Navya and Agastya

Most Respected Brother!

Heartiest Greetings

How very nice of you! you have indeed compiled the most wonderful post of all times! This one is indeed a splendid outing you have had with us through this blog!

To have communicated so beautifully what it takes some ages for most of us to accept of the reality that is GenNext, they seem to be so well equipped, so extremely focussed, ever eager to explain away what they seem to know. It is not the times that children get awe-struck by our acts and achievements it is the other way round. I am totally convinced with every word that you used to describe the two wonderful kids in your family that they are grand, no doubt, they are children, yet they are unbelievable is one thing that does not really comes as a surprise.

Coming back to kids, the kind of training and teachings and the rich environment that their schools and parents provide to make them reach or eact the way they do is to be seen to be believed. Amrit has been an educator to us on many counts. I especially remember some few years back when we were to have our first mobile - aap le to lo use karna mai sikha doonga! His drawing skills his scores in exams without much reading time all suggest that he and some of these kids belong to a different world, a world that we find diffcicult to comprehend and understand! My love to both of them, I am proud that they could cast an impression on the mind of one man who had always been making great impressions on the mind of others.

I can only say that every one of these days your posts are turning out to be one better than the previous. That you are speaking your heart is not a matter to be doubted what one doubts is the store of energy that you generate at this ripe age of 66. A good lesson for people like me who are yet to touch the 50 mark ( i am still some months away from that!). It generates into us a feeling if Mr. Bachchan can do it so very fondly to keep learning from every phase of his life what stops us at not giving it a try.

Today, I really do not find words that can explicitly put across my feelings about today’s post. How very natural, how extremely poised and composed with every minute detail to its readers that one gets the feeling as if we are having a one to one conversation with the man we all know as Amitabh Bachchan. I remeber in the three phase monologue interview that I conducted with you on your behalf some three years back - I had offered a feeling for you - I speak very little! Oh brother but when you do finally speak out, you speak from your heart.

Those who do not read this blog would miss this very important side of your personality. For once, just for once I start to get a feeling that probably you would end up scoring above Dr. Bachchan and displace him from the top Bachchan on my mind. I would not mind accepting the truth that indeed there are some very good signs that you would make a big writer and achieve new dimensions in not too distant a future! If one has to really enjoy this kind of reading one has to do it on a daily basis. The context and contents are so nicely mixed that the greatest fun would be to read them at the first instance of the availability of these posts. Wonderful job!

As I mnetioned in the last post I leave today for Delhi to attend dear Sonal’s marriage. A marriage in India is one of the great events in one’s life that it is considered a new chapter in one’s life is close to reality. I take this opportunity to wish her very good times ahead as she ties the knots on january 31.

My love to Navya-Agastya and regards to their proud parents and may I also add grand-parents!

Abhaya Sharma, India January 28 2009 08:20 Hrs IST

PS I know I do not really love editing my posts but today I did, if some of the flow is lost or the thoughts not in proper place it has to be attributed to this business of editing the post! 9 out of 10 times I do not edit as I feel it definitely disturbs the original and sometimes I feel that thoughts do get scrambled as a result of editing! Please try to make sense if such a thing has happened during this post. have a great time with the grand educators!

In conversation with Bachchan - Day 277

Respected Brother,

Sadar Pranaam,
Good to hear or rather read a post by none other than Amitabh Bachchan - the man of many moods several versatilities and above all too generous to be with us that he calls extended family. Good brother, very good of you to be available to all of us. How can I or anyone else on this blog ever repay the great presence of the most iconic face in the country on this important mission of your life. That you have stories to tell, that you share your experiences, discuss your travels, speak out your mind, share pictures from your daily life also try and put up news cuttings that you feel are important to you and sometimes even to India as a country. These episodes make much more of our day and a snese of belonging with the very best in India- the only one of its kind - the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Am I sounding a litlle sycophantic - so be it, I do not mind praising one man who truly and richly deserves what we write here.

Coming back to business as usual we must promote India for ourselves and it was in that aspect that I had discussed Port Blair of Andaman and Nicobar to Narayan on this blog. Actually, my love for the beautiful islands has more to do with the transition in me from a kid boy to growing into someone little more resposnsible. It was there that I grew up to be of help to the family in daily chores fo the family. I distinctly remember how I had to go from Junglee Ghat to Aberdeen Bazaar to do some weekly purchases. How on some days it used to get dark and I used to resort to the reciting of Hanuman Chalisa, sometimes in my mind and sometimes aloud to feel as if Hanuman ji was with me walking just behind me to knock down any evil spirit if it did cross my path. That put explicitly is nothing but faith. The faith in some powers that are there to support and protect us. Should I tell you how I would have felt when you sung the first song for Mr. Natwarlal, let us share it. I thought you were as much like me as I moved on those empty roads in Port Blair and that equated me with you in some stronger bondings that were already in place after Anand and Namakharaam. To be nostalgic about the past is good in itself to the extent that it gives us the courage to remember how difficult times were overcome, how difficult times can be overcome today as well as tomorrow, that there were always some days that brought us joy and others that did put us into some sort of test of our existence. That life is one big cycle of events which continuously keeps changing its dark and bright moments in almost every individual’s life. That to be able to enjoy the good times and forbear the tough times is the very synonymous of our existence on earth, it gives one a courage to tread the path which angels fear to tread!

Oh brother! I am sounding unduly philosophical in my approach. Let the atmosphere not be so dense and tense around our existence, we are all here with some purpose even if we do not envisage it or fail to realise it. Who could be a better example of the good and bad times than you or still better your reverend father Dr. Bachchan. I think his life was more fuller in that sense that he could so vividly put forth for others to read. Though I did find in his autobiography that the author at times did cross limit of sharing what could be shared, who am I to decide what he thought he needed to share with his readers. If nothing else you must immediately bring about little better editiion of his four volume AB maybe with forewords by you in English of explaining in essence the contents that one has to find in each volume. That you have lived some sixty years in his shadow looking forward to learn something new from his life was the greatest boon to the man we all know as the legendary star on this earth. Definitely these forewords could also have some thoughts on what ways did the poet influence you as a person, as an actor and as a human being!

I think I have put you to the sword asking of so much details, I hope you do not get angry with me for some reasons here. Though, as an individual you have the perfect right to the pangs of angst against some individuals and events as it is quite natural! Yet I feel that you are such a constructive person that if you could avoid being angry on such counts we may tend to gain much more from your life and also make ourselves a little better individuals! more useful for the society.

If you do find that I am crossing my boudaries and in anyway hampering your progress by way of writing these long and sometimes unthoughtful writeups, you should stop me from doing so!

Thinking of you and thanking you a lot
Abhaya Sharma, India January 27 2009 08:34 Hrs IST
Post Script: I never could see the live Republic Day Parade in my eight years of Delhi stay, though I was very close to being part of one as I attended a long preRD camp during my NCC days in college. It was not to be! I have no regrets for that! It is a part of life these successes and failures!

Poem - Brothers & Sisters of Slums in India

हम झुग्गी में रहने वाले
हम भी आखिर इंसान है
गली का कुत्ता कहते हो
यह कैसी झूठी शान है

हम भूखे नंगे गली में रहते
तुम महलों के पलने वाले
माना तुम हो देश चलाते
हम भी यह बदन जलाते है

कैसे तुमने मान लिया सच
सह लेंगें अपमान सभी
जब जी चाहेगा कह कर तुम
कर दोगे बदनाम हमें

मेरे घर में आकर देखो
है बस्ती यह अरमानों की
यहां भी सपने देखे जाते
मिलते दिल गुल भी खिलते है

जिसे अंधेरा समझ रहे हो
वह प्रकाश उजियाला है
जिसे पूजते है हम सब
वह ही भगवान तुम्हारा है

सुख-दुख मधु-कटु के समान
जीवन के हम दो चक्के है
हम दरिद्र है तब अमीर तुम
इसके सबूत अब पक्के है

इस तन के आगे की सोचो
यह सगा तेरा ना मेरा है
मन से अपने प्रश्न पूछ लो
क्या लाये क्या ले जाना है ?

अभय भारती (य), 23 जनवरी 2009, 1523

Dr. Bachchan - Marriage Anniversary

Respected Brother,
Sadar Charan Sparsh,

For once, I thought that I were standing by your side in that august company of the greats like Vikram Seth, Chetan Bhagat and the rest at the most majestic moment of time. I must add here that I had earlier planned to keep this day entirely for your proud parents – Dr. Bachchan ( I somehow do not find the courage to address him with his first name – more as matter of respect) and Shrimati Teji Bachchan, who as per records that I possess probably registered their marriage on this day in 1942, I was under the impression that it was earlier.

With due regards I herewith present to you my work for the event, fortunately for me in the poetic form. I remember Dr. Bachchan had referred somewhere in his autobiographical account that the mood of writing poetry does not persist too long and one must not miss the opportunity when that time is there. I concur with the great poet as I too found that some of my best poetic thoughts emerged from the subconscious and could not be reconstructed later since I did not write them down. I hold computers responsible for holding me away from the usual pen and paper approach.

The sudden disappearance of light when I was first compiling my post online has woken me up. This particular piece has now been written down after that realization of the time tested method of writing- the pen and paper!

कवि बच्चन के जीवन में

प्रणय प्रसंगिनी बन कर
जब से तेजी आईं जीवन में
शोक हर्ष से हार गया तब
फिर कविता उपजी थी मन में
दुविधायें सुविधायें बनकर
चहक उठी थी आंगन में
अमित-अजित की आभा से
कवि पिता रुप में थे जन्में
तेजी ने जब सहयोग दिया
कैम्ब्रिज जाकर तब शोध किया
राक्षस कितने ही आये पर
तुमने उनका प्रतिरोध किया
इस जीवन को ही युद्ध मान
जीना फिर से प्रारंभ किया
फिर इलाहाबाद को छोड दिया
अब दिल्ली को प्रस्थान किया
प्रणय प्रसंगिनी बन कर
जब से तेजी आईं जीवन में
कवि बच्चन ने एक बार फिर
कविता का था वरण किया ।

अभय भारती(य), 24 जनवरी 2009 08.27 प्रातः

Post Script: Today there are twin birthdays in my family, not twins but a niece – Sonal and a nephew Udayan born to different parents in different years. The event is marked with the Akhand Ramayan Path at Delhi, the niece is to get married to an alumni of Kirori Mal college on this 31st. January, that is just a week away. This reminds me of another important fact of the class of 58 of Sherwood college that you had shared today, it was heartening to know how much a megastar or rather star of the millennium holds values of education in the formative years. An association for me with three Kendriya Viyalayas at AFS Agra, Aberdeen Bazaar, Port Blair and IIT Delhi where I studied from fifth standard onwards were the seven best years of my life. Like old days, my post script is getting longer than the original I need to stop abruptly. May Dr. Bachchan and Shrimati Teji Bachchan find themselves in the best of times in the heavens (Smiling - with their legacy that they had left behind, with you at the helm of affairs almost determined to take it further forward.

