The Swan

Hey Blogmates…. First of all sorry for the long delay in this post of mine! (I see that this is happening quite often.)  Anyways, I have just posted a poem that I wrote a while back. Its inspiration is an international icon (a female let me add.) I remember when this world famous someone was just a few metres away from me on the 13^th of July and I had absolutely no idea! Talk about bad luck…I sooo wish I had noticed her, I would have gone and taken an autograph. She really is not a very big favourite of mine, but somehow she was the inspiration to this poem.  Curious about who am I talking about…well, maybe the title may strike a bell (maybe not…most probably.) Well, no one will probably know who she (NC) is…

THE SWAN

The swan walked across the crowd,
Everyone stepping aside for her,
walking, yet flowing like a fluid,
Her strides making Hearts stop,
Her eyes, staring towards the Heavens,
where She lives & truly belongs…

Walking on a carpet of roses,
She, adorned with glistening stars,
smiles, towards the flashes alight.
Her Smile, that kills a million hearts….including mine.
 Her Smile, that sets to roll several trades.

It makes some jealous, some aspire,
that why She get a path of roses? 
But little do they know, it wasn’t so always,
the path was thorny, and bumpy,
it had teasers, mockers, scorners, scoffers,

Her eyes downtrodden, sad and conscious,
She adorned by nothing at all,
Had only one thing to cling on to-
Her Inner Strength.

P.S  If any of you can guess who am I talking about, or if you have a unique interpretation of your own…do comment!

MY FAVOURITE NOBEL LAUREATE

“This little flute of reed thou hast carried over hills and dale, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.”

These utterly beautiful lines were written by a person, who was not only the First Nobel Laureate of India, But also the First Nobel Laureate of Asia. Indeed, I am talking about , the one and only, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
 
Rabindranath Tagore is truly my favourite poet, not that I read a lot of poetry, but still, he is my favourite poet :P!! The reason? Well, I feel he has that quality to actually delve ddep within his extremely refined mind and bring out such pearls and gems of thoughts, that may be so simple to look at, but difficult to understand. What I mean by this is that, you would be banging your head in frustration trying to pick out one of the many meanings of a line, so as to be in coherence with the next one. This truly demonstrates the multidimensional nature of each line of his poem. (How does he do that?)

Moreover, he has the ability to actually put forth these complex thoughts in front of a common man in the form of…say…his stunning paintings, his soul stirring music, his interesting stories (they always make a good read) and The Ultimate…his beautiful poetry. And it is actually THIS talent, or rather THIS ‘multitalent’ of his that makes him one of the few persons India has contributed to the Global Creative Community.  

Tagore’s poetry are not just words or phrases, they are emotions. They contain the bliss of a peaceful night, the glee of a babbling infant, the melancholia of a distant cowbell ringing, the serenity of a sweet flowing river, the passion of an ardent Kama and the fury of a fiery Kali.

Gitanjali or Song Offerings was his collection of poems that actually won him the Nobel in 1913, and it is truly a wonderful composition. I’ll be honest, I did not understand the deep philosophical meaning of it, but what I did admire was the sheer genius with which he used vocabulary to create music. His poems were humble as he was, but majestic as his soul was. Initially written in Bengali, and then translated to various other languages.  But no matter what language, his poem still retained the force with which they penetrated the heart of the readers. This truly demonstrates the universal quality of his poetry. Not only were they ahead of his time, they couldn’t be held by any language as barriers.

In the end, I would like to say that I am a Science student. Thus, one would always find me in the middle of tests and exams and assignments and practicals and viva and record books and projects and ….. It is usually in these trying times that I am reminded by my favourite Tagore lines that say, “Oh Almighty! No matter how deep a trouble I find myself in, do not redeem me! But empower me enough, so that I learn to fight with them myself.”

BOOK REVIEW- THE GUIDE

Hi Blogmates! Long time no see...I know my fault (and I take complete responsibilty.) Well, here I have posted a book review that I wrote a very long while back for a kids writing bee contest at www.chillibreeze.com  My entry did not win though, but it got a special mention...and am quite contented with that! Ofcourse the writing is a bit amateur...but what do you expect...I was a kid that time! Anyways, read/skim thorugh if interested..... till then...Enjoy!

