DesiReflections

आंसू   जो   गिरा   आँख   से   ग़म   साथ   ले   गया     जाते   हुए   सुकून   का     एहसास   दे   गया न   जाने   कौन   खिचड़ियाँ     पका   रहे   जनाब   चेहरे   का   बदला   रंग   आभास   दे   गया   फैला   था     मेरे   सामने   नफ़रत   का   अंधेरा   बच्चा   कहीं   से   हाथ   में   महताब   दे   गया   दिल   की   किताब   खोल   दी   यादें   बिखर   गयीं   इतने   दिनों   के   बाद   मिल   के   उदास   हो   गया    मीलों   चले   थे   छत्त   और   रोटी   के   वास्ते   छालों   से   रक्त   रंजित   इतिहास   हो   गया  

Lyricist Yogesh is no more. What a critical time, when I stay hardly two km from Madhuban Apartments where he took last breath , I could not reach there to pay my respect to departed soul due to extra-ordinary circumstances . He wrote many immortal songs which will remind us a very simple man and his powerful poetry. I met him many times at my friend Manohar Thakur’s Vishakha Apartament opposite Lotus Petrol Pump in Andheri , and listened many of his timeless pieces in his own voice. We last met at Idlish Cafe just before the lockdown on our platform Chitra Nagari Samvaad Manch, an initiative to bring creative minds staying in and around Goregaon East. The memories flash back : He was born and brought up in Nawabi Town Lucknow , known for its culture and literature. He came to Bombay during sixties to try his luck in Hindi films , his immediate connect was Dharmendra Gaur, his cousin who made name and fame by than . But somehow Dharmendra Gaur did not respond the way he expecte...

Books Read In Lockdown Days Bartender’s Pocket Guide : Kathy Hamlin Bartender’s Pocket Guide contains all the bartender and party host needs to know that too in a compact format! Written by a professional bartender Kathy Hamlin, this handy guide is small enough to keep in the your bar shelf , yet BIG on essential information. Even the professional bartenders will love to find the entire gyan    of making cocktails in a single book easily to be fit in pocket. The book was first published in 2005, is an interesting read, it talks about  * All the glasses : Champagne Flute, Cordial glass, Cocktail Glass, Champagne Saucers, Highball glass, STEIN, Snifter, Schooner, Pilsner, Mug, White Wine glass , Red Wine Glass, Old Fashioned glass, Lowball glass, Sherry glass, Tulip, Margarita, Shot Glass, Hurricanes, Rocks *Equipment’s : Pony-Jigger Measure , Speed Pourer , Ice Scoop, Cocktail Shaker, Strainer, Blender, Paring Knife, Long-handled bar sooon, Cutting...

Jauljibi Mela : Unique Confluence of Tibetan , Nepali and Indian Cultures. In my previous sojourn of Pithoragarh, I mentioned that this place is gateway to many more exciting destinations , one such is Jauljibi.  Jauljibi is 70 km from Pithoragarh on way to Kailash Mansarover . This very sleepy village is situated on the confluence of Gori and Kali river . Across the River, there is a Nepalese village having same name smaller than that on Indian counterpart , it falls under Mahakali Zone of Nepal. Both sides are connected with a suspension bridge, while you walk it rocks ! People of both sides live in complete harmony from many centuries. That is why the newly laid road towards Lipulekh drawn an unnecessary political controversy. In fact the Kali river forms a natural border with Nepal, after reaching Tanakpur this river is known as Sharda, once it reaches Ayodhya it is called Saryu.  Before I come back to the Mela , let me mention that this plac...

The City I Lived : Pithoragarh When I received my posting orders for Pithoragarh in 1982 , I did not know any thing about it, but those who heard about it or traveled or posted here earlier just scared me. But I knew for sure that wherever a State Bank’s branch is there few people must be living there. When I recollect,  years of my stay here, these were best-one of my life and have wonderful memories, it is  a kind of  paradise in the lap of lush green hills at the height of 5000 ft bordering with Tibet and Nepal , but during old days you had to pay a small price to stay in heaven, the route from nearest railhead Tanakpur was 150 km , very rough and tough passing through salubrious Champawat Valley , Lohaghat on the edge of Lohawati river, little challenging around the Ghat area , road was single with innumerable curves and some of them were almost blind. I am talking about 1982, when frequency of buses from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh was very limited, if my memory goes...

Reading Challenge In Lockdown Days Ignited Minds : APJ Abdul Kalam The book was third in the row by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and published in 2002. Dr Kalam was raised in a very modest Muslim family in temple town Rameshwaram and had grown up in a secular environment and had strong influence on his thought process from Hindu Seers, Sufis as well as Christian Preachers. He worked very hard for his higher education and in the process become a scientist worked with DRDO and later climbed many high ladders , finally become President of India . In this book Dr. Kalam talks about his dream of developed India. The strength of this book : it has been written in an easy to understand language, where he discussed some of the most difficult issues our country is facing in a very simple way. The book has nine chapters, each one of them dealing with various themes. Each chapter begins with a quote and ends with a summary giving the reader positive takeaway. He talks about his experiences and in...

सबने   देखा   मेरा   बारहा   बिखरना   देखा   क्या   कभी   फजाओं   में   महकना   देखा  ? नहीं   देखा   मेरी   जाँ   तो   फिर   क्या   देखा   जो   परिंदों   के   साथ   मेरा   चहकना   देखा   लोग   बैठे   रहे   आँधियों   में   घर   अपने हमने   आँधी   के   साथ   में   लड़ना   सीखा   वो   किताबें   लिए   लड़ते   रहे   आपस   में   हमने   सड़कों   से   शऊर   सलीका   सीखा   हम   तो   मौजों   में   कभी   उतरे   कभी   डूबे   सबने   किनारे   पे   अपना   सफ़ीना   देखा   ज़िन्दगी   काट   ली   ग़ुरबत   को   ढोते   ढोते   हमने   जा   के   कभी   काबा   न   मदीना   देखा ...

Reading Challenge In Lockdown Days The Art of Happiness: Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama needs no introduction. He fled from Tibet after Chinese captured this independent buffer zone between India and China. He is a symbol of serenity, goodness, compassion, kindness, generosity, and love; a being endowed with an immeasurable openness of spirit, great intelligence and also a great sense of humor. He has written many books , this one is very special as it talks about happiness.  Dalai Lama has a very strong conviction that the purpose of life is happiness. This book was given by my friend Rajkumar few days back and I decided to make it a part of reading challenge during these days. Cutler starts the book from a small incident : While for  the majority of human beings, speaking in public represents their greatest fear, I noticed Dalai Lama serenely drinking a cup of tea before introducing himself and speaking calmly in front of gathering of 6000 people, with...