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Pride at stake for the wounded Aussies

Bangalore: The wounded tigers are striving to take revenge against the recently crowned Twenty20 World Champions. For the Aussies, it is pride that is at stake as they are more than keen to repair the damage of exiting from the world event in the semifinals against a young and inexperienced Indian team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.


Thus, a day-night clash between the One-Day International World Champions and the T20 World Champions will unfold at the Chinnaswamy stadium here on Saturday.


For the Aussies, there can't be a better opportunity to turn things around so soon against those very opponents, who hurled the mighty team out of the mega tourney.


Hence, when they take on India here during the first ODI of the seven-match series, they would want to impose immediately the supremacy that they have been enjoying for over a decade now. MORE ...

Cricket - The Chameleon (Part 1)

India's victory in the World Twenty20 is richly ironic. When the International Cricket Council decided 15 months ago to hold this inaugural tournament the Indians were hostile to the idea.

So hostile that the ICC specifically agreed the tournament with the proviso that the Indians might not take part.

The ICC was nervous about going ahead without the potential economic juggernaut that is modern Indian cricket. In the end the Indians relented and the companies that are either based in India, or see India as a big market, were, in the end, prominent in South Africa.

Even this participation seemed very reluctant. Of the one-day team that lost to England, three senior players - Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly - did not go to South Africa and the captaincy was entrusted to the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had never skippered India before. Sree Santh - who had been dropped from the one-day team against England - was included, but India's lead bowler Zaheer Khan did not go.

The team also consisted of players like Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan, who had not featured in Indian cricket for sometime. The team felt like an A-side, partly players trying to break in and old timers trying to make a comeback.

This may explain why Dhoni was allowed to set his own standard - enjoy yourself, play without fear - and why the team responded so well.Rarely have I seen an Indian team play with such zest, or look so athletic. MORE ...

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Today's Choice of Songs

DIL HUM HM KARE (RUDALI)
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Intehaan Ho Gayi
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CHAIN AAP KO MILA
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Through A Coloured Glass ( R K Laxman's Autobiography ) Part - 1

In our old house in Mysore, there was a window. It had a glass pane divided into many parts. Each part had a different colour. One day, the pane broke. Bits of coloured glass tinkled down.

I ran to pick up those pieces. I looked at every colour, one after another. Suddenly, I happened to see through the glass. And I saw a new world! It was strange... weird... frightening. Everybody and everything looked blue. The blue gardener dug the blue earth. Nearby stood a blue cow swishing its blue tail. Why, the sun had turned blue in the sickly sky. Everything was spooky and still. I couldn't bear it anymore.

Quickly, I raised the green glass piece. Thank God, things became cheerful again. The same gardener was shovelling away with a bucket by this side. The cow turned friendly.

But I had to try out the red piece. It struck terror into my heart. The cow was ready to attack me, the dog bared its teeth, the gardener was digging up a skeleton under the neem tree! Red clouds gathered in a bloody sky. The world was a scene of war. Sweating and trembling, I switched back to green. At once things calmed down. It was a cool, pleasant day out in the garden at home where the breeze blew softly. Father and mother were out. I was free to play the whole evening.

As I remember it, this was my first communication with my surroundings. I loved looking through the broken glass pieces, feeling different with each colour. Perhaps this was an early sign of my interest in visual things -- in drawing and painting that were to be my life. More ...

Pride at stake for the wounded Aussies - 2

But the young Indian guns, who have hardly enjoyed their big victory, are well aware that the past is past and they have the even bigger task of proving to the world that their hard-fought accomplishment in South Africa was not a fluke.


"But now the Indians are the hunted rather than being hunters. So, there are greater challenges that they face now," said Adam Gilchrist, who would be leading the team in the absence of regular skipper Ricky Ponting.


Gilchrist felt confident that the Aussies remained a dynamic lot despite seeing a spate of retirements and some injuries after the World Cup in the Caribbean islands


"There are around six new guys but still I would say that we have got the depth in our team. The young players are confident of doing well and there won't be any dramatic change in the way we play cricket," warned Gilchrist.


But, for India, with whom the momentum is there at the moment, would be looking to capitalize on this advantage and with Ponting being ruled out, it will be a perfect opportunity for them to take the upper hand.


