tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210910152024-03-05T15:53:08.255+05:30InterFACE!!Collection of musings on my interactions with world.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-17290626418319356842011-01-12T12:36:00.000+05:302011-01-12T12:36:04.123+05:30No one killed Jessica - review<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The movie (dis)claims to be a mix of fact and fiction. They didn't tell me the ratio, but it must have been 10:90. Otherwise, what else can define the liberty taken in portraying the characters not the way they are in real life, specially when you have direct references available and that itself could make for great cinema. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Story is of a murder, of jessica, by a rich and powerful lad because she refused to serve him a drink. Its also about the legal fight fought-lost-reopened-and-won by the deceased's sister with help of media. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found the movie oversimplified and caricaturesque. Not a bad movie, considering the performances and music (specially the music including background score by amit trivedi, which infuses soul in the scenes, delhi has been painted with music). But it fell short of what it could easily have been, had it avoided the card board characters (like that of murderer's mother who had just three lines in the movie (kuchh bhi ho jaaye, mere monu ko kuchh nahin hona chahiye)). Sabrina is a very strong woman in real life. She has wrongly been shown timid and at the mercy of media in the movie. NDTV didn't do all that (as has been shown in the movie). It was Tehelka, not NDTV. And the positive portrayal for Barkha Dutt immediately after radiagate smells fishy. Its good cinema, but not great cinema. There were moments when it touched (the honest police officer investigating the case telling Sabrina that he had taken Rs. 70 Lakhs just for not raising his hand on the accused and the expression of sabrina (vidya) after hearing this; or the one when the accused's parents visit sabrina's home and put a wreath on jessica's photo and jessica's parents, instead of asking them to get lost, ask for tea.) But these moments were far and few between.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All said and done, bringing this contemporary story to life, in a format which appeals commercially, is remarkable. I feel the liberties that the director Rajkumar Gupta took are because he wanted the film to a commercial hit. I don't doubt his (or ronnie screwala's (the producer's) intent). But the execution could have been better. Better than this, atleast. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that doesn't mean that this movie is bad cinema (likes of housefull or laaga chunri mein daag). It is notches above the crap that indian cinema has seen (except for the small budget wonders like do dooni chaar and phas gaye re obama). And one must go and see it, just to pass on the message that this kind of cinema is supported not less than Housefull or Khatta Meetha.</span></div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-21725793300897244272010-12-11T21:44:00.000+05:302010-12-11T21:44:54.579+05:30Why this fuss?<h1 class="ha" style="background: inherit; border-collapse: collapse; border-right: inherit; color: black; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="hP" id=":5bd" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Read the article here.</span></span></h1><h1 class="ha" style="background: inherit; border-collapse: collapse; border-right: inherit; color: black; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="hP" id=":5bd" style="font-weight: normal; padding-right: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">http://www<wbr></wbr>.deccanher<wbr></wbr>ald.com/co<wbr></wbr>ntent/1176<wbr></wbr>85/little-<wbr></wbr>support-ra<wbr></wbr>jdeep-sardesais-defe<wbr></wbr>nce.html</span></span></h1><div><span class="hP" id=":5bd" style="padding-right: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>My comments:</u></span></span></div><div><span class="hP" id=":5bd" style="padding-right: 10px;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I feel the defence of Rajdeep Sardesai and barkha Dutt are justified. The tainted journalists seem to be listening to their sources and getting the NEWS, but nowhere it is indicated that they actually acted as mediators or got something for their own from the either side. It is not what it seems like, there is no corruption involved the way it is being looked at. Why have the tapes surfaced now, why are they targetted at Tata, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi (people who are very very powerful but have unblemished public image). Who made the tapes surface in public? Is there any motive other than what meets the eye. I feel something is fishy abt this. The other day, i was listening to barkha dutt's panel discussion on the same issue. She had invited all the concerned, including Vinod Mehta of Outlook, for an open debate. He refused to participate. I might agree to someone's error of judgment (that they could have reported the story of some PR agent trying to broker deals between political parties). But what where is the corruption in this? I see none. I haven't heard the tapes of Prabhu Chawla and Vir Sanghvi, but for Barkha Dutt, the case seems simple. She reported her facts in the news broadcast without allowing her mind to become biased because of her "source". What she didn't report is not important. Question should be, did she hide anything to benefit someone, or did she broker the political deals? Answer is, No, she didn't. That should rest the case. Rajdeep, U are right.</span></span></div></div></span></div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-76322171113232420192010-01-07T14:50:00.001+05:302010-01-07T14:52:14.053+05:30Tsunami Diary<div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here are few memories drawn from the diary that I maintained during my stay at Nagapattinam in Jan-Feb 2005. - Anshul</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">======================================================</span><br />
</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">25th January 2005: Arrived at Nagapattinam today afternoon at three. While coming here, was expecting to see some sign of tsunami ravages. But nothing suggests that the place was so badly hit by the killer waves only a month ago. Except for a bridge connecting Karaikal (Pondichery) and Nagapattinam (Tamilnadu). It was broken, and Indian Army was repairing it. The state transport bus had to take a circular route avoiding that bridge.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reached the NGO co-ordination center (NCC) directly. Sarat, Niloufer and Sachin had reached there in the morning itself (from Ahmedabad). </span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The NCC is situated in two parts-A tent on the right hand side of the district collectorate building (within the campus) and the first floor 5-computer enclosure in the collectorate office. Met few very interesting people acting as volunteers with the NCC. Mr Rammohan from Bangalore, a very senior development professional, has headed national level interventions, and now heading NCC for the last ten days and is with us till 28th. Ms. Latha Vasudevan, who lives in California and is from Chennai, has come out as a volunteer from Bhumika India, taking care of the front desk at the NCC. Ms. Archana, TISS alumnus and FES staff, has done good job in last 20 days and is now leaving tomorrow, taking care of demand aggregation and procurement at NCC. Ms. Achamma, from Canada, a senior finance executive and a documentary producer, cousin sister of Arundhati roy, and mentioned as little Sophie mall in God of small things, taking care of finance and logistics at NCC.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The rescue phase is over here. The rehabilitation phase is on. Temporary shelters are being built, provisions have been distributed, demands for left out items- women undergarments and fishermen's tiffin carriers- is now coming from villages.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">27th January: Today we went to Tharangamwadi village. We four didn't know Tamil, and Lata akka acted as translator for us. Tsunami had caused 400 deaths in this village. The habitation starts 30 meters from the sea. The houses, the huts as well as those built of brick and cement, have been washed away. Few stronger ones that have been ravaged but not fully destroyed have watermarks at human heights, signifying what level the tsunami waves reached on 26th. The sand at beach was not visible. The mortar and brick layered it fully. A half standing wall at the other end of the village had the other half swept away 100 meters away in the form of a boulder lying near the beach.<br />
