Sunday, February 28, 2010

....... Forgotten Charisma.

Come this March, 2010, I shall be up beat with some of my creation with the pen and the ink. Long before I had the key pads to taunt me to type, I had them to express my feelings. Sniffing the daily chores and writing them down in my diary to the frequent short articles derived from facts and fiction, used to make way.

Last year or two, while attending to two of my students, Kathakali and Kishalay, I realized that the fire to make instant stories to children liking, still made me feel at ease! May be the pen is gone and now a days the fingers do ache after a long scribble over the paper [Thanks to the keyboards], the knack to beat the best in instant story mixes and fatakas make me stand out of the crowd. They used to require for their Englsih projects at School and I made them the stories, literally at ease!

Here follows one that I wrote down for Kathakali. The topic chosen was: Start a short story with the line [mentioned in italics] The story was dated: 12/10/09.

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

It is incredible,” he said, “ Yes it’s true. A liar needs a good money to go against me and prove me wrong, for what I say cannot be proved false! It has happened and I am damn sure of it with proof!”

Rishab’s exclamation dropped down some cold sweat down my spine. I am sure, others present in out small tree house in the backyard of Tarun’s house felt the same way. How can that be? Is Rishab upto playing his old prank? It must be, for he is always up to fool us, day in and day out!

Rishab: “I was waiting for Tina near the Burman garage, today. From inside that old dilapidated garage came some peculiar sound. It seemed, as if some one was wandering inside the place.”

Tina: “Rishab don’t make castles in the thin air. I saw you were standing at the place and everything seemed to be in its right frame! Even you didn’t show any signs of concern!”

Rishab: “Dear, if I told you anything over there, you would have given the mystery up, given your nervousness and un-necessarily shrill voice!”

Tina seemed dejected with the comment. I asked: “Rishab. What did you see in there?” We anticipated something very interesting to come by, even though we knew Rishab was a prankster, but we couldn’t savor the flavor of the experience as Tarun’s mother played the spoilt sport and asked the meet of the gang to be called of before time as she would be off to the market. Before we ascended the Tree House, Rishab didn’t forget to keep the spice up: “Will tell you people in the evening. Ok?”

I couldn’t wait for the evening that day. We were all up in our Tree House before 5PM. It was time for the Winter Solstice, hence the days were shorter. By 5PM it was close to darkness. Tina, Tarun, Anjana, Anil, Sushil and myself were present, except for the other two members of the gang. Infact originally we were a group of nine people. Arnab is another part, but he comes annually each year, as his dad has a transferable job. He is another jovial fellow, who is being missed all the time, especially today!  But, the man in the limelight, Rishab as well as Shabina, are still no-where to be seen. It was more than half an hour due, but neither Shabina nor Rishab turned up! We felt very peculiar.

Tina was almost on the verge of nervous breakdown when I asked Tarun to ring up both the absentees, Rishab, who would be spilling out The Mystery at Burman Garrage while Shabina, who coincidentally resides close to Burman Garrage! This thought made me feel concerned as well as jealous. “If Shabina takes Rishab and goes into the garage to sniff out the mystery before us”, I said, “I will let her see her ghost out of her body!”

Just then…
       

That’s the password to open the hatchet! I opened up and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Although I said I will let Shabina see her ghost, a few seconds back, it seemed that she had already seen one!

“What happened Shabbu?!” I asked.

“Ris…Rishab! He is in big danger…!” uttered Shabina.

The sentence stunned us. Tina, who was almost senseless didn’t have any excuse of not being so! Even I felt very sluggish from within, as if something has taken all the heat from my body. The fingers were cold ice cubicles, when I touched Shabina. Her eyes were talking more than her lips. They had in them a different fear of being dead or may be have seen something close to that!

Anil and Shushil caught hold of Tina and carried her carefully down the 8’ tree trunk. I followed with Tarun and Anjana taking care of Shabina.

Once on the ground, Anil said: “Shabina, where is Rishab?” We all looked at her. She was looking at a blade of grass that was protruding from underneath her sandals.

Anil: “SHABBU!!! WHERE is Rishab? Is he in the garage?!”

