Confessions of a Linguist!

Entries categorized as ‘Music’

जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ हैं ?

October 9, 2009 · 1 Comment

कुछ दिनों पहले यह गीत सुना और पापा  से पता चला कि यह गीत अपने समय का बड़ा क्रांतिकारी गीत था। साहिर लुधियानवी साहब द्वारा लिखा गया यह गीत ’प्यासा ’फिल्म के गुरूदत्त पर फिल्माया गया था। कुछ लोग बताते हैं कि शायद इसी गीत की वजह से ’प्यासा’ जैसी अनोखी फिल्म को किसी राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार से नही नवाजा गया। नेहरू सरकार को यह गीत कतई गले नही उतरा होगा। शायद अब कुछ बदल गया है पर अब भी बहुत कुछ बदलना है…तब तक यह गीत सार्थक रहेगा। गीत की लाईने नीचे पढ़ें….

ये कूचे, ये नीलाम घर दिलकशी के
ये लुटते हुए कारवां ज़िंदगी के
कहाँ हैं, कहाँ हैं मुहाफ़िज़ खुदी के
जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ हैं,
कहाँ हैं, कहाँ हैं, कहाँ हैं

ये पुरपेंच गलियां, ये बदनाम बाज़ार,
ये गुमनाम राही, ये सिक्कों की झनकार,
ये इसमत के सौदे, ये सौदों पे तकरार
जिन्हे नाज़ …

ये सदियों से बेखौफ़ सहमी सी गलियां
ये मसली हुई अधखिली ज़र्द कलियां
ये बिकती हुई खोखली रंगरलियाँ
जिन्हे नाज़ …

वो उजले दरीचों में पायल की छन छन
थकी हारी सांसों पे तबले की धन धन
ये बेरूह कमरों मे खांसी कि ठन ठन,
जिन्हे नाज़ …

ये फूलों के गजरे, ये पीकों के छींटे
ये बेबाक नज़रे, ये गुस्ताख फ़िक़रे
ये ढलके बदन और ये बीमार चेहरे
जिन्हे नाज़ …

यहाँ पीर भी आ चुके हैं,जवां भी
तन-ओ-मन्द बेटे भी,अब्बा मियाँ भी
ये बीवी है और बहन है, माँ है,
जिन्हे नाज़ …

मदद चाहती है ये हव्वा की बेटी,
यशोदा की हम्जिन्स राधा की बेटी
पयम्बर की उम्मत ज़ुलेखा की बेटी,
जिन्हे नाज़ …

ज़रा इस मुल्क के रहबरों को बुलाओ,
ये कूचे ये गलियां ये मंज़र दिखाओ,
जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर उनको लाओ,
जिन्हे नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ हैं,
कहाँ हैं, कहाँ हैं, कहाँ हैं…

- साहिर लुधियानवी (फिल्म प्यासा से)

गीत सु्नने के लिए यहाँ जाएँ….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dkJu3LOv8


Categories: Hindi · Music · Society
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King of Pop Will Live Forever

June 26, 2009 · Leave a Comment

After the positive changes in my life style with all the early morning rises, nutritious food, yoga and worship, I was feeling rejuvenated like I do in mornings now, and then I got a message from Mrs Mary who lives in Shillong (Meghalaya) and a good friend asking me to switch on my TV and watch any News Channel. I switched on the TV and found out the reason. Michael Jackson, the king of Pop was no more. Times Now Channel was showing ‘Black or White’ which I first watched on Doordarshan when I was schools. I felt sad about him because I belonged to the Break Dance Generation (I was in still schools) and he ruled over our hearts. In fact he was the only icon of Western pop who was hugely popular in Hindi heartland. Jackson was on decline, and may have been haunted by the controversies but he was a Great musician and a marvelous dancer to watch and listen. Michael may not be physically present with us but his music will live for ages in our hearts.

Rest in Peace Michael !

Categories: 1 · Music · Society
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Into Nagaland- Part I

March 18, 2008 · 1 Comment

Nagaland

When I started thinking of visiting Nagaland, I was having a bagful of emotions. Firstly I was quite excited to go and meet my fascination (or shall I say my love for things others don’t really venture into). Secondly, I was also somehow sceptical and anxious about the place and people. It was not as if it were my first trip to north eastern part of India. I had been to Meghalaya twice where I first fell in love with pig meat (actually the white juicy part on top of it!). But those visits were in a secure company of fellow travellers and anyways we did not venture much deep in Meghalaya. But this time I was going alone and that too into well dreaded Nagaland.

 From my amorous student days in the university, I had always seen Nagas with a bit of awe mixed with the feelings of suspicion. But things changed once I started working and living at my new workplace at Agra. Here I saw Nagas from my own eyes and skin. Lot of my misconceptions dissolved and I found myself quite fascinated by their way of living. Actually those guys were exactly doing the same things I always tried to live on i.e. to live life away from the general crowd. They taught me that you don’t have to be educated in San Francisco to listen Rock music. You can just sing and play it if you desire so. Those innocent fun loving guys showed me the brighter side of Nagaland. It’s hard to befriend them but you will cherish the time once they let you share their unique world. I remember one of them commenting to me that I was so much like them…the way I sing with a much weird high pitch, the way I cannot escape company of women for long, my guitar and drums love affair (though I can’t play either of them, thanks to my late arrival in this music scene), my carelessness and above all the desire to be different or unique or weird.

