Holi(day) aftereffects

Holi could not be complete without a few songs for me... Though I do not really play, and mostly because of lack of company, which has led to Holi being just one of the many days in a year, I still think that the following songs make the festival worth it... Did not do much or anything about Holi today, but thought of putting these songs together in a post before the day ends!

Its impossible to rank these songs in any particular order and hence just a random sequence...

Enjoy!!!!

Is sab ke zimmedaar! aap hain!!!!

Shukriya

धन्यवाद

gracias

dankie

благодаря

děkuji ti

bedankt

salamat

merci

Danke

σε ευχαριστώ

תודה

grazie

ありがとうございました

terima kasih

dziękuję

obrigado

gracias

asante

ขอบคุณ

Спасибо

ddiolch 'ch





and like i said... ye sab aapki wajah se hua hai :)

सुंदरकाण्ड – हनुमान्‌जी की सुरसा से भेंट

चौपाई :

जात पवनसुत देवन्ह देखा। जानैं कहुँ बल बुद्धि बिसेषा॥
सुरसा नाम अहिन्ह कै माता। पठइन्हि आइ कही तेहिं बाता॥
आजु सुरन्ह मोहि दीन्ह अहारा। सुनत बचन कह पवनकुमारा॥
राम काजु करि फिरि मैं आवौं। सीता कइ सुधि प्रभुहि सुनावौं॥

देवताओं ने पवनपुत्र हनुमान्‌जी को जाते हुए देखा। उनकी विशेष बल-बुद्धि को जानने के लिए उन्होंने सुरसा नामक सर्पों की माता को भेजा, उसने आकर हनुमान्‌जी से यह बात कही, आज देवताओं ने मुझे भोजन दिया है। यह वचन सुनकर पवनकुमार हनुमान्‌जी ने कहा- श्री रामजी का कार्य करके मैं लौट आऊँ और सीताजी की खबर प्रभु को सुना दूँ

तब तव बदन पैठिहउँ आई। सत्य कहउँ मोहि जान दे माई॥
कवनेहुँ जतन देइ नहिं जाना। ग्रससि न मोहि कहेउ हनुमाना॥
जोजन भरि तेहिं बदनु पसारा। कपि तनु कीन्ह दुगुन बिस्तारा॥
सोरह जोजन मुख तेहिं ठयऊ। तुरत पवनसुत बत्तिस भयऊ॥

तब मैं आकर तुम्हारे मुँह में घुस जाऊँगा और तुम मुझे खा लेना । हे माता! मैं सत्य कहता हूँ, अभी मुझे जाने दे। जब किसी भी उपाय से उसने जाने नहीं दिया, तब हनुमान्‌जी ने कहा- तो फिर मुझे खा न ले उसने योजनभर मुँह फैलाया। तब हनुमान्‌जी ने अपने शरीर को उससे दूना बढ़ा लिया। उसने सोलह योजन का मुख किया। हनुमान्‌जी तुरंत ही बत्तीस योजन के हो गए

जस जस सुरसा बदनु बढ़ावा। तासु दून कपि रूप देखावा॥
सत जोजन तेहिं आनन कीन्हा। अति लघु रूप पवनसुत लीन्हा॥
बदन पइठि पुनि बाहेर आवा। मागा बिदा ताहि सिरु नावा॥
मोहि सुरन्ह जेहि लागि पठावा। बुधि बल मरमु तोर मैं पावा॥

जैसे-जैसे सुरसा मुख का विस्तार बढ़ाती थी, हनुमान्‌जी उसका दूना रूप दिखलाते थे। उसने सौ योजन मुख किया। तब हनुमान्‌जी ने बहुत ही छोटा रूप धारण कर लिया और उसके मुख में घुसकर तुरंत बाहर निकल आए और उसे सिर नवाकर विदा माँगने लगे। उसने कहा मैंने तुम्हारे बुद्धि-बल का भेद पा लिया, जिसके लिए देवताओं ने मुझे भेजा था

दोहा :

राम काजु सबु करिहहु तुम्ह बल बुद्धि निधान। आसिष देइ गई सो हरषि चलेउ हनुमान॥

तुम श्री रामचंद्रजी का सब कार्य करोगे, क्योंकि तुम बल-बुद्धि के भंडार हो। यह आशीर्वाद देकर वह चली गई, तब हनुमान्‌जी हर्षित होकर चले

There IS something in the name!

Shakespear said, "What's in a name?"

