Chances are that you have already heard about this song that has become a rage, or so they say, on the internet and across the country. One of my friends sent me a YouTube link. Before watching it, I mentioned the song to my Tamil friend for her opinion. Deepa fairly bit my ear off - 'Oh, I don't like it' she almost shouted into her cell-phone. I was taken aback but asked her why. She said something about the heavy accent and lyrics. Hmm, why don't I listen to the original song and then, maybe, she can sing her own version for me so that I can compare the accents - I suggested despite a huge risk both to my hearing ability and sanity. Mercifully, Deepa almost never takes me seriously. She disconnected the phone. I prayed that her husband was a safe distance away. :-)
Must say this made me more curious about the song so I finally listened to it using the link emailed by my friend. I just plain don't get the lyrics despite the glossary (Tamil-to-English) provided by my friend. e.g. the lines
You showed me bouv-u
Cow-u cow-u holi cow-u
The translation said that:
Showed me Bouv-u: Rejected me (When you go near a dog, it barks ‘Bow’ which means, go away don’t come near me. Similarly when you go after a girl and she shoos you away, it is called showing ‘Bow-u’. In a funny way.)
Wow! If I hadn't read the translation I would have associated that 'bouv' with 'Bovine' and scratched my head till eternity looking for the meaning.
The following was a revelation too:
Da or Mama: Tamil variant of “Dude” or “Bro”.
Di: Tamil variant of “Girl” or “Babe”.
Wonder what 'PronobDa' and 'MamataDi' have to say about this ;-)
But I liked the music - it's an unusual tune for sure. Hey, and who is the Sarika-lookalike? Must be her daughter Shruti Hassan. :-)
In case you haven't listened to this song, here is the link.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
26 November 2008
It would have been any normal day in the calendar except for the terrorist attacks that cost a lot of innocent people their lives. I dreaded reading the newspaper on 26th November, 2011. I didn't read the account of the happenings from those who survived. I didn't read about Ajmal Kasab who has been having a merry time at the taxpayers' expense. I didn't read about how the government hasn't learnt any lessons from this tragedy. I just turned the pages and closed the newspaper. I didn't tune in to any news channels that day and I didn't surf the web. I wasn't blocking out the memories.
Was I being callous ? Not really! I just didn't want to feel unsafe again in my own city. Sounds rather like an ostrich, don't I? But then I don't have any control over how to protect myself and my loved ones from such mindless blind acts of hatred. What use is it reminding oneself of it again? I would rather offer my own private prayers for those whose lives were cut short that day and then get on with my life.
But that doesn't stop me from getting angry - when are we Indians going to stop being so careless about our own safety in our own country?
Was I being callous ? Not really! I just didn't want to feel unsafe again in my own city. Sounds rather like an ostrich, don't I? But then I don't have any control over how to protect myself and my loved ones from such mindless blind acts of hatred. What use is it reminding oneself of it again? I would rather offer my own private prayers for those whose lives were cut short that day and then get on with my life.
But that doesn't stop me from getting angry - when are we Indians going to stop being so careless about our own safety in our own country?
Friday, December 2, 2011
टेक २५ - भावना सोमेय्या
खरं तर मी मूळ इंग्रजी पुस्तकांचा अनुवाद कधीच वाचत नाही. जी भाषा आपल्याला समजते त्यातून मूळ कलाकृतीच वाचायला हवी, अनुवादाच्या कुबड्या कश्याला हव्यात? पण ह्यावेळी माझा नाईलाज झाला कारण भावना सोमेय्यांच्या ’टेक २५’ ची मूळ इंग्रजी आवृत्ती लायब्ररीत नाहिये. सहज म्हणून अनुक्रमणिका चाळली तेव्हा बासु भट्टाचार्य, अपर्णा सेन, राजेश खन्ना, रेखा, जया बच्चन अश्या अनेक जणांच्या मुलाखती आहेत असं दिसलं त्यामुळे अगदीच रहावलं नाही आणि मी पुस्तक घेऊन आले.