Shabina nodded yes. Immediately Anil turned and started running towards the gate, when Sushil caught hold of his jacket sleeves. “Wait!”

Sushil turned to Anjana and said, “ Anjana, will you be able to take care of Shabbu and Tina?” Kathy can come with us to the garage. [Kathy, means my nick name which is a shorter version of Kathakali]

Anjana was nodding a yes, when Shabina said, “NO! I will also come. It’s all my mistake!” Anil tried to sooth her down, “ See Shabbu! You have not seen anything! Have you?” Shabina nodded a No as well as a Yes. She said, “Yes, I know how did Rishab enter as well as where he went. He did say that something very grave is going on in the garage underground.”

“Ok. We will let Anjana behind with Tina. The rest will move forward”, said Sushil.

It was 6:45PM, 28th November, 2008. “Burman Garage” was located beside the stream that passes though our town. As heard from my father, it was a center of huge automobile business in the early sixties and was a very rare example of underground country garage. It also expanded for over 2500 sq foot of total area, with one side facing the stream.
We reached there after a 20 minutes walk. By then the Sun was visible half the way round the globe and the toads were singing by the stream banks. It was misty too and the flash light carved out a path in the thin air. Seemed quite like those laser swords in Star Wars movie series! I thought, “ Its close to a war.”

We will have to squeeze through the small crack present at the West End of the garage walls. According to Shabina, this was the route that Rishab took. Back then she was asked to stay behind by Rishab! “I heard a shout from inside” Shabina said. Then I ran for your aid.

Anil: “Some one stay behind. Just in case!”

After much discussion we said that again Shabina should stay behind. Deciding that, we slowly squeezed our way in. Inside, in the flashlight, we could see old dilapidated remains of cars and chassis. The air smelt damp, due to the overgrowth all around. Peculiarly, there was a small path in the dense bushes that seemed to be accessible. We moved along, keeping our keen eyes all around and ears as sharp as a deer. With timber steps we moved forward, when Anil, who was leading the party, stopped. The stop was so sudden that I missed him and crashed against him.

“Shhh….” warned Anil. “Hear that?”

Everything was silent. Atleast it appeared so, but suddenly I could hear some steps. They were becoming eminent and louder. We tried to take cover, but even the greatest hiding place seemed far from reach. Tarun and I took cover behind an ambassador chassis.

The steps subsided round the corner. There was a distinct silence amidst the Toad’s croak. A number of equations swiveled through my mind: “Do they know we are here? Who are they? Have they noticed our hiding place? How did that do that? Will we be alive!? I miss my parents!!”

Just the Sushil whistled. It was time to move on. We tip-toed towards the corner, where the sound had subsided. Tarun peeped round the corner and couldn’t help shrilling out a suppressed exclamation, “OH MY GOD!”

We hurried round the corner and found to our disbelief. There were two bodies, lying on the ground. One was of Rishab’s, the flashlight confirmed it wound on his forehead and the other couldn’t be identified, as he was turned placed face down. Tarun broke down and so did I, but Sushil and Anil, braver in the pack closed in on the body. They dared to touch the shoulder to turn it around, when the body suddenly turned around and sat up! It took Anil aback and my skeleton came out of my skin when Rishab opened his eyes.

The other was Arnab. “Arnab, you are back?!” shouted Anil.

Arnab: “Yes, back with a bang!”

That night we laughed out of fear or we laughed out of laughter. I don’t know, but it will really need a lot of money to prove us a liar if we say, we enjoyed a lot the surprise a lot!

May be I see the Sun of Art and Enjoyment creeping back into its groove once more!


Copyright: Somnath Paul. Feb, 2010.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Refresher Course.

Its been over a year now, the last time such a meet was organized was in 2008, somewhere in September. Even then, the total number of people wasn't complete. Today also, Ankita remained unreachable as she was in Delhi, but we had the bulk of the group.
Arijit, Abisekh, Budha, Joydip, Kanad, Dhiman, Soma and the newest member, Rupa, made the way to China Town, Kolkata's outskirts, @ Fung Fa. The ReUnion of Lyaad Group came upfront at last!