I said there is a lot!!! Would you enter a store which is called Resham, to buy cotton kurtas...or would you go to a cafe called BanarsiDas Tambuwale to have coffee? I guess not!!!! Name does help make a connection... add some jazz to things, shops, brands and so on and so forth!!!

A friend of mine, is planning a stint with enterprunership and needs some help from Chai Ki Dukaan readers... So what is needed from you is to suggest a name that captures the essence of the Indian handicrafts industry...colours, crafts, unexplored talent in rural India. For all you know, the name that you suggest might be a popular brand a few years down the line, and you get some amazing discounts on the stores which keep that brand!

So go ahead... suggest!!!

65001

Yesterday, me and Radha complete 65000 kms of our togetherness after a fantastic drive to and in the hills!!! Will write about the trip sometime later though!

She has been like an angel looking after me all these years we have been together!!! Thank you Radha and thank you uncle God for these wonderful times!!!

Like I like to say, Life is great!

sale sale Single Ladka!!! Sale Sale!!!

One of my very very dear friends J, is SINGLE, and is looking for a valentine's day date! He mentioned that to me in the morning today and I vouched to put this issue up somewhere... my best somewhere happens to be Chai ki Dukaan!

The guy is very smart, good looking, soft spoken, a brilliant photographer and an entrepreneur with a smile worth millions and a heart of Gold! and Single! and available!

If you know someone in Bangalore, who would like to go out on a blind date, please do leave a note here! I hope my friend is reading the post and the comments!

Good ways to spend an evening - 1

1. Leave office on time (ok, a li'il late works too)
2. Get a tank full of gas (short for gasoline, and referred to as petrol and diesel in India) [abe firangi]
3. Find a direction to drive in...
4. Set a countdown timer (e.g. I will drive for 90 minutes, and look for the first nice place to have tea)
5. DRIVE
6. Stop...
7. Eat and have Chai
8. Come back!


I managed to do a 100km drive last night with a couple of friends and went till Dharampur... about 40 kms before Solan and 13 kms before Kasauli!!!! the hills are suddenly a lot closer than they were for the last 18 months!

I love it! Life is uber cool!

Sheikh, Apni Apni Dekh

8 days since I published last!!! not fair! there has been so much happening that a lot of things, I had time for when I out of the country, have taken a back seat!

I guess its just a phase...though the last two weekends and the week has been very very good! in ways more than one! along with some sidey not so good things too!!!

Got to know a few nice people in Chandigarh, making the stay here a lot better than I had expected... driving to work and back does not take more than 15 minutes and its a pleasure to drive... the chill in the mornings and the breeze in the evenings is a pleasure to experience!

Ashu flew off to Mauritius for his project yesterday... which is another good news! I am proud of him!

Radha is doing great, and I am enjoying my long drives with her! we have driven about 2000kms already after I came back! I think in all I must have driven close to about 100,000 kms in the last 6 years! I like it!

I saw Ishqiya! and it turned out to be a bummer! Naseer wasted, Arshad and Vidhya underutilized, weak plot, slow pace... not sure if there was much about the movie that I liked except a couple of songs and some stills from the lighting point of view... my favorite being the opening sequence of the movie! and it just went downhill from there!!! My favorite line from the movie being. "Sheikh, Apni Apni Dekh".

There is a whole lot happening other than the regular movie, home, work business, and I am very excited and at the same time a bit nervous about it... but I kind of believe that things are going to turn out just right!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

of driving and drivers

You can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he drives on the road!

I was told this sometime in 1999, when I had taken a lift from Mayur Vihar to Pragati Maidan and then the gentlemen went on to talk about some of the drivers and how they were handling their vehicles on the road... It was a very interesting 30 minute discussion, and the thought has been there in my mind ever since! I notice how people handle and drive their vehicles, and map it back to how they are, including myself.

My theory is that while you are at the steering wheel, over a period of time you are driving with your sub-concious mind. This is the reason why the clutch, the gear shift, the horn, the dipper, the brake, the accelerator seem to be working together seamlessly while you become a part of the car, in a way!

And if my way of driving has to tell anything about me, it is that....

