Sang's Blogs

" Strangers in the evening ♪♫♪♫ !"

2012-10-01T12:26:00.000+05:30

Unlike what I usually do on my way back home, today I preoccupied myself doing something altogether different. It’s the age long acquainted and accustomed bus that I boarded which was already occupied with many other familiar faces whom I greeted with a warm smile amicably. Hurriedly sat in the seat in the center of the bus overlooking the other commuters and plugged the earphones right away.

That’s when the conversation I had with my friend last weekend struck me out of the blue. Being an arts student, she spoke about how interesting it was to study the emotions and mannerisms of fellow passengers which she still undertakes regularly for a better understanding of Sociology. I was enlightened further about the social analysis and also the strict no-no’s, an amusing one of that being that “thou shalt not consider thine pal as a guinea pig for analysis.”

The nosy elderly sitting beside me were interested more in the book I was reading while a kid busy engrossed in texting someone whom I presumed to be his girlfriend. I rounded on that conclusion when I saw him reply spiritedly to the texts right away with an occasional chuckle. A disgusting scene of a baldy picking his bulbous nose and of a lady gazing awestruck at the setting sun! None seemed of particular interest to me, until a couple boarded the bus who quietly stood over an arm’s length away from each other.

They chose to carry on a conversation with facial expressions. I for one, was mighty impressed! Dancing brows, silent lip movement, rolling eyes and smile seems to have conveyed something to each other that they alone could decipher.That’s when I realized that I might not understand it till I fell in love. (Now I’m not hinting on anything! :P)

It was soon time for me to get off the bus.
That guy out fooled another to seat himself comfortably and could sense his pride in his gleaming eyes which conveyed “ Bazinga ! Out fooled ya! “ [ Could decipher that alone :)]

After that little stint of social analysis, walked back home through the dense automobile smoke, puffing it deep like it was off Weed singing my twist of Frank Sinatra's scored hit 'Strangers in the night',

“Strangers in the evening exchanging glances,
Wond'ring in the evening what their chances were
To be sharing love before the night was through
---- ♫--------------------- ♪--------------♫--------------
-------------- ♫--------------------------------------------
-- ♪-------------------- ♪-------------------- ♫-----------
It turned out so right for strangers in the evening’’

Sang ♫♪♫♪....

A good serving of Solino

2012-08-20T14:30:00.000+05:30

Whoever said that we learn things the best from movies, I’m sure they meant every word of it.

We had worked many hours on the wide-varied themes of Population in and out-flux and of the job-thriving Ruhr valley in the 70’s- the endless stretch of pristine land that were all ready to harvest black-gold from deep within the soils which led to many people from neighboring countries to move to Germany. Although a dirty job, I consider it only because one had to work under the earth without the cozy shine of the seamlessly glowing sun in dingy and damp underground locale where the only respite is when you strike Gold. (I’m once again referring Coal to Gold- a metaphor) Unemployed, strife ridden countries which thrived with many young and old lads- Poles, Turks, Italians, Spaniards and all alike moved to the land of opportunities.

This movie was screened as a part of the class activity so that we got a better insight of the theme under discussion.

The movie ,, Solino ” was fast paced and the crew comprised a few very recognizable Germans actors including the very talented Moritz Bleibtreu and Bernby Metschurat who was equally a promising actor.

The title usually speaks about the movie but by,, Solino ” none of us could get the big picture till we started watching ,, The Big Picture “ Although the sideline sounded like it was a promising movie - Brüder sind die engsten Freunde - und auch die bittersten Rivalen. (Brothers are the closest friends - and also the bitterest rivals )

In a sunny and lazy town Solino( Get, why the movie was named so ?) somewhere in the heel of Italy, the Amato Family decides to immigrate to the industrial region of Ruhr. The family of four- Gigi(Metschurat), Giancarlo(Bleibtreu) and their parents find the German way of living a stark contrast to their Italian way. Be it the living option, the jobs, the people, the food, the language were foreign to them. They did face difficulties like every emigrated family does in other soils.

In the Italian town of Solino from where the Amatos moved out, the young Gigi who adores a sweet girl of his age and promises to get Snow back to her from Germany while Snowing in that part of Italy was not a comfort they enjoyed. Although at the end of the movie, it’s shown that neither did it snow in Ruhr. While his brother, Giancarlo always eyed for the better things Gigi had and soon picks up the tendency of a kleptomaniac getting stuffs to woo the fairer sex and did fail many a times.

