Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Ascendance


Upar gagan vishaal
Nichhe gehra paataal

Beech mein dharti
Wah mere maalik
Tu ne kiya kamaal

An immeasurable sky above
The deepest depth below
In between is our home, earth
What an astonishing creation, O the Maker

(song from Mashaal, music S. D. Burman, lyrics Pradeep, sung by Manna Dey)

Dance of the Fireflies


When I would be frightened
In a darkened street
Losing my way
And fearing never reaching home

On treetops
and leaves and branches in between
And other spaces in the sky
Your dance of sparkles
Would touch my fright
And cast it away
And my eyes would join
Your dance
---------------------------------

Fireflies in the Garden

Here come real stars to fill the upper skies, 
And here on earth come emulating flies, 
That though they never equal stars in size, 
(And they were never really stars at heart) 
Achieve at times a very star-like start. 
Only, of course, they can't sustain the part. 
Robert Frost\

-----------------
Update:

Anonymous wrote:

writing style thou changest?
and to the girls what did thee tellest?
that it was a bevy of the fairest beautifullest
hovering over thee as thou sleepest?

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Longing, Shortly


The moon came out again
But you did not
My heart was aflame with longing
But without you
It is cold and dark as the sky

------------------------

Lata, S. D. Burman, Nutan, Paying Guest



translation:


The moon appears again but you have not come yet.
My heart burns and aches.
What should I do now?
This night says those days are gone.
My heart knows that you are not mine.
Yet I am standing looking for you anxiously.
What should I do now?
The smoke rises from my burning heart.
Do come back please, for I find it difficult to even breathe.


------------
Update:
Subhasish Bose wrote:

Khudar raajje prithibi gadya maya, purnimar chand jaano jhalsano roti. (In the kingdom of hunger / The full moon looks like a burnt roti.)

-- KABI SUKANTA BHATTACHARYA,uncle of Bhuddhadeb Bhattacharya,ex cm West Bengal

My reply:

I honour a great poet, and a great simile that he versified. As a statement, it is indeed a very powerful image; but as much as I tried to recall any hungry, poor, deprived man or woman or child, or even myself when I was indigent, to even have thought of the moon, as an edible object, let alone a burnt one, I could not. Truly, among all thoughts that pass their minds, the moon, stars, clouds are excluded. This is not to deny Sukantobabu his greatness, or poetic licence.



Monday, October 29, 2012

Shower Flower


An elusive denizen of the rain forest: is it worth searching for, or should this picture suffice, to avoid the risk and effort? Would the Amazon forgive the liberty? Best not to know, and relish the picture, if we can.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

City Contrasts


All over the world, but especially in developing countries, the contrasts in the way life is lived within the mega-cities, defies rational or scientific reasoning or explanation.

This picture is of a building where the poorest of the poor somehow not only live, but thrive, reproduce, and do not want to be elsewhere. It is right across from one of the country's most expensive hotels. I do not know, as I take this picture, if I am guilty of some unknown omission, commission, or whether I am just a plain creature of circumstance, as are the occupants just beyond my window.


Purple Envy



“Envy consists in seeing things never in themselves, but only in their relations. If you desire glory, you may envy Napoleon, but Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alexander, and Alexander, I daresay, envied Hercules, who never existed.” Stating this, Bertrand Russell proceeded to establish that "envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness. Not only is the envious person rendered unhappy by his envy, but they also wish to inflict misfortune on others."

I strongly disagree with Russell: there are too many human emotions which cause the extreme of unhappiness and despair. Is duniya mein bahut saare gham hain, mohabbat, ghareebi, bewafaai aur laakhon cheezon ki wajah ya siva. (In this world there are too many causes for unhappiness: love, poverty, betrayal, besides thousands of other things, or their absence.)

Anyway, as far as this picture is concerned, I hope neither the purple nor the green rouse passions, except curiosity and charm. My purpose, then, would have been served.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

The Invisible Man


From time immemorial, especially in infancy, people have longed to be invisible, roaming among the unsuspecting populace, living out their fantasies of power and freedom.

One difficulty in living it, living a life invisibly, was relating to the rest of the world. H. G. Wells found a solution, which was to dress the supposed invisible form in bandages, clothing, or some material, which would enable him to interact in society when required.

In 1897 H.G. Wells published his novel, The Invisible Man, in which he finally crystallized this fantasy, conjured it into words, gave it form, and immortalized it. To this day it remains a classic.

------------------
Update:

Edgar W Hopper wrote:

For me, Ralph Ellison's "The Invisible Man" 1957 is the definitive work on this topic. 


My reply:


I respect your feelings about Ellison's The Invisible Man, and the esteem and complexity of feelings it must have left on your psyche.

My Invisible Man, with allusion to H. G. Wells' pioneering scientific speculations, curiosities and tales, is entirely a different matter. Also, most importantly in the context of my picture posting, the allusion can by no stretch of the imagination be anything but to Wells' solving the problem of a human child's psychological, fascination and curiosity about the implications of becoming invisible, and then leading on to acquiring physical presence by bandage or equivalent clothing material. That was most paramount.