हिंदी पिक्चर थिएटरमधे जाऊन पाहिल्याला अनेक वर्ष लोटली पण जुने हिंदी चित्रपट, त्यातले कलाकार, दिग्दर्शक, संगीतकार, गीतकार ह्याबद्दल जबरदस्त कुतूहल आहे, जाणून घ्यायची इच्छा आहे. कसे बनतात चित्रपट, कलाकार आपल्या भूमिकांबाबत कसा विचार करतात, त्याबाबत ते समाधानी असतात का - एक ना दोन अनेक प्रश्न. कबूल आहे की एक पुस्तक वाचून सगळ्यांची उत्तरं मिळणं अशक्य आहे. तरी पुस्तकाने माझी निराशा केली नाही हे नक्की. आपण प्रेक्षक थिएटरात जातो, पिक्चर आवडला तर ठीक नाहीतर पैसे पाण्यात गेले म्हणून दिग्दर्शकाच्या नावाने, कलाकारांच्या नावाने शंख करतो पण ह्यामागे किती लोकांची किती मेहनत आहे हे लक्षात घेत नाही. हां, एक मात्र आहे, काही काही चित्रपट एव्हढे वाईट असतात की आपल्याला वाटतंच ’अरे, हा पिक्चर वाईट आहे हे आपल्याला दिसतं तर दिग्दर्शक, कलाकार ह्यांना कळलं नसेल का?’
असो. तर पुस्तकाविषयी. रेखाची एक अत्यंत खाजगी प्रश्न विचारलेली मुलाखत सोडली तर बाकीच्या मुलाखतीत लेखिकेने बरेच संयत आणि माहितीपूर्ण प्रश्न विचारल्याचं जाणवतं. मला स्वत:ला तर नीतू सिंगची मुलाखत अतिशय आवडली. एक नायिका म्हणून नाही तर एक व्यक्ती म्हणून ती इतकी छान वाटते ना की मी तर तिची फ़ॆनच झालेय :-)
अंजनी नरवणे ह्यांनी अनुवादाचं काम चांगलं केलंय तरी काही ठिकाणी Third Person मधले उल्लेख मराठीत आणतान कृत्रिमपणा जाणवतो. तसंच अनेक ठिकाणी ’रसप्रद’ ह्या शब्दाचा त्यांनी केलेला उल्लेख फ़ार खटकतो. बहुतेक interesting ह्या मूळ शब्दाचं ते मराठी रुपडं असावं असं बाकीच्या संदर्भावरून वाटतं. ’रंजक’ हा शब्द अधिक योग्य वाटला असता का?
हे पुस्तक जवळजवळ वाचून संपलंय. A Princess Remembers हे पुस्तक आणायचा बेत आहे. ह्याचीही अनुवादित आवृत्तीच बहुधा लायब्ररीत उपलब्ध असणार पण मूळ पुस्तक कधी वाचायला मिळेल ह्याची खात्री नसल्याने सध्या तरी अनुवादच वाचायचा ठरवतेय. भारताच्या स्वातंत्र्यासोबत खालसा झालेल्या ह्या राजे-रजवाड्यांचे राजवाडे चित्रात किंवा प्रत्यक्षात पाहून कधीकधी हे सगळं खालसा झाल्याचं वाईट वाटतं खरं, नाही असं नाही. पाहू या तरी ह्या राणीचं जीवन कसं होतं ते :-)
हिंदी पिक्चर थिएटरमधे जाऊन पाहिल्याला अनेक वर्ष लोटली पण जुने हिंदी चित्रपट, त्यातले कलाकार, दिग्दर्शक, संगीतकार, गीतकार ह्याबद्दल जबरदस्त कुतूहल आहे, जाणून घ्यायची इच्छा आहे. कसे बनतात चित्रपट, कलाकार आपल्या भूमिकांबाबत कसा विचार करतात, त्याबाबत ते समाधानी असतात का - एक ना दोन अनेक प्रश्न. कबूल आहे की एक पुस्तक वाचून सगळ्यांची उत्तरं मिळणं अशक्य आहे. तरी पुस्तकाने माझी निराशा केली नाही हे नक्की. आपण प्रेक्षक थिएटरात जातो, पिक्चर आवडला तर ठीक नाहीतर पैसे पाण्यात गेले म्हणून दिग्दर्शकाच्या नावाने, कलाकारांच्या नावाने शंख करतो पण ह्यामागे किती लोकांची किती मेहनत आहे हे लक्षात घेत नाही. हां, एक मात्र आहे, काही काही चित्रपट एव्हढे वाईट असतात की आपल्याला वाटतंच ’अरे, हा पिक्चर वाईट आहे हे आपल्याला दिसतं तर दिग्दर्शक, कलाकार ह्यांना कळलं नसेल का?’
असो. तर पुस्तकाविषयी. रेखाची एक अत्यंत खाजगी प्रश्न विचारलेली मुलाखत सोडली तर बाकीच्या मुलाखतीत लेखिकेने बरेच संयत आणि माहितीपूर्ण प्रश्न विचारल्याचं जाणवतं. मला स्वत:ला तर नीतू सिंगची मुलाखत अतिशय आवडली. एक नायिका म्हणून नाही तर एक व्यक्ती म्हणून ती इतकी छान वाटते ना की मी तर तिची फ़ॆनच झालेय :-)
अंजनी नरवणे ह्यांनी अनुवादाचं काम चांगलं केलंय तरी काही ठिकाणी Third Person मधले उल्लेख मराठीत आणतान कृत्रिमपणा जाणवतो. तसंच अनेक ठिकाणी ’रसप्रद’ ह्या शब्दाचा त्यांनी केलेला उल्लेख फ़ार खटकतो. बहुतेक interesting ह्या मूळ शब्दाचं ते मराठी रुपडं असावं असं बाकीच्या संदर्भावरून वाटतं. ’रंजक’ हा शब्द अधिक योग्य वाटला असता का?
हे पुस्तक जवळजवळ वाचून संपलंय. A Princess Remembers हे पुस्तक आणायचा बेत आहे. ह्याचीही अनुवादित आवृत्तीच बहुधा लायब्ररीत उपलब्ध असणार पण मूळ पुस्तक कधी वाचायला मिळेल ह्याची खात्री नसल्याने सध्या तरी अनुवादच वाचायचा ठरवतेय. भारताच्या स्वातंत्र्यासोबत खालसा झालेल्या ह्या राजे-रजवाड्यांचे राजवाडे चित्रात किंवा प्रत्यक्षात पाहून कधीकधी हे सगळं खालसा झाल्याचं वाईट वाटतं खरं, नाही असं नाही. पाहू या तरी ह्या राणीचं जीवन कसं होतं ते :-)
I have finished reading the second chapter of 'Bhagwad Geeta - As It Is' and will start with the next one in a day or two. Must confess that sometimes the going seems a bit tough as the explanations that follow a shloka are couched in a very heavy (at least for me!) philosophical language. But I am not the one to give up. :-)
It is both fun and frustrating to try to read the original Sanskrit verses and try to understand their meaning without looking at their English translation. It has been years since my 3 years of Sanskrit study in school. Obviously, I don't know many words and many times it is nearly impossible to bring them in order so as to construct the sentence. It is fun when I get it right and frustrating when I don't. But I am happy because I think this whole activity is serving two purposes - one is obviously to read the holy book (which I have thought of doing since quite a few years) and the other one is to engage in study of the language. I agree that this is not a proper study but I think it is one tiny step in that direction. Better a baby step than none, right?
But I guess it will be a difficult task to learn by heart the whole book. Roughly, even if I take 3 months to learn one chapter by heart, it will be four and a half years before I can learn the whole book - provided I keep at it diligently.
Well, I guess I shouldn't worry about it as of now. If that's meant to be, it will happen :-)
It is both fun and frustrating to try to read the original Sanskrit verses and try to understand their meaning without looking at their English translation. It has been years since my 3 years of Sanskrit study in school. Obviously, I don't know many words and many times it is nearly impossible to bring them in order so as to construct the sentence. It is fun when I get it right and frustrating when I don't. But I am happy because I think this whole activity is serving two purposes - one is obviously to read the holy book (which I have thought of doing since quite a few years) and the other one is to engage in study of the language. I agree that this is not a proper study but I think it is one tiny step in that direction. Better a baby step than none, right?
But I guess it will be a difficult task to learn by heart the whole book. Roughly, even if I take 3 months to learn one chapter by heart, it will be four and a half years before I can learn the whole book - provided I keep at it diligently.
Well, I guess I shouldn't worry about it as of now. If that's meant to be, it will happen :-)
Discover Your Destiny - by Robin Sharma
I had liked Robin Sharma's 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' so much that I have bought a copy of it. So, it was with great expectations that I brought home his 'Discover Your Destiny'. However, I must say that I was in for a mighty disappointment. :-(
Usually I don't leave any book unfinished but I couldn't go beyond first 4-5 chapters in this one. Thinking back, the only takeaway that I seem to remember is 'Do your best and leave the rest to the almighty' because life works itself out in such a way that at any point you are exactly at the point where you are meant to be. Now, doesn't the 2nd chapter of Bhagwad Geeta talk about exactly the same thing in its famous 'KarmaNyevaadhikaraste' shloka? No matter what mentions this thought - be it Bhagwad Geeta or Sharma's book - I am not entirely convinced by it. At best, it seems merely comforting because no matter what anyone does he/she can never guarantee a particular outcome of his/her actions. At worst, it seems horribly wrong - especially when I look at a beggar on the street or an old vendor peddling his goods when he should be resting at home. Did life actually mean this for these people? If no, then the thought falls flat on its face. If yes, then maybe it's that old cycle of Karma working itself out again. The next question then is - should we stop donating to charitable causes that help under-privileged people because these people need to work out their karma in this life? That sounds horrifying.
Oh well, the more you think, the more complicated it gets.
Anyways, about the book. As I was saying, after that takeaway, the book just seemed to go round and round about the same in the next chapter or two. I tried my best to get on with reading but it was an impossible task given that I had totally lost interest. So finally one evening I just picked it up and returned it to the library :-(
Usually I don't leave any book unfinished but I couldn't go beyond first 4-5 chapters in this one. Thinking back, the only takeaway that I seem to remember is 'Do your best and leave the rest to the almighty' because life works itself out in such a way that at any point you are exactly at the point where you are meant to be. Now, doesn't the 2nd chapter of Bhagwad Geeta talk about exactly the same thing in its famous 'KarmaNyevaadhikaraste' shloka? No matter what mentions this thought - be it Bhagwad Geeta or Sharma's book - I am not entirely convinced by it. At best, it seems merely comforting because no matter what anyone does he/she can never guarantee a particular outcome of his/her actions. At worst, it seems horribly wrong - especially when I look at a beggar on the street or an old vendor peddling his goods when he should be resting at home. Did life actually mean this for these people? If no, then the thought falls flat on its face. If yes, then maybe it's that old cycle of Karma working itself out again. The next question then is - should we stop donating to charitable causes that help under-privileged people because these people need to work out their karma in this life? That sounds horrifying.
Oh well, the more you think, the more complicated it gets.
Anyways, about the book. As I was saying, after that takeaway, the book just seemed to go round and round about the same in the next chapter or two. I tried my best to get on with reading but it was an impossible task given that I had totally lost interest. So finally one evening I just picked it up and returned it to the library :-(
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