The Bold and the Bland ......

I am elated about 2015 , despite the bitter and regrettable aftertaste of 2014 , this is an year which will hopefully leave an indelible mark on my happy memories. I still recollect the first few hours of this year, after the Darshan at Chintpurni, walking back to the Hotel at 2 am in blissful cold and wind of Himachal Pradesh .  One of the moments  of one's happiness is the state where you are able to untangle the dilemmas of life , be able to see the how the dots of  destiny connect . I am experiencing that through the course of this year  and will share some part of that in today's post . The" Bold and The Bland" stands for my deep, subtle yet subconscious conviction that  the people can be segregated between two types , Those  who are Bold and ones who choose to remain bland . Life is often safe, happy, predictable yet so uneventful for the ones who choose a bland life , not always by choice but being bland is the default way of living in India . People Prefer a path which has been walked , following perceived value systems which have not been questioned . The bold however  a different path , they take untried, unambiguous,  yet strong decisions through the course of their life and their  journey becomes eventful, painful, blissful and unparalleled all at the same time .  They have much more of  a treacherous journey through the course of their life . They choose their kind of jobs, their kind of friends, their kind of hobbies, their kind of beloved and their kind of morals and value system  .They are not shouting from rooftops claiming to be rebels but without much melodrama you will see  their life reflecting their convictions, their beliefs and their Karma . They are not necessarily stereotyped, they may the short, skinny, high energy souls  roaming unnoticed next to you or  a quiet,  introvert, a shy reader , a subdued singer or writing genius under wraps. The Bold have no specific traits but the strength of their actions.  

I have an uncanny knack of not just unintentionally  identifying such bold yet fragile souls but also stand by them  ...for what I know how it feels to be just high on emotions , conviction and low on strength .

Sharyar written, Chitra sung Ghazal had a few lines that have always stayed with me

काग़ज़ की कश्ती में दरिया पार किया, देखो हम को क्या-क्या करतब आते हैं......
जागती आँखों से भी देखो दुनिया को, ख़्वाबों का क्या है वो हर शब आते हैं......

I was reading a book on the Science of Rishis and stumbled upon an interesting piece of information. Vedic sciences divide intellect in three levels, Basic is "Pratyaksh" which means direct , which is basic education. One is taught and they remember either basic concepts of science , language or History . Second is "Apratyaksh" which is indirect, which is largely applied Sciences, technology, literature and Historical analysis. Third and supreme is Paroksh , which is "invisible" This is ones ability to predict events, invent or discover or design the unprecedented . Some may call it the sixth sense. Tapping beyond the five senses of perception, sound , sight, touch , smell and taste . The Paroksh state of intellect can come when one applies experience to knowledge . I often wonder what Kind and how much of experience is enough. I also feel experiences make a man take his own conclusions, give him the strength to be Bold . Some of the experiences that gave a new tangent in life were a near death experience at 24 , spending three months in Hospital after a close brush with death changed a lot in me , When one places their trust in another person, a sibling , a loved one or anyone , one expects that they will act per their conscience . Some people however use you as a TV channel , watch you, use you , be entertained and walk right over you. it is never what people do to you , it always the maturity one shows in handling such situations . 

Koi tumko bhee bus tum jaisa mile , Mudda mera to sirf inteqaam hee hai .....

Experiences like failure in endeavours , jobs , relationships make you derive Paroksh . Fall from glory, doing basic jobs , financial and social traumas ,   unsettling places , new cultures  and hostile environment , all bring you closer to Paroksh.

Bold People often have a strong underlying "Paroksh" Intellect , A conviction and some experience . 

My Favourite lines , i changed them to suit my expression ....

तजुर्बे फेरी लगाकर बेचता हूँ , कोयला मंडी में हीरे बेचता हूँ……
ख़ामोशी है मेरी बातों की ग्राहक , में कतरों में समंदर बेचता हूँ …

In this period of Navratras , everyone is looking forward to Dusshera , a ritual for Raavan's effigy burning . I often wonder if Raavan gets any credit for being Raavan the lover . He was Bold , he had strong values and conviction. he lost Seeta in the end not because he was wrong but  his own brother Vibhishana. Who's the real criminal , Vibhishana or Raavan, people may argue that Vibhishana was on side of Dharma, but one could argue that ShreeRam also abandoned Dharma in doubting Seeta.  The whole narration of Ramayana was intended to depict the fall of ego  and hence the 9 heads (apparently he offered this tenth head to Lord Shiva) . Raavan never mistreated Seeta, nor pressured her .  Going by several references, Ashok Vatika was the most scenic place in Lanka . Has Raavan been given any credit for being a persuasive lover , an overconfident lover whose own brother let to his fall ?  Everything is fair in love and war, Raavan was facing both .....

Daag Dehlvi  writes in favour of Raavan or the Bold love ....

Jo Kisi par fida Nahin hota , Shayad uska Khuda nahin hota ....

Ishq mein daag sab barabar hain, isme chotta bada nahin hota .....

Today I haven't chosen  a Ghazal , I have chosen a rather unknown but treasurable track written by Anvita Dutta from the Movie "Queen" . Just when you think , you can't be beaten in your choice of music , you are quickly humbled . I was a few days back . I noticed this song a few nights back. I am pleased emotions still thrive in India n writing and won't get crushed under the moronity of Dhinka Chika . 

Enjoy and Treasure ...Kinare .....

Dhoondhe har ik saans mein, Dubkiyon ke Baad mein, har Bhanwar ke Paas........kinare..

(We) have searched in every breath, after having a dip (in water), Near every storm..

shores.

[Here, it's mostly like, first they talk about the subject without naming it, and then at the end say it (kinaare) repeatedly for stress on the word. 

Basically everything talked is talked about the subject, 'kinaare', that is shore.]

Beh rahe jo saath mein, jo humare khaas They, kar gaye apni Baat ..........kinare..

The ones who are flowing with us, The ones who were special for us, The shores, said what they had to.

But what this really means , ones who loved you and you loved may have moved on and new shores are pointing to new directions . 

Gar maajhi saare saath mein, gair ho Bhi jaayein, To khud hi to Patwaar Ban.......Paar honge hum

Even if all the boatmen together become strangers to us, (that is, even if everyone turns against us), Then we will become oars ourselves and cross (the sea) on our own..

jo Chhoti si har ik neher saagar Ban Bhi jaaye, koi Tinka Le ke haath mein dhoondh Lenge hum.......kinaare.........kinaare. kinare...........

Even if every small canal turns into a sea

We’ll take a straw in our hands and find

shores.

khud hi To hain hum. Kinaare. 

kaise honge kam. Kinaare

hain jahaan hain hum. Kinare.

khud hi To hain hum. Kinare.

We ourselves are. shores.

Then how can there be less shores.

Wherever we are, there are shores.

We ourselves are Shores.

auron se kya khud hi se, Poochh Lenge raahein....Yahin kahin maujon mein hi

Dhoondh Lenge hum

Why others, we'll ask ourselves only

about the path to follow

We'll find it here somewhere

in the waves only..

Boondon se hi to hain bani, Baandh Lenge Leherein, Pairon Tale jo Bhi mile

Maan Lenge hum........Kinaare.

They're made of water only, we'll tie the waves..

Whatever comes under our feet, we'll believe they are - Shores. -

You will find a shore ...be bold and not bland :)