Mera waala prem

उड़ने के कोई मायने नहीं होते। 
एयरोप्लेन वाला उड़ना क़िताबों वाले उड़ने जैसा थोड़े ना होता है.....
किया जा सकता है मगर, किताबों वाला प्यार,
मैंने किया है.... तुमसे... मुझे मालूम है। 

फिर से

पानी फेर दो इन पन्नों पर..

ताकि धुल जाए सियाही सारी..

ज़िन्दगी फिर से लिखने का मन होता है कभी-कभी...

DLF maximum

Did anyone else notice how the commentators in the current version of IPL have been asked to call a SIX as a DLF maximum? As if the "strategy" breaks were not enough to get more advertisement money. I can only imagine things getting worse from here on, like having a sponsor name for each player as well as the fielding positions. Very soon we shall hear commentory like: That was hit by Kingfisher Gambhir straight to 502 Pataka Harbhajan standing at deep TT underwear point.

I was never a fan of T20, and this is making things all the more worse.

Bliss

Please be visiting: this and this. Hilariously shitty would be an understatement.

adhuri ek talaash

Here is a song that we composed. Will update when I have a better version. Here are the lyrics:

कुछ अधूरी बातें जो ना कह सके कभी,
चंद तन्हा रातें तेरी याद में जो कटीं..
बातें वो कभी तो सुन जा,
आ कभी तन्हाइयाँ मिटा..
बन के रह गयी है तू मेरी
एक अधूरी आस, अधूरी प्यास
अधूरी एक तलाश.....

उलझे सवालों में,
सुलझे ख्यालों में,
हैं बस तेरे ही निशाँ...
बेरंग ख्वाबों से,
खामोश गीतों से,
हैं ये पल तेरे बिना..
कभी रंग ख्वाबों में भर जा..
आ गीतों को दे दे जुबां..
बन के रह गयी है तू मेरी
एक अधूरी आस, अधूरी प्यास
अधूरी एक तलाश.....

बिन तेरे लगता है
जीना बेमानी है,
काटें हैं तन्हाइयाँ..
सेहरा की रेतों पे,
पानी के धोखे सी,
तेरी ये परछाइयाँ ...
सबब धडकनों का बस तू है,
हसरत की तू इन्तेहाँ..
बन के रह गयी है तू मेरी
एक अधूरी आस, अधूरी प्यास
अधूरी एक तलाश.....


कुछ अधूरी बातें ....



Kuch Adhuri baatein
jo na keh sake kabhi
chand tanha raatein
teri yaad mein jo katii
baatein wo kabhi to sun jaa
aa kabhi tanhaiyan mita
ban ke reh gayi hai tu meri
ek adhuri aas, adhuri pyaas,
adhuri ek talaash



Uljhe sawalon mein
suljhe khayalon mein
hain bas tere hi nishaan
berang khwabon se
khaamosh geeton se
hain ye pal tere bina
kabhi rang khwabon mein bhar jaa
aa geeton ko de de zubaan
ban ke reh gayi hai tu meri
ek adhuri aas, adhuri pyaas,
adhuri ek talaash


Bin tere lagta hai
jeena bemaani hai
kaate hain tanhaaiyan
sehraa ki reton pe
paani ke dhoke si
teri ye parchhaiyan
sabab dhadkano ka bas tu hai
hasrat ki tu inteha
ban ke reh gayi hai....

दुनिया ओ दुनिया

I was planning on sleeping early (read before 1 am), when I read an extremely positive music review for Gulal, and decided to check the songs out. Its almost 3 now, and I am still listening to this song. Wonderful lyrics and music, and a truly unique voice (Piyush Mishra is the music director, lyricist, and singer). I still haven't checked out the rest of the album, but I guess I am not getting past this one for tonight.

दीवानी होती तबियत की दुनिया .... ओ दुनिया
ख्वाहिश में लिपटी ज़रूरत की दुनिया ...ओ दुनिया
ये इंसान के सपनों की नीयत की दुनिया ... ओ दुनिया
......

पलछिन में बातें चली जाती हैं
पलछिन में रातें चली जाती हैं
रह जाता है जो सवेरा वो ढूंढे
जलते मकाँ में बसेरा वो ढूंढे
जैसी बची है वैसी की वैसी बचा लो ये दुनिया ....
अपना समझ के अपनों के जैसी उठा लो ये दुनिया
छिट-पुट सी बातों में जलने लगेगी संभालो ये दुनिया
कट-पिट के रातों में पलने लगेगी संभालो ये दुनिया
......

शाम, रात और सुबह

ढलता सूरज उतर आया था गिलास में, जिसे चाय में घोल के पी रहा था वो । जैसे नदी पीया करती थी, रोज़ शाम धीरे-धीरे ।
नदी किनारे घंटों बैठे रहते थे वो, सूरज ढलने के भी बहुत देर बाद तक ।

"गहरी बातें किया करो उल्लू, ऐसी अठन्नी चवन्नी बातें कर के कुछ नहीं होगा तुम्हारा । "
"ये नदी जितनी गहरी ? "
" हाँ गहरी, नदी से भी बहुत ज़्यादा । "
" गहरी बातों में भी डूब के मर पाता होगा कोई ? "

सिखा दिया है दिल्ली ने खोखली, गहरी बातें करना । उसकी याद आने पे महसूस होता है सर दर्द, थकान, जलन, प्यार, लालसा; सब कुछ एक साथ। याद आता है गाँव, पेड़, नदी, इमली, हँसी, रोना, प्यार, साइकिल, चाय... । और भी बहुत कुछ महसूस होता है । और हाँ बहुत ज़ोर से रोने का भी मन करता है कभी कभी ।

"अच्छा बड़े हो के क्या बनोगे तुम ? "
"लेखक बनूँगा, बहुत सारी आधी किताबें लिखूंगा । "
"आधी क्यूँ ?"
"पूरी कहानी मालूम किसे होती है, नाटक करते हैं लोग सब जानने का !"