1. I have stopped rushing into a lot of things... an empty road does not mean a hard press on the gas!

2. I feel very contented with where I am, I see the road ahead and am more than willing to take the journey, and I see the rear view mirror to see the distance I have covered

3. I still get very annoyed at displays of irresponsibility and recklessness. I think Angry is a more appropriate word!

4. I am agressive in my approach

5. I do not get bothered by the surrounding noise. Even if I do, it takes a while for it to get to my head. Mostly I am involved in my own thoughts for the noise to be irritating

6. I like to give way and be patient.

7. I like to be protective and possesive of the things in my perimeter.

8. I hate being judged because of a few instances. Observations, alright! Judgements! get lost!

9. I do not mind changing pace depending on the situations... I do not have not go at the same speed always, and its ok to slow down

10. I ENJOY where I am!

Most of these seem to be hovering around the same point! interesting!

सुंदरकाण्ड – हनुमानजी का लंका को प्रस्थान

चौपाई :

जामवंत के बचन सुहाए। सुनि हनुमंत हृदय अति भाए॥
तब लगि मोहि परिखेहु तुम्ह भाई। सहि दुख कंद मूल फल खाई॥
जब लगि आवौं सीतहि देखी। होइहि काजु मोहि हरष बिसेषी॥
यह कहि नाइ सबन्हि कहुँ माथा । चलेउ हरषि हियँ धरि रघुनाथा॥

भावार्थ:-जाम्बवान् के सुंदर वचन हनुमानजी के हृदय को बहुत ही भाए। वे बोले- हे भाई! तुम लोग दुःख सहकर, कन्द-मूल-फल खाकर तब तक मेरी राह देखना जब तक मैं सीताजी को देखकर लौट न आऊँ। काम अवश्य होगा, क्योंकि मुझे बहुत ही हर्ष हो रहा है। यह कहकर और सबको मस्तक नवाकर तथा हृदय में श्री रघुनाथजी को धारण करके हनुमानजी हर्षित होकर चले

सिंधु तीर एक भूधर सुंदर। कौतुक कूदि चढ़ेउ ता ऊपर॥
बार-बार रघुबीर सँभारी। तरकेउ पवनतनय बल भारी॥
जेहिं गिरि चरन देइ हनुमंता। चलेउ सो गा पाताल तुरंता॥
जिमि अमोघ रघुपति कर बाना। एही भाँति चलेउ हनुमाना॥

भावार्थ:-समुद्र के तीर पर एक सुंदर पर्वत था। हनुमानजी अनायास ही कूदकर उसके ऊपर जा चढ़े और बार-बार श्री रघुवीर का स्मरण करके उस पर से बड़े वेग से उछले। जिस पर्वत पर हनुमानजी पैर रखकर चले, वह तुरंत ही पाताल में धँस गया। जैसे श्री रघुनाथजी का बाण चलता है, उसी तरह हनुमानजी चले

जलनिधि रघुपति दूत बिचारी। तैं मैनाक होहि श्रम हारी॥

भावार्थ:-समुद्र ने उन्हें श्री रघुनाथजी का दूत समझकर मैनाक पर्वत से कहा कि हे मैनाक! तू इनकी थकावट दूर करने वाला हो।

दोहा :
हनूमान तेहि परसा कर पुनि कीन्ह प्रनाम। राम काजु कीन्हें बिनु मोहि कहाँ बिश्राम॥

भावार्थ:-हनुमानजी ने उसे हाथ से छू दिया, फिर प्रणाम करके कहा- भाई! श्री रामचंद्रजी का काम किए बिना मुझे विश्राम कहाँ?

Afwaah!

Himess Bhai!

Weds!

Rakhi Sawant!!!

Phailaiyeee!!!!

and do tell if you would like to attend this marriage or not!

Jan Gan Man and Mile Sur Mera Tumhara!

For people who are not watching it on TV and have a decent internet connection, please see the parade live here

http://republicday.nic.in/

This will work if you have Windows Media Player or Real Player...

Enjoy some variations of the National Anthem too below... some beautiful music along with it!!!

And one of my favorite musical pieces ever, on Doordarshan

...

Out of a few things which are difficult to find, one is "closure".

Light headed

Finally the long hair days are over! back to the short smart simpler cut! I am glad I managed over 6 months of the long hair, though I did not reach the pony stage!

Feeling very light headed, and relaxed right now, while I enjoy typing while sitting in a rocking chair!

. . .

They say Charity begins at home... and I say Change does too!

Chai ki Dukaan being like a home to me and a few others that I know and some that I don't, felt like just the right place to talk about a few important things that are shaping up in the next few months!

