Tuesday 30 August 2016

तुझको पाकर सारा जहां पालिया मैंने




तुझको पाकर सारा जहां पालिया मैंने …

क्या करूंगा इस समंदर का?
तेरी आँखों में डूबकर  स्वर्ग पालिया मैंने।

क्या करूंगा इस धरती का?
तेरे सब्र की आगोश में सुकून पालिया मैंने।

क्या करूंगा इस नदिया का?
तेरे प्यार में बहकर सुख का सिरा पालिया मैंने।

क्या करूंगा इस आसमान का?
तेरी बाहों के पंखों के सहारे विश्व को पालिया मैंने।

क्या करूंगा इस ख़ुदी का?
तेरे वजूद में ख़ुद को खोकर तुझको पालिया मैंने।

तुझको पाकर सारा जहां पालिया मैंने …

***



Monday 29 August 2016

RIGHT versus WRONG


“You are absolutely right.”

How many times have we heard this!

Although the word “absolutely” is usually used for emphasis, it raises questions pertinent to my arguments.

Is (the state of being) right (or wrong) absolute?

What is right (or wrong)?

It cannot be, for the simple reason that these states exist with reference to things, and situations. We know that things and situations change over space and time.

Ambiguous? Obfuscating? Let’s delve deeper.

***

Over a century ago, the field of science was upended like never before. Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) exploded his “Theory of Relativity” on the world. Science and life have not been the same again.

Looking at it from the point of view of a below-average layman, such as me, one question arises.

Is everything relative?

If so, then nothing would be absolute and, hence, nothing relative, right?

Can we apply relativity to some abstract ideas and concepts, such as right and wrong?

I don’t know.

Let me try.

Varies with space and time

Let me make a statement, a slogan, actually.

“Left is right and right is wrong.”

Oh my God!

…and this is supposed to clarify?

The statement was with reference to … you know what?

Vehicular traffic flow on Indian roads.

The operative word is Indian.

This is true also in UK and some commonwealth countries e.g. Australia.

In USA and the major part of the world, it is ‘right is right’.

The gravamen of my argument is that the direction of flow of traffic is relative not absolute. It varies with space.

***

I make the statement, “The British Airways jet from Washington landed at 04.00 P.M.”

The immediate question that will arise is, “Where?”

Why?

Doesn’t 04.00 P.M. describe it adequately? Isn’t it absolute? Isn’t it right?

How can, “where it landed” be relevant?

No, it is neither adequate nor absolute nor is it right. It is relative to the place it landed. Where it landed is relevant since 04.00 P.M. in Chennai would be a different time Washington DC and yet another time in London.

So, what is ‘right’ in Chennai won’t be right in Washington or London.

Right and wrong vary with space and time.

We can enumerate numerous examples for this, the Constitution, the laws of the land, the social practices, etc.

Until a century ago, sati was the norm of our society. Thanks to the great Raja Ram Mohan Roy, all that changed. Today its practice or abetment is punishable under law.

Less than a century ago divorce was unthinkable. Today?

Untouchability, the social order then, is despicable now and is punishable under law.

Gay people are seen as criminals by law of our land, whereas in USA and several other western countries they are a minority group protected by the law.

***

That, which was right yesterday is wrong today. That, which is right today may be wrong tomorrow. That is the process of social evolution.

***

The hitherto-sacrosanct, clearly defined, and unambiguous line dividing right and wrong is now blurred. Morals are changing, icons are crumbling, and social order is upended.

Ethics are changing.

Cricket is no longer a gentleman’s game, to mention only one sport. It is no longer important how the game is played, winning alone matters. Everything is fair in love and war.

This blurring has given birth to the likes of Late Mr. Harshad Mehta and a score of others for whom the ends justified the means. That wealth must be accumulated is important, not the how’s.

Every walk of life everywhere is affected and afflicted by this blurring of the line separating right and wrong. Means are fast losing their hitherto-rightful place in social and societal order with the ends-justify-means philosophy slowly entrenching itself.

If end justifies the means, then vigilantism must be right. Why do we need laws, at all? Are the ends universal or personal? How far would we go to justify these issues?

A dangerous trend? Time alone will tell…

…but time is relative…

###

Friday 26 August 2016

JOURNEY OF AN AUTUMN LEAF

Scorching is the sun
And dry is the win’
I am left the last one
Of my kith and kin.

I’m born a green speck
On my mother bough
I am not to bedeck
Like sister flowers I love.

Though born before
Sister flower is the one
Endowed from times yore
With all hues under sun.

Always provided food
To my entire family
Scorched by sun I stood
But I served affably.

None granted a favour
Nor did I ask for any
Dignity, I saw in labour
Comfort? I care tuppenny.

Scorching sun takes toll
Dries up my abode
Hanging by thread of soul
Watching spirits erode.

Parched and dry is my skin
Crackling is my voice
Nary a brother nor a kin
To prance, sing, and rejoice.

Not much time left for me
To give up and let go
Sibs on branch, I don’t see
Withered they have, Lo!

Gust of wind begins to blow
Severing my ties with nest
Plummet I to ground below
My last journey on the planet.

Monday 15 August 2016

BLAST FROM THE PAST - 2

Yet another rage from the 70's. Go on, have a blast.

Hey, guys, I don't find the brown girl. Have you seen her?


***

Boney M. – Brown Girl In The Ring Lyrics

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Come on show me your motion
Tra la la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes
Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes

I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes
I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng
Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Come on show me your motion
Tra la la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes
Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes

I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes
I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng
Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
See, brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes
Old headwater run dry
Got nowhere to wash my clothes

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
Look that brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

***

Songwriters: REUTHER, FRANZ / DP,

Brown Girl In The Ring lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

BLAST FROM THE PAST-1

Friends,

I am sharing with you all something thqat was a rage during our youth (Oh my God, that was soooo looong ago!) Hope you will enjoy it too. 

Keep cool, daddy!

***



Boney M. – Daddy Cool Lyrics

She is crazy like a fool
What about it Daddy cool

She is crazy like a fool. What about it Daddy cool?
I'm crazy like a fool. What about it Daddy Cool?
Daddy Daddy Cool (yeh)
Daddy Daddy Cool

Daddy Daddy Cool
Daddy Daddy Cool.
She is crazy like a fool. What about it Daddy cool?
Daddy Daddy Cool (yeh)
Daddy Daddy Cool

She is crazy about her Daddy
Oh
She believes in him
She loves her Daddy

She is crazy like a fool. What about it Daddy cool?
Daddy Daddy Cool
Daddy Daddy Cool

Songwriters: FARIAN, FRANK / REYAM, GEORGE

Daddy Cool lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC