Groove to the trance and say, jai jai jai...Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho, all the way!

 So here comes the sixth song that's being translated on my blog (in the current year).

(Recap: My five earlier songs here:

1. "Tharali raadha thane vasantham" song from the movie "Rudraveena".
2. "Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa" song from the movie "Jersey".
3. "Manasu palike" song from the movie "Andaala Rakshasi".
4. "Maanasa Veena" song from the movie "Hridayanjali".
5. "Hare rama, hare rama" song from the movie "Okkadu".)

"Sadaa Siva Sanyasi Taapasi Kailaasa Vasi" song from the movie "Khaleja" (2010):

Lyrics by Ramajogayya Sastry

Composed by Mani Sharma

Rendered by Karunya & Ramesh Vinayagam

Om namoh Siva Rudraya, Om namoh sithi kanthaaya,

Salutations to Lord Shiva, who is in His Rudra form! 

Salutations to the one with black throat!

Om namoh Hara Naagabharanaya, Pranavaaya,

Dama dama, Damarukanaadhanandaaya!

Salutations to Hara, the one with snake as His ornament,

The one who is the source of sound,

The one who becomes happy from the sound of Damaruka! (a small hour-glass shaped drum used by Shiva)

Om namoh nitalaakshaya, Om namoh bhasmaangaaya,

Om namoh himasailaavaranaaya, Pramadhaaya,

Dhimi dhimi, thaandavakeli lolaaya!

Salutations to the one who has eye in His forehead,

Salutations to the one who applies ash to His body,

Salutations to the one whose abode is Himalayas (and the one who married Saila Kumari(Parvati) - Himavanta's daughter),

The One who is the Lord of Death,

The one who gets entranced in the play of tandava! (Tandava is a dance form that originated in Shiva. It is performed by Him when he is angry, mostly before destroying evil).

***

Sadaa Siva sanyaasi, Taapasi Kailasavaasi.

Oh eternal Shiva! The hermit, the one who does penance, and the one who resides in Kailasa.

Nee paadha mudralu mosi, pongi poyinaadhi palle Kasi.

Having borne the marks of your footsteps, the town of Kasi has overflown with joy.

Eyyyy, Soopula sukkani daarigaa, sukkala thivaasi meedhuga,

Sooda sakkaani saami diginaadu raa!

Eseyraa ooruu, vaadaa, dhandoraa!!

Eyyyy! With His vision as the anchor that steers His path, over the carpet of stars,

The beautiful Lord has descended!

Go spread this word all around (Broadcast it in every town and street)!!

Ye rangula hangula poda ledhuraa..

Eedu jangama Shankara Shivudenuraa..

There's no hype and hooplah..

He is ofcourse the Jangama Shankara Shiva..(Jangama means the moving one. The one who attained true knowledge and divine happiness and has given up all the worldly possessions for the sake of the world.)

Nippu gonthuna nilupu maccha saachiga,

Nee thaapam shaapam theerche vaaderaa!

As much as it is true that he held fire (and poison) in his throat,

He is going to quench your thirst and redeem your curses!

Pai paikalaa, bairaagilaa, untaadhi raa, aa leelaaa..

On the outset, His magic - it all feels like the deeds of a mere bairaagi (recluse/ascetic who keeps wandering)..

Lokaalaneletodu neeku saayam kaakapodu,

Ey neelone koluvunnodu, ninnu dhaati ponepodu!

 

The One who rules the worlds will of course help you (He cannot give up on helping you),

Ey! The One who resides in your heart, He can never sway away from you or abandon you!

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Om namah Shiva, groove to the trance and say, jai jai jai,

Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho all the way!

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Heal the world is all we pray,

Save our lives and take our pain away, jai jai jai,

Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho all the way!!

Sadaa Siva sanyaasi, Taapasi Kailasavaasi...

Oh eternal Shiva! The hermit, the one who does penance, and the one who resides in Kailasa...

Nee paadha mudralu mosi, pongi poyinaadhi palle Kasi.

Having borne the marks of your footsteps, the city of Kasi has overflown with joy.

***

Eyyyy! Ekkada veedunte nindugaa, akkada nelanthaa pandaga,

Chuttu pakkala cheekati pelaginchagaa, adugesaadanta kaache dora laaga..

Eyyyy! Wherever He is, it is wholesome...it is happiness and celebration all over that land,

To dispel the darkness all around, He stepped like the leader who guards and protects..

Manchuni mantani oka theerugaa, lekka seyyane seyyani sankarayyagaa,

Ukku kanchega oopiri nilipaaduraa,

Manakandaa dhandaa veede nikarangaa!

Fighting both the snow and fire in the same way, he is not bothered by either of them,

He kept His breath as the iron fence,

He is our protector from now on, for sure!

Saami ante haami thanai, untaaduraa chivarantaa...

If you seek Him, He will become your refuge till the end...

Lokaalaneletodu neeku saayam kaakapodu,

Ey neelone koluvunnodu, ninnu dhaati ponepodu!

 

The One who rules the worlds will of course help you (He cannot give up on helping you),

Ey! The One who resides in your heart, He can never sway away from you or abandon you!

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Om namah Shiva, groove to the trance and say, jai jai jai,

Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho all the way!!

Om namah Shiva jai jai jai,

Heal the world is all we pray,

Save our lives and take our pain away, jai jai jai,

Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho all the way!!!

*** (The End...of translation)***

I don't know much of Sanskrit except a few words or phrases, so I took the help of the below two links for translating the Sanskrit verses/phrases/words in the song.

1. https://chaibisket.com/sada-siva-song-meaning/
2. https://recoveredintranslation.wordpress.com/tag/khaleja/

Btw, "Khaleja" means Courage. The guts and gumption to walk the talk.

So, what IS a gentler economy?

So...What is a gentler economy?

An economy that lets you BE. That lets you be 'you'!

An economy that does not corrupt you, that does not torture you, for it to sustain its exponential acceleration.

An economy that is self-sustaining more or less, given that the basic contribution from you is taken care of.

An economy that does not need you full-time.

An economy that may not always need you in the first place.

That is an economy you need!

So...What again is a gentler economy?

An economy that allows you to live your life. Contributing to that economy should not be the major part of your life!

An economy that can wait for you. That can wait for you to fall and come back, while it can sustain itself for a while.

An economy that does not lead to a zero-sum-game! It is not an economy that "always" has a debt trap no matter how much you produce, how much you consume, how much you save and retain, how much ever money is in excess in some other part of the chain!

An economy that grows for you! Not an economy that requires you to grow for itself!

An economy that serves you! An economy that is a servant to you, not your master!

An economy that you will dictate the terms of! Not an economy that will dictate the terms of your soul and life!

An economy that you will feed! Not an economy that feeds on you!

Well, at the end of the day, an economy is an economy! Not your life!

Aatane maatakardham ninu nuvve geluchu yuddham !

So I said I might get on a translation spree, didn't I? So yeah, I'm on it now, already...

So here comes the fifth song that's being translated on my blog (in the current year).

(Recap: My four earlier songs here:

1. "Tharali raadha thane vasantham" song from the movie "Rudraveena".
2. "Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa" song from the movie "Jersey".
3. "Manasu palike" song from the movie "Andaala Rakshasi".
4. "Maanasa Veena" song from movie "Hridayanjali".)

"Hare Rama, Hare Rama" song from "Okkadu" (2003):

Lyrics by: Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry (Who else but him can pen these marvellous lyrics?)

Composed by: Manisharma

Rendered by: Shankar Mahadevan

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Ramaa, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Raamudnainaa krishnudnainaa.. keertisthoo koorchuntaamaa,

Vaallem saadhinchaaro.. konchem gurthiddaam mitramaa...

Should we just keep sitting, praising Rama & Krishna?

Let's just get on to recognizing (understanding) what they achieved...my friend!

Sandram koodaa sthambhinchelaa.. mana sattaa choopiddaamaa
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!

Shall we show our prowess in a way even the sea is disrupted?

Shall we let you know the lesson(s) of Geeta in the battle field ?

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Ramaa, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

---

Chaarminaar chaatu kathakee.. teliyadee nitya kalaham,

Bhaagmatee prema smrutikee.. bahumatee bhaagyanagaram

The story hidden behind Charminar doesn't know this eternal quarrel,

This Hyderabad (Bhagyanagaram) is a cherishing (gift) of Bhagmati's love memories.

Em maayatantram.. mathamai naati chelimini cheriperaa,

Om saanti mantram.. manamai jaathi viluvani niluparaa.. padha padha padha, padha padha...

Which rogue powers transformed into religion (and caste) and erased the past friendship?

Let's become the mantra of "Om Shanti" and uphold the value of the country(nation/land)...Let's go go go, go go...

Raamudnainaa krishnudnainaa.. keertisthoo koorchuntaamaa,

Vaallem saadhinchaaro.. konchem gurthiddaam mitramaa...

Sandram koodaa sthambhinchelaa.. mana sattaa choopiddaamaa
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!

Should we just keep sitting, praising Rama & Krishna?

Let's just get on to recognizing (understanding) what they achieved...my friend!

Shall we show our prowess in a way even the sea is disrupted?

Shall we share the lesson(s) of Geeta in the battle field ?

---

ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Saha Naav[au]-Avatu |
Saha Nau Bhunaktu |
Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |
Tejasvi Naav[au]-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning here!

---

Pasidi pathakaala haaram.. kaaduraa vijayateeram,

Aatane maatakartham.. ninu nuvve geluchu yuddham!

A garland of gold medals - that's not the what the shore of victory is,

What 'sport' means is - it's a war in which you win (over) yourself (by defeating yourself)!

Sreeraama navamee.. jaripe mundhu lankanu gelavaraa,

Ee vijayadasamee.. raavaalante chedunu jayincharaa.. padha padha padha, padha padha...

Before celebrating Srirama Navami, win the Lanka first,

If your Vijaya Dasami has to come, conquer the evil..Go go go, go go...

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Ramaa, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Raamudnainaa krishnudnainaa.. keertisthoo koorchuntaamaa,

Vaallem saadhinchaaro.. konchem gurthiddaam mitramaa...

Sandram koodaa sthambhinchelaa.. mana sattaa choopiddaamaa
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!

Should we just keep sitting, praising Rama & Krishna?

Let's just get on to recognizing (understanding) what they achieved...my friend!

Shall we show our prowess in a way even the sea is disrupted?

Shall we share the lesson(s) of Geeta in the battle field ?

Edit(Oct-04): Made trivial edits in the translation (missed translating some conversational phrases earlier, eg: 'mitrama' --> friend) and added the Sanskrit sholka sung in the chorus too.

Kotha swecchaki andinchaali naa hridayaanjali !!!

I mentioned a while ago that I might get into translation spree, but it took a backseat for whatever reasons. So, here I translate two of my favourite songs. They are songs with deep lyrics, so even a mediocre translation would probably mean a job well done. Wish me luck :)

"Manasu Palike" from the movie "Andaala Raakshasi" (2012):

Lyrics by: Rakendu Mouli

Composed by: Radhan

Rendered by: Rakendu Mouli

So, when we watch this song in the movie, it's actually set in a poignant and somber setting. The hero is waiting for the heroine to forget her ex-lover (who is assumed to be dead at that time) and accept his love. And the heroine is still in the grieving period...in the transition so to say, and is unresponsive to his feelings.

But, when you listen to the song devoid of the context in the movie, it seems to come from a place of peace, stability and balance. It talks about love per se. It's a very satisfying feeling listening to this song at any point in time for me. Whether I was deep in void, or in waiting, in anticipation, or in pain, or in apathy or in stability...irrespective of my situation, it's always a great feeling listening to this song.

****

Manasu palike bhasha prema

The language that's spoken by heart is love

Mounamadige badhulu prema

The response that the silence seeks is love

Maranamaina thodu prema

Even in death, love is our companion

Manaki jarige maaya prema

The magic that happens to us is love

---

Gundelo vyadhalane kaalchu mante prema

The fire that burns the suffering in heart is love

Ragilina segalane aarpunadhi ee prema

It is love that dozes off the burning fire (wounds)

Aadhiyu anthamu leni payanam prema

Love is that journey that has neither beginning nor end

Vekuvai cherune cheekatintlo prema

A morning that dawns in a house of darkness, that's love

Vishwamantha unna prema, iruku yedhalo daacha galamaa

Can we confine (hide) love that encompasses this whole universe, to (in) a constricted heart?

---

Kaatilo kaaladhu thudi leni ee prema

This love that has no end, doesn't burn in the grave

Janmane koradhu, ammerugadhee prema

This love doesn't seek birth, it doesn't know its mother (it has no mother)

Dorakadhaa vethikithe kadalaina kanneeta

Can't this love be found in the tears that welled up into an ocean?

Taramaga daahame neeralle o prema

When the thirst is chasing, love comes as the water

Needaniche velugu thodu, cheekataithe emi kaanu

Light gives shadow as a companion; What will happen if that light turns into darkness?

"Maanasa Veena" from the movie "Hridayaanjali" (1998):

Lyrics by: Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry (Even before checking out, I could say he was the lyricist)

Composed by: A.R. Rehman

Rendered by: Chithra (& Shoba Shankar - intermittent and the ending humming; Along with intermittent chorus of course)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)

Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)

While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

Punnami nadhilo viharinchaali, puvvula valloo pulakinchali

I should wander in the river under full moon; I should rejoice in the lap of flowers

Paavuramalle paikegarali, tolakari jallai digiraavali

I should fly up like a pigeon; And should come down like the first monsoon drizzle

Taarala podarinta ratiri majili, vekuva venuventa nelaku tarali

A night adventure under the envelope of stars; Will reach back to the land immediately after the dawn

Kotha svechhakandinchaali naa hridayaanjali

I should offer salutations from the bottom of my heart to this new-found freedom.

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

(Chorus)

Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage

Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)

My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.

The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)

---

Oohaku neeve oopiri posi, choopave daari o chirugaali

By giving life to an imagination (thought), show (me/us) the path, o wind

Kalalaku saitham sankelavesi, kalimi yedaari dhaatinchaali

By chaining (curbing) even dreams, it should enable (me/us) to cross the rich desert

Tuntari tooneeganai tiragaali, dosedu oosulu teesukuvelli

I should wander like the mischevious mayfly; By taking a handful of gossips (words/conversations)...

Peydha garika poolaku isthaa naa hridayaanjali

...I will give my heartfelt salutations to the poor grass flowers.

---

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)

Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)

While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)

Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam

The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.

---

(Chorus)

Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage

Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)

My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.

The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)

Is "rape" a "woman"'s subject?

So, recently I came across this news - "Even boys are not safe in Delhi..."

I have not been following news much since early 2020 when I started my MBA. And it's been the same till date. I don't follow news on TV anymore. Not just news, I stopped watching TV altogether. It feels too much and suffocating to take in. I have stopped reading newspaper as well. So, basically I've been more or less isolated from the world for the past 2.5 years. The only news I ever checked were the ones on social media or the ones popping up on my phone.

It's strange to realize that I stopped reading newspaper for the whole 2.5 years given the fact that I rarely missed my daily dose of newspaper before that. What's more strange is, I'm now quite OK with it and I'm able to go on fine with life that way. That's probably the power of habits we develop - good or bad, we become capable of sticking to them.

Anyways, that's not the point of this post. Let's come to THE POINT. So, I don't know if the news I was talking about became sensational or not, the way Nirbhaya's case had. At least, nobody around me talked about it in person, on WhatsApp or on social media.

So, I'm just wondering - is rape a woman's subject? If a boy/man is raped, the same crime that was ghastly when done to a girl/woman, is no more a crime enough? Are our gender equality proponents sleeping? Is the D&I consciousness of the society sleeping? And to top it, the women's panel had to take the case forward for cognizance? Is rape a woman's problem alone? I'm truly baffled! Period.

Patriotism

I have a couple of friends who bitch about 'Patriotism' (literally, just a couple of them). They think it's cool. I mean they wouldn't do that if they thought otherwise, right. But, I do think otherwise. It's not cool to me. Patriotism is essential because "you" and "I" exist ! Let me explain. Let me try to knock some sense of patriotism into this couple of people.

You can't come and slap one the way you like. There are boundaries...at all levels! You can't come and love one the way you like. There are boundaries! At all levels.

Patriotism according to me, is nothing but the feeling of owning up oneself, enabling one to protect oneself...one's space. Just that the "self" here is an extended space now. It's one's country. It's just a bigger self. There is a "self" at every level.

Oh yeah, I know "Vasudhaika Kutumbam". The world is one, why not! But even within a family, even between parents and children, between siblings, between a couple, between lovers, there are boundaries. There's something called 'personal space' and we ought to respect that.

When the British colonized India and transferred resources from here with their self-interests at the heart of it all, with no concern whatsoever about the people here, of course they behaved like the "other". There's no oneness. Of course, I get it they left us with English and "some" Education and maybe some roots for democracy. But, at a time when the whole world was moving towards democracy, do you think India would have been left behind? When the time had come for enlightenment, for democracy, for being free from the clutches of the "other", would India have been left behind?

Of course the country was unified. Of course centuries of ignorance, caste system, aristocracy, feudalism...everything came under spotlight...Of course Scientific thinking started taking shape. Technology..Railways...many things started taking shape. But do we owe that all to British? English and Education - hum pe kuch ehsaan nahin tha! It's just a byproduct of centuries of colonizing a place. Some "good" happens as a result.

Let's look at the other side of the coin. Let's start from the "self" again. You are required to slog the whole day, but some other owner makes money out of your hard work and gives you pennies. Would that be ok to you? Somebody encroaches your land, digs gold, digs minerals, makes money out of it and you are asked to pay tax for it in return*...all because you didn't know how to dig gold and minerals from your own land. Would you like that? Your neighbour encroaches into your land, just so that their living space is bigger, would you be ok with that?

*That's what India had to do; Pay tariffs in return despite losing its raw material and resources.

How then patriotism seems funny to you? To me, it's so intrinsic. If you have a self...a self in the right place, then patriotism comes naturally IMO. You want yourself to win. You don't want the other to win. It's as simple as that.

I know, everybody is selfish. I had written about this in my blog earlier. And I don't mind repeating it. Even a martyr is selfish. Because they are looking at an accomplishment, a fame, a virtue...to own it up all. But that selfishness is different. That doesn't harm anybody. Rather helps. It's a responsibility very few would like to own up. But selfishness that cuts into others' lives, being apathetic to the feelings and needs of the other, is not mere selfishness. It's exploitation and abuse.

"Dogs* and Indians are not allowed inside" - If that sentence did not stir one up at that time, then either they did not have a self or it was numb, sleeping. Or they did not have self-respect. Period.

(Of course, no disrespect whatsoever to dogs.)

Is shadow a measure of existence ?!?

I might get on a translation spree soon (or I'm already on it), so, I'm so glad to translate this song, one of my favourites, as the second one here in my blog. (Third one if we consider this song translated years ago, fourth one if we consider the translation of a poem in Vemana shatakam here).

Here it goes, the song from the Telugu movie "Jersey" (written by "Krishna Kanth")...

                          ***

Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa, nuvvantu levantu

Can you say to the fire that it doesn't exist, because it doesn't have a shadow?

Kaani kalalaku kantinadigedharaa, thappuntee needhatnu

Do you blame (question) the eye, for the unfulfilled dreams?

Padina nelaa...Padina nelaa

The fallen land...the fallen land...

Vadalanela niluvu neelaa...

How can you leave it outright (like you did)...

Kadhapa ledhaa Kadhapa leka, eduru gaale chediripodhaa...

Can't the wind move (and scatter) things away?

Unable to move it, wouldn't the wind breezing opposite, sway away?

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam,

The gold is not made without burning it,

Ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

There's no war if there's no failure (if you think one shouldn't lose)

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste,

Evari kosam maaradartham.

The meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody.

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam, ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham, evari kosam maaradartham...

The gold is not made without burning it, there's no war if there's no failure,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste...This meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody...

                          ***

Otameragani aata kanagalavaa, undhante kaadhaate...

Do you find a sport in which there's no losing side?if there's one, then that's not a sport...

Daati shishuvuga bayata padagalavaa, noppatnu vadhante...

Can you cross it and come out a child, if you say you don't want pain?

Adugu dhooram, vijayamunnaa vidichi pona...

I will leave it even if the victory is just a step away...

Kadhalaleka vadhalaleka chedhiripona..

Unable to move, unable to let it go, I will be a mess...

Kaalchodhu ante kaadhu swarnam, ododhu ante ledhu yudham,

Lekunte kashtam haayi vyardham, evari kosam maaradartham... (Repeat)

The gold is not made without burning it, there's no war if there's no failure,

If there's no suffering, comforts are a waste...This meaning(wisdom) doesn't change for anybody...

                          ***

I didn't quite understand the placement of lines "Padina nela, padina nela, Vadalanela niluvu neela, Kadhapa leka, eduru gaale chediripodhaa..." I didn't get the context, so I find them out of place.

Also, the lines towards the end in the second part of the song, "Adugu dhooram, vijayamunnaa vidichi pona...Kadhalaleka vadhalaleka chedhiripona..", IMO make sense only if one knows the plot of the movie.

So here that goes...

The hero is a yesteryear cricket player who is very passionate about cricket. For some reasons he leaves it, but he is unable to make it to another job. He is shown more or less to be jobless, visiting govt offices in pursuit of the job he applied for. His lover and wife is unhappy about he being jobless and shown to taunt him on and off in the movie. They have a son who admires his father and his sport very much. At one point, the son asks the father to buy him a jersey on his birthday. Having no money to buy one, he takes money from the purse of his wife, when she is not there. She perceives the act as stealing and inadvertently slaps him. (I have no clue how that can be seen as stealing, when the same thing is just fine when a wife does that when she is not working. Also, I personally feel the heroine was not a great choice for the movie. She is fine, but during a couple of emotional scenes, I find her acting almost hysteric...I don't know if it's the character or the actress herself...)

Anyway, back to the story. So, the hero's ego is slapped day in and day out and he decides to get back to his forte, cricket, that is. And this is after a break of almost 10 years (I guess) and when he is relatively too old to start again now...When he last left the sport, he was playing apparently for the state. He does make a come back eventually and gets selected for nationals...

(Spoilers ahead...)

In a match, just before the nationals, he falls sick. And we get to know the real reason behind why he left the sport in the past. He was diagnosed with a heart condition that doesn't allow him to play cricket and there's a high chance of fatality if he played it. Back to the present, he still chooses to play the nationals. Fast forward to the future, there's a book launch function that is attended by the mother and the "grown up" son. The book is on the life of the hero delving on failure and underdogs who do not often meet success, yet how their journey can be inspiring and worth attention (as much or more than a success journey IMO). The movie ends with the son giving a speech about his father, how he played that match very well knowing he might die. The son is gifted with the jersey of his father. Telugu movies usually (in fact 99.99% of the times) tend to end on a happy note. So the movie is re-winded back to the past to a point in time where the three in the family capture a selfie (through a normal camera, when the concept of selfie didn't exist) in happy vibes on a beach.

(This movie was released recently in Hindi too. (Released in Telugu in 2019). Not sure why Shahid Kapoor picks up such films...those in which the heroes have already acted damn well. They have already set a bar, and it's very difficult, at least for the south audience, to see somebody else again in those roles. But the other side of the coin is, he does seem to have a taste for movies. The movies he picks are really good (with which he is able to connect well, as said by him in one of the interviews). He apparently wants to take those movies to the north audience (who probably don't have a bar set already for those roles). Anyway, whatever !!)

Edit(Jul-10): There was an error in my translation yesterday. Corrected the same and also added a few details to the climax of the movie.

You cannot stop the Spring !

 "Philosophy of Pablo Neruda -- You cannot stop the Spring!"

Thus read one of the lines in my MBA notes. Yeah, today afternoon I just wanted a white paper to write on and I grabbed the first book on the top of the heap in the cupboard and it happens to be MPBG + LCF + SI notebook (Management Paradigms from Bhagavadgita + Lessons from Corporate Failures + Strategy Implementation). This line is from the middle course. (I just checked it now, the full quote from Neruda reads, "You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.")

But wait, only yesterday I was chewing on this song, "Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dariki raani vanaala kosam" and wanted to do this post on translating its lyrics to English. But somehow I postponed it to today and I now know why. Nah, I'm not gonna tell you why. You better understand why :D (And as a matter of fact, what you understand (from the post that follows) and what I now think I know, may be quite different...)

Anyway, back to the song. This song is from the movie "Rudraveena". Any Telugu movie buff would know what kind of landmark movies, films like "Rudraveena", "Swarnakamalam", "Shankaraabharanam" have been. Specifically, these movies revolved around dance/music yet reflected deeply on the societal psyche at many levels. That's K. Vishwanath's forte and he will be forever in the hearts of many Telugu movie fans for that. Now tell me, how many art movies did the Telugu audience come across, that kept them entertained and engaged? Probably handful. Yet these movies don't stand out due to quantity (I mean scarcity), they do due to sheer quality.

Again, back to the song. This song is pretty close to my heart (in fact some other songs too from this movie) and it's been on my playlist for a long time. I used to play it especially during my "Void" years to keep me going (along with the other songs I was talking about). The lyrics of this song are extremely beautiful, rather esoteric probably. So, I will try and give it a shot to translate the lyrics into English. Be assured, the beauty of the lyrics cannot be retained in any which way, for they are far more elegant in Telugu. I'm afraid I must say English (or rather I, in English) cannot do justice to those lyrics (by Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry). But anyway, here I go...

                                                         ***

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dariki raani vanaala kosam? (Repeat)

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests (woods) that don't (or rather can't) reach out to her? (Repeat)

Gaganaala dhaaka ala saagakunte, meghaala raagam ila cherukodhaa?

Even if the waves don't (can't) reach the skies, doesn't the lilt of the clouds (rain) reach the land?

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

                                                         ***

Vennela deepam kondharidhaa, adavini saitham velugu kadhaa?

Does the light of the full moon belong to just a few (elite)? Doesn't it lit up the forests too?

Ellelu leni challani gaali, andhari kosam andhunu kaadha?

Doesn't the cool wind that breezes without barriers, blow for everybody?

Prathi madhini lepe prabhaata raagam,

The morning raaga (sun) that wakes up everybody every mind,

Padhe padhe choope pradhaana maargam.

Time and again shows us the key path.

Edhee sontham kosam kaadhanu sandesham.

Nothing is supposed to be one's own, that's the message.

Panche guname pothe prapanchame shoonyam.

When the virtue of sharing vanishes, the world will be void.

Idhi theliyani manugada kadha, dishanerugani gamanamu kadha.

Without knowing this, the story of (human) progress (evolution) is just a directionless wandering (a journey without a direction/destination), right!

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

                                                        ***

Brathukuna leni sruthi kaladhaa, yedha sadi lonee laya ledhaa? (Repeat)

Is there a tune that doesn't exist in life? Isn't there a rhythm in (our very own) heartbeat? (Repeat)

Ee kala kainaa, ee kala kainaa, jeevitha rangam vedika kaadhaa?

For any art...for any dream...isn't the stage of life the platform?

Prajaadhanam kaani kalaa vilaasam, ye prayojanam leni vrudhaa vikaasam.

Any art extravaganza that doesn't serve the public (common good), is just a waste development with no use whatsoever.

Koose koyila pothe kaalam aagindhaa?

When the koyal that coos goes away (stops singing), does the time (season) stop too?

Paare eeree paade maro padham raadhaa?

Doesn't a new lyric (song) originate with the flowing river?

Muraliki gala swaramula kala, pedhavini vidi palakadhu kadha...

The flute that has the knack of producing tunes, cannot sound (create the same) devoid of lips, right?

                                                       ***

Tharali raadha thane vasantham, thana dhariki raani vanaala kosam?

Doesn't the Spring herself come down to the forests that don't reach out to her?

Gaganaala dhaaka ala saagakunte, meghaala raagam ila cherukodhaa?

Even if the waves don't reach the skies, doesn't the rain reach the land?

                                                      ***

There's this other song in this movie, "Chuttuupakkala chuudaraa chinna vaada!" that comes during the beginning titles. It calls out a guy stuck in his own world to see the world around him...the realities and vagaries of it.

There's another song, "Randi randi randi daya cheyandi...". It's basically an invitation by the (would-be) father-in-law to the protagonist into his house in a comic way saying they are very glad to have him at their house.

And there's another song "Cheppalani undhi" after the hero has a rift with his family (father) and gets separated from them. The would-be FIL (father of his love interest) enquires him what's really bothering/worrying him and that it may be easy upon him if he shares what's stirring his mind. The song ends with the hero singing "Nenu Saitham" (by Sree Sree). "Nenu Saitham" means "I too can! (despite being just one)". Call it cliched, eccentric, ambitious, but I needed this song during my "Void" years to be reminded that I too can (rather that what I was doing can) make a difference.  This song happens to be my favourite in the movie. It does get hysteric towards the end and reverberates within (only to a person who is suffering).

Some of the lines in that song that really really resonate with me translate to, "The tunes (vagaries) of the helpless people suffering are hovering me, allowing me no peace. These strings have to be repaired. This aberration has to be corrected. Rejecting the mainstream (tune), assuming I am my own boss, I will walk this path. I will NOT live in a dream. I won't seek the comfort of the dream."

"Nenu Saitham" itself has some lyrics which mean, "Until the Spring embraces the whole world permanently (as in stably, completely), I will NOT sing the old tune, I shall NOT leave the new tune."

                                                     ***

Let me now quickly build the story of the movie from all the details already shared. The hero belongs to an upper-caste family. The father, a renowned musician discriminates heavily the other sections of the society and views them as outcast (untouchability etc. are depicted in the movie). He believes music is only for the upper-class (read it brahminic class). The heroine, a classical dancer, is from that very outcast section (read it harijan class), raised by an educated father with liberal views. The values of the hero (who learns music from his father) do not align with his father's and the contradictions surface constantly. There comes a time when the hero leaves his family to live with the world outside in a normal way. The village has a lot of drunkards (due to the alcohol being produced in the vicinity) who don't take care of their families. They literally abandon their responsibilities.

At one point in the movie, when the protagonists are all set to marry, some issue erupts and the hero decides that he shall marry only after this alcohol issue is sorted out. Eventually, the problem is sorted and the hero is honored at the end for transforming the village into a model village. The father comes at the end and says in his speech that he is proud to be identified as the hero's father. Of course, there are many interesting nitty-gritties and anecdotes in the movie, but they make for a discussion over a coffee.

                                                    ***

By now, you would have figured it out... Though at the beginning, the intention of the post seems to be about Spring or maybe about translating the lyrics of the song...the real intention is to build the story from these songs.

PS to self: Blogging after a long time makes me realize I have lost (the memory of) many words.

Update (06-Jul): I have checked if there are any other sources of translation for this song and found the below two good resources:

* Source 1: This requires one already knows Telugu (Not a source of translation, but a source of extended meaning).

** Source 2: Was interesting to compare my translation with the one here.

Whatever !

So, I watched this movie "Manmarziyaan" today as my random YT browsing led me to this movie recently. Was surprised, I didn't know until then that this 2018-released movie existed.

Completed watching it a while ago. So, the title translates to "Wishes of the heart" or may I say, "Whatever is the wish of the heart". But this movie is like "Whatever"...I mean like W H A A T E V V E R! Really? Is one's heart so hopeless that it wanders in whichever direction it wants? Pyaar aur dil kaa kuch mathlab hee nahin hotha hain? This is one of the shittiest senseless (in order to sound decent) stories I came across, I'd say. And this was not even a movie in "fiction" genre or some period movie which might have made sense at a different time. I don't know in which time and space this movie makes sense.

Quickly checked the headlines of the reviews after I watched the movie. So, they go on to say it is a different take at love and relationships. Really? Is this a love story at all? Isn't it an out and out story of lust? With all the three people involved there? Love and Lust are two different things, people! They are not one and the same.

I can at least understand the characters of Rumi & Vicky (played by Taapsee Pannu & Vicky Kaushal), but I can't, for the life of me, understand the role of Robbie. Like, you know two people are (apparently) madly in love (or let's say, in an affair) and then you come in between and even before they can make up their mind and decide either which way, you consciously try to break it up and then marry the girl? Ok done, it makes sense until here at least. But then, later you be so nice to a person who is not at all interested in you? Who on earth does that? Ok granted until here. You then go further and tell your wife, "You STILL have a choice!" What on earth does THAT mean? You could have given that choice before marriage, right? You could have let them be, give them their time and then let them decide.

But no, that isn't gonna happen right? Not here, at least in this story! These are two people who cannot decide forever. The guy is a commitment phobe and the girl decides so fast, that she changes her mind every now and then even in the eleventh hour. So Mr. Robbie, the saviour steps in and decides for them. Decides for all the three in fact and somehow marries the girl.

Mr. Robbie asks his Mom, "How can you decide that the girl is a trouble just by looking at the pictures?" I ask him instead, "How then did you decide that you love the girl and that you want to lead the rest of your life with her, just by looking at those very pics?" At one point of the movie, after knowing that his wife cheated on him, he bursts out (JUST for a moment) as he should. And next day, he says, "Sorry for yesterday! I overstepped." And thaat moment, I tell you, that moment, the movie got on to my nerves. Seriously, who should apologize whom dude?

There's something seriously wrong with the human race itself. I'm tired of these stories where people are extra nice to those who don't give them a damn...and on the contrary do not value enough, nice people. So there is nothing nice, nothing good or bad...It's all manmarziyaan...There's something seriously eccentric with this "mann" of the human race and it's probably time this eccentricity is fixed or I will go crazy now!

This trait of trying to spoil things to invite pain, running after those who are running away from you, loving something that is elusive to you - this is something out and out eccentric, but apparently normal to those who do this. As for me, love is when two people can open up to each other and be honest, be able to spend time with each other, be able to lead their lives with each other. Sure, in reality these eccentric people do not get married to their elusive lovers, but they still seem to be clinging to them. I can only pity them, what else can I do.

Anyway, coming back to the movie. The role of Robbie does step in much to save the other two roles, otherwise they might have been on a different hyperbole (who knows anyway!) So, what should have happened before marriage, happens after marriage. Actually, this guy Robbie was determined to live with Rumi, so he does it, he did not have a better choice. Just that, the way it is shown to happen, seems so senseless...as if marriage doesn't hold any value. Actually, that's not the case in reality coz most ppl do value marriage. They respect it or at least fear it (given the value society places on it). In fact, people in society respect marriage so much that they start disrespecting love*. But in this movie, marriage loses it's meaning like never before. Just remove marriage out of the equation and the picture does begin to make some sense.

(*I often wondered, isn't there a middle way in reality. As in, if one falls out of love with their spouse, and find somebody whom they truly love, can't they end the marriage in an amicable way, thereby respecting both the marriage and love.)

The acting of the lead actors, music and other technical expertise was definitely wasted on this story. But then, that's what movies are. They bring on to celluloid any story...just about any random fancy of human brain. And in that sense, this movie is a great job. It does bring out the fancy in a great way. I wonder if there is a better way to portray it.

A great dialogue is also wasted on this story. But some YouTuber made a great use of it anyway :)

There's a great deal of pain and suffering on earth in general, and more so when it comes to relationships. And that's such a pity, such a shame, for it's people who make a great (twisted and complicated) deal of simple things in life.

The only thing that made sense to me in the movie was its climax. Some sensible 10 minutes after 2 hours of senseless drama. And oh yeah, the line that runs in the trailers makes great sense too - "Love isn't complicated. People are!"

And yes, for all her baggage is worth, Rumi in the movie was redeemed with a few answers and just a simple friend request at the end, how easy!

And it's over!

Oh yeah! This deserves an entry in my blog. Can't believe it's over. It happened yesterday, technically today, around 12:15 AM. Roughly 24 hours ago, that is! I'm finally done watching the "Friends" series 😐!!!

There's a long background to this, which I'd try and write it down here may be. "Friends" is something I have been watching for the past 2.5 years! Yeah, it wasn't something I was binge watching. It was something I was slowly assimilating, 20 mins a day. Because, it deserves to be taken that way!

During one of my conversations with one of my besties when I was deep down in despair and void, she suggested that I start watching "Friends" series. I usually don't take advice from others. Because, most of the times, I know what I want and what makes me happy. Also, she is not the usual kind who gives advice. And this suggestion coming from her is, sort of, not expected. I did not heed to it immediately. But in Dec 2019, around the time I shifted to Bangalore for my job, it randomly crossed my mind and I took Netflix subscription just for the sake of "Friends". And, I'm so glad I did.

This undoubtedly is one of the best things that happened to me in life. 99% of the times, I used to end my day with "Friends". And yes, this period includes my 2 years of MBA too. No matter how late, I used to end my day with it. And what a great way to end it. Pure, unadulterated friendship, with people living life with no inhibitions and ego. This is how humans are supposed to conduct themselves, I say. Do we really find it these days? As cliched as it might sound, gone are those days. And what I couldn't find, out in the world, I found it in this series.

Here's to the 2.5 years of "Friends"! :) 

Why capital punishment is only right!

So, a person commits rape and we simply hang him and kill him*? There's no mercy? No forgiving? One may ask! Not any random one, a bench of judges opines the same.

(*Don't call me a female chauvinist or sexist for not using "him or her" there. I haven't come across any instances of women raping men or other genders).

In a recent judgment, Supreme Court commuted the death sentence granted to a rapist, saying "Every sinner has a future".

What BS was that? If every sinner has a future, then what about their victims in the future? They don't need a future? It's not always about the vindication of the past victim (the one who suffered), it's also about the people in the future.

These buggers of so-called compassion (towards the undeserving) have lost it, along with the rapists. A few things from what they said:

"...the maximum punishment prescribed may not always be the determinative factor for repairing the crippled psyche of the offender." -- First & foremost, repairing the crippled psyche is not the primary motto of delivering justice. Sometimes repairing a fellow human is beyond the power of humans. I don't know which form of justice calls for commuting of death sentence. Going by punitive/retributive and even preventive justice, the capital punishment is very befitting for such cases.

