Rodevra Republic

Notwithstanding all the controversies around the movie  Laal Singh Chaddha ,  it has a gem of a song (see below) that is worth discussing. While you have the English translation in the subtitles, the deeper meaning I gather comes from the principles of  Advaita . This couplet says it all: तू आपे सवाली है, आपे ही पयम्बर है तू खुद है तमाशा भी, आपे ही कलंदर है You are the seeker, You are also the messiah You are the circus,  And also the ringmaster The next couplet is very meaningful as well: बेकार तलाशे तू, दरगाह में शिवालों में जिस यार को तू ढूंढें, वो तेरे ही अंदर है You wander in vain, In shrines and in temples The one that you seek, Is within you It further says don't let the pain and scars of separation  torment you. Isn't this what the Ashtavarka Gita says, "The one whose mind is serene, never agitated or tormented, he ever sees the Absolute Self and is thus neither gratified nor angry.". There is a common and continous refrain in the son...

Rimjhim Gire Sawan No other song brings out the magic of monsoon in Mumbai better than this song. More than the male version, the female version by Lata is the one that evokes the monsoon mood. Not many would know the filming of this romantic rain song was done in unsupervised locations. Amitabh and Moushumi were left to improvise, and the crew went from location to location filming the song in some of the most well-known landmarks of South Mumbai. It was Amitabh's brother Ajitabh who drove the actors from one location to the next. The torrential rains meant that Moushumi's makeup was running colour throughout the filming. For me the male version filmed on Amitabh is exceptional in terms of picturization. The camera work is brilliant with its silky smooth panning shots.  Not much is going on except Amitabh's singing on the harmonium, but the way the camera pans, it engages and involves us in the intensity of the song. It is apparent in the first minute of the song itself. K...

I thank you all for your warm birthday greetings. There is a feeling of closeness and a sense of belonging that cannot be expressed, and I am truly grateful for that. I am normally a quiet and private person and shy away from all the attention that birthdays and celebrations give. However, now after reading all your lovely birthday greetings, I feel happy to share my joy with you.  Birthdays are times when one looks back and probably is the only time in the year that makes one conscious of age. When I look back, all the years come rushing along, holding their bitter sweet memories. Somewhere along the corridors of life, amidst all its events, you realise the long way that there is a purpose to everything...a Divine order and harmony in all happenings. Taken in the right spirit, it promotes an attitude of faith and acceptance. I remember the dialogue from '3 Idiots', " Bahut mushkil se aya hain ye attitude...Main mera ye attitude rakh loonga....".   This attitude has s...

 Thanks Mayur, for the confidence you entrust me for the review. I will give it a try. I will keep it generic, so Ninad can use it as a general public review. Being generic, it is a purely objective review. So I am not talking of it as a personal experience, which would otherwise have included the fact that it was the 250th show, or it was held at the opulent Opea House (which is a magnificent experience by itself) or for that matter it was produced by our dear friend, Ninad. Here is the review: While it is common knowledge the play is an adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s, ‘Dail M for Murder’, which again was based on the play (1954) by Frederick Knott,  this Marathi play version is extraordinary in terms of the skill of adaptation. Everything was so perfectly localized in the cultural milieu of Mumbai of the1970’s, in and around its Girgaum locality, that never for a moment you realize that this is an adaptation. The credit goes to the writer, Neeraj Shirwaikar. The team of Vi...

True British humour indeed! More interesting was the way he recounted the story. A good example of dry British humour. You can see the complete emotional neutrality while narrating the comic situation.  I found the language and delivery particularly interesting. The language is typical Queen's English (as expected) which is characterized by the way each word is distinctly pronounced to enhance clarity.  For example the Ts are True Ts, where the articulation of T is distinct. Hear him saying the word 'Majesty' or 'next'. Even when a word ends in 't' and the next word also starts with 't',  the 't' sound is perfectly articulated in both words. The example here is when he says, 'at times'. Normally in other English accents,  the T sound in the first word would have been silent. Another feature is the 'eh' sound of 'y'. So hear him say 'normally' as 'normalleh' and not 'normallee'. Same with 'no...

 It is lovely painting, quite idyllic with children and dogs. I found the focal point of the painting very well accentuated; you can almost visually draw a circle at the centre. The effect is created with the open umbrella on the right and the placement of dogs on the left to be in circular line with the barrel. It is as if the artist has first drawn the circle and placed the elements  inside. Try to partly close your eyes and see; you will get to see more clearly the structure of the painting.  The dogs seem to be the Jack Russel terriers, a common breed in England at the end of the 19th century. All of them seem to be docked, meaning a  portion  of the tail has been removed. This practice of tail docking was thought to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal's speed, and prevent injuries when ratting and fighting. It was particularly done for dogs working in fields or in countryside, where with the tail's wagging, it may be subject to abrasion...

This bhajan by Kabir Das highlights one of the biggest realities of our spiritual existence. He was one of the most influential and evocative poets.  He played a major role in the Bhakti movement in India in around the 15th century through his simple poetry that touched the common man. One of his most well-known poems was, “ Ud Jayega Huns Akela”  This poem elucidates the reality of our existence by giving apt metaphors, rich in meaning and imagery. Ud Jayega Huns Akela, Jug Darshan Ka Mela Jaise Paat Gire Taruvar Se, Milna Bahut Duhela Naa Jane Kidhar Girega, Lageya Pawan Ka Rela Jub Howe Umur Puri, Jab Chute Ga Hukum Huzuri Jum Ke Doot Bade Mazboot, Jum Se Pada Jhamela Das Kabir Har Ke Gun Gawe, Wah Har Ko Paran Pawe Guru Ki Karni Guru Jayega, Chele Ki Karni Chela Here Huns  (Swan) represents our free-spirit that continues to live beyond the death of the body. When the physical death comes, the "less-constrained" life leaves every worldly thing behind (including the bod...

 Just wondering what must be the selection criteria here. It cannot just be size, as it is widely acknowledged that it is the firmness,  even skin tone and a pronounced visibility, is what is more important in breast beauty. Above all, is how a woman carries them...is she apologetic about them, is she proud of them to hold her chest high and make their presence felt. Ganga seems to score well on the last point, though not too sure on the first one or two. Maybe the more experienced of the group can tell.  By the way, size has no biological or evolutionary advantage. Neither do large breast necessarily produce more milk. In fact it is a function of the glandular tissues, whereas size is due accumulation of fatty issues, which has no bearing on milk production. It is as worthless as saying penis size is related to potency in men. I am not complaining, but of all the 5000 mammalian species on Earth, only humans have permanent breasts. In other species they develop temporaril...