The course of 31/2 hours was enjoyable, with limitless Bawal from all side and the newest member did take us sportingly, which was really nice to see.

With Holi in the air, the annual festival of colour that clings all the young and old to get a splash in the colour and try to rejuvenate the few fading ones, Holi or as in these parts of India, called Dol or in Rabindranath Tagore's Shantiniketan termed as Basanta Utsav, the colours infused in me on 27th Feb, 2010 will go down the wires for a long time.

Although I have not played Holi for the past 18years, since 1993 except the few nooks of splashes and droplets on my clothes and soul... I wish everyone, around the world, reading or not reading my blog:

HAPPY HOLI

holi-cards.jpg

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Sachin Tendulkar

Sourav Ganguly: "Sachin is a Phenomenon." [The Telegraph, Kolkata report: 26th Feb, 2010]

Sir Don Bradman: "He plays like me".

Sir Don amassed an average of 99.99 in Test Cricket. The person he talked off dies have a bit more than half that average in Test and in ODIs. But he is himself a phenomenon. A Phenomenon termed Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He is a Columbus in Cricket having crossed the 10000 run mark in ODI, entering the 40 test and ODI century mark, has the highest number of ODI in his belt as well as test cricket, has the highest partnership in first class cricket for any wicket, 535 runs, partnering with his friend Vinod Kambli.

But now the Phenomenon has achieved one of the three unfulfilled wishes..or as the Cricketing fans term them: The Three Musketeers....

1) The World Cup.
2) A Test Triple Century
3) World Record Highest Run in ODI.

The Third one was achieved this 24th Feb, 2010 at Gwalior when he not only toppled the highest run record but opened a new chapter, a new elite club in the ODI. He became the Pioneer in stepping his foot for the 200 Run mark in ODI. No one, in the 2549th ODI Played in the history of cricket achieved the feat! Since the pioneers get the due honor when the World names the Chapter after the pioneer of discover! WC Grace may have the Wisden and the Cricket after him, but Sachin must have the due respect with the 200 ODI club named as "Tendulkar Club" or something!

Here are few snippets of those row incredible feats
1) The 200 Runs 2) The 194 barrier cross.

1) 

2)

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Name Defines and Defies

"My Name Is Khan" defines as well as defies... I would certainly love to quote on dialog which, to me , was the best [and authentic], given to the social set up of the modern world. It goes like this, narrated by Rizwan Khan [played by the superb Sharukh Khan]: "पहले तारीख को लोग दो तरह से मानते थे, B.C और A.D . अभी तीसरा तारीख भी आ गया, 9/11." {Previously the dates were distinguished as B.C and A.D, but now there is a third category; 9/11}. A stand out performance and to me one of the greatest screenplay posed by the Mr. Karan Johar with his favorite pair, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, which now a days people popularly term as ShaJol.

Although amongst the ShaJol starrers, I will fondly remember Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, but MNIK stands at pinnacle given the acting of Aspergers Syndrome. Played around the 11th September, 2001 incident of World Trade Center plane bash, this film has subtle morality to be taught. Added with some fairy tale spices like people coming to rescue flooded after seeing Rizwan helping the people , the film talks about humanity that can be achieved by the religion!

Islam, as considered by most all around the world as the most feared and terror prone religion. Starting from Al Qaida to Mujaheedins to Talibans, classify as the terror outfits! This puts the lasso round the neck of other Islamics, thanks to the name they bear and the cult they follow! All because of certain handful insects that take birth in their clan! Jihad, as I understand was to bring in peace against oppression! The terror outfits make that as a ritual to maintain terror the world over!

I don't know how fast we will be able to segregate the terrorists from the innocent rather than tagging on the basis of religion! It is also a fact to be noted that why are all the terrorists from Muslim origin? Oppression for which Jihad started must still be omnipresent, which we should stop so as to live in peace and let our future be in safe custody!

