Last week saw felicitation on occasion of completing 75 years of age of Shri G. G. Joshi. Guruji as he is called out of love and reverence is a known personality in Thane totally devoted to Indian ( Hindustani ) Classical Music.
I knew him as founder of Kalwa Music Circle some where in sixties or seventies. He might be on any position but was always back bone of the Music circle. As an organizer he had good contacts with well known and lesser known personalities from the field. Many doyens from the field know Thane as town of G.G.Joshi who organizes the concerts and invites them. The economic side of Music concerts is pathetic. Once upon a time Music flourished owing to the patronage of Princely states. For a brief period it became a popular amongst common people who would buy tickets and support the Music tradition through concerts. It would not matter which Gharana the artist may come from. No more. The crowd is thinning and becoming ensemble of gray hairs. Young artists are regularly coming forward through GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA. But the audience is no more good enough to meet two ends. The fees charged by some popular exponents are sky high while others have to go literally begging for a program. Music Circles coming from medium and small towns were excellent platform for such aspirants. Unfortunately many of them are closing not because of any other eason than economic viability. Against this back ground the work of GURUJI is definitely noteworthy.
But that is not all. He has training from AGRA GHARANA which is mainly sustained by Muslim performers and teachers. In fact most of the Gharanas are sustained for centuries by devoted Muslim performers and teachers. Gharana like Gwalior could find Hindu patronage earlier and in abundance. Thanks to Pt. Paluskar. AGRA Gharana had and still has minority of Hindu exponents. Against this back ground the determined training itself would have made any other person than GURUJI happy and satisfied. Not so fro GURUJI. Not only he obtained the TALIM vigorously but also chose to propagate it by training other disciples. He is doing it without taking any fee as cause for the spread of GHARANA. How rare in modern times !
I had the good fortune to be trained by him. I will be ever grateful to him for that. Next to Spirituality, Music is probably the only field where in GURU is held in such high esteem. In fact I owe a lot to music. It has given me plenty in terms of creative happiness and a dear collection of music lovers.
LONG LIVE GURUJI and long live his music through disciples trained by him.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
TUKARAM- AN INFLUENCE VIEW
Tukaram an influence view. Was the subject of the talk I gave on this Ekadashi day i.e. on 10th April. Whole speech is to big but here are some excerpts.
The life and work of Tukaram makes an excellent watch tower for casting a glance at Marathi Literature and culture. His work and persona is lofty enough to offer good panoramic view.
The language Marathi might have been used perhaps as vocal language since 5th century but the earliest instances of literary contributions can be traced since 12th century onward i.e. about 700 years back. The time of Tukaram is 400 years back. Time wise he is little off centre towards present time. It would be interesting to note the development of Marathi literature before him and after him. How much influence he had taken from his predecessors and how much influence he has left on his followers. He has written about his predecessors like Sant Jnaneshwar, Sant Namdev, Sant Eknath and his disciples like Bahenabai, Rameshwar Bhat, Nilobarai too have written about him. An Abhang by one of his disciple Bahenabai somes it all in eloquent fashion by using metaphor of a temple construction. She compares Jnaneshwar with plinth, Namdev with expanse of superstructure, Eknath with columns and Tukaram with the dome. She takes upon herself the role of flag flying on top with many others.
Jnandeve rachila paya, ubharale devalaya
Nam tayacha kinkar, tyane rachile avaar.
Janardana Eknath , kham dila Bhagwat,
Tuka zalase kalas, bhajan karit savkash.
Baheni fadakati dhaja, nirupan kele voja.
Baheni, Rameshwar, Niloba were disciples and contemporary. People have written about Tukaram in every century thereafter. Right now probably dozens are writing about him. If being written about is a test then Tukaram will have few parallels from Shakespeare, The form of Abhangs is as much attributed to Tukaram as the sonnets is attributed to Shakespeare.
Sushloka wamanacha kinve Arya mayrpantachi
Ovi Jnaneshachi Abhang prasiddh Tukayacha.
Only greatest of the great are honored in such fashion. Dozens of Doctorates will fade in comparison.
Tukaram is so popular that many of his lines have come to pass as adverbs in contemporary Marathi language like Aliya bhogasi asave sadar, Gath padli thaka thaka . Many of his half liners have become titles contemporary Marathi plays like Tuze ahe tujpashi, Vaje paul apule, Knay saurasi jaye
Apart from Literature his work and persona has fascinated commoner and learned alike. More about it some time later.