This is not a normal instance of rape (And I don't imply that rape can be normal. It goes without saying that rape is an extremely abnormal act). It's a gruesome act of pedophilia where a 4 year old child was brutally raped and murdered! Even if it is an adult in the place of a child, the nature of the crime doesn't change suddenly. It is as ghastly as that. If they couldn't be moved by the suffering of a fellow human, they wouldn't be moved by that of a child either. They are just too insensitive and indifferent to differentiate all that.

Also, if one is looking at rehabilitation and repairing of the convict, many past instances show that rapists don't have the faintest of remorse . The Nirbhaya case is a glaring evidence for that. Same seems to be the case with the family members of the rapists, in general. They don't exhibit compassion either. Same case with the juvenile rapists. Aruna Shanbaug's case is another instance. She was sodomized and left in a vegetative state for the rest of her life and the person who committed it was not convicted of rape, as the laws then did not consider sodomy as rape. Years after the crime, the convict does seem to show remorse, but has a double-talk - on one hand he says he shall ask for forgiveness given his sins and on the other hand he says he did not commit the act he was accused of.

If gruesome rapes are on one end of the spectrum, cheating and raping women in the guise of love are at the other end. The death of the then budding actress Pratyusha in Feb 2002 was one such instance. As far as I can recall from the news back then, on the night of her death she went out along with her lover and his friends, but the news that was out was - it was a suicide pact between her and her lover, as their parents did not approve of their relationship. And that while she succumbed, he survived. There are some movies covering such incidents. (Sarpa Yagam (0:55:00 - 1:11:00), Telugu movie from 1991 to Ghatana (00:45:55 - 1:06:30), 2014 Telugu remake of a Malayalam movie). But how women respond to such incidents changed with time, as it should. From asking their father in the suicide note, to avenge the act, to avenging the act themselves. Movies aside, when it comes to real-life incidents, forget revenge and vindication, the culprits are not even brought to book. They get away with such incidents easily. The acts may not be as gruesome as those discussed in the previous para, but they are heart-breaking and life-destroying, to say the least. "Moving on" with life is not easy if the woman happens to be alive after rape, in such cases.

Coming back to the judgement discussed in the opening para, that a sinner should have a future too, the bench cited this: "Oscar Wilde has said - "The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future"." -- Really? Is that the only difference? If Oscar Wilde said that, then damn him and his thoughts, I say! He also said, "I can resist anything but temptation!" So what, I ask!

The voice against capital punishment has been on the rise in India for quite some time and it is not just with rape incidents. (Some very recent commutation orders here). I'd say all those people who have been raising their voices, have also been high on pseudo-compassion. Selective compassion, at that. Where the life of the affected/dead is not of concern, but only those of who are alive. It's like "being alive" is valued highly. People whose lives have been taken away or destroyed at all levels have no value, so to say. To damn with all of them. I reiterate (I said this in the past too, in my blog), the modern society has a very rudimentary understanding of punishment.

Your Honour! (Whoever it is, that is hearing me from above; Readers, please don't bother! Not addressing you here) With all the details submitted above, I unequivocally opine, believe and argue that Capital Punishment is the only right punishment in the above incidents and demand justice. I submit and rest my case here.

************************************************************************************************************

A channeled message from my blog post from Feb 19, 2014, that did not go into my book - 

"ఎవరో ఒక మహానుభావుడు నాకు ఒక "Golden Idea" ఇచ్చాడు నాకు, మన మనసు లో ఉన్నవి వారికి స్వయంగా చెప్పవద్దట, బ్లాగ్ లో రాయాలట! ఇప్పుడు నేను చెప్పేది విని వాడు చస్తాడో, బ్రతుకుతాడో, చస్తూ బ్రతుకుతాడో, బ్రతుకుతూ చస్తాడో, వాడి ఇష్టం:

తూ! నీ బ్రతుకు చెడ!
పెళ్ళాం తో సంసారం చెయ్యలేని నీకు ఈ భవంతులు ఉంటే ఏంటి, ఊడితే ఏంటి? పెళ్ళెందుకు, పెళ్ళాం ఎందుకు? భార్య కల్ల ముందుకు స్వయం గా వచ్చి మాట్లాడనప్పుడు, ఆ భార్య తో నీకు పనేంటి? తన  నుంచి నువ్వు ఆసించేదేంటి? తన పట్ల కర్తవ్యమ్ నువ్వు నెరవేర్చనప్పుడు, తనతో పనేంటి నీకస్సలు?

ఏంట్రా, ఈ సివిలైజేషన్ అంతా ఆడవాళ్ళని మెప్పించడానికా?
ఎందుకురా ఆడవారి కన్నీటి మీద, క్షోభ మీద, ఈ భవిష్యత్తును నిర్మిస్తున్నారు?

ఇంకా ఏమంటున్నావు? తండ్రి తో పని లేదా నీకు?
నిజంగా మగాడివయితే , ఒక భర్త బాధ్యతను నిజంగా స్వీకరించి నేరవేర్చినప్పుడు, అప్పుడు తెలుస్తుంది నిజమైన తండ్రి బాధ్యత! ఏ యు.యస్  తప్పించి ఇంకో ప్రపంచం తెలీదా నీకు, చూడలేదా యూరప్ ని, చూడలేదా ఇండియా లో మంచి తండ్రులని? అయినా నీ లాంటి నిక్రుష్టల వలన కదూ, తండ్రి పాత్ర తగ్గుతూ వస్తుంది? అటు తండ్రి ని, ఇటు తల్లిని కష్ట పెడుతున్నారు!

ఇంకొక మాట, ఇంకొక్క మాట, ఈ సృష్టి గురించి గాని, ఈ సృష్టి స్థితి లయ కారణాల గురించి గాని, ఈ సృష్టి గమనాన్ని గురించి గాని మాట్లాడావో, నాకు నువ్వు మళ్ళీ కనిపిచ్చినప్పుడు చెప్పిచ్చుకుని కొడతాను. వాటి గురించి మాట్లాడే అర్హతని,  నా ద్రిష్టిలో నువ్వు ఎప్పుడో కోల్పోయావు! నీతి మాలిన కుక్క! నాకు ఇంతకంటే బూతులు రావు!