P.S Chillibreeze is mainy involved in providing writing/editing services to select companies and consultants.

A Guide or a ‘Mis’Guide ?

It is amazing how some complex stories are written in the simplest manner. R.K Narayan’s The Guide is one such example. The extraordinary adventures of the young and lively Raju, as a tourist guide, a lover, an affluent man, a fraud and finally as India’s greatest saint (even though false) is what makes the book unusual. Unlike any typical hero, Raju is quite a complex character. He is good as well as bad. At times he is sincere and lovable; at times he is selfish and greedy.

Inspite of the unusual plot and the multifaceted protagonist, the author presents the story in an effortless but effective manner. An engaging plot, numerous sub-plots, spicy characters set against the fictional town of Malgudi and a thorough peppering of humour are some of the reasons why anyone should read this book.

The Guide is a story that moves back and forth through the past and present. Raju, the protagonist, gradually unfolds the various adventures he has had since childhood. Having an innate ability to spin falsehoods, Raju soon becomes a tourist guide, who fools the visiting tourists. Nevertheless, he grows famous and is dubbed as Railway Raju. He falls for the beautiful dancer Rosie, who is married to the emotionless Marco. In due course, their relationship intensifies and soon Marco grows aware of this and abandons Rosie. Having nowhere to go, Raju offers her shelter and soon transforms her into a celebrity. After amassing a fortune and then losing it (thanks to a sham he commits) Raju ends up in prison. At the end of his sentence, he finds himself in a village where he is assumed a saint who would deliver the villagers from their sorrows. A series of ironic circumstances results in Raju fasting for 13 days to save the villagers from the wrath of a famine. The book ends on the last day of the fast, and the readers are left to decide whether Raju survived and whether the famine actually ended.

The funniest incident is when Raju discovers that his message was mis-conveyed to the villagers and he would have to fast for 13 days to drive away the famine. The description of a startled Raju and the innocence of the village simpletons make the readers smile. The touchiest scene though was when Rosie confides in Raju about her loveless and lifeless marriage. The pain in Rosie’s heart is spilt out and just like Raju, the reader too feels this pain.

The title of the book is an irony. Raju is a guide throughout the story. He was not only a tourist guide, but a guide to Rosie the lonely wife as well as Rosie the celebrity dancer. Finally, he was a guide to the innocent villagers.

But was he a Guide or a ‘Mis’guide? Was it right to deceive the innocent villagers? Is the book a sarcastic remark on blind faith? And most importantly, is Raju a good man? These are some of the questions the book raises inconspicuously.

On the whole, The Guide is an entertaining book that offers an enjoyable experience and shocking but subtle revelations to its readers.



5 Silly Things That are Not so Silly to Do!!!

5 SILLY THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO SILLY TO DO

1. Nod while the teacher speaks in ancient Greek.

2. ‘Forget’ heavy textbooks and end up borrowing them from your friends.

3. Buying an R.D Sharma even if you don’t plan to use it.

4. Express your concern about felling of trees even if you made paper rockets last period.

5. Reading Shakespeare in front of others to make yourself look smart even if you don’t get a word of it.

Two Million Minutes- My Take on this Docu-serie

An enjoyable experience...I hope all of you catch this film whenever you get the time (or atleast watch the trailer online.) I want to watch the other documentraies by this maker, especially the one about Sweden's Education System, which I have come to know is the best education system in this world!

TWO MILLION MINUTES

Well, how do I describe this documentary series? It’s simply a wonderful concept! An absolute pleasure watching! An eye opener. Actually, it is all of them.

USA, India and China- one former and two emerging Superpowers with hustling-busting and sometimes rumbling economies. And then, a very important aspect of these 3 countries- their EDUCATION SYSTEM. The makers brilliantly handle and present this concept, resulting in a mind blowing experience.