Two Poems - 22/23 January

आजादी के दीवाने

इतिहास के पन्नो पे थी लिखीं कहानियां
उस जुल्म की अब तक नही मिटती निशानियां
हर वक्त मुझे याद है वो आती जवानियां
थे कैसे जिगर वाले था डरा भी ब्रितानियां

हे भगत हे चंद्रशेखर हे मेरे सुभाष
हे राजगुरु बिस्मिल हे लाल-बाल-पाल
तुमने तो अपने दूध का था कर्ज चुकाया
इस देश की खातिर था बडा दांव लगाया

नाम कितने और भी है उनकी कहानी
है और किसी दिन मुझे है तुमको सुनानी
बंगाल के कितने ही अनोखे वो साल थे
पंजाब के तो जैसे अनगिनत लाल थे

नही भूल कर भी भूलना इनकी कहानियां
एक फूल तुम उन्हे भी चढ़ाना निशानियां
जिस दिल में उनकी याद बसी है मेरा भाई
अब मिलके रहेंगें कसम है आज ही खाई

हर मां को तुम पे नाज है हे सच्चे सपूतों
हम धन्य है धरा भी तुम्हे प्यार है करती
फिर आज अपने देश की खातिर सही चलो
एक जन्म नया आज अपने देश में ही लो

अभय भारती(य), 22/23 जनवरी 2009 00.51 घंटे

आदरणीय भाईसाहब,
सादर चरण स्पर्श,

यहां यह व्यक्त करना आवश्यक है कि यह सवाल मैं स्वंय से ही कर रहा हूं, अगर किसी अन्य को भी अपने आपसे यह पूछना अच्छा लगे तो समझूंगा मेरा प्रयास सफल रहा ।

लिखना-पढ़ना कहना-सुनना

लिखने में जो मजा है
वो पढ़ने मे कहां है
कहने में जो मजा है
वो सुनने में कहां है

( पर याद रहे हर पल
प्यारे मेरे भाई )

जो पढ नही सकता
कभी वह लिख नही सकता
जो सुन नही सकता
कभी कुछ कह नही सकता

लिखने से पहले कुछ
कभी पढ़ कर उसे देखो
कहने से पहले बात कुछ
जरा सुनके तो देखो

वह बात पते की है जो
पढ़ कर लिखी गई
है बात कायदे की जो
सुन कर कही गई

अभय भारती(य), जनवरी 22 2009, 13.45 घंटे आई एस टी
(The essence translates something like this, I know it can never ever match the original –

Is writng not a bigger fun than reading and whether telling is not more lovable than listening, we should not forget – those who can not read can probably not write and those who can not listen can probably never speak! That before we write we shall check the readability and before making any utterances check its audibility – that writing alone is noble that has been judged with prior readability and only those said words are meaningful that are our responses to others.

samay

समय

समय तुम्हारे साथ साथ चलता हूं मैं
तुम रुकते नही तुम थकते नही
तुम कहीं कभी भी थमते नही
क्या बात तुम्हारी है न्यारी
पीछे भी कभी तुम मुडते नही
तुमको न कोई बांध सका
सब मर्जॊं की तुम एक दवा
जो चाल तुम्हारी समझ गया
धरती पर उसने है राज किया
हे समय बड़े तुम बलशाली
वीरों को देते खुशहाली
सब आस निराश के ज्ञाता तुम
सुख ओर दुखॊं के दाता तुम
तुम से ही जग में है वैभव
हो अभय तुम्हीं तुम ही अमृत
हे समय तुम्हें हम करे नमन
पीड़ा जग की अब करॊ हरण
हे समय तुम्हारे साथ है हम

- अभय शर्मा

Barack Obama - New Hope of the World

Hope – Thy name is Obama

Hope, peace, equality and togetherness on this planet found a new man on the horizon. Barack Hussein Obama – the 44th president elect of the United States of America moves into usher a new world, not for America alone but for the rest of us as well.

That he honors and emphasizes the old tools of honesty, loyalty and faith among others, he is not caught unaware of the grim situation that America faces in the midst of economic recession and somewhat helplessness! He is not going to budge under pressure is what we expect, that he marches along the path of success in the several of the issues that not only America but the world as a whole faces in tough times.

That peace for all is what one wants, Is it as easy as serving it on the breakfast, with divisive forces, extremist setups in the world and the chaos that war brings!

Hope Obama as he signs his first day into white house is supported and strengthened not from just within America but also the world at large.

This is our best chance to promote peace, hope and faith amongst ourselves. We must not let this opportunity slip rather grab with both hands and build a new world.
A new world where peace gets its chance, the new world of equality gets its chance and above all togetherness finds its place like never before.

I am convinced and confirmed in my mind to support people like Barack Obama not for his color creed or cast but for the fact and findings that I see in him an image of a world leader with a difference. An individual who is too collective in his approach to solve the problems and resolve the issues is finally here.

Let Obama rule with no inhibition and with full faith of America at his behest. If we do not move forward with him in office of the strongest nation, we may not get an opportunity again too soon.

Abhaya Sharma, India January 21 2009 09:45 Hrs. IST

Two guardian reporters - Wake up!

Respected Brother,
Regards and Love,

I come back after reading or rather scanning through what the two Indians on Guardian circuit wrote of you slumdog and the rest on janary 14 and 15.

Objections first, Where is the need to criticise your views if they differ from what is their own perception. I for one do not like criticising for the sake of criticising someone, that is what it appears at first sight and on a second thought I see it as a plausible means to promote their wagon forward by roping an unarguably best actor into drudgery. That they have the right to say what pleases them is understandable but in that same light they should also allow others (brother) to say what the understands or feels! we live in a democratic world don’t we! Does it always mean that two persons think of a project in entirely the same words and sense as the others. I disagree!

Now the most pathetic remark of disowning India by the two who took to raising a toast to the Danny Boyle or westerners comes more as a surprise. That one of them went to the extent of finding the actor to be incapable with his english version of The last Lear and equating his wrath with his inabilties to impress the western world at large is unthinkable. Do they know of the ongoing Hollywood and western projects that have come his way at the age of 66. Amitabh Bachchan is a Director's actor, if he was sloppy in The last Lear (their view) should be directed upto the director and not the actor! Brother has been miserable in the hands of several poor directors yet very outstanding with those who know their craft well!

I would not like to even utter the names of the two contributors ! What have these two Indian men done to promote India if it is the India that we all know that exists torn between rich and poor, between haves and have nots, and classified into middle upper and poor classes at large. How many times do we have to tell ourselves that there exist pseudo Indians amongst us who have no positive role in making India a better place yet do not mind taking a dig whenever the slightest opportunity presents it self to mock at the country of their origin. Probably I can recount the old famous proverb tjough little indecent - Angrez chale gaye par apani aulad chhod gaye ( English have left but have left back their offsprings!). This goes well for the description of the two contributors to guardian articles. They may take me to the court for this and I wll be able t defend myself without any support from bench!

I for one would not disbelieve into what they talk of India statistically but the fail to understand that Indians are the best breed of intellectuals proving their mettle in several different fields all across the world. Where do you find such a huge talent of educated Indians who exist for what they are despite such humble beginnings as India no doubt is poor in its resources.

If the two gentleman would be able to give it a thought they would soon realise that just by dragging Mr. Bachchan into controversy is not going to add substance to their views. I would always like to believe that despite all our failures as a nation, in spite of so much backwardness and slum dwellers India has progressed and continues to progress. If they could tell me of their digs at some of those in Government or in the industry who are actually responsible for the poor state of the millions in the country I would like to know the links to their such articles. In other words what have they done to improve the situation rather than just report to please their employers.

I quit now for I understand repeatedly telling the same stuff in different phrases and context can not lift the gentleman contributors to the two Guardian articles. I know it is their bread and butter to write what pleases or satisfies the west but at what cost! You can’t raise a finger of accusation at our very best. We do not claim to be good at English so if the last lear was poor in language does not mean that we should take everything else thrown at us as a jewel in the crown!

This has gone far too venomous than I intended it to be yet there would be millions who would join my voice against such reporters who take pride in telling of the poor state of the state yet whisk away from any responsibility of their own!

I am disturbed disgusted with these westernised Indian reporters. I know Boyle would be boiling because he could not rope in Bachchan for the role he did show well on television porbably he could not afford his price or convince him, he could not even sign the second fiddle of the KBC the Sharukh Khan that he had to agree for Anil Kapoor. With due regards to his talents, he made a good comeback in Taal a few years back, after seeing the Making of SM on Times now I felt he had confused acting with shouting and loud expressions, he was doing the game show like what he did in a road scene at Mashal so very effectively. We are Indians and we do not have the sophistry of West we do not claim it either.

To smmarise, the heap f praise that is generally harped upon movies and publicity stunt that movie makers seek these days it is only expected that Mr. Danny Boyle would get an oscar and then put a label that it is the first Indan film to win Oscars. coolly forgetting the feats achieved by Gandhi. Again Gandhi got the awards as it was a film by the westerner, with due apologies to bring Sir Richard Attenborough to use it as an argument.

Yet I may add here that I have my own criteria to judge a film, every individual has his opinion and it matters to him the most. I have not seen the Ghazini the most succesful venture and probably having read and heard of what it is all about I may not consider viewing that film so where is the question of promoting Slumdog Miilionaire who did not even make efforts to translate the slumdog part of the tilte. I take serious objections of the choice of the naming of the movie.

It may in the end be a good movie but the hype might have created a positive impact on Western world, India should raise its objections and get not only the title of Hindi version changed but also show some respect to a country and rename the slumdog part of it from the movie.

Abhaya Sharma, India, January 20 2009 12:02 PM IST

Post scrpit: I must congratulate the Guardian on catching Amitabh Bachchan in a very reflective mood, a very good picture indeed, bestowed with ultramodern technology they (West) do have an upper hand in technical aspects of the film making.

