3 January 2006

India


Tell me to sing our National anthem, I'll sing in one breath. Its drilled in my head from the childhood. It comes out mechanically. Its written in Bengali, All I know is all regions are mentioned there. I never realised how beautiful it is until Zubin Mehta conducted it in a concert in Delhi in the early 80's when Indira Gandhi was alive. I suddenly became aware and played it in my mind over and over again as the recording was not available. Zubin stuck to the basics. Not a note altered, as it is a National anthem and yet it was different and inspiring.

Homer was blind, he narrated stories which people knew already. Nothing new, yet people flocked to hear him, he mesmerised them by the sheer power of narration.

My mind is still blank
Blunt knife

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

posted a comment in the jan 1st post.

Angel

wildpic said...

as u say, it could be something mundane, but when its wrapped and unrapped by some with that extra sensitivity ... its magic. as a photographer you do the same trick rauf.

rauf said...

Thank you Infancia. Last time i went the Mandovi bridge was hanging. Half the bridge just fell off. Welcome to India I said.

rauf said...

No suresh my presentation is very bad.

Anonymous said...

its good for mind to go blank. you get a fresh bunch of ideas
rins

Anonymous said...

Tiruvarppu????

rauf said...

You got it Rins. This is right opp the Church where our Acchan gave his first sermon. I crossed and took a bus from there to get back to your house.

Anonymous said...

the picture sums it all
this is india

Anonymous said...

the picture sums it all
this is india

rauf said...

This is Kerala, on the west coast of Southern India. This is a luxury ride. You should see Bihar UP (uttar pradesh) and w.Bengal
please leave your name

Anonymous said...

i KNOW

George Breed said...

A captivating photo! Anchored at each end by a sitting person, a handshake in the middle. People have fine balance.

rauf said...

George, out of countless pictures I chose this one for a reason.
One more person would sink the boat. This is India. Every thing touches the limits. Love hatred kindness, intolerance, injustice
crime faith lack of faith, knowlegde ignorance money poverty
Every thing goes to the extremes.

Anonymous said...

You know poms, when I read this blog, I recalled something from school days. I’d studied in a Hindu school, and though being a Muslim, I was never discriminated. In fact, during prayer hours, I would belt out the Hindu hymns in the highest pitch I could muster. And the teachers would whisper among themselves, that it’s so strange for a Muslim girl to do so. And when the national anthem was sung at the end of the prayer hour, everyone used to stand up in unison, and sing it out aloud (quiet off-key, I must concede ) and it never ceased to amaze me the feeling of unity it caused. Which brings me around to the topic of patriotism

(psssst.. poms, I’m actually giving you a good topic for your next blog)

After India and Pakistan, I think its only the US that comes a close second when it comes to patriotic fervour. With the ‘star-spangled banner’ donning clothes, bandannas, shorts, tees, even underwear ( you would get hauled to prison if you do that in India ) , the American patriotism rises ardently, and they sing the national anthem with gusto!

Back to the Indian national anthem, you are right, poms, it does strike a chord deeper than one thinks. I used to get highly offended when some silly kid with half-baked knowledge mispronounced some of the Bengali words or beleaguer it. I would immediately jump to the anthem’s defence, and wag a reprimanding finger, with a scowl and correct the ignoramus thing. Well.. its MY India, after all

~A~

rauf said...

I don't want to touch patriotism in any blog Puts. Patriotism clouds our judgement. not a good thing but none would accept that, I would end up making more people angry.

Really wish the whole world was like the school you went to.

rauf said...

Puts I'd like to add, You'll hardly find any one hating his own country, he or she may hate the way things run in the country. all are equally patriotic.

rauf said...

That was very poetic Glory, my vision is fading fast.

Anonymous said...

if you take a drive and hit a deserted patch, you have two options - drive like hell till you see something familiar or just think your're lucky and take it real easy...

rauf said...

Arshia's dream is a red ferrari, I asked her where would you drive ?

George Breed said...

O I see. One reason you get so angry at me is because I live in northern Arizona where there is so much space. Hmmm...

rauf said...

You have space I have no elbow room in trains and buses George

George Breed said...

Yes. I do wish you would speak to this in comments on my blog, rather than using the opportunity for personal attack. Personal attack gets us nowhere, except deeper in the situation we both dislike.

rauf said...

Chinna, 'cars made for Indian Road conditions' is such a great insult to the country. But actually our bad roads are saving many lives as you have no option but to save your car and drive carefully.

rauf said...

George where is the personal attack ?

George Breed said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
George Breed said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
rauf said...

George i present facts, and they are harsh. This is not the first time I am accused of personal attack. When people are not able to answer to my qestions they find some thing to accuse me. When my comments are misread or not understood i have to ask you to read them carefully. I write plain English. No pharases no quotes no metaphors. simple plain English.

Anonymous said...

rauf, posted a new post ... have a look. and also have answered for your comment on 'karum kurangu' ... a lenthy one and one that dis agrees on your views !

suresh

Mitey Mite said...

Rauf, you are opening my eyes. You are making me slow down to look. I only glanced at the picture, read the words, went to the comments -- wait, what is that about one more person would sink the boat? -- did I miss something?-- oh yes, I certainly did. Perhaps it is that quality of seeing all there is and feeling all there is in a moment -- a picture, a song, a national anthem, whatever it is -- that makes other people see and feel more. I promise I will be looking, and not just glancing, from now on.

George Breed said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
rauf said...

Your comment speaks of your wisdom Mitey Mite, thank you so much for stepping in. I'll do my best to keep the posts short. Some times they get too long when I try to make a point.

rauf said...

You are so predictable George.
I laid a trap and you fell right in to it.

This is before I went to sleep
George Breed said...
What are the facts, Rauf?

This is when I woke up
George Breed said...
This post has been removed by the author.

and you deleted other comments on this subject as well.
The readers should not think that I have deleted the comments, but my replies to those comments still remain, suspended in the air unconnected. Which does not make any sense to me or to the reader, without the original comment.

I saw and read your last comment 'what are facts Rauf ? ' before going to sleep.
I could have replied then and there. I wanted to give you time to realise the trap and realise you are getting into trouble and delete the comment yourself.
and YOU DID EXACTLY THAT, thereby helping me to prove all my points. You proved all my points yourself
without any efforts from my side.

By the way George, I receive all the comments in the mail. I still have all of them. I'll furnish them if my readers want me to.

George Breed said...

Thank you. Rauf. Now I know who you are.

rauf said...

Thank you George for knowing me, hope you would not delete this comment, like the ones above.

George Breed said...

Thank you Rauf, you are welcome to post on my blog, but I will delete personal attack of me or anyone.

rauf said...

Yes George,
Same story again
You are proving my point again and again.
Thank you for your efforts.
Please do not delete the above comment like you have done before.

I am getting a bit tired of this.
I would end this here.

Anonymous said...

lol@ ur suggestions abt wat to and wat not to do if I see a ghost but what if I mistakenly criticize him/her? wat wud happen then?

Make a new post already, look at the amount of comments u re collecting.

Angeldust

rauf said...

I'll post it on your page Angel
I have a brilliant idea.

Just feeling lazy, New post is coming.

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