</span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is a SIFFS village. SIFFS has built 267 temporary shelters (@ Rs.8000 per shelter) and is repairing the boats in its newly constructed boat-repairing center at the village entrance. Government has also been very professional and efficient in responding to the disaster, and has put up 272 community sheds (@ Rs. 1 lakh per shed, one shed for 20 families) as temporary shelters. The ration (50 kg of rice and related eatables) and the Rs. 4000 per family compensation has been distributed. The list of deceased for compensation of 1-lakh has been finalized.<br />
</span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The destruction was mammoth and total. However, people seem ok, not complaining much. They have been provided with utensils, mats, clothes, and they have faith in the future- better shelters, better equipments. They are putting up brave face, but that's only a mask.<br />
</span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While talking to shelter number 103 (There was a child of eight or nine years saying something in Tamil to me. On enquiry, I got to know that he was saying "I live in shelter 103". I don't know what he meant. He belonged to a joint family and has lost his aunty and the cousin sister. Perhaps he identifies with his shelter number.), we got an insight of how difficult it is for them to do the daily household chores. There is a small enclosure of 12 feet by 12 feet for each family. No separate space for cooking, toilets ten for the whole village, one drinking water spot with three taps. Water supply is two hours a day. Only one donated pot for water. No place to take bath. Etc……………………………</span><br />
</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A group of children were playing near the shelters. Sarat and Niloufer joined them. A small girl came near me and asked for one of my two pens. I gave her one. In two minutes time there were ten more children asking for the only pen left with me. I refused and walked towards the community shed.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The community shed is used for community prayers or meetings. I met there with two counselors from Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living Foundation. They informed me "The shock is very deep with people. But fishermen are very proud people. They will bear brave face in front of outsiders and will come as people that are not much affected. But each of them is deeply hurt, disturbed and desperate. Unlike the other disasters, tsunami doesn't leave many people physically injured. But their mental agony, people who understand what a bank is, won't be able to understand. These fishermen don't have any fall back option, and everything of theirs has been washed away. If it were an easily detectable depression, its treatment and handling would have been easy. But this silence of theirs is more disturbing. Since we realized the very nature of fishermen society, and understood that they won't feel comfortable in sharing their individual agony, we have started organizing the ma prayers two time in a day, in the morning and evening."</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nagapattinam has 73 such affected villages, and the number of NGOs working in tsunami hit villages had crossed the 400 mark.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6th Feb: A Mr. Shyam from Software firm Delphi, Bangalore called me (he visited the site tsunami-india2004 and got the number) a week ago.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He wanted to help in any way that the NGO co-ordination center will be willing to take in software or database management. He wanted to be there at Nagapattinam for a day or two and design few things if needed. He sounded like those many calls that we were receiving from the compulsive but less serious volunteers. After consulting Vivekanandan sir on this issue, I got back to him saying 'no thanks'.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He said that was ok, and we can ask for him if the need arises.</span><br />
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</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Exactly a week passed, and yesterday (i.e. saturday evening) when I was coming out of the meeting organized for all the NGOs on the issue of construction of permanent shelter, this individual was waiting for me at the NCC tent. "Well, I felt that I sounded less serious, and in order to make up for the tone, I felt the need to come up and see for myself if the call that I made from my ITPark office in B'lore was a bit away from reality" is how he put it. We were happy to receive him.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was taking care of the database at NCC, and with help from the programmer from SIFFS (Pradeep) I showed him how we were managing the database their. Surely, there were problems and inefficiencies. He stayed for a day, removed many bugs, and offered further assistance in web site management. Today he went, quietly back to Bangalore.</span><br />
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</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">=====================================================</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">8th February 2005: Visited the tsunami hit areas with subhash today.<br />
</span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Subhash is a Nagapattinam born engineer working in Singapore. When he heard of the tragedy, left his job at Singapore and rushed back home.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For initial days he lived in tsunami hit village 5 kilometers from Nagapattinam, slept in the verandah of the only home left standing in the village. Then he heard of the NCC and volunteered his services.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Raman, the American born Indian volunteering with NCC and taking care of the front desk queries and documentation, was also supposed to come. However, he was not feeling fine and went back to the hotel in the afternoon.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The beach here again was only 25-30 meters from sea. The port at Nagapattinam is hardly 3 kilometers away. The household with whom subhash was living shared their experiences with us. There is a bridge that connects the village with the city. When tsunami wave struck for the first time at 9:30 AM on 26th December, the bridge got obstructed.</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div align="justify"><br />
</div></span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The big trawlers (looked like steamers with capacity to carry more than 200 people) were flown in tsunami over the bridge and thrown five kilometers inside the fields. It came in a flash, with few minutes only. One trawler was thrown just across the bridge, preventing people to cross it. Thankfully, there was the parallel bridge under construction and the concrete has been put only a week ago. More than 3000 people took refuge on this weak concrete structure, few with the dead bodies of their dear ones in their laps. The second wave came at 9:50 and brought with it scores of dead bodies. But these bodies were of foreign tourists, swept away from the port few kms away. The dead bodies of people from this village were later found five or six kms down the sea. The third wave came after half an hour, bringing in more dead bodies. There was no connection from outside world even two days after the disaster. The whole habitation has been flattened and turned in to rubble. People, fearing outbreak of disease, dug up trenches near sea for bodies to be cremated or burnt. The water level in the area, because of proximity to sea, is hardly eight to ten feet, and hence the pit thus dug up was only of man height. Later, the low depth became a problem. The sea waves during the tide would come till the place and will bare the bodies or bones. The street dogs will take them out and eat. The street dogs had also become very ferocious and had bitten many since then. The district administration had to take out the bodies and recremate them. The health commissioner also ordered for all the street dogs to be poisoned (killed).<br />
