Who says the sky can't be pierced !

November 2012

'And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it'

Paulo Coelho.
'The Alchemist'.

I generally don't post things here that aren't directly related to me in some way but today, probably just this one time, I'll make an exception with the video that follows (watch first before reading further) :




But it doesn't end here. If you are wondering what happened to the lady after this episode..... she went on to win Masterchef America 2012. And in case you didn't know / realize it, she was the only blind contestant in the show competing against able-bodied ones.

As i reflect on this after watching, i am reminded of this beautiful quote (translation mine):

'Kaun kehta hai ke aasmaan mein ched nahin ho sakta.
Zara tabeeyat se ek patthar toh uchaalo yaaron'

'Who says the sky can't be pierced.
Just lift a pebble with spirit my friend'

Mirza Ghalib
Urdu Poet
1787-1869

NB*  For another inspirational story read one of my earlier posts (click here).

A moron got lucky one day

November 2012

We all have our days. Just like every dog does. The following rendition of a guy who got lucky on the flight to Delhi one day is very close to me because of the following two reasons:

1 - I used to religiously watch a program on NDTV called 'Left Right and Center' (catering mainly to the intellectual strata of society) only to catch a glimpse of Nidhi Razdan who hosted the show with absolutely zero knowledge (or interest for that matter) in the actual content of the program. I stopped watching it the day I came to know she got married to this guy (Part 1 9:24-36 'Chaahe jitne bade ho gaye hon, jitna kama lein...........hum mardon ke andar ka schoolboy kahaan kabhi bada hota hai') !!!

2 - Four years ago on a flight to Delhi, incidentally I had the world's most beautiful girl sitting beside me for the two most memorable hours of my life.

While the story in the rendition is imaginary and quite plain academically, what makes this amazing and beautiful is the gravity of the voice and the sheer romanticism in the description of small everyday happenings and things with  hyperbolic comparisons (Part 1 8:35-54 - 'Panna palatne ke liye haath uthaaya toh dekhta hoon naakhoonon pe laal rang hai jo zara sa halka pad gya hai, jaise uss khoobsoorat ladki ka guroor jataa raha ho jise har roz duniya ke liye sajna nahin padta - aakhir uska saamna karne ke liye duniya jo sajti hai').

NB* The return leg of my journey has been described in one of my previous posts (click here). 

I was the moron who got lucky that day...

Upagupta

Oct 2012






This is an addendum to one of my earlier posts (click here). This has the rendition of the original poem in Bengali. The mood and feel has been quite beautifully preserved in the rendition.

Those knowing the language (the literary intricacies) will be able to appreciate it to the fullest.But i reckon a worth a hearing anyways.

Lastly something i forgot to mention in the earlier related post - the name of the whore was Bashavadatta.

Down Under

Oct 2012

Sky Tower and Opera House, Sydney in Aug 2011 (last year). Clicking on the pic gives a bigger view of the  Sydney suburbs and surroundings.

Meeting Place

April 2012



Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I'll meet you there.


Jalaluddin Rumi.
Source: The Essential Rumi.
Translation by Coleman Barks.


Used as the opening and ending lines of 'Rockstar'.
Rendition by Ranbir Kapoor.