Before I talk about this film shot in 4 chapters, let me tell you about the title. Well, as students enter high school, each of them have approximately Two Million Minutes to establish the base of their careers, something that can make or break their lives. The film showcases how students of USA and India/China utilize these two million minutes by training, coaching, preparing for college admissions, higher studies, etc. or maybe even by not doing so. The film appropriately talks about all the major issues, highlights, merits and demerits of the education systems which make it quite engaging.

As part of the documentary, two students (one boy and one girl from each of the 3 countries) are taken as case studies, and their views, thoughts and experiences about their own lifestyles and that of the students (from the other countries) are recorded and discussed.

I distinctly remember the Indian girl who starts her day going for Math tuitions at 5 a.m every day, and then having breakfast after going to school. She aptly commented on the American style of schooling, saying that for the Indian student, the American way of schooling was like a ‘dream’. Well, maybe this is true, but maybe it’s not when you see the long term benefit and detriments of each.

While the film does support the Indian/Chinese approach to schooling, one cannot help but notice the problems in our curricula and system too. According to me, over the years, our idea of ‘coaching’ and ‘appearing for various competitive exams’ have become obsolete. For they have become centers of merely overburdening the students with copious amounts of work, whether they comprehend it or not. The result, they all perform miserably! Top personalities are now commenting and saying that the pass outs of even premier institutes are in fact not at all competent. And that is the truth. The intense pressure and wrong approach has left the students like maniacs only studying, leaving no time for other activities.

Well, when it comes to the demerits of our education system, I’ll have to write on it some other time. But for now, I would like to end with a quote by Thomas L. Friedman, in support of the Indian/Chinese education system: When I was growing up, my parents told me, 'Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.' I tell my daughters, 'Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.'  Well said, Shri Friedman.

HALLO BLOGMATES...!!!

Hello all you Blogmates ! A Very Happy 2012 to all of you! First of all, really sorry for the 2 day synapse on this blog. You see, between New Year Celebrations and approaching Exams, I was very well crushed. But now, I am quite free from all sorts of worries (till when, I don't know.) And I am soon going to post a few somethings here.

Also, I am a bit disappointed this time. You see, I was very eager to share my Open Letter.... with all of you. It is something that I wrote very passsionately. But I had to send it to some other publication. So for now, I can't really post it here. Nevertheless, I will definitly and unfailingly post it once I get the chance to do so.

Till then, enjoy yourselves all...and keep reading my posts... *wink wink*

B'Town Films to Watch Out for This Year

There is no doubt that the year 2012 is going to be nothing less than a blockbuster movie itself for Bollywood. What with a wonderful line up of films that include sequels, remakes and originals themselves, we sure are going to be entertained before the world actually ends!

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu- To be honest, I wasn’t very excited when I heard about this film (which was initially titled Short Term Shaadi) and its lead pair seemed dull to me. But after seeing the trailer, I was completely blown away! The Imran-Kareena pairing is truly like a breath of fresh air. And that title track sung by Anushka Manchanda, Benny Dayal and Shefali Alvares has such a ‘feel-good’ feel to it! Looking forward to it this Feb...

Kahaani- Vidya Balan has raised the bar tremendously high post The Dirty Picture.  She has been doing that every time with Paa, No One Killed.... , the Dirty Picture, and now with Kahaani. Really looking forward to her portrayal of a single mother (yet again) in search for her husband. Will this film be another feather in her already overcrowded cap? Chances are Yes!

Agent Vinod- One of the most highly anticipated and awaited film of this year! With an interesting concept and a lovable lead pair i.e Saifeena, this film is pretty much safe (maybe even successful). Move over Bollywood Badshaah, Bodyguard and Idiot, it’s time for the Nawab to get his due (hopefully well deserved.)

Kya Super Kool Hai Hum- The prequel was awesome, awesome and awesome. It had the audience in splits throughout. Most probably, the sequel won’t disappoint too.

Bol Bachchan- Another comedy by Rohit Shetty. Said to be inspired by the classic film Golmaal (the old one that is.) Have to confess that the title itself made me curious. I thought it to be related to Big B, in addition to the fact that Abhishek Bachchan is part of the cast. Rohit Shetty has seldom let us down with his comedy, this one should be no exception.

