The tale of a new forest

The tale of a new forest - how reforestation helped the Bhatti mines

अर्ज है.....

लफ़्जोंके फ़साने ढूंढते है हम लोग
लम्होंमे जमाने ढूंढते है हम लोग
तू जहरही दे शराब कह कर साकी
मरनेके बहाने ढूंढते है हम लोग

(From the internet)

सकाळी सकाळी ’शोर मच गया शोर’ च्या ठणठणाटाने जाग आली आणि आज दहीहंडी असल्याची जाणीव झाली. खरं तर कृष्णावरची कितीतरी हिंदी आणि मराठी गाणी आहेत. पण का कोणास ठाऊक, ह्या लोकांना ती आठवतच नाहीत. कदाचित माहितसुध्दा नसतील. ’अमर प्रेम’ मधलं ’बडा नटखट है रे’, शागिर्दमधलं ’कान्हा, कान्हा आन पडी मै तेरे द्वार’, ’जागते रहो’ मधलं ’जागो मोहन प्यारे’ आणि ’बुढ्ढा मिल गया’ मधलं ’आयो कहासे घनश्याम’. मराठीतली माणिक वर्मांची घननीळा लडिवाळा, सावळाच रंग तुझा, झालंच तर केशवा माधवा, आज गोकुळात रंग खेळतो हरी आणि ’वजीर’ मधलं ’सांज ये गोकुळी सावळी सावळी’......

कोट्यावधी रुपयांच्या हंड्या, थर लावताना पडून जखमी होणारे गोविंदा आणि अचकिट विचकट हातवारे करत नाचणारे लोक. :-( ह्या युगात ह्यांचंच निर्दालन करायला यावं लागेल तुला पुन्हा कृष्णा!

Stanley Ka Dabba

I had never even thought that any child could turn up at school without a dabba of home-cooked food. When I was a kid, everyone in class always had one. Watching "Stanley Ka Dabba" yesterday, however, was an eye-opening experience.

It took me through a rainbow of emotions. I smiled when I saw the class full of students taking down notes and fighting over desk space. Sometimes it does feel like I went to school a century ago. :-( I remembered the teachers very similar to Mrs. Iyer and Miss Rosy. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone like Mr. Verma. :-)

It tore my guts out to watch little Stanley guzzle water to avoid hunger pangs as his friends opened up their tiffins during lunch break. It was easy to guess why he wasn't bringing any but when the movie confirmed my worst suspicions, it was very hard to keep my eyes from tearing up :-(

It felt good to see the kids rally around Stanley. Wish we could all retain the innocence and good cheer that we seemed to have in abundance during childhood but have a woefully short supply of when we grow up.

It wasn't however clear as to why Mr. Verma never brings his own tiffin. And the end left me vaguely wondering if it was right to glorify 'spinning a yarn', though done innocently.

A wonderful thought-provoking movie!

It is no use watching news these days. The channels are either talking about the Indian cricket team's test series against England - which is nothing to write home about. Or they are covering Mr. Hazare's fast. Every time I see the crowds wearing "I Am Anna" caps or chanting slogans, I feel disturbed.

Do they even realize that a strong Lokpal Bill will not clean up the corruption in their daily lives? That they will have to do more than turning up in droves at Ramlila or Azad Maidan? That they will have to resolve not to accept or give bribes and stick to it, no matter what?

Are these people expecting a bit too much out of this? What if their expectations are not met?

Will they be scarred for life? Will they lose whatever faith that they have left that the things can change for the better? Mr. Hazare, I hope to God that you have thought all this out. If not, you would have done this country more harm than good. :-(

मनमोहन कृष्ण मुरारी, तेरे चरनोंकी बलिहारी

सर्वांना जन्माष्टमीच्या शुभेच्छा!

अर्ज है.....

बस एक झिजक है यही हाल-ए-दिल सुनानेमे
की तेरा जिक्रभी आयेगा इस फ़सानेमे
इसीमे इश्ककी किस्मत बदलभी सकती थी
जो वक्त बीत गया मुझको आझमानेमे
ये कहके टूट पडा शाख-ए-गुलसे आखरी फ़ूल
अब और देर है कितनी बहार आनेमे
--- साहिर लुधियानवी