Soon the bread winner Amato, tired of the job swears not to work a day more in the dark mines and to that follows an exchange of words and expletives with his wife. The lady Amato who was tired of German culinary specialties plans to start an Italian Pizzeria (Named it Solino) so as to keep alive the palate of many other mine-working Italians. Soon Gigi befriends a usual customer who apparently happened to be a German director and picks up an interest for Photography. Giancarlo thrives on thieving little things from around the pizzeria.

The ties between the Parents and their sons go sour and awry and they part ways as Papa Amato wanted the intelligent Gigi to study about Food and cuisine and later help him with widening the hotel biz. But young Gigi yearned to be a Film maker while Giancarlo with no particular ambition, didn’t want to work further in the Pizzeria.

The duo soon move in with a girl and over time Gigi’s short film is selected for a film-festival but eventually the jealous Giancarlo take credit for it while Gigi is away looking after their ailing mother in Solino where he soon discovers back his roots with his childhood girlfriend and with her help put up a open theatre in the southern town screening his films. A happy ending where the ruptured hostile relationship between the brothers is set alright and also eventually Gigi finds happiness among his people, although he didn’t make the cut as a film-maker.

The movie was pragmatic and does a fair job of portraying the life in bustling Germany and in traditional Italy. Altogether it was a cinematic treat with a portion of Brother Drama, Love story and with plenty of music and Pizza flowing.

Sang

Mein Engel

2012-07-04T17:22:00.000+05:30

I knew that the next day I wake up to, I would be taking part in the "Poetry Slam" competition.
But I was unprepared for it. Nothing around inspired me to write one until I was in the party.
The very idea of this poem struck me halfway while I was partying! Since it was the first time I was writing a poem in German, I had a friend to help me out.

Mein Engel

Gestern war der schönsten Tag meines Lebens

Mein erste Party war einfach Klasse!

Gestern hab ich das Mädchen meiner Träume kennen gelernt

Ich muss ihnen aber alles erzählen, weil mein Herz vor liebe besoffen ist!

Sie stand vor dem Eingang und sah wie ein Engel aus!

und sofort fühlte ich mich komisch als ob ich eine Herz infarkt hätte

Lange Haare wie ein Fluß und blaue Augen wie der tiefste Meer der Welt

Ich habe mich sofort an Sie verloren

Es ist schon achtzehn stunden, seit dem ich Sie gesehen habe,

aber ich fühle mich als ob schon ein Jahr vergangen ist

Ich warte immer noch auf sie, mein Engel!

I was so happy to have not only penned one in German but also to have won the third prize in the competition.

For my English readers,

My Angel

Yesterday was the happiest day of my life
My first party was just great!
As I got to know the girl of my dreams
I have to tell her everything, because my heart was drunk in love!
She stood at the entrance and looked like an angel!
and I immediately felt weird as if I had a heart infarction
Long hair like a river and blue eyes like the deepest ocean in the world
I immediately lost to her
It is eighteen hours, since I saw her
But I feel as though a year has passed
I'm still waiting for her, my angel!

Beyond Silence

2012-06-22T17:35:00.000+05:30

As the early rising sun silently whisked away the last trace of darkness, it crept through the windows and illuminated my room. Having had woken up at the crack of dawn and in an attempt to not wake up the rest, I tiptoed to fetch a movie title and play it. I have been a movie buff and had an innate interest to try new genres of film.

This movie when I picked off the rack seemed beyond interesting and it totally turned out be a complete entertainer. ‘’ Jenseits der Stille” ( Beyond silence ), a German movie packed with emotions and drama. Inexplicably, I would term it one of the best foreign films I’ve watched.

Beyond Silence impressed me in the way the story unfurled and the depiction of unified Germany’s cultural symbolism, the thematic depth pertaining to communication difficulties people face, the filial feelings and the unparalleled interests of the protagonist. The movie didn’t overtly stress on the intellectual issues but tried impressing the viewer’s emotional side. For that matter, I was totally blown away by the movie’s plot that I felt as animated that I could involve myself with the characters. I would rate it as a fast paced movie with traces of melodrama but a really a meaningful plot.

The cast did a perfect job of bringing out the true essence of the plot. The whole movie revolves around a girl’s divided world where she finds herself as the ears and mouth of her deaf-mute parents. A devoted daughter who balances between her family and also her interest to become a Clarinet player was well portrayed in the movie. The movie never loses insight of the complex human relationships and it ended on a perfect note.

