“मेरे याद किए हुए दोहे।”

यूहीं एक शाम बैठे-बैठे मुझे हिन्दी टाइपिंग का बुखार चढ़ गया। बस फिर क्या था, कम्प्युटर आँन किया और जो मन में आया लिखना शुरू कर दिया। गनीमत तो यह है कि, शुरू भी किया तो दोहो से, जिनका मुझसे बड़ा पुराना रिश्ता है।

“मेरे याद किए हुए कुछ दोहे।”

क)   करत करत अभ्यास के, जडमति होत सुजान।।

रसरि आवत जात ते, सिल पर परत निसान।।

ख)   रहिमन निजमन की व्यथा, मन राखो ही गोय।। (रहीम)

सुन इठलैहे लोग सभैं, बाट न लैहैं कोए।।

ग)    बडा हुआ तो क्या हुआ, जैसे पेड़ खजूर।। (कबीर)

पंथी को छाया नही, फल लागै अति दूर।।

घ)    रहिमन धागा इश्क का, मत तोड़ो चटिकाए।। (रहीम)

जोड़े से फिर ना जुड़ै, जुड़ै गाठ परि जाए।।

ङ)     काजल की कोठरी मे, कितनो हि सयानो जाए।। (हमारे हिन्दी के शिक्षक सुनाते थे)

एक लीक काजल कि, लागी है पैलागी।।

च)    बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिलया कोए।।

जो मन देखा आपना, मुझसा बुरा न कोए।।

हिन्दी भाषा को लेकर मैं सदैव ही बड़ा भावुक रहा हूँ। बहुत साल बीत गए, लगभग 8 साल, मैनें हिन्दी लिखना छोड़ सा दिया था। पर अब जो पुनः शुरू किया है तो देखिए कब तलक साथ चलता है।

(दूसरे दोहे (ख) का श्रेय मेरे दोस्त एवम सहपाठी, राम को जाता है।)

धन्यवाद।

(यदि कोई टिप्पणी करना चाहे तो बेशक किजिए।)   J

TREK TO MATHERAN – a meeting with the clouds!

I put my alarm on snooze and went back to sleep. Suddenly, I realized it’s no ordinary morning. It was 05:20 hours and I woke up. If I would have overslept, then I don’t think I would have been able to share all this.

It all started with our MA batch, when our Professor Mangesh planned the trek. He usually takes us to trek twice every year. But unfortunately I have missed all the opportunity prior to this one. This trekking trip to Matheran was my first and boy it was a trek! I was amazed and felt rejuvenated. Planning for the trek went as usual. Just a few different things in my bag pack this time, as it was a trekking trip and not a picnic.

I left early from my house, took the ticket and boarded 06:26 hours Panvel local. After reaching I met my fellow classmates, now ‘the trekkers’. We sat at the Panvel ST Bus stand for about an hour before catching our bus to Dodhani village from where we were suppose to actually start our journey of trekking.

Alas! We reached Dodhani village on foot where the bus left us. As soon as I stepped down the bus I took a good long time and took a glance, a 360 degree view. It was incredible! I have never seen nature such beautiful. So peaceful that you could smell the fresh mud, feel the breeze and hear the nearby water flowing down the stream. It was fantastic!

Then came the moment! Sir gave the signal and we, a bunch of 24 trekkers, started climbing. It hardly took us 15 minutes to reach our first stop. From there our goal, the final point, was clearly visible. We sat there for around 10 minutes and begin climbing again. This time it was a lengthy. It took us almost half an hour to reach the second point. It was a small stream going down the mountain. I was wearing converse, didn’t knew they would slip, but they slipped and fell for the first time. I was scared! Never felt something like that before. If my fellow trekker wouldn’t have held me by my bag, I would have hit myself against the rock. But as the rock was close, so it wouldn’t have caused much damage though. So, no harm done there!

After that we again started, only this time the climbing became more serious. For me it was a step by step climbing because I already experienced something, which I didn’t, wanted to happen again. After reaching a plain part of the mountain, which was not so plain, I decided to turn around and have a look. I was amused! The view was so heavenly! I fell in love with it. I stood there for about a minute when one of my fellow trekker called me. I turned and started climbing again.

The rain god was happy with us, I guess. Because whenever we felt the heat or thought that the humidity is increasing, there was a shower of around 2 minutes, which cooled us down. I enjoyed every moment, every single moment. It was my first trek and I can assure you that there are many more to come. It was so superb that to make you believe such things you must visit the place ones and of course on foot.

Finally after about a walk and climb of 2 ½ to 3 hours we finally reached our destination. For me it was like an achievement in true sense.

Share your thoughts and views if you too had done such a journey.

MY SHOWREEL 2011-12.mpg

A Story well narrated!

लापतागंज – शरद जोशी की कहानियाँ

I remember how I became a television addict in my childhood days, watching the cartoons on DD metro and Shaktimaan on DD National. I grew up and barely memorize that I watched a serial after that. I hated watching regular shows and later when I was introduced to reality shows,  it was not impressive either.

I remember watching the ads of Lapataganj before its telecast and was certain about the soap that it would do the same, mockery of the system with some routine drama. But, later when I saw it, i was proved wrong.