I hope some of you remember the 30on30 campaign. For the benefit of those who do not remember or need a quick refresh here are a few highlights of 30on30

1. In Mar-Apr'09, some of my photographs were put up on sale via a blog.
Details at http://30-on-30.blogspot.com/
2. The initial aim was to raise Rs. 30000 in 30 days via the sale of these photographs
3. The campaign worked well and there were about 2500 people who visited the campaign page during these 30 days
4. We managed a total of Rs. 79000 by the end of the campaign5. We gave that money to ASK-Sankalp who promised that this would be used properly in the initiatives at Sankalp, which is a unit based out of Moradabad, UP focused on Child Rights and Education

This really encouraged me and a few more, and we thought of doing something which would be our contribution to society and change, in a more systematic and continuous way! Some of us talked at length about what could we do, and more importantly how! The good part being that none of us were skeptical about the results, or the approach or if we should do something or not!

There are lot of ideas, there is a lot to do, and there is a need of people who can support us! So if you are willing, or know someone who is willing to spend about 5-6 hours a week (dedicatedly) on some initiatives related to social issues please read on...

1. If you are just willing to spend time and spread a word about what we are doing, GREAT! we would keep you posted and look forward to your support
2. If you have a special skill like web-design, content management and editing, financial and legal knowledge, we would love to hear from you
3. If you feel you'd like to be a part of such team and can give more time than just a few hours and connect with us for a longer time, please hold on...

Give us sometime while we work some details. The intention is to keep things simple, our energies focused and mindsets positive!

Game for it?

p.s. feel free to write to Prashant @ prashantbhardwaj[at]gmail[dot]com in case you'd like to know more at this point of time, or just write a comment here!

Tea Talk

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."

~Gladstone, 1865

2009 in Pictures - June

June was a travel month! (most months last year were travel months for that matter)
Me, Ma and Pa went on a three day tour of the east coast... drove around the New York City... and visited a lot of places of tourist interest!
Enjoy the photographs below!

In my shoes!

"Try and be in my shoes!"

Heard it? I am sure you must have!

I think this is a very inappropriate thing to ask, primarily because I do not remember buying shoes that did not fit! and unless someone else's shoes fit me, there are not many chances that I am going to buy them, or the idea or perspective for that matter!

Why get into someone else's shoes then? More often than not, its going to be hard walking in them!

सुंदरकाण्ड - श्लोक

This post is in continuation of the previous post on Sunderkand. This post completes the starting Shlok of the Sunder Kand.

The first part of this Shlok is devoted to Bhagwan Ram. In this Shlok, devotee asks his Bhagwaan Ram to grant complete devotion towards Him.


नान्या स्पृहा रघुपते हृदयेऽस्मदीये
सत्यं वदामि च भवानखिलान्तरात्मा
भक्तिं प्रयच्छ रघुपुंगव निर्भरां मे
कामादिदोषरहितं कुरु मानसं च

भावार्थ:-हे रघुनाथजी! मैं सत्य कहता हूँ और फिर आप सब जानते ही हैं कि मेरे हृदय में दूसरी कोई इच्छा नहीं है। हे रघुकुलश्रेष्ठ! मुझे अपनी पूर्ण भक्ति दीजिए और मेरे मन को काम आदि दोषों से रहित कीजिए

Second part of the Shlok, devotee prays Bhagwan Hanuman.

अतुलितबलधामं हेमशैलाभदेहं
दनुजवनकृशानुं ज्ञानिनामग्रगण्यम्‌
सकलगुणनिधानं वानराणामधीशं
रघुपतिप्रियभक्तं वातजातं नमामि

भावार्थ:-अतुल बल के धाम, सोने के पर्वत सुमेरु के समान कान्तियुक्त शरीर वाले, दैत्य रूपी वन को ध्वंस करने के लिए अग्नि रूप, ज्ञानियों में अग्रगण्य, संपूर्ण गुणों के निधान, वानरों के स्वामी, श्री रघुनाथजी के प्रिय भक्त पवनपुत्र श्री हनुमान्‌जी को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ

Season's Greetings!

We just celebrated new year and Christmas and another pool of festivities is already here!!
You already know what we are talking about, don't ya? It's time for desi til-gur sweets, kites, bonfires, folklores and laughters. Here, CKD wishes everyone a very happy lohri, makar sankranti and magh bihu and pongal too!!

And as I sit here and write this greeting, a thought crosses my mind-
All these festivals are celebrated for different reasons but they all eptiomize a single spirit-
That's the spirit of sprinkling seeds of happiness and harmony around us.

And if that is the case, why restrict ourselves to just a few calendar days? :-)
We have some ideas to wave this spirit of mutual sharing in a continous fashion.... Please watch out this space for more... :-)

Till then,
Cheers!