My only lament would be that I couldn’t watch “Beyond Silence “in absolute silence owing to the morning hustles of the workaholic dad and diligent mom following their routine schedule like any other weekday.

One could construe my smile at the end of the movie as deeming it as a beautiful movie.

Desires

2012-02-05T17:42:00.000+05:30

Above the thick green woods,

High, shone the silvery moon

Clear waters flowing below

Capturing it, marred by ripples

Mesmerizing it all was!

Smoke rose high from the chimney

In an attempt to engulf the surroundings,

But it did vanish in to thin air

Drinking the porridge at home were-

A family of three- a man, women and their kid

Happily consuming the frugal meal

Singing in the praise of Almighty

Content for the half filled bowl

Eyeing the kid helping

Himself to a spoonful

Bedtime stories and lullaby

Under the vast expanse of sky

Stars blinking at the mortals below

Sound of woods like high and low notes

Snuggled closely to his mother!

More of a ritual, it had been!

But that day was an exception

As his mother started off with a tale,

The kid pointed to the moon

Sticking out like a fruit on the still tree

Pleading his logger dad to get him

The shiny fruit atop the branch!

Both faltering at the sudden whim

Of the now wailing kid

Losing all their attempts in pacifying him!

The couple was left pondering

Suddenly some one of the two,

Broke the silence and

Convinced the kid of theirs that-

“Santa would gift it to you!”

The other added,” Be a good kid!”

The merry old man from North Pole

Riding his sleigh pulled by Reindeer,

On the wintry eve of Christmas shall

Place it by your stocking!

Christmas passed, in fact

Many Christmases had passed

Never did the kid, now a six foot high boy-

Had his desire fulfilled!

Now, realizing his hollow desire!

Humans, intelligent creatures

Their desires-Unquenchable and incessant

Yearning for more and the impossible!

Their eyes deceiving them

But the thirst never dies!

A sizeable portion of their desires

May or may not get fulfilled

That doesn’t deter a soul!

Smitten they remain,

Dreaming for more

The taxi out of the dark side

2011-10-29T23:24:00.000+05:30

I knew a family of four-

A decrepit man, his better half,

A lady who slogged all day

Her brittle bones and hunchback a testimony

Of all that she’d been through

All for the sake of the vow of marriage

In their dilapidated house in countryside,

Their kids- a bit too old to be called kids!

Frail and lanky the son was, his sibling

A girl who seemed to have lost her charm, grace

No occasion made their lives better

None wore a smile on their face

Living on a stringent budget

Unable to fulfill their dreams

But masking reality,

Each acted like they were of

Princely origin and not paupers

I only could add, “True actors they were!”

Every day pronounced more trouble!

Mayhem in their lives

Not a day passed without a squabble

The decrepit man who‘d little power in him

Subjected the rest to blows and bruises

None intervened, none spoke against!

Yearning for light in their lives

Each prayed hard day and night

Dreamt off setting their self free

Of all the hardships

Just for a day, not more

No riches, no comfort! Just a day, no more!

Mere puppets in the hands of the man

For he was the sole breadwinner!

Subjugated strongly by him

Wrapped deep by fear

Played safe under him

None intervened, none spoke against!

How long could one be imposing?

It wouldn’t last for long!

I needn’t cite evidence for it!

I can already sense an outbreak

That day shall remain an epic

When they catch a taxi out of the dark side!

''Google enters teens!''

2011-09-28T06:26:00.000+05:30

Google celebrated its 13th B'day on this Sept 27

As a kid, I’d learnt two things!
They’d literally changed my life
One- to learn to Google;
The other being- to master the art of ogling!

Google –revolutionized thoughts
Changed the perspective of everything
A true Einstein it is!
Never a Jack of all trades instead,a master of it all!

In a playground called Internet,
Google rules the roost!
You type it and laze around
While it takes the pain to redirect everything related

I remember whenever I was on tenterhook
Needed more than just worldly wisdom,
None of my ideas materializing
I knew I’d find a succour in Google

Men and women, think alike
When it comes to choosing,
Who the best is!
Unanimously, Google- the Smart one!

Cloud computing? Do I know that?
Many other marvelous stuffs outta Google,
Do I know them all?
Nay, Can I know all the many brilliant stuffs it gets out?