</span><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We met a small boy who goes to school in the near by town. He is a creative boy, and showed me few new sketches of his, three to be precise. Small hands had drawn three versions of his badi (colony)- immediately before the tsunami, during tsunami wave one, and after tsunami wave two. He says that people died in first wave as they were caught unaware. But destruction was caused more by wave number two.</span><br />
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</div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-68293370326151188882009-02-24T00:12:00.000+05:302009-02-24T00:12:30.630+05:30Oscar to Gulzar and Rahman<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Two geniuses of our times - Gulzar and Rahman - have won the coveted and most famous award in the world of Cinema - Academy Award (Oscars) for their song Jai Ho! in Slumdog Millionaire today (22nd Feb 2009 in US, 23rd Feb 2009 in India)....... I am so happy!! here is the lyrics of song that won them the award. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jai Ho! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jai Ho! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ratti ratti sachchi maine jaan gawayi hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nach Nach koylon pe raat bitaayi hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ankhiyon ki neend maine phoonkon se udaa di</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gin gin taarey maine ungli jalayi hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Eh Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Baila! Baila!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Dance! Dance!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Now with me, you dance for today)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Por nuestro dia de movidas,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(For our day of moves,)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">los problemas los que sean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(whatever problems may be)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Salud!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Cheers!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Baila! Baila!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Dance! Dance!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jai Ho! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Chakh le, haan chakh le, yeh raat shehed hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Chakh le, haan rakh le,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dil hai, dil aakhri hadd hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kaala kaala kaajal tera</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Koi kaala jaadu hai na?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jai Ho! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kab se haan kab se jo lab pe ruki hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Keh de, keh de, haan keh de</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ab aankh jhuki hai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aisi aisi roshan aankhein</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Roshan dono heerey hain kya?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja aaja jind shamiyaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Aaja zari waale neele aasmaane ke taley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jai Ho! </span>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-5992105032580366212008-09-01T11:41:00.000+05:302008-09-01T11:48:36.489+05:30Movie Review - WALL EWALL – E is an abnormal story of warmth-filled silence (film has hardly any dialogue), animated, on an earth which is uninhabited except for a cleaning-robot called WALL-E and his sidekick (a cockroach). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuL91QCCrmG9MMeDFckEU_cE-9S-zT2q0_0NAGZRVkdJF0DoM7R-L1q5bVS_kt4ZdzoYvyyNcnKZpikiVsYFKtOD7Ytpz_u27vOPWMwURvNisAoEN_pSsLlvEr3Er25vjNJJ6xQ/s1600-h/Wall+E1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img ad="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_M2mL3lu8m6hF3XcL8dgLvU0r7z0mf_xr7VqxSrciK8eGAiCcZeBgqTnIsGpVvIoWNFRq0SZosS-b5YBCbbGKYnjBwROlg9oSVEbMdNUmvFH4fJpKBnF7k_6ukZBDXjyhHyZ1A/s320-r/Wall+E1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
You hardly have any hook if you just hear the story before viewing it. But my god, even the machines can espouse emotions and that’s when you realise you are getting interested in the whole affair hardly 30 seconds in to the movie. <br />
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Pixar, the makers of this animation, show how real the animation can go, when you realise that the vast angles shown of earth and its sky scrapers are animated schenes and not the real life photographs/ videos. How the movie carries on with its narration despite no characters and no dialogue is a new chapter in movie making. A must watch for those who like feel-good movies. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RmocL-9d14-GNo12gFbHHpGykd8ISrGUND173Zvwwtn6ZFG0noPTO9EcKBild11PIt_hUtgCsJHWZr4RxpEhf-_myNCUwZ8KfbIjgLe6L-y44Nqz8oAWnSiTtsgGVQhfh_Xiow/s1600-h/Wall+E+and+Eva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img ad="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VGXpIbdwPaZ4CRieIbA9hB7v1RrF8PEmo-1M4i3HpyVi0B4Yg9Yui9Spxpot8eAdP3l4vnqZTEzIYGVgtQLo9xnXVDqPeyVv4Wyrj-K-OiW7sZ3Ivy56JB0dHAEk0LdwfV91nw/s320-r/Wall+E+and+Eva.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The movie is a love story of Wall-E with another cute robot Eva. Premise is pre-posterous, of two machines falling in love, but not at all unbelievable the way it has been portrayed. <br />
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Anything from Pixar next time, and you will surely be tempted to see what new frontiers have they conquered. Wall-E is a defining effort.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-65456546398623777032008-09-01T11:30:00.000+05:302008-09-01T11:41:49.809+05:30Review - Rock On - the Hindi Movie (genre: musical)<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have seen two movies in last two days – ROCK ON and WALL-E. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiz8ZUWRhPwP19aK8oKbhUGneyyKXGypSI55l3Rfoqi-LTgJRfDd0-v2ZkPsMBUDQOKxNqul07vhcwKAggBNCWXQtemisAxsAMbiM-oSoP_VUKdIK0U7ZI-tKsvAulw0yFBE_UFQ/s1600-h/A2TZ0ZCAVZZ8I4CAVXI5DCCA6Z2SJXCAD2UT32CA264R91CAK2BAUVCAWTMO9DCAN1JL26CA3CB28LCAWVXUXLCASKHHP3CAC86ZPVCAMSHZ2XCA71TM9MCA2NDC7JCA7ZUB4NCAF65F90CAXBL59E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img ad="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DHr7tfjMze-ZQdRKcN2Nu6hucQgKBd_vEUiMuSeG5i0u8dxm8nH0xS18COltjf4vfB8N4gauv0sY64fVkiBVwG7uxxnRTSLzIJG4SFPnuntpdgV7e_GRkGLfziTi8O6zieXeuw/s400-r/A2TZ0ZCAVZZ8I4CAVXI5DCCA6Z2SJXCAD2UT32CA264R91CAK2BAUVCAWTMO9DCAN1JL26CA3CB28LCAWVXUXLCASKHHP3CAC86ZPVCAMSHZ2XCA71TM9MCA2NDC7JCA7ZUB4NCAF65F90CAXBL59E.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">'Rock on' ke baare mein kya kahoon! It’s a wonderful musical, lekin who music rock hai is baare mein shak hai mujhe. Music behad acchha hai, kahani ko aage badhata hai aur film ki jaan hai, lekin pop-music ki tarah sunayi deta hai aur mere ROCK jaanane waale dost kahte hain ki electric guitar use kar lene se aur drum ke sounds highlight kar dene se koi music rock nahin ban jaata. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQoZqDxzJ7QTcNCzQ7JndaC-rRDI5Xk4J1dK-jRwcTbU9-tb9I5TO7zRKd9AJ3YBGn37rlOR3CSYL1PjzjQ3jvrp0qMI2xB_4jO2C9CNrGo9Ku8_5bFgURRmYb1BiJM1eXOxWxA/s1600-h/Rock+On.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img ad="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37_vJ4uhSubNzEW2TbVFAUz_RbdYNrqCbxLguVl8ACPmLzRaBsz-tVrHpmPoRRwrzgi-T1T5GwesGL7hPFWArJhqwrzG1YMuE0LK2l_REuRl-kIaLUbSO12tKhp2Vf3FWlGugnw/s320-r/Rock+On.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Criticism aside, the film has got something that keeps you engaged (depsite its slow pace), mixes emotions in to stories and songs to good effect and when the film credit rolls you can see everyone humming one or two lines from one of the 6 songs……….. lyrics are ajeeb – pedestrian but unique and hence its difficult to decide whether its lyricist’s genius to write such simple and well meaning lyrics or its one of those ‘chance’ products. Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab are top-class performers – on stage and in acting. All said and done, one of the rare musicals made in India that really shall find its place equal to “once” or “singing in the rain”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-51703640269291019762008-07-23T15:22:00.001+05:302008-07-23T16:26:43.094+05:30DARK KNIGHT - Moview Review<div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226160323625765858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YC-wUJhfwSkq_-R3AkpFjCB68ZtDxL8c6pEmS-lE8UXgP3-sqtdh5osnLZonAOsJFAJ7EmCuhEqizub8VYv5NLNTum03ibjNI3fiCHu6_-FK_bWXHMsbh_6CeeBKmXWA5FKsNg/s320/Dark+Knight2.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>I saw the movie "Dark Knight" yesterday at a multiplex. The movie is too good, but I am confused about the genre I should place it in. It is a superhero movie, action movie, thriller, social drama, great face-offs through dialogues, great photography, great acting, moral drama where characters play mind-games (see Heath Ledger to know what the evil looks like. One of the promos for the movie said for the character played by him "Joker" – "Joker doesn't have any shades of Grey. He is absolute.")</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226161238265749122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2nRQcCoAqjXczZ8o0f32vjwj437yA4WoAWfNX5UGOBmrFeZ4C9X09jVoUhh10RYwCAaQ05UN7T7bPpISj0ousmlr8Fye-gaInYZWFWcH2S3cAFLv-OMVhYVoJ8jy-_P41uuUNw/s320/dark-knight3.jpg" border="0" />One of my colleagues who watched the late night show said to me next morning that he couldn't sleep because Joker's slurping face came before his eyes the moment he closed his eyes. Such is the effect this character has on mind. So much so that even superhero Batman finds it difficult to understand his motivation and hence find a way to corrupt him. In one of the scenes, Joker burns all the money that whole of underworld had as parallel black economy saying that "Crime because of money is petty. All present day crop (of convicts) is sub-standard. Gotham city needs better grade (of criminals), of those who do not do it because of these petty gains." He, in another scene, questions "You do good, that is good, but what is good. That's a good question. I mean, if what I do was labeled good, you would have felt good in doing this as well. Its about everything going as per plan. If I blow a lorry full of soldiers, you won't feel a prick, because its acceptable in world's sinister plan. But if I kill a single poor Mayor after announcing that I will kill him, your world topples over its head because its not what the plan is. I do not plan, but make sure to demonstrate that no plan succeeds." <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226160555294870226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvfpJWQoUAdfMlL2QaYKWzFsFInAPxkPQWX-R7K1LLEYN8x85x-TPLS5nyiNQqWVGjWzbeHEWweJdRbQNot4EcacEG8SHcs7puxbzt2FSxt-gfwoXpxx-7ZMkiUFYYTqjbrfCkA/s320/Dark+Knight1.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:';font-size:85%;">Well, others have done their part very well, including Christian Bale as Batman. Special effects are top class, so is specially-done photography with new-gen camera with INOX experience (didn't know what it means, till I saw it and it looks spectacular). But no one comes close to what Joker stands for – pure evil, who is surprisingly convincing.</span></div></div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-70061700270145111182008-07-13T00:50:00.003+05:302008-07-13T04:45:16.485+05:30Are TV serials barometer of societal paradigms?What precedes what - TV content or socially popular/ acceptable norms? Its a classical debate just like "Do films affect society or society gets reflected in films?" If saas-bahu serials are famous and have lot of viewership, does it make the content "in-vogue". Logically, YES.<br /><br />There will always be people who will have a niche liking for specific content. And there will be a choice of masses. Many a times, the short-tenured fashion (fad) lives like a tornado - momentarily powerful and just that. The bitchy programs are perhaps like that. It was attempted earlier too - in 2001, Neena Gupta presented "Kamzor Kadi Kaun", a game show with participants eliminating by group vote the one they all feared was most likely to succeed, thus increasing individual's chance in next round..... and the program was a flop, signifying perhaps that India was not ready for such a show then. But it seems to have changed now, with Raodies, Big Boss, Get Gorgeous, Splitsville and many other shows capturing/staging the acrimony between participants/ mentors to enhance their TRPs.<br /><br />High viewership for such programs do reflect achange in Indian choices, even if they may be limited to a specific section of population (read youth). There will always be alternate programming available for arty/ serious/ moral/ traditional/ cultural viewers and its possible that many choices of their are not "mass choices". But so be it.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-55459427627578933192008-03-21T01:29:00.007+05:302008-03-21T01:53:12.253+05:30Guruji of Adilabad<div><div><font face="arial"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg858EPlbXz04mpPX3nZdj2iInl0ivn70sFaz31_6Nle8Jnb__TcSvWtyPBiPURvI5JpnM6u8Fb6ZUihouRFUE6DFMy6PNWYcYXFaS7KpJX8VFshmwg9Iz1NQlFbcBXZ82kAQ6YFw/s1600-h/RavindraSharma.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179921336739737458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg858EPlbXz04mpPX3nZdj2iInl0ivn70sFaz31_6Nle8Jnb__TcSvWtyPBiPURvI5JpnM6u8Fb6ZUihouRFUE6DFMy6PNWYcYXFaS7KpJX8VFshmwg9Iz1NQlFbcBXZ82kAQ6YFw/s320/RavindraSharma.jpg" border="0" /></a>Dec 2002: I was at Adilabad for two months. It’s a tribal area of Andhra Pradesh, very close to the Maharashtra border. Ashish, my senior from IRMA, introduced us to Ravindra Sharma (fondly called Guruji). This man, in such a place, spoke to me in a Hindi that put me to shame "Aapki dincharya kya hoti hai? Aapke shodh ka vishay kya hai? Iska prayojan kya hai? Aapne vishraam kiya na! Agar sihran ho to mutthhi baandh lein, thand muthhiyon mein band ho jaayegi!!!!"............ </font></div><div></div><div><a href="http://pa-jugalbandi.blogspot.com/2007/10/besaba-baat-badhaane-ki-zarurat-kya-hai.html"><font face="arial">http://pa-jugalbandi.blogspot.com/2007/10/besaba-baat-badhaane-ki-zarurat-kya-hai.html</font></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm0-MEGG1rwDOOJApTYdiayOSaAPO7VqE8IDxjcL5Z96KGpHZ42Hw1Ren7AaPsowz6-Mb75_VaBK0h-ZzaeRafWPKm6H64ekdLy2wFYFKRl3lMHkkUYZkguuPLpi-V7_2WoaulA/s1600-h/GURUJI.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179920786983923554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm0-MEGG1rwDOOJApTYdiayOSaAPO7VqE8IDxjcL5Z96KGpHZ42Hw1Ren7AaPsowz6-Mb75_VaBK0h-ZzaeRafWPKm6H64ekdLy2wFYFKRl3lMHkkUYZkguuPLpi-V7_2WoaulA/s320/GURUJI.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><font face="arial">What he remembers well is Rama's story in Awadhi, and his knowledge of languages is intact....... his cow's family has grown now to three, and NIFT students are now taught by tribal supervisors....... He still speaks to Ashish in the same SHUDHH HINDI. </font></div><br /><div><font face="arial">He signed off a recent conversation by saying, "Ye purabiya log (people from Bihar and West Bengal) sangeet ke rasik hote hain. Maine desh bhraman ke beech dekha, unke jeevan ki har lay mein ek geet hai, har kartavya mein ek sur mila hua hai, har kadam mein taal ki anubhuti hoti hai. Isliye hi wahan chinta nahin hoti....... desh mein kuchh bhi ho, garibi kitni bhi aaye, baadh aapki saari jama poonji baha ke kyun na le jaye.... agli subah wo phir muskura denge. Samaaj ka dhancha wahan mazboot hai, saahitya sabal hai, aur shayad isliye arthvyawastha kamzor. Woh geet nahin suna - O ram-e-ram, saiyaan daaru pee-ke unghalad khet mein....... naayika roti hui apne sasur se keh rahi hai ki mere pati ko dhund laaiye. Sood bahut chad gaya tha, to saahukaar ne hal waapas le liya........ Acche log hain ye purabiya, unke jaisa nazariya rakho to jeevan mast hai, sahal hai, sulajha hua hai."<br /><br />Chicken Soup for the soul - In Hindi. Nahin!?</font></div></div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-79673504339183707882008-03-21T01:17:00.002+05:302008-03-21T01:28:42.899+05:30What makes music soothing?