Magic of Books

Safdar Hashmi, had once said "Kitabe kuch Kehna Chahte hai, tumhare pass rehna chahti hai". 

When I sit to analyse the statement i sometimes think that how much true is that statement, how much of truth is that statement that is, it is only that we in our day to day life we choose to ignore it. 

Books as I always say that, are my best friends and the statement by Safdar Hashmi, has just touched  the internal chord which I cannot explain in words. The feeling  is like having scotch which is about a thousand years  old or a scotch bottle which has never been opened. I just wish I had the calibre to communicate the feeling which I feel when I am alone and have nothging to do and read a Milton, Bryon, Shakespeeare or Rabindranath Tagore or Sukumar Ray or Bhibutibhusan Bhadhopadhay (only a few to name).

The feeling which one opens a book and especially if it is a old book and the feeling which one  feel when one gets when a he enters a book store...wow, how can that be explained.

The  characters of the  stories from Rhett Butler to Scarlet O Hara to Sherlock Homes to Feluda to Pip to all the characters which I have read or have been created, oh how wonderful they are. The magic of these characters are that you can be all those characters all at a time, it gives me a freedom to be any of those characters and there is no body to stop me. Another magic of books is that it takes me to another world and anywhere I want  to g where only  my imagination can take.

I  thank my Bhaiyadadu and Ma and Baba, that they introduced me to the world of books who have become my best friends and will always be and you know the thing with books is that it is fair to anyone and everyone.

If I only talk about  books then it would be very unfair as there is something  known as Music which has always fulfilled my life and I cannot express in words whether that be simple or lyrical how much role music has played in my life. When ever I feel depressing ,I just start  my music player and start listening to songs, oh how  wonderful is that and my choice goes from Hindustani music to western classical to rock to Rabindra Sangeet  to simple day to day and with  so many variations, I am really spoilt for choices  and I enjoy that , because I always feel that music flatters me and when someone flatters me  I love it .

Another thing which has been, close to my heart is movies,oh how i love to see them and as the above two friends  it takes me to a different world where I can actually visualize and  thae moments can be frozen wow.... what an amazing feeling.

Republic Day

Today is 26th January 2011, which seems a very long way from 26th January,1950 , just 61 years from the day we became a republic and to think it took us about 154 years to reach this point (if we calculate from 1857, as I firmly believe that it was from 1857 that our Indian Independence was incepted and started to take feet) and to think that what all sacrifices as a nation India to become a republic. 

To think how the people who, saw the first republic day and  to be also a part of the sixty second republic day...wow, what must be the feeling, I just wish that  i could get a feel of that emotion or in hindi as we say eshass. 

Suddenly a question which comes to  our mind is that what is the most important element or what is the that thing which we have achieved in these years and for me that answer  is that of self-belief that i can stand on my feet and breathe the free air,oh what a feeling that is. 

To think to  achieve this  self belief  what all sacrifices  people have gone through from Bhagat Singh, sacrificing his life at the age of 23, when a man starts to dream what he would do that person had already decided to dedicate his life and then thinking of all those leaders and people who become leaders and took the choice to do something and to think that it was not only before Independence but after Independence also. 

Yes India has a huge corruption problem and lot of corrupt people and a lot of  problems  but we must remember what Gandhi had said when he was told  by the Britishers, that India had too many problems and would face many  problems and to that Gandhi had said that it would be your problem and not yours. 

To think that had our ancestors not taken the choice, of fighting for our Independence, somebody sitting in London would be taking decisions for us and we would have to follow them and that I am able to write this Blog is because due to my ancestors who fought for us and I would like to thank them. 

Memoirs of Mumbai...Last days...

I am  writing this blog after I have reached Jodhpur.

The last week of  my stay in Mumbai  went the usual going to office and coming back and submitting my report after a lot of editing  finally  my project got submitted and i also got my certificate.

So I and my friend decided to enjoy  the event by drinking but the cream was the other day when we got the tickets of Indian Ocean which would be performing live at Bandra Fort. 

The performance was amazing...something which cannot be explained in words, the way they played and the way they performed Ma Rewa and for the first time I learnt that a flute could make such amazing magical sounds..it was just amazing and I just loved their energy with which they played cant be stated in words.It was enjoying like wine/rum which is about 100 years old.






But the most beautiful thing which I liked the most was that  the way they intermingled with the audience and that is what I beleive that makes them  most special so different from all the bands and the other thing which I like about then is that they have kept the Indian Ocean Indiansed and not followed the Western Style of Bands  blindly . Among the songs I just loved the latest song of their recent album 16/330 Khajoor Road :- Bula Raha Hai, it is one the best composed and written songs I  have ever heard.

After that i and my friend (Abhirup Mitra) went back home  with another friend Soumitra Bannerjee and we had drinks together and after a long time I discussed Rabindra Sangeet and after a long time i heard such a beautiful expression of Akash Bhora Surja Tara.I just hope i could have such more discussions with him such more and  this meeting develops into a good friendship.

Thus this ended my  short stay in Mumbai and the next day I was back in the city which  I love :- KOLKATA....oh how i love that city.

So farewell Mumbai ...Hoping that I come back again and explore you again....SO  LONG FAREWELL....