Three Muses: Pancho, Rancho and Sancho!

Opening Bell: Song from Movie: Three Idiots:
Honth ghuma, Seeti bajaa,Seeti bajaa ke bol, Bhaiyaa aal izz well!
All is Well and Wish you all a happy new year!

I have always been fascinated by rhyme and I couldn't but help writing a note with this title.

Muse One: Pancho the Honcho!
I studied at IIM Bangalore and actually had a batchmate called Pancho. This guy once spent three hours trying to fix a printer that wasn't broke. This printer was strangely printing "alternate pages". A couple of reams and several hours later, this genius realised that the printer was printing on both sides of the paper. Pancho is now a corporate Honcho fixing companies that are (not) broke.
Arre Pancho: "Paper Ghuma, Printer dikha, seeti bajaa ke bol, bhayya aal eez well"

Muse Two: Rancho
I got together with a bunch of my mates from IIT and IIM recently and we thought it was a good idea to watch the movie "Three Idiots" together. Aamir Khan played the lead role of the character Rancho. While the movie didn't live up to the promise, the celebrities involved with the movie have done justice to the title. Depending on who you pose the question to between Aamir Khan, Chetan Bhagat and Raj Kumar Hirani, anywhere between 5% to 95% of the movie is based on Chetan Bhagat's book. Based on the recent public behaviour, I strongly suggest you don't ask Vidhu Vinod Chopra this question. The only "graceful" article I have seen on this topic is the one written by Vir Sanghvi in one of the national papers.
Arre Rancho: "Credits Ghumao, seedhe dikhao, Seeti Bajaa ke bol, Bhagat aal izz Well"

Third Muse: My friend called Sancho!
My first book of the year and the author's debut novel. Sancho, as I fondly refer to the book, is well written and refreshingly contemporary. The language is simple, direct and the sentences short, yet subtle and appropriate. Indian authors in English, in general, tend use a lot more literary flourish than necessary. Amit Varma does not. There is a sensible plot, a delightful literary instrument and the thought provoking theme. I think it was 'un-put-down-able'. Find a relaxed weekend and this book will make it worthwhile.
Arre Bachchon: "Sancho le aao, panne ghumao, seeti bajaa ke bol, bhayya all izz well!"

I am keen to post here more often. Need to find lost habit. On that note:

Closing Bell: Song from Movie: Three Idiots:
Behti hawa sa tha woh
Udti patang sa tha woh
Kahan gaya usse dhoondo
I need to go find this spirit.

The Awakening!

Opening Bell: Theme Music: Hindi Movie: Wake up Sid!

sunlo zara humko yeh keh raha
waqt hai kya tumko pata hai na
ab so gayi raat jaake din hai abb jaag utha
aankhein masalata hai saara yeh sama
aawaazein bhi leti hai angadaayiya
wake up sid saare pal kahein,
wake up sid chal kahin chalein
wake up sid sab dishaao se aa rahi hai sada sun sako agar suno
wake up!

My translation:

Listen. The breeze murmurs to thee
“Wake up! it is time, don’t you see?
The night is asleep, the day agape
draw these moments into memory scape" 

The decibels arise at each day break
Incessant. Constant. Until you’re awake
“Wake up Sid!” the wise west-wind bellows
"Pronto mate! just get off those pillows!"

It is indeed a source of great joy to be back here and ...
...begin to ruffle a few feathers and turn a few stones.

Joy abounds, as I awaken here
Writing poetry, vibes and stuff
It is not that I am so insincere
I am but not disciplined enough

Saw on CNN this last weekend
Real awards unto genuine heroes
Achtung! That triggered the end
Of my writers block, blogging woes

A tiny change that heroes made

A tweet a first and movement soon

Noble actions that each displayed

Transforms lives, to many a boon

My friend Dhammo on email quotes
“It is Determination that matters most”
the components, as Paul graham notes
Willfulness, discipline, ambition dosth!” 

While I remain lost for my own quest
Knowing that a start is lonely likely
For a single stars’ resonance is a must
To make our dear earth green and lively

It is but just that lonely start for one tiny star – “Ik Tara”…
... and that brings me to my closing bell -

Closing Bell: Theme Music: Hindi Music: Wake up Sid!

O mere manawa tu toh baawara hai tu hi jaane tu kya sochata hai
tu hi jaane tu kya sochata hai baawarein
kyun dikhaaye sapane tu sote jaagate
jo barase sapane bund bund naino ko mund mund
kaise main chalu dekh na saku anjaan raaste
gunja sa hai koyi iktaara iktaara !!

i.e.

aimless the mind roams
through myriad thoughts,
a defined quest is lost
as day-break gleams
into mere day-dreams
a soul lost in daze,
a lonesome teardrop
the tired eyelid flop
have I lost my quest?
am I thus to be restless?
then a gentle reminder,
now a gale, now twitter,
that, but as one star radiates
to life this earth resonates

For whom the bells tolled!