<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing. Perhaps its "naad", a sanskrit word meaning "origin of sound", which generates this experience of sound, thus words, and thus songs - giving human existence an exalted position in universe. Perhaps its because music has rhythm, a flow, which helps human atoms synchronise itself with his/ her surroundings. Like a magnet helping electorns in iron bar straigtening themselves, giving them power hitherto unknown to them to attract metal henceforth. Music does it with our heart....... giving a sense of belonging to otherwise chaotic and unattached existence.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Just watched "Music and Lyrics " starring Barrymore and Grant. Genre was musical, but what I loved was the way words unfolded the story, in themselves evolving but helping the progression in an easy flowing manner. And, at the end was the question that i asked at the start of this piece - What is it in music that makes for good listening, and, at a higher plane, for soulful relaxing. </span></div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-19191127133829763112008-03-11T20:54:00.004+05:302008-03-20T01:58:49.465+05:30Amrita and Imroz<span style="font-family:arial;">Amrita and Imroz...... its almost a decade since I first read about them. Since then, have read or heard quite many times of their unique relationship which is difficult to define in terms of social or familial ties but not that difficult to understand.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Amrita Pritam is one of the famous punjabi-Hindi writer from 1950s, imroz is an impressionist who sketched for the publishing house that published Amrita's novels. Amrita was from present day pakistan, she was a rebel of sorts. First married when she was a teen, she took divorce and started living in Delhi. There she met imroz first in late 1960s. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Imroz is a very good artist. I have seen his published work. Amrita is a good writer, specially when she writes about herself and her surrounding. Her autobiography "raseedi Ticket" - The revenue stamp - is a masterpiece in Indian literature. Her creative writings are not as good. But this book alone places her on the top. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Imroz is younger to Amrita by some 6-8 years. Amrita moved with him with her children. They never lived like couple. They were soul-companions. Their collection of letters I read at piyush's place last week at pune. It rekindled life, a part of it, inside me. Its intensity touched me. Amrita writes for Imroz - mere mehboob, my letters are like 800 kms long hands of my love reaching you. On women, she had views that you can't term feminist. She says: Any civilisation will be termed evolved when a woman is able to say no to any physical advances made against her wish. Amrita was criticised for her exressions in Punjabi literary circles, but she was much liked in hindi. Imroz paved that way by being there, caring for her, being more than a friend and almost like a soulmate, except for physical intimacy. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">They lived with it, made their life the talk of folk lores. Their love and friendship is an example, not only of mitigated differences of religion, language and cultures, but also of intensity, dedication and companionship. </span>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-30801859404111159272008-02-23T21:02:00.003+05:302008-02-23T21:06:46.541+05:30Where u can touch clouds bare-handed!!Saw the natural beauty strewn in post below. This is how I responded.<br /><br />Is this Heaven!! I bet it is. It’s so beautiful, it almost seems like a fake. Another way of saying – too good to be true. But I have known atleast one place as beautiful and tranquile as this – Jharipaani – near mussuorie. I almost lost myself there…….. clouds would cut-across you when you walk on thin rounding aisles on mountainous roads. The mist woould be all-pervading, yet one felt a clarity. A connect with the surroundings. It was as if you can extend your hand and touch the beauty all around. And I was fearful if I raised my fingers I will destroy the equilibrium. So, I sat, for hours, looking at the picturesque scene, not moving, just observing – a pony carrying load of grocery, another carrying box of cold drinks (huh!! Pepsi in so cold a region, who will drink it??)…….. a farmer ploughing his –stair-cased field…. a car moving on the road, appearing on each upward bend for a split second and taking another 5 minutes to reappear on even upper one again, thus keeping me engaged and thinking………<br /><br />Koi kah de mujhe aake, ja raho tum pahadon pe<br />Khush ho-oonga ja rahunga, prakriti ke nikat jaake.<br /><br />Sorry, flow mein bah gaya zara. Never mind.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-81391882704938159222008-02-23T20:49:00.006+05:302008-02-23T21:01:12.881+05:30Rainbow at Elam Bend - MissouriDisclaimer - I received this as a forward, but didn't change the first person account.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcK91Pa9_MfAisycAWkyQ4G1HrdpNpuaTzHqC29cizrNqTsOQvyO3Lqbbwm7myjdVj5Edtvqfo3MG9VpFjz8f7hdGYLlYD1iFwYAO9csfBkSFacRCF5U69VYCTUajMpLzLuOXHMQ/s1600-h/Rainbow1.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170196137756226418" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcK91Pa9_MfAisycAWkyQ4G1HrdpNpuaTzHqC29cizrNqTsOQvyO3Lqbbwm7myjdVj5Edtvqfo3MG9VpFjz8f7hdGYLlYD1iFwYAO9csfBkSFacRCF5U69VYCTUajMpLzLuOXHMQ/s320/Rainbow1.bmp" border="0" /></a><br />On this day a rare February Rainbow was seen here in Northern Missouri at sunset. This rainbow was visible over much of the area and was noticed by many people. It was seen as a partial bow in some areas and completely full and even double in others depending on where the rain was falling. The photos on this page were taken at the Elam Bend Conservation Area near McFall, Missouri.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6q9oZmJ_aFC5P2nYYTdTC7-ifcxpxfBi_efeDZtsQIa2TeVLqdojxpliym8VR0Di8gO4d0L3jIcp89sJJfyKY-6aQNfbZC6ihmZHEg63-_Fqa-5iFvIBmvgeDm2loSolM3T5kA/s1600-h/Rainbow2.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170196678922105730" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6q9oZmJ_aFC5P2nYYTdTC7-ifcxpxfBi_efeDZtsQIa2TeVLqdojxpliym8VR0Di8gO4d0L3jIcp89sJJfyKY-6aQNfbZC6ihmZHEg63-_Fqa-5iFvIBmvgeDm2loSolM3T5kA/s320/Rainbow2.bmp" border="0" /></a><br />As I pulled the truck up next to one of my favorite trees I looked over my left shoulder and there sat the most vivid rainbow that I had ever seen. It appeared to me to be about a 100 yards away or maybe even closer. I was unable to get a great shot at first. I couldn't get out of the truck with the camera because it was still raining fairly hard. I didn't want to get water on my lenses. notice that the sky inside of a rainbow is much brighter than the area outside<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK02w-C425_mXtKDSYKXu3AAlw4SRhxqGIoVXClFN7QQdkaQgATMjPRAJ7a4iVzURTRkBiuMPpnXt7lhucdb5FTmQjUa9Ac3HwnVcivv3bzzeIWXSMH5S_25fq3gy1JchR9FQmg/s1600-h/Rainbow7.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170197340347069330" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK02w-C425_mXtKDSYKXu3AAlw4SRhxqGIoVXClFN7QQdkaQgATMjPRAJ7a4iVzURTRkBiuMPpnXt7lhucdb5FTmQjUa9Ac3HwnVcivv3bzzeIWXSMH5S_25fq3gy1JchR9FQmg/s320/Rainbow7.bmp" border="0" /></a><br />As the rain moved on and the rainbow dissipated the view was still picturesque to the east. Notice that a small portion of the rainbow (primary and secondary) is still visible on either side of the tree paralleling the trunk<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH17Wu3ADU1PRDt2WRvwcnD_xd1rWC1XQtP_OVc4NS6rbzbolXlfM6m-M8hP4l_QcQX5L46bbgW7MpKPrv7wkcXPhUlYoAN5uKC5n5-2ZFWcFdpdj_PWI2dEamPN7pmZOnuTcw8w/s1600-h/Rainbow9.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170197799908570018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH17Wu3ADU1PRDt2WRvwcnD_xd1rWC1XQtP_OVc4NS6rbzbolXlfM6m-M8hP4l_QcQX5L46bbgW7MpKPrv7wkcXPhUlYoAN5uKC5n5-2ZFWcFdpdj_PWI2dEamPN7pmZOnuTcw8w/s320/Rainbow9.bmp" border="0" /></a>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-64647933157775795142008-01-01T15:29:00.000+05:302008-01-01T17:13:22.622+05:30Five at Five: Welcome 2008Not till now I have welcomed a dawn like this.<br /><br />Five of us (Amit, Kiran, Hafsa, Ananda, and I) welcomed turn of an year at midnight at Restaurant 5. Sitting till 5, sipping hot cappuchino at Barista, we rejoiced in randomness. Thoughts flew like cotton wisps, all bright and light all around.