frame less

The original has a frame, a birthday gift from my friends.

Auron ko hanste dekho Manu, Hanso Aur Sukh paavo
Sukh ko aur Vistrit kar lo, Sab ko sukhi banao
-Jaishankar Prasad

औरों को हँसते देखो मनु, हंसो और सुख पावो
सुख को और विस्तृत कर लो, सब को सुखी बनाओ
-जैशंकर प्रसाद

Starry Night

I heard this composition, soothing and at the same time stirring in some strange way by Don McLean during my college days.

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land.

Van Gogh's inspiration for the painting. However, one line says : "Look out on a summer's day." which is a false statement as Van Gogh was in an asylum at Saint-Remy, and was not able to paint picture from an actual view point, it is strictly from his mind.

Starry, starry night. Flaming flowers that brightly blaze, Swirling clouds in violet haze, Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue. Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain, Weathered faces lined in pain, Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

These are references to other Van Gogh paintings. # Flaming Flowers: The Sunflower Series # Swirling Clouds: Starry Night # Field of Amber Grain: Wheat Field with Crows # Weathered Faces: The Potato Eaters.

For they could not love you, But still your love was true. And when no hope was left in sight On that starry, starry night, You took your life, as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent, This world was never meant for one As beautiful as you.

This is Van Gogh's tragic Death. Even though he loved painting, his paintings could never love him back.Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest, which ultimately led to his death two days later.

Starry, starry night. Portraits hung in empty halls, frameless head on nameless walls, With eyes that watch the world and can't forget. Like the strangers that you've met, The ragged men in the ragged clothes, The silver thorn of bloody rose, Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

Van Gogh's artistic legacy is contained within his paintings, drawings and writings. They are everlasting and will never "forget" the style that created them. They are Van Gogh's eyes that watch the world. This is all metaphorically speaking though.

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me, How you suffered for your sanity, How you tried to set them free. They would not listen, they're not listening still. Perhaps they never will...

Finally we come to the conclusion of realizing Van Gogh's eternal struggle with insanity.

Lyrics and background Credits : http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starrynightlyrics.html

Fog on 520

Bharat Ratna - Pt Bhimsen Joshi

A close encounter with Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. The name synonymous to Indian Classical music, a true god gifted artist who was honoured with the highest civilian award, given to any Indian, The Bharat Ratna.

I was about 6 or 7 years of age, not much sense of notes nor beats but a liking for music for it was part of the family. My parents take me and my sister to this concert. The venue 30 miles away, here starts my vague recollection where we meet the doyen of classical music Pt Joshi at the inspection bungalow.There was brisk activity in this big hall, we enter and see panditji I bow down and touch his feet as instructed by parents. Parents exchange greetings and continue with conversations, panditji enquires about my grand parents. Only years later I learnt that Pt Joshi and his family have been family friends going back to my grand parents. There was also a story about how Panditji relished "Mandige" a sweet cooked at my grand parents house .

Truly blessed to have seen and heard Panditji.

Small things in life ....

View from my office window

late night melody

Only because I recorded this late in the night ...

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

Fall colors

The Mannequin World

Peeping into a window I saw ....

A woman, A man and their children two,
All seem happy, they did yesterday too,
they wore the same clothes and the smiles,
they always looked bathed, without any spoils.

Their neighbors were the other kind,
young, hip and ready for party fun,
be it morning, evening or the afternoon sun.

Then there were some around the block,
some standing, some running but still was their clock,
No smiles or cries nor faces to put them on.

They all looked out of the window and saw the moving mannequins,
Wondered, there is change but saw there was pattern.
Things move but they repeat,
Things after all were not very different.

Happy Ganesha Chaturthi !

