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Sunday, June 12, 2011

a poem, a prose, a line from a movie [and a little Afghanistan]

Came across these two writings this week. Not one normally capable of figuring out most poems, what their liberal, unrestrained use of use of  metaphors, puns & a salad bowl of other figure of speeches used with with gay abandon [show offs!!]. Yet, this one I could figure out [I think] & it felt very nice & quite uplifting in a sense.

Sharing it. Do read & share.

Agneepath! Agneepath! Agneepath! - Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan [Ph.D.]

Vruksh ho bade bhale,
ho ghane ho bhale,
Ek Patra chhah bhi mang mat, mang mat, mang mat,
Agnipath, Agnipath Agnipath;

Tu na thamega kabhi tu na mudega kabhi tu na rukega kabhi,
Kar shapath, Kar shapath, Kar shapath,
Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath.

Ye Mahan Drushya hain,
Chal raha Manushya hain,
Ashru, Sweth, Rakta se Latpat Latpat Latpat..
Agnipath, Agnipath, Agnipath.

Translation:

(There may be huge, warm and shady trees all around)
(Don't even as the shade of a single leaf)
(Walk on the Path of Fire, Walk on the Path of Fire)

(You will not stop, You will not turn, You will not halt)
(Take this oath, take this oath, take this oath)
(Walk on the Path of Fire, Walk on the Path of Fire)

(This is a great situation)
(Man Walks)
(Tears, Sweat and Blood)
(They swathe Him, they swathe Him)
(Walk on the Path of Fire, Walk on the Path of Fire)

via roy writes

Save for the fact that he was the father of the of the awesomeness personified Amitabh Bachchan, hadn't taken any interest in knowing any more about him. Know a little more today.

A recitation of the poem by the Amitabh Bachchan, his son,

Recitation of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan's Agneeptah by his son Amitabh Bachchan

This one arrived in the inbox this morning - a prose, I think, the word structure is called.

Work

If you are poor, Work.
If you are rich, Work.
If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities, Work.

If you are happy, continue to Work.
Idleness gives room for doubts and fears.
If disappointments come, Work.
If sorrow overwhelms you and loved ones seem not true, Work.

When faith falters and reason fails, just Work.
When dreams are shattered and hopes seem dead - Work.
Work as if your life were in peril; it really is.

Whatever happens or matters, Work.
Work faithfully, and work with faith.
Work is the greatest material remedy available.
Work will cure both mental and physical afflictions.

- Swami Vivekananda

On similar lines, one of the most enduring lines spoken in any movie - from the The Shawshank Redemption,

"Get busy living, or get busy dying"

Was originally uttered by Tim Robbins's character Andy Dufresne in the movie, but Morgan Freeman as Red, with his deep baritone voice, repeating it later, I felt, infused a much dramatic effect & brought out the  profound nature of its significance. Also one of the all-time favourite movies, cutting across all genres and linguistic distinctions.

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Read this very nicely written article about the Afghan Cricket team yesterday - The Astonishing Story of Afghani Cricket.

As rightly suggested in the article, India's BCCI must take the initiative to groom the team to a standard that can challenge & defeat the biggies of the game, till the time they are able to put up decent facilities & infrastructure on their own land.

Extensive & continued sessions of regular grooming, training & guidance at the National Cricket Academy & MRF Pace Foundation, under the guidance of some of the best in business would do the talented folks a great deal of good. For all its abysmal sports culture, the facilities available to cricketers performing at the upper echelons of Indian cricket are comparable to best available elsewhere. Overflowing coffers of the cricket association can throw up such aberrations here and there.

As part of of its diplomatic outreach towards engaging Afghanistan, that involves contributing $2 Billion USD towards various development programmes there [all non-defence], it must also incorporate sports relation in its quiver of options. No other nation is placed better than India in helping Afghanistan achieve the pinnacles of success in cricket [okay, the second place, with the Indian team positioned at the pinnacle ;)].

Regular victories by the Afghan team against established teams on the international arena could play a pivotal, possibly cataclysmic role in achieving national integration in the truest sense of the term, cutting across the deep-rooted ethnic divides that seem to mar all efforts to achieve this. With every Afghan victory on the playing field, India scores one on the diplomatic field, with the good word of India's efforts in enabling this feat being reiterated and reinforced amongst the common Afghan, creating an even greater positive disposition of the Afghan towards India. Sports, or more specifically cricket, could be yet another prong in India's multi-prong "soft power" approach in its engagement with Afghanistan.

Godspeed