మనుషుల కర్మ ఫలాలను వారికి అంద జేయకుండా, వారికి సంప్రాప్తించ వలసిన మోక్షాన్ని వారికి అందనివ్వకుండా, వారి కుళ్ళు నుంచి, కుళ్ళు మనుషులను ఏర్పరిచి, ఒక కుళ్ళు సమాజాన్ని నువ్వు సృష్టిస్తే, ఆ కుళ్ళుని భరించే ఓపిక  గాని, అవసరం  గాని, ఇక్కడ ఎవరికీ లేదు. ఆ కుల్లేదో నువ్వే భరించు, ఆ  కుళ్ళులో, నువ్వు ఉంటావో, ఉండవో, బ్రతుకుతావో, చస్తావో నీ ఇష్టం. కానీ నీ బ్రతుకు వలన గాని, చావు వలన గాని, నాకు ఎటువంటి "ఫరక్" పడద్! Because YOU have been declared null and void!

If you thought the world needs to deteriorate further, for the judgement to be passed, that the last tree needs to be cut, that the last fish needs to be eaten, that the people should go insane and finally kill each other, then you are completely mistaken. This world is not Godless! The Gods know when and how to take the reins! The Universe will always try and evolve to its best possible state despite all the garbage dumped into it, it could be a zero state too, if you go any further on this small part of a huge system. We don't care if we are going towards a better or worse future from good or bad past as per YOUR parameters of development here on earth, but WE WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THIS KIND OF "PRESENT" here!!!"

- The Cosmic Consciousness & Energy speaking...

No promise of an easy road...Just the destination!

Thus go the lines in the song - "It's Alright" by Brandon Heath. And they are not mere lines in a random English song. It's a message that occurs to me faintly time and again (albeit not frequently) on my journey. Though it does not sound too optimistic, I had always seen it as a reassurance from the Universe. Because, after all it conveys that there's some force out there that knows my journey and has been kind enough to acknowledge me, in a truthful way, at that!

So now, why do I talk about this? Yeah, coming to THE point. My brother and his family (SIL & niece) are leaving planning to leave for US this May 11th. So yeah, all arrangements have been made. AND I absolutely hate they going to US. I don't want them to. I want them to stay here...along with the rest of the family. I have tried in all possible ways I can, to stop them, since this Jan end. But, I reached my limit of limits and gave up on it recently. And my brother almost said, "Go take a walk!" Not "almost", he said more than that.

I thought, "Ok, it's their Karma! Why stop it?" So yeah, that's what my "mind" thought. But you know this "heart" right? Doesn't settle down that easily. It kept saying to me, I have a role to play...to stop them, that is. That their destiny doesn't lie in US at all. But who cares? Who cares what I think and believe in? It, apparently, is their dream to be there and taste a different facet of life.

So, you may ask who am I to stop them. Rather why do I want to stop them. All may not understand why, but Love Does.

KGF-2 !!!

KGF-2 is a mega movie in every way, itseems ! I don't know how, though...

So, I went to this movie today without checking any reviews and bumped into the above review after I came back from the movie.

Except for a scene or two, which were extremely good, KGF-1 itself was unrealistic for me. Now this KGF-2 was crazily unrealistic. Just kept wondering why they make such movies. Man, some fiction can be awful, I reckon.

Of course, I sort of know the answer. Because they sell, because people watch them. So, the next best question to ask is - why and how do people like such movies? (Or may be I should check why do I not like those movies, instead!)

In any case, here is this movie which is all macho...The hero can do anything and everything. He is invincible at all levels. At any point of time he is always ahead of everybody, ahead of everybody else's game. All set to win the world. "Duniya jeethna" hain unko... Arey bhai! Duniya kyaa aapka baap ke kursi hain kyaa...Nahin tho aapke ammi ki necklace? Ki aap aur bass aap hee usko jeethna hain?

Some typical patterns, the Mom makes this hero. And she believes and calls him Sultan, the emperor, at every point of the movie. Like, such conviction! Even at the age of 4 when he is sick and doctors say he is critical, she says, "Don't you dare comment on his longevity! He is Sultan and he will make my dreams come true!!" I mean, come on, give me a break (With all due respect to mothers here...No offence whatsoever!)

And then there is no value for human life in general. The hero and the villain kill people whenever and wherever, all they like. But their very own lives are pretty precious. They cannot JUST die that easily. And this be the hierarchy of value of life in these movies: Life of Heroine < Life of Villain < Life of Hero. Rest everybody be the ants.

Anyway, I can go on and on, but let me take a break here. The only good thing about the movie is costumes - Hero's suits and Heroine's lehengas. Some good ones there. And a few good lines which made sense in the movie...

"This story is made of blood, it cannot go ahead with ink, it needs more blood to finish it off!" (Something like that...And that was so damn true (for the movie)).

"History says powerful people come from powerful places. So not true! Powerful people make places powerful!" -- That was quite a line, dude!!

Anyway, I miss yesterday so much! Yesterday's RRR movie was sooooo good! Like every moment was so gripping, some of them jaw-dropping. Awesome, all the way!

Yeah, go watch KGF-2 if you want to. If you want to watch the magnanimity of movie-making. But logic...now, forget that. Lock logic at home and then go watch it.

Free !!!

It is the freedom to be one's own true self, express and experience that self - that every soul yearns for, at the end of the day. That freedom to truth is ultimately the happiness...the happiness of the soul.

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“I release my parents from the feeling that they might have somewhere failed me.

I release my children from the need to bring pride to me; so that they may write their own destiny their own ways according to their own hearts.

I release my partner from the obligation to complete me.

I do not lack anything.

I learn with all beings all the time.

I thank my grandparents and forefathers for that is how I can breathe life today.

I release them from past failures and unfulfilled desires, aware that they have done their best to resolve their situations within the consciousness they had at that moment.

So I say to them-I honor you, I love you and I recognize you as innocent.

I am transparent before your eyes, so they know that I do not hide or owe anything other than being true to myself and my existence.

Walking with the wisdom of the heart, I am aware that I fulfill my life project, free from invisible and visible family loyalties that might disturb my peace and happiness, (which are my only responsibilities.)

I renounce the role of savior, of being one who unites or fulfills the expectations of others.

Learning through, and only through, LOVE, I bless my essence, my way of expressing, even though somebody may not understand me.

I understand myself, because I alone have lived and experienced my history..because I know myself, I know who I am, what I feel, what I do and why I do it.

I respect and approve myself.

I honor the Divinity in me and in you.

We are free."

(This ancient blessing was created in the Nahuatl language, spoken in Mexico. It deals with forgiveness, affection, detachment and liberation)