Joker- I am not much of a fan of either Akshay Kumar or Sonakshi Sinha. But the concept of this film seems to be very different. It involves a bunch of people who fulfil their dreams with the help of aliens!!??!! How intriguing is that! This is one film I am surely going to catch now.

Race 2- Part One had us on the edge of our seats with its numerous twists and turns and even more twists and turns. And one can surely expect a pretty decent sequel from the director duo Abbas-Mustan. My only regret is that this one does not have Bipasha Basu in it.

Common Man- Nothing much has been said about this film. All we know is that it has Amitabh Bachchan in it portraying a Common Man going through the struggles of life. Pretty interesting idea and surely an important film in Shri Bachchan’s career! Hopefully it is worth watching too (fingers crossed.)

London Paris New York- Ali Zafar has never failed to deliver as an actor in his previous films. Hopefully, it remains like this. Apart from acting, he is composing the music of this film too.  Reports suggest that he has roped in the best singers from both countries for this film’s music. And did I mention that the film is being produced by Fox Studios? Certainly, with such a big banner, an awesome actor and good music, the film should be worth a watch...hopefully more!

Student of the Year- Produced by Karan Johar and starring newcomers in the lead, the film’s First Look was really interesting. And a film about school life is more than welcome amongst children and adults alike! Eagerly looking forward to it...

Ferrari Ki Sawari- The trailer/teaser, whatever you call it, looks splendid. It has been long since I have watched Sharman Joshi. And this film seems to be the perfect one to view him in.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai 2- I am waiting for this movie solely because of its dialogues. Power packed performances are surely going to be there. The stakes are high and if this film does not meet up to people’s expectations (chances like this are nil though), joote padenge!

Chasme Buddoor remake- The original is regarded as a classic. Hopefully, the remake (with Ali Zafar in place of Farooq Sheik) will be able to match up to its standards. The makers of this film have claimed that it will be made to have a slightly contemporary setting (which is quite fine.)  The makers (which include David Dhawan) have also announced a prize for anyone who could suggest a title for the film. Got any? P.S The fact that Mr Dhawan is going to direct it scares me. I admire most of his films, but lately he has really scared me with his films.

Ye Jawani Hai Deewani- Wow! The Ranbir-Deepika pairing is surely going to attract a lot of audience. But most importantly, it is because of the young and talented director Ayan Mukherji that I am going to watch this film. He made me a BIG fan of his work post Wake Up Sid and the Coca Cola ads starring Imran Khan.I am sure it’s going to be worth the wait.

Koochie Koochie Hota Hai- Remake of the SRK-Kajol-Rani classic, but in the form of puppies!!! Need I say more??? And reportedly Sanjay Dutt is going to star in it too! Good choice Karan Johar.  

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag- Directed by Rakeysh Mehra and starring Farhan Akthar, this film is surely going to touch our hearts like Mehra’s previous films. And I personally feel it’s time that we start appreciating and recognizing our athletes.

Dangerous Ishq- The fact that the now picky Karishma Kapur (or do I call her Karishma Kapoor Kapur ;P) agreed to do this film as her comeback makes it special in itself. The title is interesting too (a usual thing in Vikram Bhatt films) but watching Karishma is a treat in itself! Will definitely have catch it this year!

Talaash- One word, Amir Khan. It simply guarantees that the film is going to be of top-notch quality. But this time along with him are Rani Mukherjee and Kareena Kapoor. Sounds pretty exciting! Looking forward to this film which took a long time to be titled.

Dostana 2- Very excited about this film as rumours suggest that it’s going to be set in India where Abhishek-John unsuccessfully try to convince others about their strictly platonic relationship. And this time the actress with them is Katrina Kaif, who has finally learnt to act (watch Mere Brother Ki Dulhan) and also dance (Chikni Chameli). She has worked very hard and there is no reason why she should disappoint in this film too.

Heroine- Ha! I have saved the best for the last. Though I was stumped to hear about Ash’s departure from this film, I know that Kareena Kapoor won’t let the audience down as she is perfect in her own right. As for Madhur Bhandarkar, his films have always been entertainers as well as eye openers. And with a strong topic like “A HEROINE”, he surely won’t fail to deliver... ;)