The life and work of Tukaram makes an excellent watch tower for casting a glance at Marathi Literature and culture. His work and persona is lofty enough to offer good panoramic view.
The language Marathi might have been used perhaps as vocal language since 5th century but the earliest instances of literary contributions can be traced since 12th century onward i.e. about 700 years back. The time of Tukaram is 400 years back. Time wise he is little off centre towards present time. It would be interesting to note the development of Marathi literature before him and after him. How much influence he had taken from his predecessors and how much influence he has left on his followers. He has written about his predecessors like Sant Jnaneshwar, Sant Namdev, Sant Eknath and his disciples like Bahenabai, Rameshwar Bhat, Nilobarai too have written about him. An Abhang by one of his disciple Bahenabai somes it all in eloquent fashion by using metaphor of a temple construction. She compares Jnaneshwar with plinth, Namdev with expanse of superstructure, Eknath with columns and Tukaram with the dome. She takes upon herself the role of flag flying on top with many others.
Jnandeve rachila paya, ubharale devalaya
Nam tayacha kinkar, tyane rachile avaar.
Janardana Eknath , kham dila Bhagwat,
Tuka zalase kalas, bhajan karit savkash.
Baheni fadakati dhaja, nirupan kele voja.
Baheni, Rameshwar, Niloba were disciples and contemporary. People have written about Tukaram in every century thereafter. Right now probably dozens are writing about him. If being written about is a test then Tukaram will have few parallels from Shakespeare, The form of Abhangs is as much attributed to Tukaram as the sonnets is attributed to Shakespeare.
Sushloka wamanacha kinve Arya mayrpantachi
Ovi Jnaneshachi Abhang prasiddh Tukayacha.
Only greatest of the great are honored in such fashion. Dozens of Doctorates will fade in comparison.
Tukaram is so popular that many of his lines have come to pass as adverbs in contemporary Marathi language like Aliya bhogasi asave sadar, Gath padli thaka thaka . Many of his half liners have become titles contemporary Marathi plays like Tuze ahe tujpashi, Vaje paul apule, Knay saurasi jaye
Apart from Literature his work and persona has fascinated commoner and learned alike. More about it some time later.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
NETIZEN ROOTS
I became attached to net only recently. I was not sure even a single person would read my blog. Things were not so bad to my surprise. Judging by the response by way of comments and / or personal calls it’s not crying in wilderness. This is not for self glorification but an experience which can be contributed to net communication.
One of the respondent to my blog coming from Bangalore happened to visit Mumbai on 13th and 14th of this month. Incidentally he is an Architect like me. That was one more common binding factor. His family comes from a town is some 50 Km from Thane. Apparently He had lost touch with the town from which his surname is derived. I was happy to not only to take him to his town but was also able to locate some traces of his family still residing there. The town has a local Lions Club which was under me when I was district Governor. The charter President of the club proved to be useful to meet the long separated family members. It seems that his Grand father of friend was quite popular in the town and still remembered with fondness. It was quite amusing to hear names rolling out in conversation as if they have been always in touch. Nostalgia trip of course continued with the tour of the house battered but still standing.
I hope such occasions are plenty and surely making the world seem smaller and smaller. How simple and small courses bring cheers to otherwise mundane life. Thank you Net.
One of the respondent to my blog coming from Bangalore happened to visit Mumbai on 13th and 14th of this month. Incidentally he is an Architect like me. That was one more common binding factor. His family comes from a town is some 50 Km from Thane. Apparently He had lost touch with the town from which his surname is derived. I was happy to not only to take him to his town but was also able to locate some traces of his family still residing there. The town has a local Lions Club which was under me when I was district Governor. The charter President of the club proved to be useful to meet the long separated family members. It seems that his Grand father of friend was quite popular in the town and still remembered with fondness. It was quite amusing to hear names rolling out in conversation as if they have been always in touch. Nostalgia trip of course continued with the tour of the house battered but still standing.
I hope such occasions are plenty and surely making the world seem smaller and smaller. How simple and small courses bring cheers to otherwise mundane life. Thank you Net.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
BIRTH DAY THAT CAN’T BE FORGOTTEN
It is sin to forget the significance of yesterday. Still I forgot it in later half of the day till next generation came around to remind ever so gently. 6th April is ( I cannot bring myself to say “was” ) birth day of SALIL. He would have completed 37 years. That was not to be so. I have to say it since he would have turned 26th and keep saying for last 12 year. Suruchi, Amit, Rohan make up for his absence every year. His friend and witness to his death Suru telephones every year. Just call. No mention of him. I wish people were not so subtle. So subtle that for once I missed the purpose of call. People say we are courageous and all that. But the real strength comes from the generation next and next. I do not understand why old generation keeps on blaming future generation.