Like father Like Son

Respected Brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

Like father like son, that phrase befits you in totality if not in individuality. As I read these descriptive work my mind takes me back to Dashdwar se sopan tak - the accounts of European tour of Dr. Bachchan when he was with the ministry of external affairs and later as Rajya sabha MP. The diference is that he wrote in Hindi and you use the international english! Time and again I remind myself that language could seldom be a barrier to expression, over and again I find that a lot depnds on the audience, readers in this case. What you have to offer must not only be succinctly designed and executed it should be consumable for the people for whom it was meant. It is this later philosophy that brother seems to apply believeing most of his readers on the blog are more comfortable with English than the local Hindi. It is also the reason that many a times I try to put forward the english equivalent of Hindi outings on the blog! Yet should I desist from the use of Hindi. I am not Amitabh Bachcan who probably can not take enough time out of his busy day’s schedule to use two languages.

Very heartening to read your vivid act of storytelling, no wonder, Dr. Bachchan and to some extent Mrs. Teji Bachchan have imbibed some extraordinary good habits to be able to share your life is not a mere exercise of puttiing across one’s feeling it is more of an introspection of the self. To keep one grounded firlmly to the earth amidst the tall achievements could be so very true of Amitabh Bachchan - the genius.

I would like to comment here that perception of others is not in our control, so I see little logic for brother to defy every time someone in the media or elsewhere writes something that is not the plain truth. Ones own knowledge of the truth should keep one in good stead and truth prevaisl in the long run. We all know that today the movies are commercially exposed to a great extent and sometimes we start taking the plunge without realising if a movie is really worth all that extra expenditure. Advertisement is not bad in itself, otherwise how would the world at large know of the product yet too much of it could kill the cat. We were very fond of the posters of Amitabh Bachcan on the streets on the hoardings as that alone announced that a new amitabh starrer is in town. many a times there were three to four movies in a row and it gave us a satisfaction that our rating of Mr. Bachchan as the best was equally felt by the producers and directors of Hindi Cinema.

Muqaddar Ka Sikandar had bowled my Mauritius friend Ujay Bheenick the footbaal player so much that he must have seen the movie a number of times. I still remember that he asked me to write down the wordings of the song in phonetic english so he could sing it. I know he sang it quite well without probably ever understanding the exact words - the song brother and folks was -
O saathe re

tere bina bhi kyaa jeena

tere bina bhi kya jeena

I think there are millions of Ujay spread not only in Mauritius but across the globe who believe in these words and would not offer to you as the token of their love for you! I am included in that list. I too remember this song and all the songs of Kabhi- kabhi, Don and even Mr. Natwarlal and majboor besides several from your movies that I used to sing at the festival and marriage times. Now I do not get to learn the new songs, it could easily be the attack of age I do not say that there are no good songs today, I am past that age!

There is going to be a marriage in Delhi on the month end of my niece Sonal, it would also be time to meet Dr. Shashank who studied medicine here in Mumbai’s Nair before going to London and settling in Australia. Some like my younger sister in London and Nephew and niece in US may not be able to make it to the show, I will miss them, yet for a huge family like ours there would be many who would attend and these days only such events bring our huge family together, everyone is so very engrossed in their own details of life! Earlier, I wanted to fly to Delhi but for the weather and the rising expenses decided to travel by August Kranti.

I put brakes on my persoanl accounts and wish you a very happy working schedule at Pune!

Abhaya Sharma, India, January 20 2009 08:54 Hours IST

PS Friend and fellow who took the American elections like a storm The indomitable Barrack Husein Obama takes the hottest seat of power at White House. I call him friend in the same spirit as I relate to you as brother. I would pray for Obama to reach beyond the expectations that he has raised, if he could achieve half of what he urged during his campaign world would be a different place and definitely a better place too! Long Live Obama, long live america!

Dr. Bachchan - Translated version

Respected brother
Sadar Charan Sparsh

I rarely succeed when I try very hard, since yesterday itself I was engrossed with the thought that I shall try and assemble something unique and fabulous on Dr. Bachchan on his sixth death anniversary, for you and the rest of the folks. Destiny did not like my regularity and kept a control denying any possibility to contribute. Through out the day I was on the horns of dilemma what shall I write and what to keep aside. Lastly the fall of night only came to my rescue – I choose some poetic verses in the flow of prose from need Ka Nirmaan Phir It would not be easy for me to define why I chose the particular lines alone by Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan - the great intellectuals may be able to go deep into the subject and assign some reasons I wish to keep my own self away from the drudgery of doing so! All I can say is that as much I thought I understood or I believed I knew, I find myself much less capable of giving an expression, not to the same extent.

For those who wish to gain further insight into the life of Dr. Harivamshrai Bacchan I can only advuise that there can not be a better alternative than to read his autobiography in four parts - Kya Bhoolun Kya Yaad Karun, Need Ka Nirmaan Phir, Basere se door and Dashdwar se sopaan tak

Here I have tried to translate some of these for Reeham, Rose, Reshmi,. Rasha and those who have not formally been trained in Hindi language!

मैं स्वयं करता रहा हूं
जिस तरह प्रतिरोध अपना
मानवों में कौन मेरा
उस तरह से कर सकेगा ?
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 38)

In these above lines the poet challenges everyone that who amongst the humans could have opposed him as much as he had opposed himself!

बुलबुल जा रही है आज !
प्राण सौरभ से भिदा है,
कंटकों से तन छिदा है,
याद भोगे सुख दुखों की आ रही है आज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !

Nightingale, is to depart too soon!
Life so full of the floral tributes
Thorns too pierce body’s astute
The sad and best times lurk upon
Nightingale, is to depart too soon!

प्यार मेरा फूल को भी,
प्यार मेरा शूल को भी,
फूल से मैं खुश, नही मैं शूल से नाराज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !

My love to the flowers
So also to the thorns
I am happy for the flower, ain’t angry with the thorns,
Nightingale, is to depart too soon!


आ रहा तूफान हर-हर
अब न जाने यह उडाकर
फेंक देगा किस जगह पर !
तुम रहो खिलते महकते कलि-प्रसून-समाज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !

The tornado arrives with a raging nagging sounds
Who knows where will it take us
To an Undefined path that is not yet destined
You continue to bloom The buds-flowers of the world
Nightingale, is to depart too soon!

(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 99)

अनासक्त था मै सुख-दुख से
अधरों को कटु-मधु समान था
नयनों को तम-ज्योति एक सी,
कानों को सम रुदन-गान था;
सहस एक सितारा बोला,
यह न रहेगा बहुत दिनों तक ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 168)

I was unaware of any happy- sad states
lips found alike the sour sweet taste
Eyes blinked alike in dark light phase
To ears crying and songs were almost same
Suddenly a star announces on base
It won’t last for many more days !


सिर पर बाल घने, घुंघराले, काले, कडे, बडे, बिखरे से,
मस्ती, आज़ादी, बे-खबरी, बेफिक्री के हैं संदेशे,
माथा उठा हुआ ऊपर को, भौहों में कुछ टेढापन है,
दुनिया को है एक चुनौती, कभी नही झुकने का प्रण है;
आंखों में छाया-प्रकाश की आंख-मिचौनी छिडी परस्पर,
बेचैनी में, बेसबरी में लुके-छिपे हैं सपने सुंदर ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 202)

The head full of dense, curly, black, long hair
Hard, big, spread and almost unkempt!
Of fun, freedom, unbothered and my carefree state
They seem to reflect in some of the ways
The head held high and the eyelash little terse,
Posing a challenge to the rest of the world
a promise not to bend and not to budge
Eyes flicker play with light and dark
A game of hide and seek to be judge
The unfazed mood in that excited spate
Hides holds hovers the dreams of fate!

स्वप्न ह्रदय मथकर मिलते हैं,
मूल्य बडा उनका तिसपर भी
एक सत्य के ऊपर होती
सौ-सौ सपनों की कुर्बानी ;

सोच न कर सूखे नंदन का
देता जा बगिया में पानी ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 226)

Dreams are harvested from the sufferings of the heart
Yet are expensive and no ordinary simple dessert
Just one truth to exists actually devours
Dreams must lose and stand to suffer

Don’t get deterred by the garden in desert
Go on watering the dried up earth!

हुआ करती जब कविता पूर्ण,
हुआ करता कवि का निर्माण;
अमर हो जाता कवि का कंठ
गूंजकर मिट जाता है गान !
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 230)

Whence a poem is about to complete
The poet emerges and evolves on fleet
His words turn immortal, fine and sweet
Tis time the songs have lost their beat!

Abhaya Sharma, January 19 2009 00:41 Hours IST

Post script: I am not at all a good translator I hope I have done somewhat justice with the context in which Dr, Bachchan must have written these verses! I also admit that original poetry can never be easy for a translation even by the same person, It is very unnatural for a person to be able to think and imagine in two languages poetically! So please excuse me, and yes I have left two of the poetry that was submitted for Hindi readers, my apologies for that, brother has made me to be apologetic every time I make a mistake! We all must feel apologetic if we are not able to live upto our own or the expectations of the world!

Dr. Harivanshrai Bachchan - d. January 18 2003.

आदरणीय भाईसाहब,
सादर चरण स्पर्श,

अधिक चेष्टा करने पर मुझे कम ही सफलता मिलती है, कल से ही इसी भाव में डूबा रहा कि डॉक्टर हरिवंशराय बच्चन की पुण्यतिथी पर कुछ विशेष सामग्री जुटा कर आपके व अन्य लोगों के लिये उप्लब्ध करा सकूं, नियति ने मेरी नियमितता पर अंकुश लगा घटना क्रम को अपने ही नियंत्रण में रखा, आज दिन भर मै इसी उहापोह में फंसा रहा कि क्या लिखना चाहिये या क्या नही? अंततः रात ने ही साथ दिया आज नीड का निर्माण फिर से कुछ एक कवितामयी कथानक ही यहां प्रस्तुत कर रहा हूं । यह कहना मेरे अधिकार के बाहर की बात होगी कि डॉक्टर हरिवंशराय बच्चन की यह पंक्तियां ही मैने क्यों चुनी, मुझसे अधिक विद्वान शायद इसकी खोह में जाकर कुछ अर्थ निकालने में समर्थ हों, मैं इस माथापच्ची से बचना ही अपने हित में श्रेयस्कर समझता हूं । इतना ही कह सकता हूं कि जितना मै समझता था या सोचता था कि जानता हूं उसको व्यक्त करने में उतना ही अधिक असमर्थ हूं । डॉक्टर हरिवंशराय बच्चन के बारे में जिन्हे अधिक जानकारी प्राप्त करनी हो उनके लिये मै यही कह सकता हूं कि चार खंडों में प्रस्तुत उनकी आत्मकथा से बढकर दूसरा कोई अन्य उपाय नही हो सकता – क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं , नीड का निर्माण फिर, बसेरे से दूर तथा दशद्वार से सोपान तक ।

मैं स्वयं करता रहा हूं
जिस तरह प्रतिरोध अपना
मानवों में कौन मेरा
उस तरह से कर सकेगा ?
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 38)

बुलबुल जा रही है आज !
प्राण सौरभ से भिदा है,
कंटकों से तन छिदा है,
याद भोगे सुख दुखों की आ रही है आज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !

प्यार मेरा फूल को भी,
प्यार मेरा शूल को भी,
फूल से मैं खुश, नही मैं शूल से नाराज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !

आ रहा तूफान हर-हर
अब न जाने यह उडाकर
फेंक देगा किस जगह पर !
तुम रहो खिलते महकते कलि-प्रसून-समाज !
बुलबुल जा रही है आज !
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 99)

अनासक्त था मै सुख-दुख से
अधरों को कटु-मधु समान था
नयनों को तम-ज्योति एक सी,
कानों को सम रुदन-गान था;
सहस एक सितारा बोला,
यह न रहेगा बहुत दिनों तक ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 168)

सिर पर बाल घने, घुंघराले, काले, कडे, बडे, बिखरे से,
मस्ती, आज़ादी, बे-खबरी, बेफिक्री के हैं संदेशे,
माथा उठा हुआ ऊपर को, भौहों में कुछ टेढापन है,
दुनिया को है एक चुनौती, कभी नही झुकने का प्रण है;
आंखों में छाया-प्रकाश की आंख-मिचौनी छिडी परस्पर,
बेचैनी में, बेसबरी में लुके-छिपे हैं सपने सुंदर ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 202)

स्वप्न ह्रदय मथकर मिलते हैं,
मूल्य बडा उनका तिसपर भी
एक सत्य के ऊपर होती
सौ-सौ सपनों की कुर्बानी ;

सोच न कर सूखे नंदन का
देता जा बगिया में पानी ।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 226)


हुआ करती जब कविता पूर्ण,
हुआ करता कवि का निर्माण;
अमर हो जाता कवि का कंठ
गूंजकर मिट जाता है गान !
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 230)

स्वप्न भी छल, जागरण भी ।
भूत केवल जल्पना है,
औ’ भविष्यत कल्पना है,
वर्तमान लकीर भ्रम की ! और है चौथी शरण भी ?
जानता यह भी नही मन
कौन मेरी थाम गर्दन
है विवश करता कि कह दूं, व्यर्थ जीवन भी, मरण भी।
स्वप्न भी छल जागरण भी।
(नीड का निर्माण फिर पेज 257)


क्या करूं संवेदना लेकर तुम्हारी
क्या करूं ?
...

कौन है जो दूसरे को
दुःख अपना दे सकेगा ?
कौन है जो दूसरे से
दुःख उसका ले सकेगा ?
क्यों हमारे बीच धोखे
का रहे व्यापार जारी
क्या करूं संवेदना लेकर तुम्हारी
क्या करूं ?

क्यों न हम लें मान, हम हैं
चल रहे एसी डगर पर,
हर पथिक जिस अपर अकेला,
दुःख नही बंटते परस्पर,
दूसरों की वेदना में,
वेदना जो है दिखाता,
वेदना से मुक्ति का निज,
हर्ष केवल वह छिपाता ;
तुम दु;खी हो तो दुःखी मैं
विश्व का अभिशप भारी !

क्या करूं संवेदना लेकर तुम्हारी
क्या करूं ?

अभय शर्मा (अभय भारती(य)), 18/19 जनवरी 2009 00.10 आई एस टी।

पुनश्चः आज मै अपने अहिंदी भाषी मित्रों व परिचितों से क्षमा चाहूंगा, आजीवन कवि बच्चन हिंदी के प्रति जिस तरह समर्पित थे अगर कुछ अन्य लोग भी उनका साथ देते तो शायद हमें अपनी राष्ट्र-भाषा मिल गई होती, एक उत्तम प्रयास अमिताभ बच्चन ने कौन बनेगा करोडपति के प्रथम अवतरण में अवश्य किया था उसके बाद शायद निर्माता आदि को लगा हो कि इस कार्यक्रम के कारण हिंदी लोगों में अधिक लोकप्रिय हो रही है उन्होने द्वितीय संस्करण में अमिताभ को अंग्रेजीनुमा हिंदी का प्रयोग करने के लिये बाध्य किया होगा अंततः उन्हे हटाकर शाहरूख खान को कार्यक्रम का कर्णधार बनाया गया जिनसे अगर आप कभी हिंदी में भी प्रश्न पूछेंगें तो उनके उत्तर वे 10 में से 9 बार अंग्रेजी में ही देने के लिये प्रसिद्ध हैं , वह भी एक अच्छे कलाकार हैं बस फर्क यही है खाते हिंदी की है गाते अंग्रेजी की हैं, मुझे उनसे कोई वैमनस्य नही है, शायद अमिताभ बच्चन के बाद अगर किसी आधुनिक हिंदी अभिनेता का नाम लेने की बात होगी तब किंग खान का नाम ही मेरी जुबान पर आये ! यह कार्यक्रम इतना अधिक प्रचलित हुआ थ कि अमुक भारतीय ने क्यू एंड ऎ नामक उपन्यास लिख डाला, ब्रितान डैनी बायल ने बहुचर्चित स्लमडाग मिलियनायर नामक फ़िल्म भी बना डाली जिसका हिंदी नाम स्लमडाग करोडपति रखा गया है, उन्हे या तो स्लमडाग से विशेष प्यार रहा होगा या फिर हिंदीकरण के उचित नम न मिलने कि स्थिति में उन्हे ऎसा करने को बाध्य होना पडा हो सकता है । मुझे उनसे सहानुभूति है साथ ही उन सबसे भी सहानुभूति है जो समझते है कि देव पटेल या फ़्रॆडा (या फ़रीदा) पिंटॊ ही मुख्य भूमिकाओं के लिये उपयुक्त कलाकार थे, मूलतः तो फ़िल्म अंग्रेजी है, अंग्रेजों के अनुरुप अंग्रेजी बोलने वालों को प्राथमिकता अगर दी गई तो इसमें हर्ज ही क्या है । ए आर रहमान पाश्चात्य संगीत से प्रभावित है साथ ही प्रतिभाशाली भी संगीत का पक्ष उन्होने दमदार रखा है तथा ग्लोबल स्तर पर इस फ़िल्म के लिये संगीत अवार्ड जीत कर भारत को सम्मानित भी किया है। बाकी विचार फ़िल्म देखने के बाद देना ही उचित या उत्तम रहेगा ।

डॉ. बच्चन - एक जन कवि

Respected Brother,
Sadar Charan Sparsh,

I had just finished writing on previous day! Somehow I recollect the phrase Dr. Bachchan often said on every return from abroad or any travels - जान बची तो लाखों पाए घर के बुद्धू घर को आए!

Now I know niether was your life at stake nor you are a buddhu by any standards and it is only symbolic of presenting oneself with the thought that east or west home is te best. Welcome to Prateeksha, Mumbai, India and now this hope of you finding some time to say a few words on illustrious Dr. Harivansh rai Bachchan on his sixth death anniversary seems a distinct possibility. Yet do not tie yourself with any such thing if it is not possible for some reasons।

मन का हो तो अच्छा है न हो तो और भी अच्छा है!

जीवन की आपाधापी में कब वक़्त मिला
कुछ देर कहीं पर बैठ कभी यह सोच सकूं
जो किया, कहा, माना उसमें क्या बुरा भला।
…
अनवरत समय की चक्की चलती जाती है,
मैं जहाँ खड़ा था कल उस थल पर आज नहीं,
कल इसी जगह पर पाना मुझको मुश्किल है, ]
ले मापदंड जिसको परिवर्तित कर देतीं
केवल छूकर ही देश-काल की सीमाएं
जग दे मुझपर फैसला उसे जैसा भाये
लेकिन मैं तो बेरोक सफ़र में जीवन के
इस एक और पहलू से होकर निकल चला।
जीवन की आपाधापी में कब वक़्त मिला
कुछ देर कहीं पर बैठ कभी यह सोच सकूं
जो किया, कहा, माना उसमें क्या बुरा भला।

I hope these words describe life for all of us leave alone for the poet. That is what, poetic efforts are seldom a mere reflection of a poet, they actually reflect the very ordinary and the most celebrated in the same light. Not that my apeksha had similar values yet I copy paste it here more for the reasons that these lines were attributed to reflect my belief in r. Bachchan and relate to my tribute on that fateful day - I had sent this and rach do ab nai madhushal by fax for you.

The poems are pasted here -

अपने इस जीवन-यापन में
कहीं ऎसा कुछ कर जाना है
जग याद रखे इस दुनिया में
एक ऎसा भी है इंसान हुआ
जिसे मोह जाल ना बांध सका
कर्मॊं और विचारॊं का
वह एक अनूठा संगम था
जग से मांगा ना कुछ भी कभी
देने को सब कुछ आतुर था

भाषा रंग और धर्म जाति के
बंधन कब के था काट चुका
मानव से मान को जोड़ रहा
नही शांति दूत था वह कॊई
और ना ही कोई मसीहा था
कहता था इतना ही जग से
ना पानी ने हमें जब बांटा है
ना भूख हमें है बांट सकी
ना किया हवा ने बंटवारा
फिर क्यों कर हम विद्रोह करें
हम अभय बने बस प्रेम करें
अमृत सी हमारी हॊ वाणी
कर्णों को प्रिय हम मधुर बनें
- अभय शर्मा

And the other poem I had submtted a few days back but got lost in moderation- I am reprodcuing it here again -

मधुशाला के पन्नों पर ही
लिखी मैंने मधुशाला
मधुशाला था नाम दिया
पर कर्म था उसका ग्रंथाला
कवि बच्चन के पुत्र सुपुर्द है
इस मधुशाला की अभिलाषा
वैसे तो मैं दान नही मांगा करता
फिर भी इस प्रयास में अपने
गर नाम तुम्हारा जुड जाये
आशा है मुझको विश्व वेदी पर
अमिट तुम्हारी होगी आभा
शान बढे़गी मान बढे़गा
दिन दूना सम्मान मिलेगा
आओ अमित आगे बढ़ आओ
रच दो अब नई मधुशाला
जिसके पथ पर चलने वाला
पढ़-पढ़ कर होगा मतवाला
धूम मचा कर रख देगी
जिस जगह बनेगी मधुशाला!

- अभय शर्मा


Now I know that you have a busy schedule of life this request is also now only a symbolic reflection of my expectations। I have no reasons to put forward such requests that you may find diffciult to fulfill. I want to assert here that your ability or inability is not going to be a measure of your love and regards for the exceptionally talented poet.

I would however look forward to the documentary you promised on this blog or would some day wish to be surprised by seeing you as Hamlet on Televison, movie or even stage! I have recently been bitten by my smoking habit and my resolve which I had attributed or rather to Alok da has come to nought only after four days! I have died one death on not been able to fulfill what I couild not do! so do not bind yourself to any such feelings or thought which might put you into regret like situation। I do not know if I am qualified to contribute these views here. Almost a non-entity like me trying to put across words for someone as tall and as reverred by the world as only you could be appears to be too far fetched! Excuse me, if I have been crossing my limits - I am not able to hide my feelings or even the self and failed to be understood in the world - actually the hindi verson would have een more emphatic as it comes from the man I admire the most -

मैं छुपाना जनता तो जग मुझे साधू समझता
शत्रु मेरा बन गया है छल रहित व्यवहार मेरा!

With these words I try to express myself on the death anniversary of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan. May his soul rest in peace and give strength to you and family members as you miss him for the sixth year.

वैसे तो डॉ. बच्चन जैसे लोग मर कर भी अमर हो जाते है पर फिर भी भौतिक रूप में उनकी अनुपस्थिति कष्टदायी ही है! मै तो उनके जीत जी उनसे एक बार भी नही मिला आपने तो उनके साथ साथ जीवन के 60 साल बिताये है!

I think I shall be able to present my views on him exclusively in Hindi tomorrow!

Abhaya Sharma, India, January 17 2009 12:37 Hours IST

To Amitabh - Day 267

Respected Brother,
Sadar Charan Sparsh,

I take this plunge to take the debate a little further or maybe little beyond the slumdog as some like Nina and Pankaj Mohan and few others had done and one Puneet mentioned the comments by Nargis Dutt over Satyajit Ray films. Now I am not as well versed as some of my other colleagues who give the comment numbers that they refer.

Well, let me put forth my views of Hind Cinema. My first movie was probably the very first parallel movie made under the banner of RK productions. I am not sure how many of the fellow bloggers would have seen Boot Polish. It was on slum life and I have not seen any movie as touching and as thought provoking about our larger section of people who live in those conditions!

I think there are two or may be three kinds of movies - one for pure entertainment value, second for socail messages and third for mainly historical passion! I would tend to put most of your movies in the first and a few in the second and probably you still have to do a film on historical perspective.

True the larger section of audience and film producers work on the first type of films, a few take up the second option and rarely does someone make a movie with history as the major background! If I would be asked what is my first priority when I go and watch a movie, I would not hesitate to state that I consider the cast as an important aspect, I first want to see some talented actors then it should possibly have a good gripping story and lastly but not the least if it could relate to some issues of life not necessarily of good, bad or ugly.

Among your movies Anad and Abhimaan and Namakharaam the first three movies that I got to watch were outstanding they can beat Znajeer, Sholay and Deewar, again these are my perception they could be wrong and I a not here to force my likes onto others! so no harm intended and possibly some of the new movies which may not be as highly acclaimed as some of the movies of seventies are also worth a view - These include Black, Viruddh, Sarkar, Mohabbatein, Baghbaan, Khakee, Kabhi khushi kabhi gham and Bhootnath.

Tomorrow, I have some plans to write some article on Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan in English about his autobiography in four parts, I prefer celebrating birthdays in that manner. I knwo I had earlier planned a visit to your residence and later saw the futility of such a exercise.

A very good day to you and hopefully you are having a wonderful time despite all this hulabloo over the last two days! Have a smile it does not cost us anything it only pleases the others. I am very poor at smiling, I am all the time in a serious mood! I know I am not a perfect human being and circumstances have not helped me much to change. The saddest thing has been my failure to uphold my resolve to quit smoking! I am further saddened by the fact that I had associated and roped my dead brother into the resolve. I hope his soul rests in Peace and forgives me his younger brother, I know he would he had a big heart!

Abhaya Sharma, India January 17 2009

Media is Trying to Paint you Differently!

Dearest Brother,
Regards once again,

As I was telling you something I notice how the missed letter can ruin the very meaning of a phrase very trifle is actually to be read as every trifle.

Kyaa baat hai, Hindi akhbaaron ne to aapki havaai yatra ke havaai kile hi bana dale, poor fellows they could not differentiate between a story and an actual incidence. Not their fult someone would have told them that you mentioned such a story on your blog and later it might have transpired by word of mouth to the press who peacefully assumed that you would have been the central character of the story!

Forget Hindi folks what is the English understanding media doing when they present my or Wordsmith’s or some other bloggers views as your own views. If I do not like my country to be painted in black or brown on the silver it is my statement and my perception and Amitabh Bachchan may or may not agree to that view. I had cited Salaam Bombay for comparison after wrongly giving my views after reading what Mr. Wordsmith had to say. I should first see a movie before posting my comments on it!

It is all right, I may not go back on my words if slumdog does depict India or Mumbai in poor light. I have a greater fear that since it is a film made by a Briton, it might even get an Oscar! The movie actually may be very good and after seeing I might appreciate it as well!

But I would not change my stance on using the powerful medium of cinema to depict my country in shambles! If someone can help us with means and methods to eradicate the evils of our society they are welcome but just reminding us what majority of India looks like is no solution it is a poor propagation ( as it is only the half of the story ) of the state of a state and nothing more. Someone should make a movie on Raju ramalingam though it does reflect poorly on us it still tells the world thatIndia is such ahuge country that one man or company could cheat to the level of billions. It definitely would suggest to the world that India has such huge investors and income from the IT sector! I am not supporting Raju, how can I when I do not like Mukesh Ambani, who rightfully makes a billion dollar mansion for a handful!

Again I must add here that we Indians are not very rich like West, we are not knowing what it means to be rich! If having lot of money could mean to be rich I feel there would be n numbers of Indians who are very rich, so much so that they count among world’s richest man Ambani brothers and a hand few others have proved that some Indians could actually be stinking rich!

For me richness comes from culture and with a heavy heart I feel and observe that we have failed to have a culture of our own ever after we were subjected to hundred years of british rule! Our genes have been changed during those years, our thinking and values deteriorated beyond repair! When West is following the Vedas and Yoga we Indians seem to be cueing up to behave in the western mannerism that too half heartedly!

There is a serious aspect of what is media trying to paint you, they have known it all along that you are a hot product, the number of Ads where you featured also points them to that thinking. Is that industry looking back in time and taking a shot at you on every possible opportunity to cast you differently than what you actually are! They were at receiving end when Amitabh Bachchan had surfaced as the biggest product of Hindi Cinema and they could not encash that popularity as you had closed the doors on them, rightfully or wrongly is not their concern!

Samay ka chakki chalati hi jaati hai, those who are trying to grind you today would also be on the receving end on another day!

I have a small request that wherever you may be on January 18 you try to find sometime and make some arrangements for some of the news channels to make it possible to air your views on Dr. Bachchan’s death anniversary! Poets like him do not die even in their physical death. I would very mch like you to say few words on him and possibly read some relevant lines from Madhushala -

मुसलमान औ’ हिन्दू है दो, एक, मगर, उनका प्याला,
एक, मगर, उनका मदिरालय, एक, मगर, उनकी हाला,
दोनों रहते एक न जब तक मस्जिद मन्दिर में जाते,
बैर बढ़ाते मस्जिद मन्दिर मेल कराती मधुशाला!।५०।

More later
Abhaya Sharma, India, Jauary 16 2009.

Thanks a Lot! AB

Respected Broher,
Thanks a ton!
Oh! you want me to get killed out of joy, I can not digest that I could hear from you on two consecutive days! Something I can not really repay by any amount of contribution to this site! I don’t know how it feels to be so close to you even in words!

It is interesting, it is quite interesting that you take interest in some of the writings which are not directed at getting response from you! I am in peace with myself and hopefully would behave more normally after a week or two! I will have withdrawal symptom of nicotine for atleast a week! i will be more easily irritable I will not be able to find sybchronicity in my thought and action! I will also probably not be able to express myself as clearly atleast till the blood level of nicotine is controlled to come to lower levels and I get used to newer lower levels! By forcefully keeping away from it!

True your words on suich occasion would do a job of wonderful support. I am now very keen to be of some help to the society if possible, I had offered my services for Dr. Bachchan’s memorial. I think Mumbai probably may not be the real place that can be associated with him, probably New Delhi sounds better as Allahabad could not be considered suitable for smaller populations and more for the reason that Dr. Bachchan though born in Allahabad had actually had much greater and important stay in Delhi. I would only be able to visit the meorial in such eventualities.

However, I do not mind if you could set up a small collection of his books at some place in Mumbai where people could come and read them, a sort of reference library! do you now know my intial request for such a madhushla -

here it goes
मधुशाला के पन्नों पर ही
लिखी मैने मधुशाला
मधुशाला था नाम दिया पर कर्म था उसका ग्रन्थाला
…
धूम मचा कर रख देगी
जिस जगह बनेगी मधुशाला

I think I should try to be shorter this time! I liked the PS part explaining the acronyms, it is quite a scientific way of writing! The account of movie theatre was quite absorbing and that such freaks exist in every part of the world was a solace of some sort!

These New pictures and the quotation at th etop are very interesting more so for their source in siberia, our sincere thanks to Zhenya for her wonderful gifts!

Quite an observation about top 10 movies of the year and 4 featring the three important Bachchans and each appearing in atleast two of the movies, quite good! Hope your family continues to entertain the cinemagoers with the same zest serving them with what could be considered good, better and best। (Smiling!)

I would call it a day! I know it must be very chilly out there and maybe quite enjoyable as well as you probably can enjoy partial freedom of moving aroundin London! have nice time, do not worry if you are not back in India on January 18।

पर खुशी से नाचने को पांव मेरे
उस समय तक है नही तैयार जब तक
गीत अपना मैं नही सुनता किसी
गंगोजमुं के तीर फिरते बाबले से

अंग से मेरे लगा तू अंग ऎसे आज तू भी बोल मेरे ही गले से

तथा अंत में एक छोटी सी कविता जो 5 अक्टूबर को लिखी थी, शायद आपने पहले भी पढ़ी हो -
यह रात लेकर सुबह नई आयेगी
तम छट चुका होगा प्रभा फिर छायेगी
ज्ञात होगा कोकिला सुर में दुबारा जाएगी
इस धरा पर आज फिर से धुन कॊई बजायेगी
हाथ में अपने लिये नव अस्त्र- शास्त्र
फिर दुर्गा भवानी आएगी फिर से जगत me
नव शांति की स्थापना कर जायेगी
हम अभय का रूप धर कर जी सकेनेगे
जी चाहेगा अमृत पी सकेंगेंस्वर्ग की हम कल्पना कर भी के मानव फिर से जीवन जी सकेंगें
यह रात लेकर सुबह नई आयेगीतम छट चुका होगा प्रभा फिर छायेगी
अभय शर्मा, भारत, 5 अक्टूबर 2008 09.09 घंटेAbhaya Sharma, India, January 12 2009, 22:59 Hrs IST.

Observations- Here and There

आज मुझे ताप है, अभी-अभी क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं पूरी पढ ली गई- 10 जनवरी 2009 को रात्रि के दस बज रहे है, इसके साथ ही कविवर बच्चन की आत्मकथा के चारों खंड मैने पढ़ लिये है । ताप शायद मुझे इसलिये भी है कि मेरे दस वर्षीय पुत्र अमृत को ताप है और मेरा ताप इस बात का भी द्योतक हो सकता है कि डॉक्टर बच्चन के प्रथम खंड कॊ ही पहले क्यों ना पढा । मधुशाला के रचना काल, श्यामा जी की कवि के प्रति उदार छवि कवि का उनके लिये अपार अटूट प्रेम साथ ही अनेक महत्वपूर्ण घटनाओं का दस्तावेज यह खंड मैने दो बार शुरु करके बीच में ही छोड रखा था। मुख्य रूप से श्यामा जी के प्रति मन मे अपार श्रद्धा उमडती है वे न चाहती थीं कि किसी भी प्रकार का वज्रपात चाहे वह उनकी मरणासन्न अवस्था से ही क्यों न संबधित हो बच्चन जी को विचलित न कर दे, उन्हे अपने ध्येय से न डिगा दे, शायद आपरेशन से पहले कि उनकी वह अंतिम मुस्कान कवि को आधार देना चाहती थी जिसके चलते वह कविता लिखना ना छोडें। जॊ कुछ घटित होता है उसे ऎसे ही घटित होना होता है बहुत ही मामूली सा फेरबदल इसमें हो सकता है ।

कल 11 जनवरी को स्वर्गीय आलोक दा का जन्मदिन है, कल 9 जनवरी को उनका नाम सिर्फ़ डॉक्टर हर गोबिंद खोराना के साथ जोडने में एक त्रुटि रह गई, वास्तव में डॉक्टर बच्चन का भी प्रथम परिचय मुझे आलोक दा ने ही दिया था, मन्ना डे के स्वर में मधुशाला का कैसेट तो मैने बहुत बाद को खरीदा पाकेट बुक साइज़ में मधुशाला से मेरा परिचय दिल्ली आने के कुछ ही महीनों में हो गया था। मुझे ऎसा याद पडता है कि आलोक दा मधुशाला अक्सर ही गुनगुनाते हुये पढते थे शायद कुछ एक छंद उन्हे जबानी याद थे, यह हो सकता है कि शायद इसके पहले उनका परिचय पाठ्यक्रम में पथ की पहचान अथवा धर्मयुग के किसी संस्करण में अवश्य हो चुका था। शायद उससे भी पहले पारिवारिक स्तर पर हुआ हो तो ठीक ठीक याद नही, सात हिन्दुस्तानी के बारे में सुन रखा था शायद इसी संदर्भ में कभी कुछ चर्चा हुई हो तो कह नही सकता ।

जिस परिचय की मै यहां चर्चा कर रहा हूं उसका अर्थ मात्र यह जानकारी रखना नही कि अमुक कवि हुये है बल्कि उनके प्रति एक प्रकार की आस्था एक प्रकार से आकर्षित होने का भाव जागने से संबधित है। यहां यह बताना भी उचित रहेगा कि मै यह भी जानता था कि आनंद के बाबू मोशाय उनके ही पुत्र थे, अगर मेरा अमिताभ के प्रति आकर्षित होने के कारण में कवि का योगदान रहा हो तो इसका ठीक ठीक या सही उत्तर मेरे पास नही है। फिर भी इसमें संदेह नही कि बाद में पिता पुत्र दोनो में ही मेरी रुचि अभिरुचि में क्रमशः विकास होता रहा। बहरहाल आलोक दा को मन्ना डे व मधुशाला दोनो प्रिय थे, जब हमारे यहां टेप रिकार्डर उपलब्ध हुआ तब मैने जिन कैसेटस को खरीदा था उनमें से एक मन्ना डे की मधुशाला का भी था । विशेष रूप से मैने आलोक दा को प्रसन्न करने के लिये ही यह खरीदा था। यह तो मुझे बाद को पता चला कि परिवार में सभी को मधुशाला प्रिय थी।

पोर्ट ब्लेयर में सन 1973 में शायद संत तुलसीदास की 300वीं जयंती थी ठीक याद नही, मैने अपनी 14 वर्ष की अल्पावस्था में पहली कविता लिखी थी जिसका शीर्षक तुलसी महिमा था, कविता तो मुझे अब याद नही है अब उसका अंत ही याद है – सोरों का था संत महान । यही एकमात्र कविता मेरी प्रकाशित भी हुई, जिसके लिये मुझे दिल्ली पहुंचने पर हिंदी अध्यापक श्री केशव देव पांडे ने कक्षा में खडा करके पूछा था – कविता भी लिखते हो अनायास ही मेरे मुंह से नही सर निकल गया था, उन्होने ही बताया कि हिंदी पत्रिका में मेरी कविता छपी है, इस बात का मुझे पता नही था अपने प्रति सभी सहपाठियों की आंखे घूमते देख मन को बहुत अच्छा लगा था । बाद में जब मेरे हिंदी में 150 में से मात्र 102, अर्थात 68 प्रतिशत पांडे जी को मुझसे अधिक अफ़सोस हुआ, उन्होने कह था कि मैने उनके सारे किये कराये पर पानी फेर दिया था, वे जानबूझकर मुझे हिंदी में कम अंक देते थे कि कहीं मै सिर पर ना चढ जाऊ, उन्हे मुझसे 75 प्रतिशत से अधिक की उम्मीद थी, उन्हे इस बात का क्या इल्म रहा होगा कि इम्तहानॊं के एक माह पूर्व मैने हिंदी ही नही अंग्रेजी का भी मुंह तक नही देखा था, अधिक समय गणित या बाकी समय फिसिक्स- कैमिस्ट्री के अतिरिक्त मैने कुछ भी नही पढा, उन्हे मुझसे अधिक की अपेक्षा थी इस बात की आज तक खुशी होती है ।

बात कहां से चली और कहां पहुंच गई, डॉक्टर बच्चन भी तुलसीदास के अनन्य प्रशंसक थे अपनी आत्मकथा में अखंड रामायण पाठ के बारे में तथा उससे भी अधिक अनेकानेक स्थानों पर उनसे ली गई पंक्तियां इस बात को पुख्ता बनाती हैं। संयोगवश यहां यह बता देना चाहता हूं कि हमारी मां प्रतिदिन रामचरित मानस का पाठ किये बिना अन्न ग्रहण नही करती थीं। अब याद नही किस वर्ष की बात है एक दिन अपने किसी जन्मदिन पर मैं अकेला ही अखंड रामायण (रामचरित मानस) के पाठ में जुट गया था घर के लोगों को बाद में पता चला जब मैं एक घंटे से अधिक पाठ कर चुका था। मां को पता चला तो शायद मन में उन्हे बहुत प्रसन्नता हुईं होगी । कोई अवसर अपने किसी अन्य कार्य से उन्हे प्रसन्न करने के मुझे कम ही मिलें । सुविधायें जुटाई गईं परिवार के सभी सदस्यों ने भी यथायोग्य सहयोग दिया, अखंड रामायण में रात के पहर का पाठ सर्वाधिक कष्टप्रद होता है, उसके लिये कुछ भाइयों ने आपस में तय कर ऎसा प्रबंध कर लिया था कि रात के पाठ की जिम्मेदारी किसकी होगी । यह मेरा सबसे अद्भुत जन्म दिन था जो मुझे आज भी याद है ।

अमृत की तबीयत कुछ ज्यादा खराब प्रतीत हो रही है उसे देखने के लिये मै यहां एक छोटा सा ब्रेक लेना उचित समझता हूं , सिद्धिविनायक का स्त्रोत उसको पढ़ कर सुना दिया है, प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं तथा कुछ अन्य स्त्रोत मै प्रति रात्रि अमृत को सोते समय इस आशय से सुनाता हूं कि भयावह स्वपनादि उसको नींद में परेशान न करें, कभी अपने लिये हनुमान चालीसा का पाठ किया करता था। यहां बम्बई में सिद्धिविनायक की महिमा अपरम्पार है अमृत के जन्म से पूर्व उनकी शरण में प्रत्येक मंगलवार को मै जाता ही था तथा उसका विशेष लाभ भी हुआ, विशेष सहायक तथा शीघ्र ही प्रसन्न होने वाले गणेश जी की कृपा अमृत पर सदा ही बनी रहे मेरी उनसे यही प्रार्थना है एक यही कामना है ।

आज की वार्ता समाप्त करने से पहले अगर मै भाईसाहब (अमिताभ बच्चन) के प्रति अपना विशेष आभार प्रकट नही करता हूं तो वह धृष्टता होगी – आज संक्षेप में ही सही उनके शब्दों ने मेरा दिल जीत लिया है, मेरे आज सुबह के लेख पर जो प्रतिक्रिया उन्होने व्यक्त की है मै उसका अधिकारी तो नही पर आभारी अवश्य हूं ।

Thank you, very touching and emotional .. ADHBHUT !!

यह मेरे लिये अत्यंत ही सौभाग्य की बात है, अभी कुछ दिन पहले ही उनके ब्लाग पर कुछ पढ कर मन को ऎसा लगा था कि जैसे मै कसूरवार हूं । कल हैमलॆट का जिक्र कर और आज डाक्टर बच्चन पर लिखी एक पुरानी कविता, जो 23 दिसंबर को लिखी थी, उनकी प्रतिक्रिया से मन गदगद हो गया है, उन्होने अवश्य ही मुझे अपना अनुज स्वीकार कर लिया है ऎसा कुछ कुछ आभास हो रहा है। आलोक दा के पर्याय के रुप में मै उनको देखता हूं मिलने मिलाने की आशा मुझमें अधिक तीव्र नही है। इससे उनके प्रति सम्मान या आदर में कुछ घटाना जोडना मुझे अनुचित लगता है। हां यदि कभी अवसर लग ही गया तो उनके चरण स्पर्श कर आशीर्वाद अवश्य लेना चाहूंगा, इस आशय से भी कि वे एक विशाल व्यक्तित्व के स्वामी ही नही स्वयं डाक्टर बच्चन के ज्येष्ठ पुत्र भी है।

मेरे शरीर का बढा हुआ तापमान आपके द्वारा मेरी प्रत्याशा से कहीं अधिक बढ कर व्यक्त प्रतिक्रिया भी हो सकती है, अगर कोई खुशी में रो सकता है (अत्यंत भाव विभोर होकर) तब क्या मेरा मामूली स ज्वर मेरी सुखानुभूति के साथ नही जोडा जा सकता, यह ज्वर तो उस सुखानुभूति का परिणाम है जिसका संबंध आपके अभिव्यक्त भावों से है । मुझे लगता है कि यह ताप इस बात का भी द्योतक है कि आज मेरी प्रसन्नता की कोई सीमा नही है। मेरे लिये यह एक अत्यंत सुखद अनुभूति है कि आपने मेरे विचारों एवं कविता को पढा ही नही बल्कि उन्हे सराहनीय भी समझा, यह आपका बडप्पन है कि आपने मेरे को सराहने योग्य समझा अपनी वास्तविकता से मै सर्वदा अपरिचित तो नही, भाव आपको पसंद आये इस बात का हर्ष सदा ही रहेगा । आगे भी मै कुछ ऎसा लिख सकूं जो आपको पसंद आये ऎसी विनती मेरी ईश्वर से बनी रहेगी।

मैने आत्मकथा में कहीं पढा था कि डाक्टर बच्चन अपनी बीमारी की स्थिति में भी काव्य रचना से पीछे नही हटते थे तथा इस प्रकार अपने रोग को भी साध लेते थे, उनका अपना विश्वास था कि ऎसे समय या उस अवस्था में उनके भावों को अधिक निखार मिलता था। उनकी हर बात निराली है इसीलिये कविता उनकी मतवाली है ।

अभय शर्मा 10 जनवरी 2009 23.50 रात्रि प्रहर
( प्रकाशित 11-12 जनवरी 2009 01.24 घंटे भारत)

पुनश्चः यह तय कर पाना कि आत्मकथा के चरों खंडों में सबसे अधिक प्रिय कौन सा खंड लगा कहना मेरे लिये दुष्कर होगा, नीड का निर्माण फिर मैने पहले पढा उसकी उपलब्धता के कारण, उसके बाद एक समय पर बसेरे से दूर, क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं साथ साथ शुरु करे, पहले बसेरे से दूर पढा बाद में कुछ दिनों क्या भूलूं के साथ दशद्वार से सोपान तक चलता रहा, अमिताभ बच्चन का अधिक वर्णन अंतिम खंड में अपेक्षित था इसलिये क्या भूलूं फिर पिछड गया । आज जब क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं का पठन पूर्ण हो गया है युवा कवि बच्चन और मधुशाला की ललाई के साथ साथ श्यामा जी के चित्रण में इसका दूसरा अर्धांश अत्यंत प्रियकर लगा। इसके अतिरिक्त विदेश मंत्रालय के कार्यकाल में यूरोप तथा अन्य विदेश यात्राओं का उल्लेखनीय वर्णन भी काफ़ी पसंद आया । कुछ एक जगह ऎसा भी लगा कि कुछ घटनायें अतिव्यक्तिगत होने के कारण सम्मिलित न की जातीं तो शायद अधिक उचित होता, कविवर बच्चन की आत्मकथा पढने से पहले मेरा विशेष परिचय मात्र मधुशाला अथवा नैट पर उपलब्ध कविताओं तक सीमित था उनके जीवन के कुछ पहलू वास्तव में अनुकरणीय है । अधिकांश भाग में गद्य में भी पद्य जैसी ही उनकी महारत दिखाई पडती है। यह आत्मकथा पढने के बाद उनके प्रति श्रद्धा बढ गई है, उनकॊ अधिक पढने के लिये भी मन अवश्य ही प्रेरित हुआ है ।

अभय शर्मा, 10 जनवरी 2009.

Amitabh - Unparallel and Uncomparable

Respected Brother,

Sadar Charan Sparsh,
What an ordeal for makeup test! I wonder how many times you would have undergone this face uplift and how often you would have had to undergo the same turmoil over and over again. What I could not grasp was the situation or rather the scene, my ineptness to understand english!

Well, The chores of making a film or rather to act in a film could be putting up one to somewhat a stiff test was what i could derive! Of what Aamir achieved now you achieved in your heydays without much bla-bla or advertising, without any reviews to your credit without even self-explanation and yes with the word of mouth the public would understand and rate a Deewar like only Deewar a Sholay like only a Sholay or even a Zanjeer or a Trishul, Don Kala Patthar in their own perspective of viewership by millions. We were a smaller population then, we were also always short of cash, we did not indulge or expected to experiment too much too often! we were streamlined to see only the best and best you were! Amitabh Bachchan of the Seventies was much above the Amitabh Bachchan of this blog the rest are no comparison.

Now, now one minute I think I am getting lost into a sycophancy mood which I never did to anyone, I put an end to my good words but that does not deny that Amitabh I knew was taller than himself, he was an achiever of what could not be achieved, he was not a demi god he was the god himself. Again I slip from my stand of being neutral and being praiseworthy yet I only praise what actually deserves praise.

I know it well in my mind and body that Amitabh of those days was lost after one fine day when he suffered the fateful blow on the set of Coolie. They say every good thing has to come to an end, so we believed and so we now presume is the routine of times - of good and bad!

I am not here to recount or live with your past glory that has actually immortalised you in the minds of not only indians but man and woman of several other countries, of people who may not understand what you were speaking as long as they could see what you were doing on the screen. How otherwise does one explain the nostalgia over Amitabh movies of Gisele Gomez Barbosa of America or rather Senegal. Of several enthusiasts making unforgettable tour really an unforgettable experience for themselves as well as you! Kuchh baat to hai aapke chehare mein, ek ajeeb si kashish hai jo sab ko apani ore kheenche liye jaati hai!

I think I must not take away the credits from Shahrukh, Aamir or Akshay they deserve their spaces too but phenomena like Amitabh Bachchan and Kapil Dev ( it is from his words that I have taken some of these names!) happen once in a life time. I do not deny that Dilip Sahab, Dev sahab and late Raj Kapoor Sahab made a good triumvariate of early Hindi Cinema, Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna had their own cups of glory for me even Shammi kapoor and Rajkumar had their own standards of success. In the same vein for Cricket, no one can deny the greatness of Vinu Mankad, Gavaskar or Sachin in the world of Cricket but contribution of Kapil Dev is above all.

To sum it up all despite the presence of brillaince in any field some achieve Brilliance beyond what brilliance could actually define the brilliance to be. To be an Amitabh Bachchan or not to be is a difficult proposition, I admit that even you would not be able to repeat your performances if God granted you the boon to be granted to slip again to the age of 35.

Well, I write here as if there is no other man or woman who has to write or whose works you have to read, I sometimes pity myself that I continue to write without knowing whether it is readable or likable at all!

Today I am most likely to complete the first volume of autobiography of Dr. Bachchan which in turn completes the reading of the four volumes of his autobiography. I must add here that I had only seriously read Madhushala before taking this plunge into his prose work. Reading of Madhushala alone had reserved a high pedestal for Dr. Bachchan in my mind. In that sense he is a bigger achiever though not acclaimed as big or as high as you may be considered in this world! I plan to present some of his work on my blog or maybe on Giseles website. I have decided to quit the abhayasharma.net for I am not able to get anywhere with that rather for the intrusion and virus, spyware infection that it has constantly received.

Long Live Dr. Bachchan Long live his Madhushala!

Abhaya Sharma, India, January 10 2009, 09:08 Hours IST

ab says: January 10, 2009 at 12:09 pm thank you.. very touching and emotional… ADHBHUT !![7:53:34 PM] Abhaya Sharma says: These were the comments from brother! He wrote comments for only three persons on day 261, my commnets are at number 103.

The commnets had the poem on Dr. Bachchan that I had composed on 23rd December. One can read it here on this blog also

Professor Har Gobind Khorana & Alok Da

Respected Brother,

Love, regards and good times!

I am here as I could get a reply on my unfounded apprehensions of being the culprit- the lone wretch. In your silence and more in talking of Hamlet you conveyed that Abhaya is after all not unwelcome on your blog.

Before I go any further, I must tell you and fellow bloggers that - Today, January 9 happens to be the 86th Birthday of my scientific Guru - Nobel laureate of 1968 for Physiology or Medicine - Professor Har Gobind Khorana of the depratment of Chemsitry and Biology at The famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT in short.

Well, I have not met Professor Khorana nor have had any communication with him yet that does not change my love, regards and respect for the big achiever. Nobel Prize is only notional, his contribution is significant for his untiring service to the world of research- that at this age he not only actively indulges in the scientific pursuit but also publishes his work in the most prominent of scientifc literature. It speaks volumes for his great love for the science.

I once went all the way to Bose Institute of Sience to meet D. Parul Chakrabarti- her credentials - she had worked with Professor Khorana. She was taken by surprise and asked I should have atleast informed her of my coming, she could well have been out of town or unavailable. I told her it was all right for I knew where there is a will there is a way! I did spend few days in her laboratory and had later gone to Allahabad University before returning to Bareilly. It also had another side of the story. My people in Delhi had telephoned BARC in Bombay and were told that I had gone home! which I had not reached as I was in Calcutta, Allahabad! There was chaos all around. One of my brother - Mahendra Sharma did reach Anand Bhavan to find out what could be wrong and one friend who actually knew my programme did not disclose it to him, for god knows what reasons or what motives! It ia all right! Jo beet gai so baat gai.

Professor Khorana belongs to both the depratements of Chemistry and Biology at MIT. I had never read biology after the eighth standard but was deeply willing to learn the subject. In fact I did read lot of molecular biology in pursuit of my work in BRIT. The most plausibleo or a possible reason for my great love for him was my elder brother Alok Sharma - unfortunately he was shot down by som intruders in 1994. He had this secret desire to be someone like Professor Khorana, he was good at both biology and organic chemistry and I did continue my B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry despite getting a call from BITS Pilani and later went on to complete M.Sc. in organic chemistry. So much for an elder brother who had arranged for some tuitions for me during my B.Sc. and M.Sc. days, his birthday follows in another couple of days on January 11. I sometimes regeret that I did not visit him often during his Ankleshwar days where he met the fateful end. I was an amateur palmistry enthusiast and foolishly I had once asked him not to indulge in any fight-sight at a particular age while reading his palm. Alok da asked me why! and the unexpected left my tongue - I had pronounced - Murder ho sakata hai! could you beleive what would have been my condition when I came to hear the news on that morning of 18th March 1994. bas main pagal nahi ho gaya yahi ganimat hai. I sometimes feel that he was the best person in the family a hero in the family!