Mailbox peak

As a kid I used to look forward to my yearly vacation trips to Bangalore. The idea of train journeys, food on stations (idly vade) , in trains , haggling with porters, auto wallas all used to be one experience, more on that some other time. Scenery, rising hills, crossing rivers , vast farm lands and cattle grazing peacefully was a significant element of this journey. Every time I saw these hills from the window, the mind wandered with numerous possibilities,

-who lives up there?
-how do they get to the top ?
-how far could they see, even wondered how if I could jump of the train hike up the hill and see it for myself.
I did something close to what I used to wonder as a kid. Hiked up to the top of a peak off of I-90 close to Seattle called the "Mail box peak". This has been by far the toughest hike I have done, not that I am an avid hiker but sure of the opinion that one should go take a hike on a gorgeous summer Seattle day.It was an early start, we were out on the roads by 7:30 on a Saturday morning ! for directions and more details click here.It was a steep peak we gain 4000 ft in 2.5 miles. The unmaintained trail added to the challenge and we took close to 3 hours to get to the top. I should say we were a touch slow, we could have done it in 2.5 hours. The hike was steep with a narrow trail, it sure tested one's endurance and mental concentration. About 2 miles of the hike displayed typical rain forest of the pacific northwest. The last .5 miles stretch is the carrot at the end of the stick, it is worth all the energy invested. Breathtaking views of the cascade range and wild flowers all along the path make it worth while. Watch the video below for a 360 degree view from the top of mail box peak. I would suggest go out do some hiking before you take on mail box and no doubts you will enjoy it.

View Larger Map

attention to ..

A bomb defusal expert defuses a bomb near Amraivadi Police lines in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Attention to detail or attention to the obvious here, this super trained commando does not have any cloves on, looks like these bombs are the kind which hurt everything but your hands.

In waiting for the sun rise

In waiting for the sunrise, playing with thoughts,
making stories and breaking them, to make them all over again .

Seeing light and visions of the new day to come,
bringing people to life and things I have seen before,
making memories with my thoughts,
real are these as much are the real ones.

It is not too long before the sunrise now,
I am waiting to see a new memory unfold.

Durga - early night raaga

Raag Durga for the gen-x(z) from Advaita. It is such a beautiful and powerful melody that hits one with its energy and leaves one intoxicated.



This is from the one and the only ustad Bismillah khan.



Another vocal performance by Anuradha Kuber

Mein Ban Ki Chidiya

She:Mein ban Ki chidiya, banake ban ban boalon ree..
He:Mein ban ka panchee, banake sang sang doalon ree..
She:main daal daal ud jaon, nahi pakadai main aaon
He:tum dal dal, main paath paath bin pakade kabhi na choodu sang sang doalon ree..

Hallmark of vintage Indian cinema, was made in 1936. Ahosk kumar's voice was the same even when he was really young :).

Score runs and also save wickets

The Indian government is at logger heads with the left parties (which are part of the coalition) on the nuclear deal. The left parties are threating the government to withdraw their support if the government goes ahead with the deal.

Here is what Ram Vilas Paswan said when asked, if the government faces any issues and would it be dissolved."We are trying to score runs and also save wickets, the government will stay and we will also work on the nuclear deal " - fine analogy.

Friday humor

Charlie bit my finger !

Soccer - fun evening

Yesterday after dinning at P F Chang's my fortune cookie said - "Something you have been waiting for will happen soon".

Today while on my usual evening jog and my routine of stretching around the local soccer field, I was waiting for the game to begin ( I watch these games a couple of minutes, generally a lot of fun) and wonder if I could go and kick the ball around myself.And it happened the guy across the fence called out and said

he: "hey do you play soccer.."
me:"ya.. I can play if you don't have enough players.."
me: to myself - hmm I signed up but haven't played in 14 years now.. but should be ok..

I walk up, put on the red jersey, feel the air, stretch back-front-sidewards crackle and loosen up.
The team I am playing for had players mostly from eastern European countries, tall and sharp. We were playing against green looked like most players were from Latin American countries ,short but swift.

Enjoyed next 45 minutes of fast play, blood rushing into all the vessels , supplying that much needed extra punch of oxygen.

Away from home

Bobby Bare(1963)

I'm five hundred miles away from home
Teardrops fell on mama's note when I read the things she wrote
She said we miss you son we love you come on home
Well I didn't have to pack I had it all right on my back
Now I'm five hundred miles away from home
Away from home away from home cold and tired and all alone
Yes I'm five hundred miles away from home

........

The Brothers Four


If you miss the train I'm on, You will know that I am gone, You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles. A hundred miles, a hundred miles, A hundred miles, a hundred miles, you can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.....

Note the audience participation in this ...