अब पूरी कहानी जानने की हिम्मत भी कहाँ बची है । कहानी अधूरी थी तो थे सपने, डर, जोश, घबराहट, आशाएं.. । कुछ सपने अभी भी बाकी हैं, जिन्हें वो बड़ा सहेज के रखता है । रोज़ रात को निकालता है एक सपना, और उसके आँचल में सो लेता है चैन से कुछ देर । ताकी हिम्मत रहे सवेरे हकीकत का सामना करने की, कहानी का एक और पन्ना पलटने की ..........

Addicted

to this. On loop for two days now.

Slumdog Millionaire

Am I the only one who thought the movie was over-hyped, full of stereotypes, and not impressive at all? Music was good though.

दिल की बात

Single Girls

Everything that I may lack, I make up in denial.

Pure genius.

News

Watch. How much more ridiculous can these news reports get!

Crater Lake

By far the most beautiful place I've ever been to.

bliss

Go watch!!

I am speechless.

One of my absolute favorites

And a reading by Amitabh Bacchan here.

old, dilapidated, worn-out and tattered

Its that time of the year again when we celebrate the day we add another year to our age, and well frankly we feel we are getting pretty old and we are pissed. And tomorrow we will celebrate it foolishly.

Ahmed Faraz

A friend of mine was talking of Faraz's famous work "Ranjish hi sahi", when he asked if the poet was Kaifi Azmi and I was not too sure at that point. I came back and checked the poet's name, and read some of his other works. I am touched by his honest simplicity and flow. Here is a sample, the last couplet being my favorite:

dost ban kar bhii nahii.n saath nibhaanevaalaa
vahii andaaz hai zaalim kaa zamaanevaalaa

ab ise log samajhate hai.n giraftaar meraa
saKht nadiim hai mujhe daam me.n laanevaalaa

kyaa kahe.n kitane maraasim the hamaare is se
vo jo ik shaKhs hai muu.Nh pher ke jaanevaalaa

tere hote hue aa jaatii thii saarii duniyaa
aaj tanhaa huu.N to ko_ii nahii.n aanevaalaa

muntazir kis kaa huu.N TuuTii hu_ii dahaliiz pe mai.n
kaun aayegaa yahaa.N kaun hai aanevaalaa

mai.n ne dekhaa hai bahaaro.n me.n chaman ko jalate
hai ko_ii Khvaab kii taabiir bataanevaalaa

kyaa Khabar thii jo merii jaan me.n ghulaa hai itanaa
hai vahii mujh ko sar-e-daar bhii laane vaalaa

tum taqalluf ko bhii iKhalaas samajhate ho 'Faraz'
dost hotaa nahii.n har haath milaanevaalaa



taqalluf: formalities, societal norms of behavior
iKhlaas: sincere, pure friendship; deep affection

Manoj Kumar at his very best. and other Bolly ham scenes

You have to see it to believe it. This is the shittiest bollywood scene ever, hilariously insane. All hail the great Manoj Kumar. A couple more scene from the same movie here and here. If anyone finds a link to the whole movie, please let me know and the beer is on me.

These fabulous ham scenes reminded me of that Sajid Khan show Kehne Mein Kya Harz Hai, and I did find quite a few scenes from the show. Absolutely outstanding stuff, check it out here (this guy has some 12 videos in his collection).

wtf

Reservation for students was not enough, so the government has issued directives to implement reservation quota in the faculty positions as well. Seems like the name IIT should be changed to RIT (Reserved Institute of Technology). At least the government has been considerate enough in allowing IITs to dereserve the posts after a year, if they do not get filled "despite all efforts".

Blah Blah

If there is one thing that I can relate with Americans, it is their infinite capacity to talk. What amazes me is that most of them are capable of creating an entire conversation out of a question as simple as "Watsup?". Sometimes I feel that they teach this art in the primary schools, so that when the children grow up they can talk to their heart's content. Take for example this conversation I had with this hair-stylist/barber lady. Note that I never meant this to go beyond a one line answer to my simple question.

BL=Barber Lady

Me: So till what time are you guys open?
BL: Well we open at 10 in the morning and close at 7 in the evening, because the owner of the shop wants both me and Kim (her co-worker) to leave together. And although Kim can go on till 8pm or maybe even later than that , I need to leave exactly at 7 as I have to pick up my baby at 7:30. So you see I have a nine month old baby and a friend of mine looks after him. Now this friend of mine has two babies of her own, and she can't afford a baby-sitter which makes her stay at home. This works out very well for me as I trust her completely with my baby.
Do you have a baby?
Me (startled) : What baby, no.no.no.no!! no baby..
BL: When you have one you will understand. Even on weekends I do not go out with my girlfriends when they ask me to join them for a beer. You see I get so little time together with my husband. Its his job and my job and then the baby on the weekdays, so we try and be together on the weekends..........blah, blah, blah, blah...you get the drift!

And so it went on for another 20 minutes leaving me intellectually exhausted and emotionally drained :-).

PS: I read this amusing post on one of the Gulzar communities, which said that even if Gulzar wrote something that was utter crap, people would still derive some meaning out of it. For example, if he wrote something like:

"Baar baar bujh jaati hai meri cigarette,
Kya chaand ne bhi kabhi scooter dekha hoga !"

Some people would assign a deep deep meaning to it :). If a common man writes something vague its supposed to be meaningless, but if Gulzar writes some such stuff, its assumed to have some hidden crux.
Not that I don't like Gulzar. I am a big fan, just that I liked the humor in this little post.