Not even Chinoo or Manhar Modys or various Dahiwalas, Dudhwalas, Gheewalas... or Telwalas
And how about the Gazal singers who stretch one note of Jee that seem to be eternity? And the same crazies applaud the Gazal singer when the irritating Jeeing ends.
I have a strong dislike for folks who keep on sending me the inspirational stuff with cute photos of babies or animals or some stolen or perhaps photoshopped nature-scenes, all usually accompanied by Enya-like or New Age-ish type music. And while talking about annoyances, have you ever thought as to why those kids in the TV commercials for adoption and help never seem to get OLD?
And now talking about 'old', do you remember in the old times every Hindi movie had one mandatory song as if just written and sung for the beggars in the trains or on the streets? Songs such as Tumhare se tumse daya mangte hey,... whatever happened to those kind of songs? The orphan's song that I have just quoted is now sung in our local temple as a regulation prayer! As they say, Go figure...
These has led me to think about the devotional songs or Bhajans that are crafted in the movie song melodies. If I am not mistaken, the trend was started by THE Punit Maharaj. At a very young age I had the misfortune to listen to him in Ahmedabad - accompanied by my parents - as I was too young to be left home alone. That experience has left such a big scar on my psyche that I still remember it with a shudder going thru my spine. One of our local priests at the Hindu temple also sings some bhajans that are all sung in the style of popular movie songs... I don't know, may be I am too old-fashioned and not quite familiar with modern practices of worship and bhajan singing.
Now, as you may already know there are perfectly good bhajans written by Kabeer, Surdas, Meera, Dayaram etc. for singing in the classical ragas and all those bhajans are melodious and easy on ears too. So why was there a necessity of composing bhajans in filmy tunes?
The reason for this deterioration is simple - the writers do not know classical music and do not have any knowledge of writing in meters as defined by the Pingal Shashtras.
I just cannot even think of such stuff without getting real upset, brining my blood to the boiling point and breaking my thermometer...
Now I'll have to go and get some special medication to calm me down.
Harish Trivedi
- with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek...
Wasn't that William Shakespeare who said or may be he should have said,
'Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time.
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
These so-called Gazalkaars are but a walking shadows, a poor players
Who strut and fret their hour upon the stage of cyber-space,
And then is heard no more. Their gazals are tall tales
Told by idiots, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. ..'
So why were these folks so upset about Madhu Rye's criticism of Gazalias or Gazalkaars?
I think all these people who keep forwarding these so-called Gazals should be banned from traveling the cyber-highways.
These new breed of Gazalkaars are nothing but self-hating and generally, what we call losers, they are no Omar Khayyams or Ghalibs or Rumis. Not even Chinoo or Manhar Modys or various Dahiwalas, Dudhwalas, Gheewalas... or Telwalas
And how about the Gazal singers who stretch one note of Jee that seem to be eternity? And the same crazies applaud the Gazal singer when the irritating Jeeing ends.
I have a strong dislike for folks who keep on sending me the inspirational stuff with cute photos of babies or animals or some stolen or perhaps photoshopped nature-scenes, all usually accompanied by Enya-like or New Age-ish type music. And while talking about annoyances, have you ever thought as to why those kids in the TV commercials for adoption and help never seem to get OLD?
And now talking about 'old', do you remember in the old times every Hindi movie had one mandatory song as if just written and sung for the beggars in the trains or on the streets? Songs such as Tumhare se tumse daya mangte hey,... whatever happened to those kind of songs? The orphan's song that I have just quoted is now sung in our local temple as a regulation prayer! As they say, Go figure...
These has led me to think about the devotional songs or Bhajans that are crafted in the movie song melodies. If I am not mistaken, the trend was started by THE Punit Maharaj. At a very young age I had the misfortune to listen to him in Ahmedabad - accompanied by my parents - as I was too young to be left home alone. That experience has left such a big scar on my psyche that I still remember it with a shudder going thru my spine. One of our local priests at the Hindu temple also sings some bhajans that are all sung in the style of popular movie songs... I don't know, may be I am too old-fashioned and not quite familiar with modern practices of worship and bhajan singing.
Now, as you may already know there are perfectly good bhajans written by Kabeer, Surdas, Meera, Dayaram etc. for singing in the classical ragas and all those bhajans are melodious and easy on ears too. So why was there a necessity of composing bhajans in filmy tunes?
The reason for this deterioration is simple - the writers do not know classical music and do not have any knowledge of writing in meters as defined by the Pingal Shashtras.
I just cannot even think of such stuff without getting real upset, brining my blood to the boiling point and breaking my thermometer...
Now I'll have to go and get some special medication to calm me down.
Harish Trivedi
- with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek...
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