He was our son. Naturally like an angle to us. An angle who had to finish some of his “ Prarabdha”. Why should otherwise some body so beautiful, so sensitive, so caring so dear who has not harmed any one even in thought should die such premature death ? I used to plan retirement at 50 years of age relying on him. Destiny willed otherwise. I thought I will die in debt. Destiny is probably thinking otherwise. Still I cannot make myself stop planning. Nothing is creditable here only a habit. Or the dogged refusal to let hope die.
Admittedly the grief will die only with our death. Durga Khote has said same about her son in her biography. No grief is monopoly. Some body has lived thorough it earlier and some body will live through it in future. That does not make our grief any lesser though. Now we have accepted as God’s will. Time may heal the wound but scars are left as long as you last. Only solace is in our grandson Rohan. He is almost like his carbon copy. I often call him SALIL inadvertently. It is amazing how one innocence can help us overcome loss of another innocence.
MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.
Monday, April 5, 2010
SPORTING MARRIAGE
After all the marriage of Shoab & Sania is between two sports personalities. That alone is reason good enough to take their marriage sportingly. But we Indians in general and media people in particular lack in sportsman spirit.
Why the media world is so excited about marriage ? It’s not a first marriage crossing national borders. No good or bad is likely to happen between two nations as a result of this marriage. Why not let people alone to marry and / or divorce at their free will ? Of course it is not business of media to let anybody alone. Meddling with lives of people is It’s bread earning. Nothing is sin or crime as far as bread earning goes. Some breads need sandwich spread also is another matter. So they must carry opinion polls, publish soft porn type photos and generally do every thing to arouse ( mostly voyeuristic and sinister ) interest in public mind.
Celebrity marriages are god sent opportunities for free and if not free at least cheap publicity. Be it Abhishek Bachhan or Rahul Mahajan or Shoab Akhtar. Celebrities at least have something in bargain. A publicity is food for acquiring and retaining the status of celebrity. So it’s mutually beneficial.
The case of ordinary people is different. One can understand if Ayesha cannot take it sportingly. She was not celebrity. Not at least till she decided to spoil marriage party. Had she given consent to a dubious and long absent husband permission to marry second time , probably she would not have been heard of. It is allowed as per law ( Shariat too ). But if she is really wronged, she has reason to cry. As a fall out she also gets free publicity.
Free publicity is rather tempting. Even the NGO’s long for it. Why else should some issues be forced to be seen in the simple marriage case ? Neither Shoab nor Sania nor Ayesha are poor defenseless characters in need of public sympathy of NGO’s.
Let us take a detached and sporting view of whole marriage party. Begane shaadime Abdulla dewana. Let us be Abdullas and enjoy it.
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Why the media world is so excited about marriage ? It’s not a first marriage crossing national borders. No good or bad is likely to happen between two nations as a result of this marriage. Why not let people alone to marry and / or divorce at their free will ? Of course it is not business of media to let anybody alone. Meddling with lives of people is It’s bread earning. Nothing is sin or crime as far as bread earning goes. Some breads need sandwich spread also is another matter. So they must carry opinion polls, publish soft porn type photos and generally do every thing to arouse ( mostly voyeuristic and sinister ) interest in public mind.
Celebrity marriages are god sent opportunities for free and if not free at least cheap publicity. Be it Abhishek Bachhan or Rahul Mahajan or Shoab Akhtar. Celebrities at least have something in bargain. A publicity is food for acquiring and retaining the status of celebrity. So it’s mutually beneficial.
The case of ordinary people is different. One can understand if Ayesha cannot take it sportingly. She was not celebrity. Not at least till she decided to spoil marriage party. Had she given consent to a dubious and long absent husband permission to marry second time , probably she would not have been heard of. It is allowed as per law ( Shariat too ). But if she is really wronged, she has reason to cry. As a fall out she also gets free publicity.
Free publicity is rather tempting. Even the NGO’s long for it. Why else should some issues be forced to be seen in the simple marriage case ? Neither Shoab nor Sania nor Ayesha are poor defenseless characters in need of public sympathy of NGO’s.
Let us take a detached and sporting view of whole marriage party. Begane shaadime Abdulla dewana. Let us be Abdullas and enjoy it.