Review: 9/10.
1) Aspergers Syndrome depicted by Mr. Khan comes out perfectly with the inability to express emotions, albeit understanding them. For more click here. It is sort of Autistic in nature, having problem in the cognitive function [Cerebellar/Basal Ganglial] and verbal non-co-ordination [Brocal center]
2) The intelligence and the urge to never give up with the urge to do something needed a stand up appreciation. I would certainly bring to note about the way Rizwan donated US$500, although others had a cause to hold, he did never mind because he was stopped from entering the charity dinner on religion bias!
3) The child death and the ill treatment that an Asian bear while in States or for instance in other countries., The pain increases when the name of Ali, Khan, Haider, etc be on the documents! Mr. Khan just wanted to say: My Name is Khan and I am not a Terrorist!
4) Kajol's acting... Best when she cried over her son's death bed!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Dandruff and Lice.

We all are infected!

In this story, the character of dandruff sticks to his basic principle of itching, but has an uniqueness embedded in it. It keeps changing location, keeping the feel everywhere, but the effect diffuses from the epicenter! The Lice looks black, sometimes masked, but when seen, remains almost un-identified, as they lie trampled and crushed! But seldom do you get them and only when their number increases, they come with a general comb. That's why my mom repeatedly mentioned one word of advise, Always comb your hair properly!

The World is infected with Dandruff, localized hooligans who has a network of pandemic aura! Their names are like Al-Qaida, Mujaheedins, IRA, Taliban, uul...kul...bull...and many more illiterate fools! Lets come back to the own state and we have the Maoists [Naxals] and the KLO and nearby ULFA to counter! Their idea is always to pester the peace of the mind so that people can itch and itch and itch... too dirty they are...I mean they love so much money like itching! Come On...some evolutions never took place.

Oops...how can I talk about their evolution? Some of the "educated" un-evolved individuals are present as well. Some great leaders with NO qualification. They are pretty happy to throw their dung at each other! This is called Friendship from the roots(after all cow dung is a good manure!!) They love their own dungs...the smell to them is awesome! [YUK!!!] Now they are not COWs! they are our leaders!

Yesterday, about 24 soldiers were killed by Naxalite bomb blasts and then we have the ministers an leaders of west bengal are busy smelling out as to whose explosive it was! They are so qualified in the trade that they can smell out these things! I was baffled at some of the comments, especially this one from Ms. Banerjee [Trinamool Supremo]. Please refer to the pic [the blue inset zone] below as this was published in Press Trust of India webpage:
Pic: PTI. Please refer to the Inset in blue for relevance.

Please Didi, the people have been gaining faith in you and your organization since 2006. We have seen the tide, but even the layman is clever enough to understand the fact that there is Lice in here and not any other issue... We have enough opportunities to tarnish each other, but, I guess its a genuine reason to be with other and save the common man... This is an appeal to every political institution!

If Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh could get a proper method to eradicate Veerappan then why not West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand? Why not eradicate these "LICE babies"...the other one being KishenJi?!

I despise the system...and hope against hope that there is a faster recovery from this dandruff! We are fed up of losing hair. KishenJi has no fear for he has lost his hair long time ago and thats the reason why he comes clad in the towel... [Pat Pat on my shoulders for this Understanding!!!]

Friday, February 12, 2010

Ramayan and Charles Darwin.

Expecting the unexpected?

Ramayan
Courtesy: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtGMVMAoOyHtzMhK-ii61IYprDn-eMP_syqcVwHiBpAFubOwN5TcBCjuqU8HGrJzzeInTv0u5s3CyIl6lqqqeuPGURufehAJjX_110d5eYZYAmGw2w1PCudHuxFs0ie-aq3wU/s1600-r/ra

Something like writing that Darwin's Ramayana. Well, I don't have that much of a foolish dare to attempt such and let the copyright be reserved, as it was, for Muni Valmiki. Ramayana, more than two thousand and five hundred years old, written and considered as the World's Longest Epic expresses the beautiful story of Lord Ram [the Incarnation of Lord Vishnu] and his fight against the Evils of the Time, saving his beloved wife Sita from the hands of the evil Ravana and his family.

Ramayana also speaks of worldly conspiracy that brews in the family. The art of Polygamy or now a days, several kin-related rivalry, or conspiring against the rightful comes up front. But, I am not here to explain Ramayan or be a Nanny, to tell bedtime stories. I am here, writing in this blog of mine, a piece of thought, a concept, which I believe can be logically accepted with a scientific art of view.