Opening Bell: Theme Music: Hindi Movie: Anand
[Choti baaten,
Choti choti baaton ki hai yaadein bani
Bhoole nahin bithi hui ek choti ghadi,
Janam janam se, aankhen bichaaye,
tere liye in rahon mein,]

my translation (and a pinch of Johnny Cash)

for memories
life's trifle pleasures & such little treasures
I keep my eyes wide open for each lifetime,
Awaiting you to stand up by my side
Because you are mine, for all the time.

So I am back with a rather longish break - but then ringing wedding bells takes its toll. !! . :)

[Maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne chune,
Sapne, surile sapne,
Kuch hansee ke, kuch gum ke,
Teri ankhon ke saye churaye rasili yaadon ne]

vibrant dreams in rainbow colours
stolen moments chosen just for you,
some with joy, really happy tides
some with sorrow, the sadder times
while we let the shadows of your eyes
hide our precious dreams, memories

Well. Resonance.And sentiments around a colourful time,

Aside: Random Seven Coloured Muse: With some brilliant memories of a fine holiday, I can’t but help muse on how the Mauritians marketed a volcanic formation known as the seven coloured earth of Chamarel. So much that India needs to learn from the west, the treasures India has to offer to tourists worldwide go almost unnoticed.

Mauritius is a fantastic place for a holiday and is highly recommended for a pleasant incident free vacation, not to mention the adventures that are in store for you – Quadbiking, Wind surfing, Kite surfing, Undersea walk, Parasailing, Sailing, Submarine ride et al.

And this post, marking my return to blogging -
dedicated to a Maha!
For whom the bells tolled on an August occasion (9th)in the gracious year of 2006

Closing Bell: Sentiments from a Hindi movie: Anand
[Bhole bhale,
Bhole bhale dil ko behlate rahe,
Tanhai mein tere khayalon ko sajate rahe,
Kabhi kabhi tho, aavaaz dekar, mujhko jagaya khabon
ne, Maine tere liye]

Then memories tickled my innocent heart
when loneliness refreshed - my life, your part
and once in a while, a resounding reminder,
from within a sweet dream, broke my slumber

Just-Around-the-Corner

Opening Bell: Hindi Film: Anari:
Kisiki muskuraahaton pe ho nisaar
Kisika dard mil sake to le udhaar

My Translation being:

For them, whose smile that bringeth you joy,
Own each of one of their woes yourself. Try!

I muse this time,
with a sonnet for a rhyme.

Eight in the night, I recount the clock telling the time,
As I remember that simple day sunk in daily chores,
When we gathered just around the corner – a prime
hangout on Mumbai’s suede, crowded Bandra Shores
As she looked at us, minced, smiled, approached
‘twas clear she was much different from the herd
Countenance so genuine, her feelings just showed
Spectacles betrayed that her vision was blurred
Of baby Priyanka’s talents, do I a question make
challenged at birth, her ignorance shows; and glows
into an inspired presence. Yet hearts break, for her sake
A sheer delight that day that her innocence chose
to grace our table at Just-Around-the-Corner, tell me:
Strangers that make you smile - How many do you see?

Baby Priyanka, accosted us, sat on our dinner Table, shared a few moments, stole our hearts and walked away! God Bless Her.

Closing Bell: Pink Floyd: Echoes
And no one sings me lullabyes
And no one makes me close my eyes
So I throw the windows wide
And call to you across the sky....

Signs of Life

Opening Bell: Pink Floyd: Signs of Life
when the child like view of the world went,
Nothing replaced it...nothing replaced it...nothing replaced it...
I do not like being asked to.....i do not like being asked to...I do not like being asked to....
Other people replaced it…Someone who knows

The Opening Bell is a Pink Floyd song that “literally” reflects the theme for this post.

Was having a very interesting conversation with a friend (Gurvinder Samra) about feeling of Deja Wu and inevitable signs in life. Co-incidences are not uncommon in anybody’s life, but some, by the sheer improbability make you wonder - what they really mean.

Naturally, our wandering conversation comes to “Signs” – the Manoj Night Shyamalan movie… … and before long we both concluded that the movie was highly under-rated at the box office. “Signs” was about the pervasiveness of indicative signs all through our life and the linkages that may still not be understood by the world of human beings and their science.

Quoting a few lines from the movie:
“See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you?
Are you the kind that sees signs, sees miracles?
Or do you believe that people just get lucky?”
Strangely, despite scientific outlook and way of thinking that is a part of my engineering mindset, I seem to read more into small signs and indications in life than others. It doesn’t perturb me, but I wonder if it is not an integrated part of all individuals. Even small signs – like a falling leaf or a petal seem to make a difference. Sometimes you can even wonder at little things like – just how many times can two different people say the same thing at the same time??

The movie The Matrix made use of the Deja Wu to challenge the traditional scientific sense. There are plenty of such signs that I have experienced, I have begun to believe that many of these are miracles unexplained merely by my science. John Nash seemed to look for some meanings into these patterns in a bout of Schizophrenia.