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Sunday, April 4, 2010
MAHILASHAKTI CHANDRAVATI
Chadravati may not be as famous as Mayavati but is no less strong. Mayavati has legacy of Kanshiram. One does not know from where Chadravati got her fighting spirit. A widow from a village of Hariyana is not cut out for and expected to put up a fight against community. Yet she did it.
Hundreds of judgments are being awarded routinely for the case of murder through out length and breadth of India, Apart from the families of killer/s and victim/s no body else really cares. The judgment of double murder case of Manoj and Babli is exceptional. It is a landmark judgment. It’s ruling is as much against the accused brought before the Court as against the accused at large. The accused at large have no names. They have no face. They live as a barbaric clan. They have no faith in judiciary of nation. They are self appointed Judges who pass on the verdict . They call death penalty as honor killing. Their crime is far greater than those who actually killed. Those who actually killed were puppets. Their strings were pulled by harbingers of honor killing. Yet capital punishment is awarded to the puppets and a single motivator whose name and face did became known is let loose. This is the ugly face of India which no doubt will be portrayed as medieval to the world. Not befitting to a nation boasting of one of the earliest civilization.
Chandravati is to be credited for it as much as the court.. The fight is yet to be over. She has expressed the desire to follow it right to the Supreme Court if needed. She is a woman, uneducated one, widowed with 3 children to bring up, There can not be a more representative case for the lowest position on the social ladder. She fought against the community. It tried to outcaste her. She was offered bribe to behave like any other spineless woman. Her daughters were threatened with dire consequences. The police protection was missing on the day of murder. What a committed community ! Committed for wrong cause. Yet she did not buckle. That makes the story of her dogged fight all the more inspiring. She has proved what conviction can do. It can stand for education. It can match money and muscle power.
It is only hope that her story will not end the way of Shahbano story ended. That was another landmark judgment brought by another dogged fight form another lady. The media for once had done a good job for good cause. Please continue with it.
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Hundreds of judgments are being awarded routinely for the case of murder through out length and breadth of India, Apart from the families of killer/s and victim/s no body else really cares. The judgment of double murder case of Manoj and Babli is exceptional. It is a landmark judgment. It’s ruling is as much against the accused brought before the Court as against the accused at large. The accused at large have no names. They have no face. They live as a barbaric clan. They have no faith in judiciary of nation. They are self appointed Judges who pass on the verdict . They call death penalty as honor killing. Their crime is far greater than those who actually killed. Those who actually killed were puppets. Their strings were pulled by harbingers of honor killing. Yet capital punishment is awarded to the puppets and a single motivator whose name and face did became known is let loose. This is the ugly face of India which no doubt will be portrayed as medieval to the world. Not befitting to a nation boasting of one of the earliest civilization.
Chandravati is to be credited for it as much as the court.. The fight is yet to be over. She has expressed the desire to follow it right to the Supreme Court if needed. She is a woman, uneducated one, widowed with 3 children to bring up, There can not be a more representative case for the lowest position on the social ladder. She fought against the community. It tried to outcaste her. She was offered bribe to behave like any other spineless woman. Her daughters were threatened with dire consequences. The police protection was missing on the day of murder. What a committed community ! Committed for wrong cause. Yet she did not buckle. That makes the story of her dogged fight all the more inspiring. She has proved what conviction can do. It can stand for education. It can match money and muscle power.
It is only hope that her story will not end the way of Shahbano story ended. That was another landmark judgment brought by another dogged fight form another lady. The media for once had done a good job for good cause. Please continue with it.
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Saturday, April 3, 2010
MAYA MANDIR
Maya matlab paisa aisa to bachpanse jana hai.
Satta matlab paisa aisa bade ho ke pahchana hai.
Ek paisa dekar dus lakh de use bhagwan mana hai.
Kardonki mala dekar karod hi karod ab ginana hai.
Mandirwale Bhagwan aksar kahte hai teri maya.
Ab samzme ane laga ki teri nahi to tu hi maya.
Banayenge Maya Mandir jab mana hai tu hi maya
Har jagah par bhale teri satta UPme bus ekhi maya.
Natpureke Kanaiyalalne bilkul sahi socha hai.
Achhutonko dur rakhaneka yahi sabak achha hai.
Nirman MAYA MANDIR samayki ek dhara hai.
Jay Maya ho jay Maya is yugka yeh nara hai.
JAY MAYAVATI JAY TERI MAYA
JO NA SAMAZE WO KYA PAYA ?
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Satta matlab paisa aisa bade ho ke pahchana hai.
Ek paisa dekar dus lakh de use bhagwan mana hai.