What better occasion than this to thank Google?
For it’s the mighty behemoth’s 13th B’day !
I’d love to tell it how I enjoy every service it offers
Youtube, Translate, Maps, Blogger, Android and all!

Back when I was 13,
I was a stripling unknown to all
I still ‘m someone with very little to tell about!
But, Google in its teen is already the undefeated!

I realize that I can write pages on Google!
Irresistible but little did you all know that,
I’ve got an assignment to do
I’d ‘ve to Google it!

Wishing that day 'd never dawned!

2011-09-27T15:54:00.000+05:30

Wishing that day 'd never dawned!

Tick tock, tick tock rocked the giant pendulum clock

Hypnotizing, translating me to a period ages ago

Sort of time warp;

Memories of instances etched in my brain

Shuffling through every piercing instance,

Wishing that day had never dawned!

In chronological order- the very first voice from the past,

Ain’t nostalgic, for I was startled!

Kingly beast Dino that ruled over was wiped off

Was it any mean trick of a sorcerer?

Why couldn’t Eve resist the luscious bright red apple?

Only wishing that day had never dawned!

Civilization proliferated,

Tribes did increase

Crusades, genocides, WW, battles marred the world I didn’t know

Blood splatter, espionage, the highhandedness of axis powers

Countering them, the allies– Hitler, his cronies with quarter a moustache

Wishing that very day had never dawned!

How I was thrilled listening about Alexander, Caesar,

Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Aztecs, Indians;

Why couldn’t I’ve seen it all?

Wish it were all real like yesterday!

Couldn’t Shakespeare, Napoleon and the alike been my chums?

Alas, that day would never dawn!

Then came an era when the word – "Scientia”

Dispelled and warded off faiths and beliefs

Was it an arch enemy of church? Well, Yeah!

Few enlightened –brutally murdered,

Silencing the intellectual rest

Wishing that day had never dawned!

Columbus, colonizers crossed the blue seas

Discovering America and other virgin lands

Living a king’s life;

Propagating slavery and trade,

Plundering, taking away the riches

Wishing that day had never dawned!

Three Mile Island, Krakatau, Haiti, Tsunami,

Great depression and an endless list of others

Ramshackl’d mankind and nature!

Why couldn’t the twelve children of the Year sense it earlier?

Couldn’t they’ve skipped a day?

Now I only wish that day had never dawned!

Having had enough of it,

With all my might, I sprang to life again,

Blinding my eyes, shutting my mind

Laid my imagination to rest

Popped an aspirin to set my pounding head

Equally wishing this day had never dawned!

Das Mighty !

2011-09-10T15:52:00.000+05:30

As a kid I always awaited

My granddad’s homecoming

Senile though looked young

Chiseled looks, salt and peppered hair

‘’A carnival!’’, every time he came home

Sitting on his lap, I asked, ‘what is power?’

All he’d to say was it was humongous

For me to get the literal sense

Though it can either be detrimental or otherwise

Godly one shall feel!

Out of all the bedtime stories he’d narrated to me

He quickly recollected it

To tell that, Power may be like –

You are Zeus of Greek Mythology!

I was awed, my mouth wide open

Still I couldn’t get an abstract of what power was

As I grew, that feeling intrigued me

More and more

As many years ticked away,

My inquisitiveness leaped by scores

Tempest in my mind, wild enough

Borne out of my childhood

The very old question consumed me whole

That question ain’t ephemeral

Volatile for my mind to rack it any more

Involuntarily I found myself running to

My granddad to ask it yet again

But after a due course of ten long years

He still looked not a day older

From the time I met him last

He grinned and said aloud,

‘’I knew you’d turn back to me about that!’’

I nodded grinning back

He quickly reached to his shirt pocket

Handed me an antique Pen

It was all unambiguous and clear

I realized what he’d hinted on

"A Pen holds the utmost power!"

Writings of all forms‘d set uproars

Ones that even swords couldn’t!

Years later, I’m in all praise of him

He ain’t any more!

But that priceless piece of mind

Helped me go long way

Now I advice and preach it to all

All the sparks that writings ’ve created

Bringing out a revolution all over

Thinking deep, putting it down in words

Now I consider myself the Powerful one!

The mighty colossal Beast of all!

Hues of life

2011-08-28T20:01:00.000+05:30

By the cherry blossoms, a senile, doddering

Grey-haired; marked by his sagging flesh

With seemingly natural dentures

Shambled his feet awkwardly!