Please allow me to insist that, to the extent and in the direction I was headed, the first known work, to me, and therefore the establishing, authentic writing was H.G. Wells' Invisible Man. Ralph Ellison took the name inspirationally from the original, and altered the context. The question here is not the better or the best, or the most informed and influential work, but the one which speculated and roused curiosity in me for the first time by written language. That was Wells.

I hope you will accept my humble offering.


Friday, October 26, 2012

Unoccupied




IN THE ROOM
DIVIDED BY WALLS
I WAS A CHAIR
SEARCHING FOR A DESK
TO SCRIBBLE ON THE GATHERED DUST
THE STORY OF MY LIFE

NOT FOR POSTERITY
NOR PHILANTHROPY
NOR MORBID VANITY
BUT ONLY FOR MYSELF
TO READ IT TO RE-WRITE IT

AND LOOKING AT IT
KNOW AGAIN FOR THE LAST TIME
WHAT I ALREADY KNOW
THAT IT WOULD IN THE END
HAVE MADE NO DIFFERENCE

Shadows




Shadows of shadows

Shadows of doubt

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Phantom Reflection


It was late night, and the light of the lamp threw a faint reflection on the glass door leading to the terrace. I did not believe that I could capture it, but I lay down on the floor with my camera, and was astonished at the faithfulness of the detail of the inside of the room which was captured by the darkness through the door.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Svastika




--------------------------
The derivation of the word, According to A Hindu Primer, by Shukavak N. Dasa:


How the Word is Derived

In Sanskrit, the proper spelling of the word swastika is svastika. Sanskrit has no 'w'. Literally, the word svastika is a statement of affirmation, "It is!" "Life is good!" "There is value" "There is meaning!" Svastika is a term that affirms the positive values of life. The word is made of su + as. "As" is the root of the copular verb "to be" of which the third person singular is, "asti," "it is." Su is a prefix used in Sanskrit to intensify meaning in a positive way, thus su+asti means literally, "it really is!" When combined, the 'u' changes into a 'v' thus giving the form svasti. The ending 'ka' makes this verbal form into a noun. This is the linguistic morphology of the word, svastika.

Its History

In fact, the Swastika is an ancient solar symbol that has been used by many cultures going back at least 3000 years. It has been found used by the celts in northern Europe and by the Greeks as early has 1000 BCE. In India the symbol has been used since Vedic times. It is most commonly seen as an ancient Aryan symbol. Nazi Germany did not invent the symbol, but only borrowed it in order to show the "aryan" roots of their new German state. Today, unfortunately, the Swastika is most commonly known for the destruction of life rather then its affirmation.

Its Use in India

In India, the Swastika is used in two forms, one with the arms moving to the right, the right-handed Swastika, and the other with the arms moving to the left, the so-called "left-handed" occult Swastika. It is commonly thought that the Nazis used the left-handed Swastika and that this is the difference between the Hindu's use of the Swastika and the Nazi's use of it. But this is not the case. In fact, the Nazis used the same right-handed Swastika that is used in modern Hinduism, but gave it a 45 degree turn. This gives it the appearance of being left-handed, even though it is not. Regardless, in India many groups have used the left-handed Swastika. One common example amongst Hindu groups is the Theosophical Society, which used it on their logo. The left-handed Swastika is also associated with esoteric tantric practices. Jains and Buddhists often use the left handed Swastika as well. Today the right-handed Swastika is mainly used in Hindu temples, homes and sacred ceremonies as a symbol or affirmation of good luck, health and prosperity. A "yes" to life!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Door ke Musaafir

(picture taken in 1951)

Traveller on the path

moving from mist
into denser obscurity

merging with darkness
at journey's end


Signals


Ornate, green and red


Sunday, October 21, 2012

Away, Ensconced


Far from the madding crowd,
far from Thomas Hardy,
far from your own madness.
Question: Is it madness
to be in the midst of madness,
or is it madness
not to be in it.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Friday, October 19, 2012

A Baby in the Octopus' Garden





I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
In his octopus' garden in the shade

I'd ask my friends to come and see
An octopus' garden with me
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade.

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus' garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy and they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)

We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden with you.


(by The Beatles)

Monday, October 15, 2012

Spatial Similitude

By an extraordinary coincidence, the material of the parachute which brought Felix Baumgartner to earth, resembled so much my picture of a garlic skin.



While understanding his universe is the ultimate breakthrough in knowledge, at lesser levels, man has tried to fly, to explore his stratosphere, his own solar system, his own and neighbouring galaxies. In the countless excursions where satellites have gone out of earth's atmosphere to various destinations, near and far (at spatial scale), one of his bigger problems has been re-entry into the earth's gravitational field, which can scorch and burn almost every material. He had to, therefore, create special alloys (called heat-shields), despite which those are the most tense moments.

Felix Baumgartner's daring feat reflects this persistence in the direction of the quest for other moorings. While all kudos are due for this feat to Baumgartner and the team that helped him, if I congratulate myself fancifully for my picture, I do not think I would be blamed for immoderation.

From USA Today:

Felix Baumgartner completes record-setting space jump

7:36PM EDT October 14. 2012 - UPDATE: Felix Baumgartner successfully completed his space jump, a 24-mile skydive.

