Sanskrit Lokokti / Sanskrit Saying

गते शोको न कर्तव्यान भविष्यं नैव चिन्तयेत्


One should neither feel bad for the past, nor waste time thinking of the future.
(i.e., Live in the present)




यस्य स्नेहो भयं तस्य स्नेहो दुखस्य भाजनम्
Where there is love between two people, only there do we care about the pain of the other person. (Where there is no love between 2 ppl, they do not care for each other's happiness, pain or approval.)

Project Oral History

मर  रहे हैं लोग 
ले जा रहे हैं अपने साथ 
हमारा विरसा
हमारे इतिहास की कहानियां 


ज़िंदा रखना चाहते हैं 
उन कहानियों को 
और पीढ़ी, २ पीढ़ी लोग 
बना रहे हैं 
वीडियो 
कर रहे हैं 
अपलोड. 


They are dying
and taking with them
our shared history:
The stories.
Some people
want to "preserve"
They are the ones
making videos
of the stories
uploading them.
Saving.
For another generation.
Maybe 2.

Kuchh aur akele sher..

तेरे वादों पर कहाँ तक मेरा दिल फरेब खाये
कोई ऐसा कर बहाना मेरी आस टूट जाए
Tere vaadon par kahaan tak mera dil fareb khaaye
koi aisa kar bahaana meri aas toot jaaye.
- फ़ना निज़ामी कानपुरी


मैंने इक चाँद को गंवाया था
मैं सितारे शुमार क्या करती!

Maine ik chaand ko ganvaya tha
Main sitaare shumaar kya karti!
- I don't know who wrote this. Heard it in the khawatein ka mushaira at Jashne Adab 2017


चला जाऊँगा खुद को तनहा छोड़ कर "अल्वी"
मैं अपने आप को रातों में उठ कर देख लेता हूँ.


Chala jaoonga khud ko tanha chhod kar "Alvi"
Main apne aap ko raaton mein uTh kar dekh leta hoon.
- Alvi Sahab


मैं कहाँ गिरा पड़ा हूँ ये सबकी है नज़र
किस बुलंदी से गिरा हूँ कोई देखता नहीं


Main Kahaan gira pada hoon ye sabki hai nazar
Kis bulandi se gira hoon koi dekhta nahi..


Everyone can see where I lie, fallen.
No one has time to see the height I fell from.

Review of the play "Kya Dilli Kya Lahore"

Kya Dilli Kya Lahore is a script that needs careful treatment. It always walks that thin line of precarious peace. Full marks to the team for walking that thin line with aplomb.




The story is predictable - 2 soldiers on the border post, both lonely, get friendly with each other. They take digs at each other, play chess, and cards. Loneliness , I have learnt, is a great glue.

Every actor is so comfortable in their own space. Whether they have 2 minutes of appearance or 60, they all leave a mark. But the 2 lead actors truly bring the story alive on that stage. They make you laugh, cry and think. You see the broken fence right there, just like you see the broken heart when Umar Gul gives the steel tiffin to his friend and leaves.




On the technical side, two things deserve special mention:  The lights, and the stage.
I was very impressed with the use of lighting for the scenes involving the 2 army officers, and when Umar Gul makes an entrance from the audience side. But even otherwise, the lighting was used to fantastic effect on that stage. The shadows were dramatic and stark. They made a statement of their own.
The white screen was amazing. Madiha was a shadow behind that screen, as families usually are. And she darkened our world from right there.
The live music was a great touch too. Please retain it.


To the directors: Congratulations! Had I not seen it myself, I would not have believed that this play can be treated this way. You have a freshness that does not compromise on the excellence and yet brings something new to the delivery. Please try and retain that touch.



If you get a chance to see this play by this group (Varchasv Theater group - I paid special attention to that), please do make the time. It will be worth it.

Metamorphosis - III

आज जितनी प्रत्यक्ष है 
तुम्हारी आसक्ति , क्षुधा और तृष्णा 
कल उतनी ही सच होगी 
तुम्हारी उदासीनता
और विरक्ति।


इसी लिए 
स्त्री बन जाती है नदी 
और पुरुष 
बन जाता है 
बादल।

On psychosomatic disorders

To the doctor who is getting a thousand tests to understand poor pulmonary function :


I will breathe well
When I want to breathe
at all.

Spring

I cannot write about Spring.


Spring never came.
I bought it
bottled in pots with blooming dahlias and big, big flowers
(what are they called?)


But it never came.


The bottles
after their expiry date
withered.


I remember the summers
the winters
and the autumns
(especially the autumns)
But Spring?
It never came.

Autumn

Don't come to me
In the season of spring.
Or winter
Or summer.

Not this, or this, or that.

Autumn
Suits you best.


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


Autumn is
my favorite time of the year
It allows for shedding
and yet retaining.
For being naked
and coming out stronger.
***************


Autumn
is the annual rite of passage
The fire colored trial
that is usually survived.


It is kinder
than winter
and summer.
******************

ghar..

अब घर भी नहीं घर की तमन्ना भी नहीं है
मुद्दत हुई सोचा था कि घर जाएँगे इक दिन
 - Saqi Farooqi

Immortal Hindi film dialogues - my list

This post comes from Hitchie's post:
https://hitchwriter.wordpress.com/2017/11/13/immortal-dialogues/


Here are mine:
1. "Zindagi lambi nahi, badi honi chahiye Babumoshai"
From Anand.




2. "Ek chutki Sindoor ki keemat tum kya jaano Ramesh Babu!"
- God knows from where, but we have used and re used this dialogue God knows how many times!






3. "Inka naam hai, Pakeeza!"
From Pakeeza


In the movie, Raj Kumar wants to marry Meena Kumari. They find a maulvi on the way and he asks him to conduct the marriage. The maulvi asks for the bride’s name and she is unable to answer. Then Raj Kumar fills in, “Inka naam hai, Pakeeza.” I use this dialogue often to indicate that sometimes, we can reveal the true nature of something just by changing what we call it.




4. "Shahabuddin!!” – the way the mausi screams that name at the end is enough said for that person.




5.  "Pushpa, I hate tears!"
- Any Hindi movie buff worth their salt will know this one.


6. "Ja Simran, jee le apni zindagi... "
From DDLJ, that Ja Simran, Jee le apni zindagi... enough said.






Since Hitchie has covered all Sholay dialogues, I am not repeating them here. Consider them all repeated.
7. Mere Paas Ma hai...
I know, I know, this list is getting rather hachneyed and all that.. but hey, the  best is the best for a reason!
8. Main aaj bhi gire hue paise nahi uthata..
Before you shrug and give up, let me just give u the alternative uses of the dialog: Main aaj bhi microwave kiya hua khana nahi khata; main aaj bhi unironed uniform nahi pehnata.. and so on.


9. Mujhe pyaar ki nahi, thodi si izzat ki zaroorat hai - English Vinglish


The story is about this lady who is lovely, but doesn't know English. She goes to her sister in NY and secretly joins a class to learn English. Someone in the class falls for her. Her niece asks her if she will take it further. This is her response.


10. Garibi na Bhabhi, jaldi se samajh mein nahi aati. - Hindi Medium
An affluent couple tries to get EVS quota for their child's school admission and takes up residence in a low income society to qualify under EVS. You have to see the 2 sequences to understand why this is the best dialogue from the film.














I am going to add more as they come to mind. :)

Renewable natural resource

Love should be given away freely, without withholding.


Love is a completely renewable natural resource. :)

Why you should pay attention to Ghalib

फिर से तुमने
पूछने से पहले बताया
और समझने से पहले
समझाया।

"मैं  भी मुंह में ज़ुबाँ रखता हूं
कोई पूछे के मुद्आ क्या है।" 

How it happened

I took away the skin
Inch by inch
It was nice.

Then
The nerves
Tattletales
They were cut off.

Then the veins.
Then
The arteries.

Then
I left everything
Right there
And walked away.

Sanskrit Vibhakti

सम्बन्ध के बाद
अधिकरण आता है

और अधिकरण के बाद
सम्बन्ध नहीं आता.
रह जाता है
केवल सम्बोधन.


After the relationship
comes the ownership.

No relationship
after ownership.

intezaar

अभी तो मेरी जान
बड़े साल पड़े हैं
अभी तो
डर लगता है मुझे.

On giving up pretence

"As you make your bed
So you must lie in it. "


I think
I am going to
do just that.
Make
my own bed
and lie down
in it.


Not hide it under
satin sheets
and 8 inch mattresses and
mosquito nets.


I am going to make
my bed
and lie down
in it.

One more from when i wasn't listening to good advice

I do not want to
live like this
not this
or this
or this




not breathe
the staleness of your being
or the fatigue of mine
not this
or this,
or this.






A very, very quiet silence
screams louder
than measured words
and inch taped smiles.
I cannot bear
this scream
not this, or this, or that.






Nouns
are such pointless things
let's not use them any more.
You will never know
and I will always know
what the matter is.
Not this. Or This. Or That.

Chanakya Sanskrit Shloka

यस्य चितं द्रविभूतं कृपया सर्वजन्तुषु 
तस्य ज्ञानेन मोक्षेन किं जटभस्मलेपनै:


अर्थ:
जिसका मन किसी प्राणी को संकट में देख कर द्रवित हो जाता है (पिघल जाता है), उसे ज्ञान या मोक्ष पाने के लिए जटा बढ़ाने या भस्म लगाने की क्या ज़रुरत है?


Meaning:
A person who is moved by the plight of another living being, needs no penance or ritual to attain enlightenment or moksha.

Dada ko samjhao - BHarat BHushan Arya

दादा को समझाओ - भारत भूषन आर्य


छोडो चुनमुन कुट्टा कुट्टी
जल्दी से मुस्का दो जी
छोडो ऐसे न न करना
मीठा गीत सुना दो जी


चुनमुन बोले कैसे गा दें
दादा मुझे सताते हैं
जब देखो मूंछों का अपनी
मुझ पर रोब जमाते हैं
उठा गोद में जल्दी से वे
मूंछें मुझे चुभाते हैं !!

Nandlal Pathak's poetry

फूलों की शैय्या पर सोने का भी यदि सौभाग्य मिला हो 
तो भी काँटों पर चल पाने का है कुछ अभ्यास ज़रूरी 

Chanakya Neeti

धर्मं धनं च धान्यं च गुरोर्वचनमौषधम् 
सुगृहतम् च कर्तवमन्यथा तु न जीवति 

Faith, Money, Foodstuffs, the teachings of one’s guru, and medicine

These must be used/consumed only with thorough knowledge, else they can cause harm.

मैं
तुम्हारी फेहरिस्त  में
एक  और entry

लगेगी भी
और कटेगी भी ।