<br /><br />Ananda told us, in single breath, how the hollywood classic "Fistful of Dollars" was made in to masterpiece and how Ms. X (of KMBL) was qouted out of context to be depicted as a lone desperate woman appearing in Agony Aunt Column. Kiran spoke about Mandal and politics of caste, and also how his favourite dance step is of Govinda's partner sequence. Hafsa and I dreamt of a magazine called View Points, to which amit Added "RVP" or random view points. Amit parodied few famous songs, and also told us how Pakistan fears disintergation due to Baluch-NWF-Sindh-Punjab divide and threats from destructive forces.<br /><br />It was 4 when we actually realised that we have sat through night, chatting and gossipping as if there will never be another day. It reminded all of us our PG days when such events of not sleeping through night was common.<br /><br />In the morning Amit has gone back to Bangalore, sleepy eyed but smiling. Ananda told me aroudn noon why he felt good. He said that we spoke for such a long time, without pulling anyone's leg and discussing everything under the sky. This doesn't get any better these days.<br /><br />Year has started on a positive note. Work is half done. And I do not feel sleep-deprivwed despite the late sessions. Good for me. Touch Wood!Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-87556298262546272382007-12-02T20:56:00.000+05:302007-12-02T21:00:48.843+05:30Grandma experience - addition by my sisterTumhara blog padhe. Dr. v ke bare me pahle bhi padha tha, sach aise log isi duniya me hai jankar achcha lagta hai. tumhara dusra blog trishul wala logo ko padhna achcha lagega. <br /><br />Waise ek bar aisa kuch hum bhi face kar cuke hai. indu phua ki sas ur ma hamari dadi ur nani yad hai tumhe? ramayan mahabharat ke kaphi salo bad ramanad sagar ka krishna deta tha. hamare yaha koi bhi regular nahi dekhta tha use. anni hi kabi kabi dekti thi. ek sunday ko dadi ur nani subah me 9 baje hamare yaha tv dekhne aayi per ussamay tv band tha. une bahut nirasha hui ki hum bhagwan krishna ke darsan ke samay tv band karke baithe hai.<br /><br />khair tv khola gaya. sabse pahle dadi ne do agarbatti manga ur jalakar tv ki puja ki. phir tv ke uper hi stand lagakar use rakh diya gaya. phir wo dono jamin per baith gayi humne bahut request ki uper baithne ke liye per nahi mani.ulta hume hi phatkar pari ki puja ke samay upper baitha jata hai kya. lastly mat per jameen per hi baithi. sath sath hume bhi baithna para.<br /><br />pure ek ghante dono hath jore tanmayta se tv niharti rahi. bich bich me unka facial expression dekhne layak tha. kabhi aankhe khushi ke aasuo se bhar jate to kabhi dust rakchsh ke uper gusse ka bhav. tv se jyada aanand to unhe dekhne me tha. ye silsila kai hufto tak chala. darasal light ki wajah se koi rukawat na ho isliye wo yaha chali aati thi. humne apni dadi ko to dekhne ka jyada mouka nahi mil paya per enhe hi dekhkar bara achcha lagta tha.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-49001790582545568462007-11-29T17:23:00.000+05:302007-11-29T17:25:25.856+05:30Bottom of the Pyramid - Aravind Eye care SystemIn his famous book titled "fortune at the bottom of pyramid", C K Prahlad enumerates with help of case studies how fortune can be made by serving people at the bottom of economic and social pyramid (BOP). He pools in examples from developing countries across the world to show case the strength of business innovations in making seemingly unattractive consumption group of poor yield unthinkably high profit. To quote him, "The problems at BOP are not new. However they represent a new challenge….. the solutions must be affordable, easy to use for low literacy, and available."<br /><br />Innovations cold be in terms of processes, procedures or product (and its delivery). He has included more than two dozen examples from India. One of the most successful such innovations is Aravind Eye Care system, which provides gift of vision to more than 12 lakh patients every year at costs 100 times less than developed world, and does all of with a profit which even the best hospitals in India do not make.<br /><br />Aravind Eye care system, which was established by Dr. G Venkataswamy (fondly called Dr. V) in 1976 at Madurai (TN, India), treats more than 13 Lakh patients and conducts more than 2 Lakh surgeries every year through its series of 3 hospitals and around 1500 rural camps. Its standard of medical care certified as top quality by independent bodies like UK Health survey puts it in the league of best in world (some say it is best in world). It is speedy (minimum 10000 patients per day); efficient (each doctor does around 25 surgeries in half day), and dirt cheap (Cost wise it is 1/100 th of a similar surgery in USA). To top it all, it is hugely profitable (Rs. 21 Crores net profit in 2005 achieved with no grant money involved).<br /><br />Productivity per Medical Officer of Aravind Eye Care system is at least six times more than other doctors working with Public or private clinics/ hospitals in India, and perhaps highest in the world. There are colleges and research centers of the institute doing cutting-edge research in ophthalmology. All this achieved while serving with a simple mission – of eradicating needless blindness, first in the state of Tamilnadu and then in India.<br /><br />The book tells us two main factors lying behind success of the system are– its inspirational leadership and ability to constantly innovate. Dr. V, a Padmashree awardee, has been a constant source of inspiration for all staff. Innovation at Arvind Eye Care has come in area of processes (screening off at camps, and parallel operations by single doctor), product delivery (quality paramedics trained inhouse, low cost but scientifically designed movement system for patients cutting the time and space requirements), and quality (improvements in higher end products and medical procedures, reducing aftermaths). <br /><br />In another case study on leadership published by ICFAI, leadership style for business and social ventures has been put into three categories – Charismatic, Hands on, and Inspirational. The case writer had put Dr. V under the last category of leaders, and narrated an anecdote to explain his point.<br /><br />Dr. V worked like there won't be any tomorrow. He had a senior member called Dr. Bala responsible for all rural camps. One day, Dr. Bala came back suffering from fever and infection from a far-off rural camp. It was morning time when surgeries are started. No doctor can afford to take leave from this responsibility at Arvind Eye Care. Dr. V, as was usual at the day-start at 7 AM, was taking round of hospital. He saw Dr. Bala, who was supposed to be getting ready for surgery, lying on a bed herself. Dr. V asked what happened to her. She answered she caught infection and had fever at the rural camp and was taking rest. Dr. V said, "I have fever of 104° F. How much is yours?" She got up and performed that day so many successful operations that she made a world-record. She has fever of 102° F. Dr. V was aged around 80 years then.<br /><br />BoP captures few other similar stories. These anecdotes have woven a culture of purpose, ethics, respect, and excellence at the hospital. Attitude to serve is given highest weightage and no deviation to the rule "speak with patients in soft tone" is tolerated. Girls from big joint families and specially those who have had the experience of taking care of their younger siblings or children of relatives are considered better candidates for nursing jobs. These, and many other such native wisdom has helped the hospital to grow organically, remain profitable and excel in its continuous delivery of quality medical care to all. Around 40% of its patients are given free treatment, but the hospital doesn't do it as charity. It earns profit on rest 60% and cross-subsidizes the BoP. It is the world's largest, most respected, and most productive system of eye care that boasts of world class outcomes. But what is the most satisfying of all this to its founders is the fact that the clientele it serves comes from Bottom of the Pyramid. The fortune, not only monetarily but in terms of social capital as well, has been successfully incubated and delivered under this system, concludes C K Prahlad.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-65051618799303123952007-11-29T00:55:00.000+05:302007-11-29T01:36:08.565+05:30My Grandma, Trishul, and Amitabh BachhanMy grandmother was born in 1911, the year Delhi was chosen over kolkata to be India's capital. She lived through many important historic events, and died two years after Indira Gandhi's Death in 1984. Incidentally, Indira was born in 1919.