USA TODAY's Marco R. della Cava has the details:
Sky adventurer Felix Baumgartner completed a 24-mile skydive Sunday, wrapping up a five-year effort to shatter a world record set 52 years ago.
A 30 million-cubic-foot helium balloon hoisted a 3,000-pound capsule carrying Baumgartner toward an adventure that was postponed Monday and Tuesday -- and for a few hours today -- due to high winds.

Today's date is significant: On Oct. 14, 1947, pilot Chuck Yaeger broke the sound barrier for the first time in an aircraft. As Baumgartner heads up, the only voice in his ear is that of retired Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, 84, his mentor on this Red Bull Stratos project and the holder of the record the Austrian is trying to beat....

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Life, the Alluring Prison


My offering, with a thousand salutes, to all my fellow prisoners.

Ek haseen haseena zindagi
khamosh tammana
berahm aasmaan ke niche
bhitar baahar

A beauty, life beautiful
silent yearning
under the merciless sky
shackled
within without

Reflections in a Drowsy Afternoon


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Ossified


in time,
timelessness

Memories


In the journey of life
a passerby 
meets countless others
only to part
leaving behind memories
to yearn for in solitude

---------------

film: Munimji (1955) Dev Anand, Nalini Jaywant, S D Burman, Kishore Kumar (slow version by Lata also)





jivan ke safar me rahi
milate hai bichhad jane ko
aur de jate hai yaade
tanahai me tadapane ko

jivan ke safar me rahi
milate hai bichhad jane ko
aur de jate hai yaade
tanahai me tadapane ko

ye rup ki daulat vale
kab sunte hai dil ke nale
ye rup ki daulat vale
kab sunte hai dil ke nale
tqadir na bas me dale
nake kisi divane ko
jivan ke safar me rahi
milate hai bichhad jane ko
aur de jate hai yaade
tanahai me tadapane ko

jo inki nazar se khele
dukh paye musibat jhele
jo inki nazar se khele
dukh paye musibat jhele
phirate hai ye sab alabele 
dil leke mukar jane ko
jivan ke safar me rahi
milate hai bichhad jane ko
aur de jate hai yaade
tanahai me tadapane ko

dil leke daga dete hai 
ik rog laga dete hai
dil leke daga dete hai 
ik rog laga dete hai
hans hans ke jala dete hai
ye husn ke paravane ko
jivan ke safar me rahi
milate hai bichhad jane ko
aur de jate hai yaade
tanahai me tadapane ko

ho ho ho hu hu 

Cholesterol


The fire within.

Not to forget, there are other kinds of fires, too.

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Priest



WHY DOUBT
AND GRUDGE ME
THE SMALL PRICE
I SELL HIM AT
IN CONCOCTED PARTS

I AM YOUR CONNECTION
TO GOD
AND I REPRESENT YOU
TO HIM
IN RETURN TO PANDER HIS INVIDIOUS
WRATH AND RETRIBUTION
I DISTRIBUTE RELIGION
AND SUPERSTITION

HOW DOES IT MATTER
IF BOTH ARE THE SAME
SO LONG AS THEY GIVE YOU
FEAR FROM WHICH TO ESCAPE WITH HOPE
ENSHRINED IN A POLICY
REDEEMABLE CONVENIENTLY
AFTER DEATH
ON A CERTAIN COMMISSION
ENSURING MY EMPLOYMENT

WHY REASON
AGAINST THIS MYTHOLOGY
AND SEEK OSTRACISM?

HAVE FAITH IN
THE TERROR OF DISBELIEF
AND BELIEVE
IN SURRENDER
TO THE DETRIMENT
OF NOTHING
BUT THE TRUTH --

ADMIT:
DO NOT YOU AND I
NEED GOD
MORE?

Friday, October 05, 2012

Ice Cream Baby


... but soon, too soon, alas, Childhood's End (the name of Arthur C. Clarke's earlier and obscure work of science fiction, until his copious contribution to space, speed of light and other scientific predictions made him world-famous when Kubrick credited him with collaboration on 2001: A Space Odyssey).


 


Monday, October 01, 2012

Maqbool Fida Husain




My mason/electrician broke the wall to reach the concealed innards of pipes and electric wires. As one would expect, he/they left the wall in a mess, but not before my discovery that, beyond the holes that they had made in the wall, the sides and the top had chipped paint which instantly made me see none other than the maestro, M. F. Hussain. I kept on deferring the repair until I found out that I should take a picture and show the accidental and incredible similitude that, by happenstance, had happened. So, here is the Before and After.

I was fortunate to meet him when he came to Madras for the first time in 1971/72, and had an exchange, which did not contain the promise of world fame that he embodied at that time. It is ironic that my only memory from that one-hour chat with him at the art gallery at Connemara Hotel, now Taj Vivanta, was that he was so proud of not wearing any footwear. He told me stories about how he travelled barefooted on airport tarmacs and wherever he went, and that if he went to the moon also, he would be without even sandals.

To the abundance of tributes which filled Hussain's life, here is mine.

The Inspirational Wall