That little sleep that wanders in

 Jalsa, Mumbai                    Dec  15/16,  2012                   Sat/Sun  2:23 AM

That little sleep that wanders in

Among the trudgings of our kin,

We are forever keeping time, of lost possessions amongst the grime,

Be not afraid of variant changes, they come adorn and revolve round hinges.

We are here

We are there

We are almost everywhere ..

That spasm of the limiting walk ;

Crooked and angled away from balk.

Determined we are to pursue the cause, in heavy pain and all its flaws ..

Working up the body warm,

Neutralizing all of it thats shorn ;

The ridden route all day and morn

Has now become worthy of such scorn,

That following discipline, follows alone

The others so ill mannered that flown

In and around the congested path,

Are but the tidings of unwanted wrath ..

The games that play with deep concerns,

Of future camps, and ageing burns

Has given us a fighting chance, to be of use without much glance ..

Were I to hold a torch to them, I would encourage not to rot the stem

But slumber sleep is seldom shorn, irrespective of what was worn ;

Come take me down

Come slobber me up

Come perish a frown, and soup me cup ..

Dressings own for marriage and book,

Its important how I look to look ,

Love of many, pictures galore

Rushing off with progeny and shore ..

It is the auspicious time and day, of those that helped and to alay

The complications of the gut, switched on and off in that..ched hut

And on again on journey more, to releases of the written chore

Smiles and meetings, laughs and more

To honor that which hibernates for sure ..

Speeches, word and loving care,

I have no reason to despair

For they are just a friendly front

Behind of course they rant and grunt ..

Back from it all to calmer climes,

Of home and food and khana times ..

They are the best at what they do

Best left alone to grunt and croo ..

The best of times is now in practice

Writing the worst , worse than a novice ..

Looking forward to the green sheets bed,

Soft pillows aplenty for the stomach well fed …

Good night good night my dearest all ..

Be not afraid when in your dreams you fall ..

My love and admiration to this wonderful family …

Amitabh Bachchan

http://srbachchan.tumblr.com/

Now under my realisation that lack

   Jalsa, Mumbai                     Dec 14/15,  2012                    Fri/Sat  2:01 AM

It is now under my realisation that lack of sleep can be responsible for many of the misdeeds that one may get acquainted with during the course of the day. The importance that we are driven into by our elders of it is now a reality. It never was earlier. It was one of the most dreaded moments in the day of our lives when free from schooling chores, the afternoons were thrust upon us as a time to rest and be in the company of slumber.

Sneaking out quietly as the elders slept was our main attraction for the day. Sneaking out and playing marbles with the lads around the house. Marbles was the it sport then. The jingle jangle of their plenty in our pockets a clear indicator of our social and public standing and recognition within the four walls of the school or classroom.

There were favorites too in color and form. The striker being the most cherished possession. That was the one, much like the striker on the carom board, that won you your medals - others marbles !!

These marbles won in battle were our prized possessions. We kept them secure in our pockets. Hid them from our parents when we reached home. Preventing any kind of jangle that would give them away, resulting in the whack of the ruler on our bare hands by infuriated Mom and Dad ! But we were attached to them. During the breaks we would rush to get the prime spots on the recreation grounds, devoid of grass or any growth, just mud plains where the hole could be made, to conduct a game - after striking another opposition marble, putting your own inside the hole was a win and an extra marble in your pocket - the hole being just large enough to accomodate one normal sized rounder of glass, or the ‘sodri’, our main attack vehicle, named so because it came out of a soda bottle. I wonder if any of you ever experienced the soda’s and cold drinks of the time. They used to be bottled and the mouth of the bottle shut with an opaque marble, when when pressed hard enough, opened up the soda with a fiz, and sank to the bottom of the bottle. Extracting it from there was an adventure, but on its successful procurement, became the ‘sodri’ of value. It was harder and heavier than the others and when struck hard against the more coloured ones, did have the capability to break them in to two pieces

Slinging the marble or the ‘sodri’ with the index finger, using the index finger of the other hand to push it to direction and strength, was the hall mark of a champion. And after the strike to be able to spin it into the hole, or ‘bill’, was what technique was all about …

Ahhh !! Those lovely days of school and the summer heat of the afternoon in Allahabad, playing marbles ! Now of course we have more sophisticated games on electronic and computerised programmes and screens, called play stations. They are good and do require great skill in its operation, but marbles or ‘goli’ was an excitement of its own … never to be replicated or removed !!!

And … ahem … marbles, have derived a different connotation altogether !!

And this evening as we sit by the television, glued to the horrific stories emanating on this unbelievable shooting episode, in the US, we wonder and bless those innocent days of ours in school, when such talk or happenings never ever crossed our minds.