Another mortal being he is

Gust whipped the sweet scent of cherries

Lazily breezing past his cheeks

Gushing, Whizzing, Whirring around

Golden yellow leaves raining

Everything enunciating, ‘’Its spring, again!’’

Crimson hued sun playing peek-a-boo past dusty clouds

Flowery bushes, grassy green outgrowths

Dancing to the sounds of nature

Crystal clear lake brimming with icy water

All Inanimate but yet immortal

Past his feet, rows of marching

Disciplinarian ants each loaded with a colossal lump

Of sugar from the leftover donut

An allegory of all the hardships he’d faced

Marching along thankful for not stomped by – mere mortal

Bright, bubbly kids around with hula-hoops, bats

Sprinting and playing together

Babies on prams enjoying the spring

Poodles and pooches out for a walk;

All brimming with life yet like the old man – mere mortals

The Solitary Weeper

2011-08-17T19:46:00.002+05:30

My venture in to blogging side kicked along with it another interest too. Writing poems - Yet another channel to let my madness flow through.

' The Solitary Weeper '

In a distant land, sitting to himself

A young lad’s teary eyes glossy, cold

Lay transfixed at the distant horizon

Motionless and lost in the tranquility of nature

Perturbed by his sudden outburst of tears,

Resting birds fluttered away cooing, cawing;

Wailing only louder in his hoarse baritone

Impulsively kicked the ground hard

Tears rolling down, sore eyes,

Clenched fist and pearly teeth baring

Muttered to his self

Uncanny and broken words

Concealed behind a tender foliage

I yearned to know, ‘What‘d happened! ‘

May be a heartbreak, shattered dreams

Or a fall out with dear ones

For sure, none can help him out

Takes sands of time to get over

Though etched deep in one’s heart

I knew he’d be better!

It ain’t new, I’d been through this

Fairly conversant I were of those

Life ain’t all that easy

Better tide over a good share of trails and tribulations

Making up my mind, quickly retreated

Through the overgrown heath

Treaded the same way back

Got in the crammed tram

I’d be gone forever-

A spider caught in its own web!

So shall the forlorn solitary weeper

With a mended heart, out of his blues.

What's the real you ?

2011-08-16T13:41:00.000+05:30

Sitting solitary in the gazebo I still was thinking about the late night call from my 12 ‘o clock friend who always confided in me. We talked for almost a while before she quickly interrupted and asked, ‘Can you do me a favour? ’ Now I still was pondering about that and I knew where it was headed. All around the world, many have been a victim of this most abused question and consider them hapless for having been put to such a situation.

This question sometimes is babbled in an attempt to strut and strike a conversation and I consider this one to be the most frequently asked be it in the Lingua Franca or for that matter in any other language or even in sign lingo.

Well, I’d categorize people in to two breed, one who readily nod and try being gentle and in an attempt to gain a good impression just fake an intent excitement as if they are all ears to know the mystery shrouded behind King Tut’s enigmatic disappearance and death. They would further become a scapegoat from then on.

While a few genuine ones are someone whom we can always count on.

The rest, don’t consider them that meek and just curt and right deny that with one or the other reason and immediately apologize so that they are not bitched about later.

While I and a few others try not being overtly modest and humble or openly antagonistic and counter them but instead , listen to them and finally come up with a , 'May be , I’d if I can !' So, we fall in to either breed depending on the situation.

So, what’s the real you ?

'' Mozart swapping insults ! ''

2011-08-15T10:48:00.000+05:30

It’s a pleasant experience walking through the canopy under the cool shade of the trees and listening to the birdsong of sparrows and getting mesmerized by the pleasing sound it makes.

Plumy Sparrows - Female gazing to start off the duel

But recently , it has been found that instead the sparrows are swapping insults in line with the profanity drawn gasconade of rappers wherein the male sparrows sing louder to just prove how macho they are and the tougher terrain they live in , the louder they sing.

Even upcoming hip-hop stars indulge in an one-on-one duel where each of them trade insults and expletives in such a way that it follows the octaves and seem rhythmical against the background music until one of them turns out to be the winner.

Another interesting part is that , a few sing only the ‘ Greatest hits ‘ while the sparrows in sparsely populated areas try their own hands at composing new sounds. As I try to make those peculiar but sweet sound imitating the sparrow, all I could manage with my Barry Crocker voice was ‘A cacophony of deafening voices.’