I remember watching the show from the very first episode. And way later after my childhood I became addicted to one, i.e. ‘Lapataganj’. I remember each characters name, their role and their act which they performed on the show. The show closed down on 11 January with the title song of the show playing at the very end.

The show was not much different from the other shows of SAB TV; it had the typical formula of storytelling. Coming up with a problem and then solving it in 2-3 or maybe a week’s episode.

But what really made the structure of the narrative different was the dialect and characterization. It was, what I believe, the USP of the serial. I will miss the simplicity of the serial and would definitely remember this one of a kind.

The ‘WANT-NEED’ Ratio: TELEVISION

I as a regular viewer of media is very concerned about the way infotainment is been provided to us. No doubt the job of the media is to catch as many eyes as possible but there should be always a limit to what is provided. The information and entertainment ratio has gone from bad to worse.

It is important for the media (especially TV) to maintain the balance. There are some very serious issues with the way the Indian TV media covers an event. For ex: While covering the whole IAC movement “who said to whom?” “What he/she said?” etc were the main points of discussion instead of discussing “why he/she said that?” were given less importance.

It is understood that the media needs to fill their pockets too. But gaining profits was always in business. So here comes the brutal truth that media in no more a media house but a business house. And by now most of us who are literate can understand what I am writing.

Smita Gupta in her research paper Post-Liberlisation India: How free is the Media? Explains citing references how media is selling just a product and it is all about profit making.

ITEM SONGS IN B’WOOD: DETERIORATED LYRICS?

If we trace the footprints of item songs used in ‘Bollywood’ we will have to go back to the 70’s era. No doubt that the first name strikes in our mind is Helen. But here I am not pointing out the visuals but the use of obscene lyrics. If we listen to an old item song and try to figure out what it means we won’t find anything much obscene in it.

For instance, take ‘mehbooba-mehbooba’ from the film ‘Sholay’, there is nothing wrong about the lyrics. The words used are proper Hindi and also there is no obscenity. There are many such examples which could be taken from the retrospective Indian films.

Tracing the deterioration of “item songs”, we don’t have to go much time back. It all started with the demand of exposing more in the Indian cinema. After all, why in a perfect going track would we want a sudden entry of a woman, half dressed and dancing with others without any reason! For now let’s keep the dancing aside and get to the lyrics.

Starting with “munni badnaam hui”! The phrase says it all. Can you imagine a girl singing it openly or a little girl dancing to it? What message does it conveys to the society, a constructive one, definitely not! And the list just goes on, “jalebibai”, “anarkali disco chali”, “Sheila ki jawani ”or“ chikni chameli”. We listen and watch these songs with our young ones or elders and expect them not to understand the core meaning of it! How is it possible to even think like this.

No matter who you are, if you are an Indian you are bound to be conservative in nature, if not openly then somewhere in the back of your mind. The lyricist is giving what you want. Should we believe this to be true? Do we really want what we are provided with? If that, so then it means that the lyricist is saying that we are not that intellectual and we will listen to every nonsense he/she is writing.

We should not just “listen” but actually listen. Getting to know the meaning should also be one of our agendas. If we consider in context to politics, we discuss with our peers to the deepest of our thoughts and confusion. So if we can do it in the terms of politics then why not films and item numbers.

I heard this recent song from Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine, “Halkat Jawani”. Now to every Indian the word “Halkat” is very familiar and the meaning too is known to all. So, can on one hand we expect our young generation (kids especially) to see and grow with the world and also on the other hand expect them not to imitate that in their social lives?

It surely is up to us to decide what to listen and see and what not to.  We have the right to say no! So it is up to us whether we should go gaga over these lousy item song lyrics or praise it.

MEDIA BIAS

In my opinion media should not be biased. Like any other profession media too has its code of conduct. In any case, broadcasting, printing or radio media should maintain the standards. It is the media which acts as a mascot of the society. In consideration, in a country like India majority of the population is illiterate. This enables them to form an opinion on any particular issue. And the role of media comes in here. Their job is to guide such people in forming right opinion and coming to right conclusions.

The history proves that whenever the media has played the role of being biased it has led to tribulations in society. Whether it may be the case of Vietnam, Iraq where the western media was said to be pro US or it may be Indian regional media’s reporting during the `93 riots. The media could have just reported the facts instead of using adjectives while reporting. Under such sensitive circumstances media should go by the rulebook.

Media is a tool of ‘infotainment’. That is entertainment and information. But in recent times the media has declined more towards profit making than serving the social causes. They have made news a pure business. And in this profit making media has crossed limits being biased in reporting keeping aside the social cause.

Sometimes a personal bias of the reporter, editor or even the owner comes into play. On being a part of an organization one should always keep their personal biases aside. Media has a very progressive role in society. It should use its bias to construct and not to deconstruct the society. While covering a very sensitive issue one should strictly follow the norms of the organization.

If one tries to break rules, they should be punished accordingly. Here comes the role of PCI but PCI too needs to be given more punitive powers. It is up to the media to be more socially responsible and play the role of being the fourth pillar of society.