What has humanity stooped to ? There is something seriously wrong with our systems, our values, teachings and the way in which we are being brought up. Yes brought up ! It is that early inculcation that remains and abides by us. Even if one among us goes insane the entire community needs to be made responsible, for we have not paid attention to some aspect of the lives of those that go mad. Reevaluation of our methods, greater attention to the concerns that such incidents throw up, mending and correcting them before they become unreachable, is what is needed .. 

It is not enough to apprehend such individuals and give them the strickest of punishments, but indeed to search within ourselves to find what it was that gave rise to this human in the garb of a beast !!

Too disturbed to comment any further ..

Love to all .. I see now that that was something missing from last night’s post … but ..

Amitabh Bachchan

Amit jj releases Amjad Ali Khan's book

Jalsa, Mumbai                    Dec  13/14,  2012                   Thu/Fri  1:25 AM

The greatest moment in the life of any individual shall be the instant when he or she shall remember them that brought them into this world, gave them the learning, the value of their experiences, the history of their existence and the importance of legacy …

The great sarod maestro, a favorite instrument of mine, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan writes a book on his Guru his Father the distinguished musician Ustad Haafiz Ali Khan and asks me to launch it at a ceremony here tonight.

One of the greatest tributes that can be paid by any would have to be the time and space that he or she shall give to the memory of their parents. Our parents do not just give us a life by birth, they teach educate and give us the learning of life. Those moments spent with them remain as our path guiders for the rest of our existence. We refer to them even in their absence, indeed more so in their absence, and derive courage and strength from what they taught and left behind for us. I feel a special affinity to them that honour and respect their elders and give them a platform of public importance. And I feel a special privilege when I am asked to be associated with an event that endorses such feeling ..

We are a nation that has only very recently started the practice of documentation of building records of important events, people and situations - a practice which I admire in the West.

The creative artist, his or her contribution to the arts to the world is priceless and to have that for posterity needs to be the most significant and important aspect in the life of said celebrity. There is very little that seems to attract the state in this direction. Lack of interest, or a relegation of the deserving importance never does seem to cross the minds of those that run and establish the think tanks of a nation. It is a sad reflection on the state of the minds of those in control and command.

Individual efforts therefore that are made either by progeny or admirers is of immensely greater importance than any other. The idea is not of a deliberate attempt at legacy, it is a deliberate attempt at the honour and gratefulness of the contribution made by those that have left us with a large volume of creativity and its process. Leaving behind an inspiration is to me of much importance. Getting inspired by the inspiration in constructing something that could be reflected as individual achievement, is even better - which creative artist has not been inspired by another !

They that are responsible for bringing us into this world, guide us through life, hold our little finger and teach us to walk, run, think. Is it asking too much if during the time when they are invalides unable to conduct themselves the way they did, because of age, for us to  have held their finger for guidance, to hold their hands today in remembrance ?

To me it is the greatest deed …

Leave me .. it is not my day .. ‘tis the day of the son who has recreated a memoir of his illustrious Father … but will the media ever realize this .. ?? I wonder !!

The large smile is not one for the cameras of the media … it is in reverence to the deed of one son towards his creator, his Guru, his Father ..

There comes a time in the lives of all

Jalsa, Mumbai                  Oct 9/10,  2012                   Tue/Wed 3:59 AM

There comes a time in the lives of all when we become oblivious of who and what we are .. of being unable to understand the depth of our existence, our nature, our demeanour, and our act .. we are mortals with limitations, yet we seek forever that elixired potion which shall perhaps make exception and give us immortality.. nature shall not permit that, which is why divinity makes in roads to occupy that empty space .. and to exist with us perpetually ..

But there are some that desire through their contribution to work, life and its beauty, a wish to leave something behind that can become immortal by those that follow ..

I follow my Father and his contributions not just to my life, but to the lives of others, in what he contributed … and I consider the most important task of my life to continue his legacy … at least for the benefit of my immediate generation. There is pride and respect and the power of representation which overwhelms me. It is not a task in the real sense of the word, it is the expression of a dormant feeling, which comes but in the surge of its hidden emotion .. one knows not how or why it forms itself, but it does …

Many have argued the phenomena of divine intervention, the prevalence of the atma, the soul that escapes us all even after the cremation fires have reduced us to ash, or the buried beings that escape from within, to voluntarily prevail upon us without notice … many consider that imbecilic, yet many blindly follow and believe … do we have ready and referral proof of this extended phenomena, this rarity that pervades … I wonder if all shall have answer, but on being a victim of it, immediately crouch down on knee, in an expression of submission to that, which deems to be in possession of extreme superiority … 

It is then from this, that belief in the godliness of all erupts, fills us with immense security and strength, tiding us over against all that stands as an adversary before us ..