I was baffled as to what an insult would constitute to these little plumy creatures ! May be , ‘ Get off my way you pompous braggart !’ or even , ‘ Cocky ‘ that .

Indeed a long weekend

2011-08-13T21:35:00.000+05:30

Another sweet breezy evening as I left home , I met a friend of mine with whom I’d talked for a while and later as we departed , I still could remember him telling that , ‘ Dude , Finally a long weekend ! ‘ I cut him short and asked if it were a Compensatory off and he readily answered saying , ‘ Ah , Its Independence Day .’ I foolishly blurted out , Okay , I don’t really keep an account of time anymore as I’m still on a long off .

The thought of that still hovers in my mind . I wonder if people these days just consider our country’s Independence day as another day’s off . The significance August 15 held is unaccountable atleast for us , fellow Indians .

Long time ago , we were all under the grossly ruthless British rule where every step of ours was censored by the erstwhile rulers. We were all gagged and all we could do was to abide by them and the few resenting ones were brutally chastised and a few sent off to the gallows. A few valiant and dauntless couldn’t stand that anymore and then rose the freedom movement where in these courageous invoked and instilled in the rest the seeds of national integrity and the sense of patriotism . This uprisal drastically increased all over India and the subjugated turned against the mighty pistol owning rulers and this led to a turbulent upheaval and the Britishers realized they could no longer rule us and they readily fled like the chaff is carried away by the tempest.

The mood then was infectious and people were in exultance celebrating their independence and it was then India was proclaimed a free republic. That was a moment of pride to every Indian and I still am proud of the great freedom fighters who laid their life to get us the much needed freedom and also to the steel nerved soldiers who now toil day and night to just protect our motherland from any further invasion.

I still fend for the need to study History and needless to say , one really gets a lot of inspiration. I still remember myself pestering my grandma , a Burmese born sexagenarian to tell me stories about the way days were back then . She gets filled with nostalgia as she starts narrating to me and I know why she’d !

This computer era when everyone tricks time and hardly even exchange pleasantries with one another , I can’t expect them to hail in the praise of the brave and courageous every other day but atleast on this one day in a year , it could make a difference.

I don’t deny saying that I like the virtual Captain Planet , Superman and He-man ! But I’d still like the rest to know that they were all brilliant creations of authors/writers who they thought were in line of these very real freedom fighters be it Gandhi or ML King . They were supposed to be an epitome of them. I strongly urge the kids to know about them and their noble deeds .

As an Indian , I’d close this one with a , ‘ Jai Hind !’

A teary tribute

2011-08-13T21:27:00.000+05:30

Long long ago even before Computer was born , we humans had started to build machines of malice and destruction . We had heard about the Crusades , WW- I & II and many countless instances of such wars whose repercussions was immense on life on earth. I really wonder how one could be that foolish ! What joy does one experience by slaining others and hoarding everything possible ! Life is about sharing one’s joys and woes and definitely not enjoying at one’s cost . It is Satanic .

I am forced to ask this myself – Is life any better than those dreaded days ages ago ? I knew I would readily nod in disapproval. All the marvelous discoveries did make a difference in our lives and also along with it proliferated the destructive machines and the terror attacks . It now calls for introspection to just stop all these activities and unanimously extend one’s support towards attaining peace all over.

We have had many instances of mass extinction and I seriously wouldn’t want Homo Sapiens to perish and be an exotic creature of yester era . Peace alone can do the magic !

I would like to present a poem which I’d written two years ago , on the 66th Anniversary of Hiroshima & Nagasaki Day and also in the wake of the recent Oslo attacks and Mumbai Serial blasts .

Pristine country of ours , unsullied ,
Through the ages , rose the dictating terrorism
Smoke rising high with blasts frequently everywhere
Red pools of blood trickling against
Innocent shedding away tears

Staining , paralyzing the country’s dignity
These blood sucking terrorists , their ideals satanic
Grappling the people
Have badly crippled the nation
Women and men shedding away drops for their dear ones

Let peace be the word spread all over with its overtaking wings
Let not the world shed tears anymore
Let the insane of the sanest mend their baser ideals
Let not the brandishing swords of peace get tarnished by
Let not the unruly rule over , instead pause and think over

Chirpy children , diligent and old
Lie down cold and dead
Each dead soul a monument
Alerting the rest , terror an act of cowardice
Plunge and thwart it out

Hail for that day when peace alone over rides
Awake , arise ! terrorism ain’t a part of evolution
Let peace and only peace stride over
Let chains of terrorism get waded away
May the wish we all wish come true

Its two years now since I’d written this poem and this period only saw many terror attacks and peace still seems rudimentary and a distant reality ! Let peace not be a mirage anymore .