Kardonki mala dekar karod hi karod ab ginana hai.
Mandirwale Bhagwan aksar kahte hai teri maya.
Ab samzme ane laga ki teri nahi to tu hi maya.
Banayenge Maya Mandir jab mana hai tu hi maya
Har jagah par bhale teri satta UPme bus ekhi maya.
Natpureke Kanaiyalalne bilkul sahi socha hai.
Achhutonko dur rakhaneka yahi sabak achha hai.
Nirman MAYA MANDIR samayki ek dhara hai.
Jay Maya ho jay Maya is yugka yeh nara hai.
JAY MAYAVATI JAY TERI MAYA
JO NA SAMAZE WO KYA PAYA ?
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Thursday, April 1, 2010
TUKARAM IV
Aapuliya bale nahi mi bolat / Sakha krupavant vacha tyachi //1//
Salunki bolatse manjul wani / Shikvata dhani vegalachi //2//
Kay mya pamare bolavi uttare / Pari tya Viswambhare bolavile //3//
TUKA mhane tyachi kon jane kala / Vagavi pangula payavin //4//
Literally meaning :-
1 Aapuliya = my, bale = strength, nahi = not, mi = I, bolat = speak,
Sakha = friend, krupavant = benevolent, vacha= speech, tyachi = his
2 Salunki = a singing bird like nightingale, bolatse = speaks (sings), manjul
= sweet, wani = notes, Shikvata = teaching, dhani= master, vegalachi
= somebody else
3 Kay = what, mya= I (same as mi in 1st line ), pamare = poor, bolavi =
should say, uttare= utterances, Pari = yet, tya = he, Viswambhare
= Lord of Universe (Vishwa) , bolavile = prompted ( to speak)
4 TUKA, mhane = says, tyachi = his, kon= who, jane = knows, kala = skill,
Vagavi = keeps, upholds, pangula = lame, payavin = without legs
Liberal translation :
I don’t speak of my own but that kind friend makes me speak.
Salunki may sing sweet notes but master is somebody else.
What can poor me utter but that lord of Universe prompts me to speak.
TUKA says that rarely somebody knows his skill that can move a lame.
Commentary :
Sant Tukaram here gives credit of his all words (and deeds) to the lord. He cites the example of singing bird. Its notes cannot be sweet unless the Lord wills it to be so. He has all powers like miracles like making a lame walk . In Vedanta, a jeev or individual suffers because he takes credit of his actions as a doer. Any action has to create a reaction or fruit which is not possible to discard. If one denounces the notion of being a doer, the action then belongs to the Lord and fruits also become his. The JEEV or individual being is then free of reaction.
Arvind Khare
khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
Salunki bolatse manjul wani / Shikvata dhani vegalachi //2//
Kay mya pamare bolavi uttare / Pari tya Viswambhare bolavile //3//
TUKA mhane tyachi kon jane kala / Vagavi pangula payavin //4//
Literally meaning :-
1 Aapuliya = my, bale = strength, nahi = not, mi = I, bolat = speak,
Sakha = friend, krupavant = benevolent, vacha= speech, tyachi = his
2 Salunki = a singing bird like nightingale, bolatse = speaks (sings), manjul
= sweet, wani = notes, Shikvata = teaching, dhani= master, vegalachi
= somebody else
3 Kay = what, mya= I (same as mi in 1st line ), pamare = poor, bolavi =
should say, uttare= utterances, Pari = yet, tya = he, Viswambhare
= Lord of Universe (Vishwa) , bolavile = prompted ( to speak)
4 TUKA, mhane = says, tyachi = his, kon= who, jane = knows, kala = skill,
Vagavi = keeps, upholds, pangula = lame, payavin = without legs
Liberal translation :
I don’t speak of my own but that kind friend makes me speak.
Salunki may sing sweet notes but master is somebody else.
What can poor me utter but that lord of Universe prompts me to speak.
TUKA says that rarely somebody knows his skill that can move a lame.
Commentary :
Sant Tukaram here gives credit of his all words (and deeds) to the lord. He cites the example of singing bird. Its notes cannot be sweet unless the Lord wills it to be so. He has all powers like miracles like making a lame walk . In Vedanta, a jeev or individual suffers because he takes credit of his actions as a doer. Any action has to create a reaction or fruit which is not possible to discard. If one denounces the notion of being a doer, the action then belongs to the Lord and fruits also become his. The JEEV or individual being is then free of reaction.
Arvind Khare
khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210
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