Oh! I had started with Khorana and dragged on to my brother, nothing wrong as I was initiated into my love for Khorana for him. May his soul rest in peace!

I am thankful for being able to air my sane and insane views on this blog. I do find it as the most interesting phase of my life! Please bear with me for some more time as I find an exceptional listener in you - the silent listener who acts without actually replying. I think I needed a replacement for Alok da in my life and I have no hesitaton in telling you that when I address you as brother on this blog, I sometimes do have Alok da on my mind. You may laugh at me! he was only three or maybe four years elder to me and you are of the age of my eldest sister Shashi Bala Sharma - poor she, she is also not with us today! More of her some other time.

I wish that you have nice time in London. My yonger sister Rajyashree lives at Townmead Road of South West London, No, you don’t have to go and meet her, I just mentioned it here for some of my English friends at the blog - The Rose, Reshmi, Dr. Shashi Mohan Sharma and the big collector of your pictures Kishore Bhat. I do not know whether these fellow bloggers make an attempt to meet you in person! whether do they stand a chance, I think it does not really matter. I have been in Mumbai for more than 27 years, did not feel the necessity of meetig someone I had loved all along my life from the times I first saw Anand in Port Blair. Physical meetings will never matter especially when a beautiful relationship exists in thought and now prospers so very well through this blog!

More later
Love unabated

Abhaya Sharma, India, January 9, 2009 12:15 Hours IST.

Dr. Bachchan and Kapil Dev

आदरणीय भाईसाहब,
सादर प्रणाम,
इधर कई दिनॊं से कविता तो लिखीं पर कथानक हिंदीं में न लिखा था सोचा अज इस कमी के भी पूर्ति कर दी जाय, कल कई सारे पन्ने क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं के पढ डाले, उसके बद कुछ लिखने का मन हुआ कलम द्वारा रात को लिखकर आज टाइप किया, यहां प्रस्तुत कर रहा हुं - कुछ शब्द य कहिये पुनश्च वाला भाग असंगत लगे, फिर भी आज से जुडे रहने के उद्देश्य से ही यहां लिख दिया -
डॉक्टर बच्चन की आत्मकथा पढते हुये यह बोध अवश्य हो रहा है कि वे किस महान प्रवृति के असाधारण मनुष्य रहे होंगें । उनके जीवन में कितनी यंत्रणायें उन्होने भोगी, कितने कष्ट उठाये या किन परिस्थितियों के चलते उन्होने उच्च शिक्षा ग्रहण की यह सब जानने के पश्चात उनकी साधना एवं लगन के प्रति आज नतमस्तक होने को जी चाहता है ।
सुलभ प्राप्त अवसर, सुनिश्चित दिनचर्या तथा स्वतंत्र भारत में पल-बढने के बाद भी विकास या प्रगति के मार्ग पर स्वयं अपने आप को अत्यंत दयनीय स्थिति में पाता हूं । मानसिक स्तर पर उच्च कोटि का विकास डॉक्टर बच्चन ने सहज ही प्राप्त कर लिया इस सोच वाले कदाचित सत्य से परिचित न होंगे।

विसंगतियों, कठिनाइयों य मुश्किलों के जिस दौर से वे गुजरे शायद वे सभी उनकी तपस्या में सहायक ही सिद्ध हुये होंगे, एक कहावत है सोने के गहने बनाने के लिये पहले उसे गलाना पडता है, डॉक्टर बच्चन के संघर्ष ने उनकी प्रतिभा को चार चांद लगा दिये, वे अनन्य हैं ।

अभय शर्मा, 6 जनवरी 2009

पुनश्चः आज भारतीय क्रिकेट इतिहास के सबसे प्रतिभाशाली खिलाडी कपिल देव की 50वी वर्षगांठ है, वे 1983 में विश्व कप क्रिकेट जीतने वाले एक्मात्र कप्तान हैं, आज भारतीय क्रिकेट बोर्ड उनकी अवहेलना मात्र इसलिये कर रहा है कि उन्होने आई सी एल की स्थापना की, वाह मेरे भारत, तुम्हारा जबाव नही – कहना तो यह चाहिये कि कपिल तुम्हारा जबाव नही । इस अवसर पर मंसूर अली खान पटौदी द्वारा दी हिदायत कि हॉकी की जगह क्रिकेट को अपना राष्ट्रीय खेल मान लेना चाहिये सोचकर हंसी आती है जिस देश में कपिल देव जैसे खिलाडी के उपेक्षा हो उससे इस तरह की उम्मीद रखना बेबुनियादी है। वैसे भी क्रिकेट कितने देश खेलते है या आज भी राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर चल रही रणजी प्रतियोगिता देखने कितने महान क्रिकेट प्रेमी मैदान पर पहुंचते है कोइ इनसे जाकर पूछे । किसी ने सच ही कहा है अगर सभी जगह साधारण चिडिया दिखाई देंगी तो क्या मयूर के सर से राष्ट्रीय पक्षी का ताज जा सकता है, मै लुप्त प्रायः होते राष्ट्रीय पशु बाघ के विषय में सोच कर दुविधा में हूं कहीं कल गली के कुत्तों को ही राष्ट्रीय पशु का दरजा देने की बात ही हमारे सिर ना आन पडे । मेरा आशय क्रिकेट या अन्य किसी खेल अथवा पशु-पक्षी की अवहेलना करना नही है अपने मानदंडों के प्रति सचेत रहना आवश्यक है कल कहीं महात्मा गांधी की जगह राहुल गांधी को हमें राष्ट्र-पिता मानने को बाध्य न होना पड जाये। जागो भारत जागो ।

Bachchanalia and Advertising!

Respected Brother,

Sadar charan sparsh,
First of al congratulations on the release of Bachchanalia - the book by Bhawana somayya. I just entered the title on google to ptobably find out where I could buy it, if at all i could buy it, i presume it would be priced exorbitantly and might force me to ignore the call of my heart to buy it.

I have this hidden desire of translating works of Dr. Bachchan but that could wait if i could associate myself with Bachchanalia first. I do not have any huge credibility as a translator, so you have the right to deny me the choice, I would do it for my personal use anyway to satisfy my involvement with the Living legend.

The first link I got to see was from a Pakistan News - here is the linkhttp://www.apakistannews.com/bachchanalia-a-book-dedicated-to-amitabh-released-98502

Does ths means that we could look upto you to unite the neighbouring Pakistan into our outfit of United States of Indian Subcontinent (USIS), that I beleive could compare itself with something of the order of European community. Give it a thought.

Your description of the event at Tata Theatre was exciting, only I was not aware otherwise I could have been there to witness the event. Though I again believe it would have been by invitation and scientists do not find invitations to such huge events by just ambition! Congratulations for the release of book, I am assured it would serve the appetite of your fans and followers and lovers alike.

I would like you to fulfill one of the dreams of Dr. Bachchan though it is a nearly impossible given the stampede that results your physical presence. I am hinting at his secret desire that someday you would enact Hamlet translated by him on the stage. I have a suggestion that you could prepare for the play just like a movie and shoot it for television and without informing general public make arrangements for its stage show at Tata Theatre drawing the audience only by iinvitation. I would not mind if I am not on the list of invitees yet would love if I could get this small favour after nearly six months of my assoication with your blogsite.

I would see if I could lay my hands at the book Bachchanalia or atleast hire it from some library. This goes without saying that I definitely would be interested in getting to read it at the earliest. As such I am almost finishing the first volume of the Dr. Bachchan's autobiography. I had purchased some classics during the last few days of the 2008 from Inorbit Croosroads. i would go and try to find the Bachchanalia there. maybe I could buy it, read, do the translation and then sell it back, if possible at reduced rate.

How was your stress test. Hopefully it had nothing of great concern to follow! I feel there is always a possibility of keeping a good track of one's health and someone blessed with the strict sense of discipline need not be augured to make it possible. You are a hallmark of a nation that you have a duty towards its development is again not my sermon but a simple request.

I somehow feel that there are lot of extra spending that India does on advertising and sometimes advertisement times on our television overshadows the actual program or contents, including our news channels. I for one believe that if a product is good it would make a name for itself irrespective of its advertising expenses. Many a times even good advertising can not dictate a good market for a shallow project or product. It is time that we wake up and reduce the cost of advertiements in our country. I consider it as a non-productive expenditure. I certainly feel that the national expenditure we exert by SMS for several channels and programs like Indian Idol is also a baseless and futile expenditure that could be curbed. if we really need to genrate opinions we could use Internet for that purpose.

Again I would not have aired my opinions here as explicitly as I do if I somehow felt that it was useless or rather worthless exercise. I feel otherwise must be clear for my sticking to the job of contributing here. I have discontinued my website as it faced unexpected wrath of intruders, hackers and Cyber criminals. I have no regrets as this does not mean I can not promote my thoughts from other avenues. As such there were several proposals from kiths and kins to deviate away from making photos and information about family on the net the way I had done. It is all right, I have learned the lesson and i announce the victory for those agencies who wanted me to close my website as if I was fighting a battle with them! I feel hurt but not defeated, I am grieved but not affected. I am here by choice, if someday I have to leave it would again be by choice or so I believe.

You can initiate the plan to enact Hamlet on the fifth death anniversary of Dr, Bachchan, I had earlier planned to visit prateeksha and had a glance of his belongings there but now I have given up the hope as it does not serve any great purpose, it would be far more important for me to promote and publicise the works of Dr. Bachchan in whatever little capacity and whatever limited resources. Hopefully I would find means and methods to be successful in my venture. Audio books also cross my mind as I realise these days people do not have much time to read, if his autobiographies could be made avaiable in this new formats there may be several enthusiasts who would get benefitted from the works of Dr. Bachchan, who could be having better voice than you when it comes to narration. I remember that your voice entered the industry before you created the angry young man image of the seventies. If I remeber right it was Bhuvan Shome where your great voice was utilised for the first time. I also remeber Shatranj Ke Khiladi where your services were hired by the biggest film maker in the country- the inimitable Satyajit Ray.

Abrupt end once again
To continue later
Abhaya Sharma, India January 5 2009, 10:58 Hours IST.