Hoping for a better world , I sign out hailing , ‘’Peace be unto you , Shalom !’’

German Documentary Film Festival

2011-08-13T21:13:00.000+05:30

Monsoon had already set in and I knew what all I could anticipate . So , I preferred to start early from home as I didn’t want to miss on this very event which I’ve been waiting for days together . A friend of mine , Favi she’s called by many accompanied me .

Quite evidently we reached earlier than we were expected to , So we unanimously agreed to take the road not taken and walked the whole way while we talked about a lot other things. She’s the one who has humour laced to all that she talks and I really find it amusing that I can’t control laughing . I really wish I atleast were half as funny as her . Having crossed quite some blocks , We got some crunchies to get us going and guzzled few colas to only walk briskly as neither of us wanted to miss our seats in the event . Both were pretty excited about the premiere .

I remember it being quarter past four when I entered Goethe Institut. Walked over to the reception and inquired about the event . Rushed ourselves to the elevator and it took us to the entrance of the auditorium where the German Documentary Films where about to be aired .

We got ourselves registered and dashed in to the hall to just see that the place was deserted except for a foreigner at the extreme end with whom we exchanged pleasantries and quickly got ourselves the best seating and we later realized that indeed it was the best. There was this state of art Bose audio system just three rows ahead of us and if not the video was HD , I’d rate it at least the best in-house quality.

The event organizer hurried through a quick brief and right after it the first documentary film for the day was aired.

It was , ‘’ How to make a book with Steidl ‘’ I suppose a few might have heard about publisher Gerhard Steidl . A publisher and Printer by profession , he is revered and sought after worldwide for his ability to make the most exquisite art books imaginable . This documentary film brought the exact elements of how he did publish one such limited edition book with the world’s best photographers on Dubai which he’d titled aptly as ‘’iDubai’’ wherein the I stands for the well known Iphone since all the pictures were clicked with it.

Though the start wasn’t impressive nor was it sensuous as we were told by , we did watch with the same initial excitement and nevertheless we weren’t disappointed a bit. As the movie unfurled further , I could see myself engrossed in the film . It was a 90 minute film and the last part of it was so brilliantly captured by the precise , observant but discreet camera which got out the unique philosophy of the way the publisher worked . Steidl being a perfectionist , gets the best hardbound cover and sets his own layouts and themes and I really loved the sight of his final published work . Inked in gold were the title , steidl and the ISBN code . His last dialogue goes like this though not the exact words, that’s the best I can recollect , ‘ You can feel my book , touch the paper if u’d want to ! I’d tell that every publisher house would publish the book the usual way wherein the prints are etched by the usual paints and varnishes and have no smell to it unlike mine ,where I prefer to go with oil paints which have a distinct smell to it and leave an imprint behind ‘ That was something I never knew . Being an avid reader myself , I knew a little about hard bound an paper back but not anything that intricate . The film really enlightened us .

The next one for the day was a very short film – ‘ 10 minutes before the flight of Icarus’
Set in Uzupis , a part of Vilnius old town , it had more music to it than the normal ones and I guess the Director was sure that the viewers didn’t need much of an outlined plot to understand the story and I think that pretty worked well like he’d assumed. The music were all street based and I personally loved them . The old man blowing cigar and playing on the miniature guitar and the song sung by a group of people off the streets were truly beautiful renditions which draws one’s attention to the destruction and ruin and I interpreted it as a way to advocate peace all over.

I rushed to get snacks and a cup of hot coffee before the last film for the day was on the screen .

Sipping the Espresso , I diverted myself to the screen to read out the movie’s name aloud , ‘’ Pianomania – In search of the Perfect sound ‘
Though I didn’t get to watch the complete movie , it was about a Piano tuner who no doubt was a master of his profession who has an ear for music and has the ability to turn mere sounds to great renditions. His only ambition was not just about tuning a piano , but also to find the right nuances for every piece of music and every piano player . The film had fair share of music played on Piano right from Mozart’s to Bach’s .