<br /><br />Grandma was a good cook. That defines how my mother knows to make world class pickles so well. Grandma was a hard task master, my father and my uncle (who is 7 years younger to my father) tell me. I have seen little of her (I was small when she passed away). From limited of what is left of her remembrances, I knew her to have weak memory (which my father confirms is untrue), to have skin full of wrinkles (which my eldest aunt tells is as big a change as can come to any person - basically she means that my grandmother had the best skin in the world). I knew her to be a religious person, someone who always used to carry a hand-fitted pouch carrying garland with 108 beads. she will rotate it regularly for hours between her middle finger and thumb, chanting silently the name of Shiva with rotation of every bead. She was rather sharp and alert for her age, and our attempts to take out anything from kitchen use to be a waste if she was in the kitchen. We tried even when she was in her prayers. Failure met us.<br /><br />My father was, and continues to be, very fond of Amitabh Bachhan. In the story of my grandmother the fact just mentioned shall not matter. But it did.<br /><br />My grandmother was, being from a pre-cinema era, not exactly in sync with what cinema was about. "Perhaps few evil images playing here-n-here" she use to lament. But it changed one day. She heard that Shyam cinema hall is playing "Trishul" in four shows. My father, who was in college and was a keen follower of whats happening in which hall, came and informed all-n-sundry his plan of watching the movie on sunday that week. My grandmother asked what he was talking about. My father said it was about trishul. She said she will also come to watch. Huh!<br /><br />Preparations started. My mother - her trusted lieutenant - was given responsibility of arranging the accompaniments. As per instruction, a prayer plate and candles, incense stick, flowers, sindoor (vermillon) and small shiva-linga were araanged neatly in a dolchi (bamboo carry bag). A rikshaw-puller was ordered to take the ladies. Since so pious a ceremony was planned, it was thought better that the rikshaw-driver drives the rikshaw bare-footed. He obliged.<br /><br />So, Trishul (starring Amitabh Bachhan) was watched over, very religiously and with anticipation of Shiva's arrival in every next scene. Alas, that was not to be. The candles were kept ready, the prayer-plate decorated and the shiva-linga washed and dried - all to be bowed to. My grandma waited. When the film came to an end, she said - "look, I told you na! Indeed the evil images playing here-n-here".Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-83059482906024262282007-10-23T01:05:00.001+05:302007-10-23T01:13:28.163+05:30Bachpan ke khel - 3My Sister's addition to Bachpan ke khel:<br /><br />Bahut maja aaya padhne me. Sachmuch bachpan me pahuch gaye the. Kitne achche the wo din. Tumhari memory bhi kamal ki hai itni chije yad kaise aa gayi. Hope kai din lage honge sabko sanjone me. Jo bhi hai good job. Jab se padhe hain to jo chijein chhoot gayi hain unhe yad karne ki koshis kar rahe hain. Kuch khel to yaad bhi aaye hai jaise:<br /><br />1. Rang rang - rang rang rang tujhe kon si pasand bolo kaisa rang. kuchh yaad aaya . raja ke bataye rang ko pakarna hota tha nahi to pakre jate the.<br /><br />2. Sikkar - jisme pakre gaye log kari me jurte jaate the.<br /><br />3. Chor sipahi - jisme do group hota tha ek choro ka ur dusra sipahiyon ka. Tum ur niraj leader hua karte the aur hum sab tumhare subordinates hawaldar ya phir chota chor. Kagaj ki dunali banduk yad hai jo sirf tumhe hi aati thi banani.<br /><br />Baris ke dino ke hamare indoor games<br /><br />4. Kona kona - hamara baraamda (verandah) kitna perfect tha is game ke liye, kona kona kaun kona? anshu kona haaaa.........<br /><br />5. Chor sipahi raja mantra - Yeh to yaad hi hoga<br /><br />6. Panch gotiya - Paanch patthar ki gotiyon aur ungliyon-hatheli ka khel. Ladkiyaan acchha khelati thin, ladke nahin kar paate the woh sab.<br /><br />(Shilpa Bhardwaj's addition: Tumhara blog Dekha Anshul, Bada pyara hai. What about "Gitte"? Wo jo 5 gitte khelte hain, ucchaal ke pakadte hain? Yaad hai?)<br /><br />7. Aur wo benaam khel jo lichi ke beejon se khelate the hum.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-271687620667163892007-10-14T20:41:00.000+05:302007-10-14T20:43:21.295+05:30Bachpan ke khel - 2KUCHH KHEL BACHPAN KE:<br /><br />1. Aais paais / Dhappa - sau ki ginti tak sab bachhon ke chhupane ka intezaar, phir khoj, dikh jaane pe aais-paais, peeche se koi bacchha peeth pe haule se 'dhappa' kahe to phir se chor.<br /><br />2. Denga-paani - Denga pe dono paanv to surakhshit, paani mein khatra. Agar chor ne paani mein chhoo diya to aap chor<br /><br />3. Vish-amrit - baaith gaye to bach gaye. Khade hue aur chor ne chhoo diya to aap chor. Aap baithe hue se khade tabhi ho sakte hain jab koi aapko amrit de (sar pe dheeme se chhooke).<br /><br />4. Ghar- ghar, Mummy-papa - Domesticity in childhood<br /><br />5. Budhiya kabaddi/ langadi kabbadi – kabbaddi, when you are allowed only on one leg<br /><br />6. Nua-ghariya/ Kit-kit – played with a small clay-goti, on floor or ground. You have to cross few intercrossing lines without stepping on them. <br /><br />7. Pitto / bum-pastic – Pitto is played with clay-goti and ball. You have to unstuck the gotis with ball, and restack them before opposition hits you with the ball again. <br /><br />8. chidiya-ud-kauwa-ud-gaay-ud-pakde gaye-out – self explanatory with exapmle. Put your finger on table, raise only if the object being spelt out can actually fly. Otherwise, you are out.<br /><br />9. statue – The classical game…… sab jaante hain na.<br /><br />10. dash-kosh-single-bulbul-master – Main bhool gaya ki kaise khelate the. Bas ye paanch shabd yaad hain.<br /><br />Aur bhi yaad aayega, to batore laaoonga yahan.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-27117680156752233122007-10-14T20:12:00.000+05:302007-10-14T20:41:25.076+05:30Bachpan ke khelBachpan khelon mein guzra. Masoom khel, bina taam jhaam wale khel..... Saabhaar un 'unsung creators' ko jinhone mere bachpan ke kitne pyaare pyaare pal mujhe diye.... Thanks to all such poets.<br /><br />Neeche kuchh yaadein sameti hain maine. Padhiye aur bataiye kuchh yaad aa raha hai ya bhool gaye sab. <br /><br />1. Motu seth sadak pe late<br />Gaadi aayi Phat gaya pate<br />Gaadi ka numbertwenty eight<br />gaadi pahunchi India gate<br />India gate mein the sipahi<br />motuseth ki hui pitaai<br /><br />2. Poshampa bhai poshampa<br />Daakiye ne kya kiya<br />100 rupaye ki ghadi churayi<br />50 rupaye ki rabdi khayi<br />Ab to jail mein jaana padega<br />jail ki roti khani padegi<br />jail ka paani peena padega<br />-ek-do-teen-<br /><br />3. Machhali jal ki raani hai<br />jeevan iska paani hai<br />Haath lagao darr jayegi<br />Bahar nikaalo mar jayegi <br /><br />4. mama mama bhookh lagi<br />kha le beta moong phali<br />Moongphali mein daana nahin<br />hum tumhare mama nahin.<br /><br />5. phholmati- phoolmati, Khol de kiwaad<br />Saaton bhaiyaDu-a-re thhaar<br /><br />Phoolmati- phoolmati, na khol kiwaad<br />Dusht rak-chhasDu-a-re thhaar<br />(Courtesy: My late NAANI)<br /><br />6. Jhooth bolna paap hai<br />nadi kinare saanp hai<br />kali maiyya aayegi<br />tumko utha le jayegi...<br /><br />7. aaj somvar hai, chuhe ko bukhar hai<br />chuha gaya doctor ke pass,<br />doctor ne lagayi sui, chula bola oiii <br /><br />8. aalu-kachalu beta kaha gaye the<br />bandar ki jhopdi mein so rahe the<br />bandar ne laat maari ro rahe the<br />mummy ne paisa diya has rahe the<br />Baba ne daant lagaayi ro rahe the<br />Papa ne laddoo diya ga rahe the<br /><br />9. titlee udi, ud ke chali<br />phool ne kaha<br />aaja mere paas<br />titli kahe<br />main chali aakas<br /><br /> 10. chanda mama door ke<br />puye pakaye gud ke<br />aap khaye thali mein<br />munne ko de pyali mein<br />munna gaya rooth<br />thaali gayi phhoot<br /><br />11. Akkad-bakkad bambe-bo<br />Assi nabbe poore sau<br />Sau mein laga taaga<br />Chor nikal ke bhaaga<br /><br />12. Atkan chatkan dahi chatakan<br />............... (kya hai yahan pe, yaad nahin aa raha)<br />bar phule barela phule<br />saawan mein karela phule<br /><br />13. Okka bokka teen talokka<br />Laau laathi chandan kaathi<br />chandana ke naam ka<br />Puchuk- (sound produced when you hit your blown up cheek)<br /><br />14. Baithe baithe kya karoge<br />karna hai kuchh kaam<br />Shuru karo antakhshari<br />leke hari ka naam<br /><br />15. ekai ke chakdum<br />makai ke laawa<br />ek laawa ghat ge-e-l<br />bachwa ulat ge-e-l<br /><br /> Aur yaad aaya to likhunga.