I was born in a quite a traditional family, going by the present trend. I was doing things none dared did in my family. I ate, drank and lived much like a Lennon fanatic (minus drugs and of course America).I grew in the university on a high dose of Rock plentifully supplied by AIR FM’s Wicked Hour program plus nicotine blues. I never knew this can be a way of life in Agra till I met the Nagas. So enjoyed every bit of their new found company. Coming back to the journey, I decided finally to embark on this journey into Nagaland.

Planning:

Through different sources, I had come to know that to enter Nagaland, I need an Inner Line Permit (popularly known as ILP) which I found, can be obtained from the office of Deputy resident commissioner, Nagaland House at Delhi. So in mid November ‘07 I managed to get the much needed ILP from Delhi’s Nagaland Bhawan (at Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi-11) after shelling out 20 rupees and filling-in the formalities. The first thing which bewildered me was the following lines written on top of my ILP

Permit granted under section 1-4 of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873’

Here I was standing at Nagaland Bhawan, Delhi in the year 2007 and we still have to abide by the laws put in paper in the year 1873. Whoops!  Thats incredibly Indian!

My ILP also mentioned the purpose of my visit, the duration (usually 15 days which can be extended by permission from local authorities), Identification mark and the place where I wish to go. Actually I wanted to reach Nagaland by the first week of December. This was the time I was informed that great show of Nagaland ‘Hornbill Festival’ takes palce. Another reason was the Rock gigs I could lay my hands on during Hornbill. But unluckily I could not move around that time and so I chose Christmas time to be there. In fact Christmas time is a good time to travel to Nagaland as the entire Naga community is in a festive mood during this time. Plus there is ceasefire among warring factions of Naga freedom fighters and opportunists alike during this festive season.

As my savings did not allow me to afford a flight to any closest Airport to Nagland viz Dimapur Imphal and Guwahati, I chose to book my AC-III rail ticket to Dimapur from Tundla by Brahmaputra Mail. Dimapur is the commercial capital and biggest Railhead in Nagaland. I could have also gone by Delhi-Dimapur Rajdhani Express but as it doesn’t halt at Tundla, I would have to shell out more money first and endure the five hours boring ride by bus for travelling to Delhi. But I would recommend Delhi-Dimapur Rajdhani for travellers starting from Delhi. And Brahmaputra Mail which starts from Delhi for those with a shoe string budget (and those who really want to see the true colours of India).

Categories: Music · Nagaland · Nagamese · Rock Music · Travel
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Let me rest in pieces……

January 8, 2007 · Leave a Comment

Look at me, my depth perception must be off again Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did It has not healed with time It just shot down my spine. you look so beautiful tonight Remind me how you laid us down And gently smiled before you destroyed my life Would you find it in your heart To make this go away And let me rest in pieces Would you find it in your heart? To make this go away And let me rest in pieces Would you find it in your heart? To make it go away And let me rest in pieces Look at me, my depth perception must be off again You got much closer than I thought you did Im in your reach You held me in your hands But could you find it in your heart? To make this go away And let me rest in pieces Would you find it in your heart? To make it go away And let me rest in pieces

Categories: Music · My Mind

Lost in the Song!

November 28, 2006 · Leave a Comment

beach

This world keeps giving us surprises year after year. And we continue getting awed by these surprises. Sometimes good and sometimes bitter. Falling in love without fail is another activity we often indulge in. And surprisingly we soon start thinking; this is the end of the series of surprises. But we all know that there are more surprises in store. Life is amazingly curved or shapeless. Exactly like a cloud that changes shape with every slight move. True to this spirit the lines below are written and sung by one of my favorite bands…’The Killers’. I fell in love with this one when I was walking alone on the sandy beaches of Andamans. Here is the slightly modified version of this great poem..song..prose? Whatever you name it! Dedicated to those who are lost in the song?

When there’s nowhere else to run. Is there room for one more son. One more son. If you can hold on.If you can hold on, hold on
I want to stand up, I want to let go. You know, you know – no you don’t, you don’t. I want to shine on in the hearts of men. I want a meaning from the back of my broken hand. Another head aches, another heart breaks. I am so much older than I can take. And my affection, well it comes and goes. I need direction to perfection, no no no no.
Help me out
Yeah; you know you got to help me out. Yeah, oh don’t you put me on the blackburner. You know you got to help me out. And when there’s nowhere else to run. Is there room for one more son? These changes ain’t changing me
The cold-hearted boy I used to be. Yeah, you know you got to help me out
Yeah, oh don’t you put me on the blackburner. You know you got to help me out
You’re gonna bring yourself down. Yeah, you’re gonna bring yourself down
Yeah, you’re gonna bring yourself down.
I got soul, but I’m not a soldier
I got soul, but I’m not a soldier. Over and out, last call for sin. While everyone’s lost, the battle is won. With all these things that I’ve done. All these things that I’ve done. If you can hold on
If you can hold on.

Categories: Love · Music · Rock Music