Muni Valmiki. 
Courtesy: http://www.4to40.com/images/activities/artcraft/coloringbook7/valmiki.gif

There is common understanding that Ramayana has an Aryan mindset in the whole plot, where Lord Ram have been depicted as the representative of good [The self clan of Aryans] and the Evil King, Ravana have been depicted as the representative of evil [The actual inhabitants of India, the Dravidians] Described in looks and other aspects, Ravana's clan of Rakshasas had the present South Indian, Dravidian looks! 


Its well know that around 2000B.C, the human migration led the Aryans come from the middle east and invade the Northern and North Western frontiers of India. They slow drove the Dravidians down across the Vindyas, in the Deccan plateau. Later on, in around 1500B.C, the Ramayana came into existence. The Good, for the own tribe's residence, Rama became the hero of the Aryans and Ravana was depicted the evil lord of the Dravidians! The modern Human Genome project has shown the origin of modern Homo sapiens from Africa, who started migrating out of Africa some 6000years ago, taking the clock back to 4500B.C, or so.

The Great Human Migration. 
Courtesy: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41026000/gif/_41026369_genographic_map416.gif

Around the time of the Ramayana, it was an epoch whence the Aryan clans from Middle East and Asia Minor started invading, across the plains of the Indus. They were ursurping the early inhabitants of India, the Dravidians, who had settled some 2000years before them. Taking 6000years as the land mark and 4000years as the entry point of the Aryans, Dravidians, who followed the Coastal route of migration outside Africa, came to the places which now has the States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lakswadeep and Andaman/Nicobar. Very recently, the Bo tribe's last living individual died ending to one of the most native cult of the Andamans, having link to the ancient times of Great Migration!

Aryan Invasion. 
Courtesy: http://www.mysteriousworld.com/Content/Images/Journal/2003/Autumn/Giants/AryanInvasion

A common belief, and I better not trouble it!

The Dravidian Location.
Courtesy: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEvCQoqjy4cgRbk7GIq5FCziKqpxH6Is-SP9hdEXNCIO1jxlDz5m7j9KBEfrWkxmXIc0VJYbLGcR_KOSWjV6dVwfQe8pUdL4fzq403LG5LEQdt7cGJi5xw5tA2udZCTK8bhE_aw/

What I would like to put forward, different from the concept of common argument and what the topic has always advocated is, Does Darwin's principle of evolution or better say Evolution get reflected from the pages of Ramayana?

Where? Now that is the question that I would love to ask!

In the concept of Evolution we get to know that the modern humans came from apes! In ramayana, we have a proper explanation of a character, called Hanuman, which in the modern era we know as the Macaque Monkeys. Very sociable as well as notorious animals! Hanuman was notorious, devastating Lanka but was a great help for his master, Shri Ram. The face of Hanuman, brings to my mind the idea of evolution, where, the humans evolved from the apes. The time period that I am talking is not very modern, 2000B.C or so! Its quite feasible that the modern humans were coming out in large numbers, increasing the reproducibility while the older prototypes, were getting lost due to lost of fertility. Survival of the Fittest! But why the monkeys?

Hanuman and Shri Ram.
Courtesy: http://vamsikarra.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/hanuman1p.jpg

The face reminds of the Lord. With Ravana looking like the Dravidians and so did all the family members and the soldiers, the Hanuman was depicted as a Monkey clan, almost having human features! Ram did kill Ravana, limiting the access of the dynasty and clan beyond the Vindyas [in Central India], has a smell of Aryan activities over time.

The Great Battle ~ Rama kills Ravana
Courtesy: http://students.ou.edu/P/Bijal.M.Patel-1/rama%20killing%20ravana.jpg

May be, Hanuman or likes of him are still not erased from the face of the Earth. Darwin has deciphered the mystery of the Finches. The Hanuman likes may still be present and again due to reproductive decline, the clan remains secluded. I believe in certain pep talks from travellers of seeing the Yeti and what ever visual account we have of the Yeti, they look like Hanumans....in the Himalayas!

The Yeti
Courtesy: http://alisonvuocolo.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/yeti1.jpg
May be Darwin have not lost. A few days back, his great grandson's genes gave way to the fact that Darwin's clan had been first to leave Africa, the human genome project has much to give still. We may have the mysteries solved, once we get hold of a Yeti, where the Lord Hanuman problem gets cleared...but as all scientists, I believe in the Lords and Gods, unless different concepts are proved.

This article is solely what I believe as a food for the brain... I have no harsh feeling for Lord Rama nor for Lord Hanuman!
Sir Charles Darwin
Courtesy: http://www.darwin.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/darwin.jpg


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Another Wicket Down... Suman Das.

After Sourav, last January [2009], its the time for another Behala-dweller, the happening and always jolly Mr. Suman Das to let his solemn life take another solemn oath and get married. In between there have been a few more marriages, but after Sourav, this is the one that I have had least expected to take place. The turn of the news and the hinges of the windows flew open, prior to the December picnic at Gadiara, when I came to know about the "surprise". Surprise was more in store when I came to know that many people knew, sans me!



But it was always sweet to talk to this man and he did admit and now stands strong. In the attempt to be part of the celebration, I have had sent my camera with Kanad, but it came in less handy as Kanad, without doubt had to manage the other cameras as well. The marriage took its solemn colours in a ceremony at Delhi on 6th January, 2010 and today concluded with an official reception.


@ Delhi.

The party poopers in Delhi had Sanchari and Sunandini apart from Kanad and over here we had Sukesh, Sadashib, Kanad, Ritwajit, Ronita, Sayantani, Benazir along with myself. There was good food and enjoyment with heart warming smile from the bride and the groom! Two states away, Charmi kept on her contacts with us, talking and blabbing! Missed her immense 1...2...3 laughter. We missed another person, who was away, but unlike Giggs, wasnt away two states but across two continents, and that's Khotu or Kasturi. Infact I missed my teens amongst the grown ups!


Although certain differences always brewed in and out, I always felt that I missed some golden moments in the truce to enjoy nothing! I missed that surely!

Some memoirs flocked the worn out mind. The car incidence with Sayantani, the Food that CM sir had once made with "Love" in our excursions, the proxy attendance that I used to give in for Sadashib, who now has a changed attire and look, the slaps that incidentally Suman and myself have had from Kasturi, where I started the proceedings. I also remembered the Metro Ticket fiasco with Suman, but above all, I remembered how he had once helped a limping man, soothe his twist at the ankle by helping him with a bottle water @ Central Metro. That's an incidence, which I am the sole witness and I really cherish the thought of kind from this guy!

I wish Deepti and Suman a very happy married life ahead!

Suman and Deepti. Reception, Tyagraj Hall [Kolkata] : 10.02.10.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Life, Time and Bingo...

Its been 4 years, in the making. The days of Presidency got over and now its that span we have crossed and like all famous movies and serials...life has changed a lot!

Its Life that has seen the Time or Time that has seen the Life through. Argumentative yet annoying. Who has anything to do with who has seen whom. On this auspicious day, when Suman, my Presidency class mate gets tied with the eternal knot of wedding with a Delhite, Dipti Mathur, I came across a famous and much talked about program called National BINGO Night on Colours. The game show being hosted by the Chote Nawab, Abhisek Bacchan and today his guests to play were the Badshah Mr. Sharukh Khan and the great producer-cum-director, Mr. Karan Johar. Watching it, I came across those beautiful moments in Presi, when during the Odd periods, a few of my class mates used to involve themselves in playing Bingo. The game, that later spread into the Metro rail, the parks and the balcony.... even at tuition, we were found to be involved in them... Though I seldom took part in the game, but the vision came upfront clearly and bright! The most prominent figures in those mini games that used to take place in the Chemistry classes and the free periods were likes of Suman [the proposer], Charmi, Sunandini, Sanchari, Monami... 

Today Colours has made it commercial. I would give it a good thing to buy for, just for the sake of entertainment. Please visit their website to participate and win cash worth Rs. 100000/- per perfect match of numbers drawn on the screen by the celebrity guests! You can win from home as well... Have a visit: http://bingo.in.com/registration.php


Works like a legal Lottery...