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-63785448961542903102007-10-10T16:00:00.000+05:302007-10-10T16:17:43.521+05:30Rajnish Pankaj is no more !<div align="justify">The first time I met him, he was in his second year (2006) at IRMA. I was visiting campus after a gap of one year and went to see my rooms. I lived in my first year in Block F- Room No. 34 (F-34) and in second year at F-28. Co-incidentally heoccupied both rooms in similar fashion. We connected, instantly. </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="justify">Having qualified as Company Secretary and taken Chartered Accountancy tillmid-course, at the age of 23 he got interested in management education. Hejoined IRMA by selecting it over other management institutes. He said in one of his meetings with me, "IRMA is quite in fit with my nature and outlook".What he meant was, perhaps, his amiable nature, his attitude towards<br />his unassuming attitude towards life. He was finance whiz-kid of his batch, a good teacher for pre-exam awakers, and a die hard IRMA-mess regular.</div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="justify">Last time we met was during MILAAP (Jan 2007). He was then with ICICI Bank at Mumbai. As was usual for someone who felt strongly for IRMA, he took leave and attended the program all throughout. He was looking after risk management in ICICI bank, and shared with me what and how he plans to improve the risk modeling of assets in the Bank. He formed part of the risk team there with another IRMAn (Sreekanth from PRM21) and was doing quite well.</div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="justify">He had a small built, but was quite energetic. I, for all interactions I had with him, never had any reason to doubt his health. So, when Mathuranand (PRM25 and my colleague) broke the sad news, I thought he is mistaking the identity. I wish I was correct.</div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="justify">It is difficult to believe that he is gone; not because he was dear one, but because the way it happened is so unbelievable. I have read he was checked at the airport and was cleared for boarding by the medical team there. Post-mortem has not revealed any further. Was there anything that we could have done to avoid what happened! I have no clue. </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></div><div align="justify">My ears ring with his parting remarks at Milaap, "My train leaves few hours early. No problems. We will meet again soon. Bye" Alas, that never happened. His train has left quite early. May his soul rest in peace.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">- Anshul (PRM22)</div>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-9203618562751846492007-10-06T20:19:00.000+05:302007-10-06T20:41:40.431+05:30Jagjit, Bhades-ism and Saturday eveningIts really after a very long time that I am relaxing on a saturday evening, alone, with Jagjit's ghazal playing in background.......<br /><br />Gaanth Agar lag jaaye to phir, rishte ho ya dor<br />Laakh karein koshish khulane mein waqt to lagta hai<br /><br />Don't be surprised, I am in office..... but no body else is. The last man left around an hour ago. My home is hardly 10 minutes from here, and no body is there waiting. So, I give a hoot to where I am. Its an amazing feeling to listen and relive best days of my life (rings: hotel california.....)<br /><br />Gulshan ki faqat phoolon se nahin kaanton se jeenat hoti hai<br />Jeene ke liye is duniya mein gham ki bhi zarurat hoti hai<br /><br />Ai waiz-e-nadaan karta hai tu ek kayamat ka charcha<br />Yahan roz nigahein milti hain yahan roz kamayat hoti hai<br /><br />Rajan se shaam ko baat ho rahi thi. Wo bhi acche mood mein tha. Humne apni bhojpuri-vajjika ke shabd-saamrtya ko tatola aur flying colours se pass hue. Some examples:<br /><br />Anthiyana (ignore), bitta (measure of finger-length), dhanmanana (unstable walking), kankanaana (shiver), chharapana (to climb over a wall), chhardewali (boundary-wall), ballu-ballu (you know), belchatta (bald), dharkna (to flow, to come down), bila jana (to get lost), dhahat-dhimlhat (getting ok, somehow), tagharna (when drops come one by one) ....... chalo, baaki ke kabhi alag se post karunga.....<br /><br />Abhi ke liye itna hi. Meri pasandida gazal aa rahi. Don't want disturbance.<br /><br />Koi dost hai na rakeeb hai<br />Tera shaher kitna ajeeb hai<br /><br />Main kise kahoon mere saath chal<br />Yahan sabke sar pe saleeb hai<br /><br />Yahan kiska chehara padha karun<br />Yahan kaun itna kareeb hai......<br /><br />Meaning in English:<br /><br />No friend for me, no enemy<br />Your city is stranger to me<br /><br />Whom to ask to walk along<br />everybody's head Cross is on<br /><br />faces tell no story, or writing is so fine<br />I can't read, they are so alien<br /><br />- AnshulKumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-88654453809151489582007-09-03T00:58:00.000+05:302007-09-03T01:17:20.525+05:30I am writing again. But differently.Its one thing that I have started writing again (poems, I mean). Its another that their nature and range has changed. Now, I write more trivenis (a couplet followed by third line with a twist) and less poems. I write more chhote-sher (small couplets) than long rhymes. Its good to try and use less words to convey more. Like one of piyush's triveni (waqt khusq tha, aankhein nam....... khat ne bataya)....... but, u lose the beauty of language that comes from being verbose (remembers Jeeves and Woosters of P G wodehouse....... "and that is how I have been all my life. Ask any cat with whom I have had dealings what sort of a chap I am cat-wise, and it will tell you that I am a thoroughly good egg in whom complete confidence can safely be placed......."<br /><br />U can blame it on many things. Time compartmentalisation. Life Style change. Professional-acclaimatization of thinking-style. Changes due to age/ period. Changes that technology has brought. The way I have evolved. The language that I communicate in today. All of it.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-3130669254181136932007-09-03T00:29:00.000+05:302007-09-03T00:42:22.973+05:30What you do, you become!I read quite a long back that what one does one becomes. I mean, the personality is shaped by your profession. So, it is safe to stereotype a salesman as a talker, a restaurant owner to be hospitable, an accountant to be calculative, a store manager to be bin-counter, a banker to be money-minded, a teacher to be patient and instructive, a share-broker to be intuitive (or impulsive).........<br /><br />Why this topic on my blog. Because I have seen two phases of my professional life - one with Bank, other with Development Agencies. Both have defined my personality in distinctly identifiable way. And the latest one, the bank, seems to be doing it rather ferociously and perhaps long-lastingly. Good or bad is a matter of being judgemental, and me being the subject, I am unable to be. However, Objectivity tells me that the shaping up process is for my good. Fingers crossed till a next change, after which I will look at this phase dispassionately and weigh it with what I had, what I got and lost, and what I kept for posterity.<br /><br />Hmm..... Balance sheet analysis, very banker-like.........<br /><br />You got my point, I hope.Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21091015.post-3296668021727544962007-09-03T00:26:00.000+05:302007-09-03T00:28:46.160+05:30First play at Prithvi, Mumbai<a href="http://xyz.freeweblogger.com/stats/a/anshul79/" target="_top"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Today went to see a play at Prithvi Theatres in Mumbai. The play was named "One small day" (directed by Jayant Kriplani) ..... the experience of watching the live performance was good. Play was moderately average, if that much could be said about it. Overall, I will remember the experience because of the theatre...... which is a really nice one...... Not the play. Next time I want to go to NCPA, Mumbai.......</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span>Kumar Anshulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05552467918093337110noreply@blogger.com1