They possess different names - Allah, Jesus and the many hued Gods of Hinduism, of the heavenly Guru's of Sikhism and all other celestial presence … and they all preach and teach us the way to a heavenly existence …

Battles have been fought in as fierce a manner as possible .. and those that decorate themselves with all the required armaments of destruction, do indeed believe in their respective divine … the respective devines are remembered, before the act of eliminating the oppressor or the enemy … and in the final victory, yes it is the physical ability of the force that is acknowledged, but somewhere too the victory of one divinity over the other ..

But the divine has eternal legacy .. they are beyond a battle here or a battle there … victory against an adversary also counts, somewhat ambitiously, the victory of one divinity over the other … but how ?

Divinity is beyond defeat and elimination !!

What comes out as being victorious then ?

I would reckon it would be belief … our belief, or the belief of those that went into confrontation … those that succeeded, believed that their effort garbed in their individual belief, was victorious over the other, adversary or not ..

It would be difficult to believe that Hitler too would not have at some stage, prayed for a win. His defeat and his loss must be viewed as a loss of his belief … his divinity, if he did possess any, would remain untouched and unscathed … divinity should be such, else it would stand to lose the faith of billions …

My belief demonstrates certain values, which may differ from the other, but would remain devoted and dedicated to that one divinity that is all pervading … faith and belief should be universal .. but is it really !!??

My love to all …

Amitabh Bachchan

I am burdened with the pressures of my commitments

Jalsa , Mumbai                     Oct 8/9,  2012                     Mon/Tue  2:40 AM

Some birthday wishes first :

Ami a very happy birthday for yesterday … many good wishes form us all and may the Almighty look after you and that you treasure ..

Tumpa Ghosh .. to you a most prosperous birthday, with every good wish for all the goodness in life ..

I am burdened with the pressures of my commitments … they seem insurmountable, but one plods along, putting on the best face and ability. On doing so, often, the task seems a great deal more gentle and kind. Tasks need to be performed. There is a certain beauty about them, a fulfilment that at times defies any other consideration. Until one gets down to it the realisation never dawns. Thinking about its possibilities and its uncertainties, can be ruinous at the very best. But wishing those fears away by merely a deliberate act of defiance, or one of positivity, brings within us a strange strength that never fails us. So much is said spoken and written about this aspect of 'positivity', that mentioning it today seems such a cliched expression or belief. Be that as it may, I believe it should be expressed within ourselves if not to the outside world. When all around us is morose and depressive. When the silence of each expression and the limp demeanor overpowers not just us, but others too, then shall be the time best suited for rapprochement ! We shudder at times on consequence, but are never willing to challenge it, merely at times to discover what the final result would be. It would either be good or bad. If good, then we have taken a positive out of such exercise. If bad then too we have taken a positive from the exercise - never to be experimented with perhaps.

I see both aspects in one reflection. A reflection that could be a cracked mirror, depicting two different images. But if looked carefully the images can coalesce to form one subject. A subject that may or may not require that proverbial crack down the centre !! A dent one may repair. A cracked mirror shall require a replacement. A portion of it is usable, but shall always remind us of the other that does not exist even though it did start off as one.

Life's mirror needs completeness - unscathed, spotless and squeaky clean ! But does it ever . Images at times compliment each other, but most of us know its lateral inversion ; not all of which works well for everyone.

No one shall ever live life without blemish. A blemish which at times shall be seen and at times not. The unseen shall not protect one from all ills, for within us shall always fester the guilt of its presence, some of which we shall disclose and some that we shall take to our grave …

Belief is what makes us vulnerable to the others belief. Our trust determines the degree of our truth, within or without. But what of the others ? Our passport for such is just and only just our belief and nothing more.

I shall always believe my affection to all that adorn this platform … and even for those that do not .. equality should become my cornerstone and one that I shall respect, despite any alternatives that may drift about. The one that belies belief is the one that should worry, if at  all .. I must not or one must not wait to unravel the other … there is enough on our plate to devour in a lifetime … think then of the world without fear of blemish … that is a constant which shall be visible to both us and the other .. rectify or make endeavour to rectify your own, and ye shall find that the other diminishes in its value ..

Better yourself first before thinking of why the other has not. The circle of life shall move about and around you. Sadly most of us believe that the circle moves around the other, and that is what disorients us …

Better then yourself … the other shall better themselves too … 

My love and my affectionate wishes for all in betterment …

Amitabh Bachchan