This was a private premiere attended by the the intellect strata is what I’d say ! [Winks] Though wasn’t housefull , it did gather a decent lot . Most of the films were in German with English subs except for the first one which did seem to have English audio ready for us and I should mention that I could get a few german words as in Tschus , wie Heissen sie , bitte , Danke , Auf Weidersehen et cetera

As we left the place , Favi thanked me for having called her to come along and said , ‘’ Do let me know when the next fest is ! ‘’ I just smiled back and waved my hands to board my bus still regretting to ‘ve not watched the entire Pianomania though I knew google would pull all strings in its search for any videos !

There it goes off its perch

2011-08-13T21:10:00.000+05:30

Like usual when i was giving a read to the news on the daily two days ago , I flipped through papers with the usual earnest to really know what happens around. Being a Student of science , Somewhere midway lies the Science and Technology section where usually news ranging from new discoveries to busting age old myths to replacing the very well known laws are coupled together !

It was already Seven early morning and i know My Favorite cartoon is aired at Half past Seven which I hardly can miss . In a way , heavily addicted to them ! You can call them my '' Shot of Crack '' So , I breezed quickly through the first initial pages to turn to the Sci. section.

The main headline went , ''Archaeopteryx may not have been a bird .'' I was Quite skeptical and my expression ranged fro quizzical to WTF ! I hurried myself through the article and it went like this - Chinese Palaeontologists have unearthed some fossil which after repeated experimentation and comparing the similarities to the mighty Archaeopteryx's placed them according to the evolutionary hierarchy in a group called - ' Bird-Like dinosaur '

Anyone would be surprised by that if not all , atleast i was astounded because All i could recollect from what I read in a few articles on the web doubtless placed it as the ' Original or First Bird ' and sometimes considered it the Primitve form of birds.
Now , research has dethroned the legendary Archeopteryx and scraped off its title of ' The Earliest Known Bird .'

As far as I remember , Archaeopteryx was quite an old Creature supposed to have lived sometime during Jurassic age in Bavaria [ Now a part of Germany ] back when it had made Europe as the Archipelago of islands.

This seemingly gigantic Bird like creature to the earlier paleontologists was a creature that had in it the features of both Avian and Reptilian features and this was what had reinforced the Evolutionary Theory of Charles Darwin and strikingly posed it as the only governing theory of Evolution of Creatures.

Though a few where always pounded by doubt if it were really a bird and now that the discovery of New fossil which i call the ' The Long Lost Kin ' has resurfaced , the theory of Evolution is something worth debated on

Evolution has always interested me and I was quite inquisitive for i never easily nodded my head to the written facts and always yearned to see it the scientific way . Though I may never seem a match to the legendary ones be it Darwin or De Vries , I'd in a light humour quote that , '' Scientific theories are meant to be redefined from time to time else none could testify if I were the Baboon's Equivalent or you , the reader being a Gibbon's Equivalent .''

I tuck the papers in properly and set them aside and all set to grab the remote control of my television set .

Deep Waters

2011-08-13T21:04:00.001+05:30

Recently when i'd started to learn to swim , In my initial days I was asked to swim the length in the deep corner of the pool that scaled 16m deep ! Unfathomable it was ! For I just started to float adrift on the water , flap my arms and kick my legs hard to push myself forward which literally mean I'm no pro at swimming and visibly not the right time for me to swim in the other corner a stark difference between the end where i was comfortable to practice at the 3m end ! I alone knew that i wasn't supposed to go for it . But my coach , insisted me to jump . I started to be goofy and play around and let the rest go past me ! The coach knew it wasn't funny and he staunchly insisted i take off the length for everyone were done with that for that session.

When it was my turn to go , Still doubtful about it , I placed my feet on the rest and took a deep breath and just before i dived in , my mind was lost thinking about W.Douglas of deep waters fame [ We'd read about him in 12th ] He was intently pushed in by a pesky brat in to deep waters where he'd gone through excruciating fear of drowning in the deep end as he tried to duck and push himself up but , all his efforts were vain .

Abruptly i gained a sudden momentum and splashed in to water and did swim for a shot length but to lose breath quickly and drown ! All thanks to the Swim ring ! I knew i'd failed it ! But I gained confidence and went for it again . Yeah , again and again [twice] and accomplished my task to swim the length ! None other than me could've been elated for having swam the length in the farthest end of the pool !

I now realise that Franklin Roosevelt was right when he said , '' All we have to fear is fear itself '' Atleast I and W.Douglas himself found it inspirational enough to thwart our fear !