Even religion seem to indicate and look for signs -
When people experience inexplicable occurences they tend to draw lessons from patterns, and they are also scared, which is also probably the reason why superstition and religion are so highly interspersed.
For example, the misfortune and fear associated with the number 13 and the Last Supper. The “Moon-sign” in the holy month of Ramadan, the “Id ka Chand” is another example. The Star of Bethlehem in the bible is another. So is the reference to the Solar Eclipse in the epic war in the Mahabharata for the Hindus.

In fact, the whole world of superstition is built on the hypothesis that there are signs from totally unrelated happenings that somehow tie into relevant occurences in our lives - a hooting owl, a black cat crossing the path.

Another formidable quote from Signs –
"People break down into two groups when the experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance. I'm sure the people in Group number two are looking at those fourteen lights in very suspicious way. For them, the situation isn't fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that fills them with fear."

What “Signs” highlighted to me with the tumblers of water, the baseball bats and the rest of the signs is that … perhaps … perhaps there are small, seemingly irrelevant patterns all around us that seem to indicate larger happenings all the time … and we in our limited understanding of these intricate patterns, probably miss out on most of them.

Omen!
The Science of Signs is hardly understood.
Amen.

Separately,
Life in all its significance has kept me at loss for words for a brief while and kept my attention out of this space… …but hey do we need words to understand Signs and the Sounds of silence…

… and on that note …

Closing Bell: Simon and Garfunkel: Sounds of Silence
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the signs said: "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls,
And whisper'd in the sound of silence."

Maha!

and genuinely at loss of words

Mocha do. About everything, this weekend.

Opening Bell: Strings : Album : Dhaani
dhaani re dhaani chunariya
dhaani, re dhaani...chunariya
kude baadal ke saiye may lehraye gi
mujhe tarpaye gi, chali jaye gi
jaisay bijuriya mastaani...

The track for the day, the last song on Worldspace before I turned it off,

My translation goes:
your vibrant sash waving
in the breeze; in shadows
of these monsoon clouds;
momentarily teasing senses
and then vanishing, almost
like the brilliant lightning

The weekend was a summation of some great experiences. It is enriching to meet people from other not-so-usual circles of life. Perspectives change, you are out of your tunnel vision, however much you like it, and get overwhelmed with the realization of the narrowness of your perspectives.

I was always proud of Srikant's passion for traveling. I attended the meeting of the backpackers club in Mocha and almost got to listen to him. Despite that disappointment, I enjoyed the presentation by VJ Kim on Nagaland with the mystic chants in the background. I could only kick myself (and Srikant!) for not informing us of the change of time of his presentation. However, the success of his presentation was evident from the adulations he got from everyone around. As for hearing the stories from him, we meet often enough to catch up on those.

Nagaland - richness of the culture, the landscape, the variety that smaller worlds' and civilizations' (and to put in the words in my mind - "the smaller circles of life") present reminds me of the "small-is-beautiful" debates and lectures I shared with Prof. Duleep Vijayaraghavan of the humanities section in IIT Chennai. Something to think about - though the professor then was very passionate and vocal about the topic then, I,probably am, more impressionable on this topic today then before.

Lunch followed with three people I knew very little about and three of my close buddies. This is the expansion of perspective, I talked about in the beginning of this post. It is very interesting to meet people from different walks and other areas of work. The closest metaphor to having conversations such as this is watching the "discovery channel" on a topic you haven't explored before. There is so much people want to do with and in their lives - the healthy greed to do more, get more out of every moment and the fact that people think "grass is green" at other places as well is a tribute to infinite possibilities, keenness of the spirit to explore more and the inevitable briefness of life.

And that brings me to what has dominated my Weekend bandwidth,
the book "It's not about the Bike" by Lance Armstrong. I completed reading the book and to put it mildly, "I am really inspired!". I have considered myself one to be easily inspired, but the book and probably its association with sport, a life-death battle, takes it to a cut above the rest. I strongly recommend the book for inspiration.

I have identified some very powerful lines from the book that reflect intense determination, philosophy, passion, compassion and attitude. I'll save them for a future post. I need to mention, one of the most touching extraxts would be the conversation between the nurse La Trice and Armstrong.

One more, the strange reference to (while Lance Armstrong is climbing a race-defining upslope in the mountains) a movie, Good Will Hunting, caught my attention. I remember Matt Damon's retort in the movie. And remember enjoying that one thoroughly, but Lance Armstrong thinking about the dialogue in the movie just as he is crossing the finishing line is something.

I like to live my life and its changing moods (partly manifested, expressed through these posts) to different relevant soundtracks. Now, that doesn't seem like a quirk, anymore. I guess I am impressionable, easily inspired and I am yearning to fly ...

Closing Bell: Pink Floyd: Learning to Fly
This sole intention that is learning to fly,
Tongue tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I