The pitch, meanwhile, is expected to be a good one to bat on.


"We know the conditions here and are ready to go. It looks like another nice wicket," said the wicketkeeper-batsman.


India would also not like to give an inch to the Australians at any cost.


Moreover, for new skipper Dhoni, it is the beginning of his journey on what can be a thorn-filled road ahead. Till now there were no expectations, hence, little pressure.


As Dhoni pointed out, "We will have to better our performance each time from now onwards."


In fact, from here on, Dhoni would actually be judged under the same microscope as of his predecessors - Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.


For the big three too, it is now a matter of prestige and they can't take their places for granted any more as there are some young men, who have already proved themselves in the international arena, waiting in the wings.


During the next fortnight, Dhoni’s mettle as captain of the Indian team would also be judged and a verdict will be passed. The same people who are praising him to the skies might just pull him down.


So, while, on the one hand, there are the Australians who have been the rulers and would strive to keep the authority at any cost, on the other hand, there are the Indians, who are the porential rulers in the making and would be determined to battle their way to snatch it away from the Aussies.


For cricket fans, it can be a win-win situation where they can expect to witness some fierce cricketing competition over the next few weeks.

Devotional Songs

HANUMAN CHALISHA
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BAJRANG BAAN
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RANG DE CHUNARIYA
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AISI LAGI LAGAAN
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Through A Coloured Glass ( R K Laxman's Autobiography ) Part - 2

And so I lazed in the garden, a huge one full of trees, bushes and hiding places for a growing child, far from the sight (and the calls) of grown-ups inside the house. I would watch the squirrels and insects scurrying by, and birds of every description.

When did I start drawing? May be at the age of three. I started on the wall, of course, like any normal child. Parents were more tolerant in those days. No one stopped my scribbling on the wall. I drew with bits of burnt wood that I got from the hot water stove in the backyard. What did I draw? Oh, the usual things -- trees, houses, the sun behind the hill...

I was not at all a good student in the classroom. The one time I got a pat on the back from the teacher was for one of my drawings. We were all asked to draw a leaf. Each child scratched his head and wondered what a leaf looked like. One drew a banana leaf which became too big for the slate. Another drew a speck that couldn't be seen--a tamarind leaf! Some just managed blobs. When the teacher came to me, he asked, "Did you draw this by yourself?" I hesitated. Had I done wrong? Will my ear be twisted? My cheek slapped? I nodded dumbly. And do you know, the teacher actually broke into a smile! He said I had done a very good job. He saw great possibilities in that leaf I drew so long ago on a hot afternoon, sitting in the dull classroom. I had seen that leaf on the peepal tree which I passed each day on my way to school.

Generally, people take everything for granted. They hardly see anything around them. But I had a keen eye. I observed everything and had a gift for recalling details. This is essential for every cartoonist and illustrator.

As far back as I can remember, the crow attracted me because it was so alive on the landscape. In our garden it stood out black against the green trees, blue sky, red earth and the yellow compound wall. Other birds are timid. They try to hide and camouflage themselves. But the crow is very clever. It can look after itself very well.

At age three I began to sketch crows. I tried to draw their antics. There were many trees in our garden. Mango, wood apple, margosa, drumstick… Every single tree spelt adventure. I would scramble right to their tops and watch the world from the heights. How different the same old places looked from the tree top! But climbing them was not without its terrors. Imagine a small child suddenly coming upon a chameleon on the branch, motionless and menacing! It is really a pre-historic animal, you know. So are the lizards -- onaan, as we call them -- just a twitching tail to show they are alive. When I think back, I realise that to a child, reality seems much more fabulous than fantasy. From a ladybird to a mouse, anything that moves can startle him.…

It was a never-ending source of stories that I made up for myself in the garden. For example, have you never watched an ant hill? Seen the ants going about busily? There are usually two orderly files -- one going out, the other coming in. My elder brother, the one just before me, was very inventive. He used to tell me that these ants lived in an enormous township inside the hill. This town had broad streets and big houses, post offices and police stations, playgrounds and movie theatres. Why, the ants even had their own cinema posters. He never tired of spinning fantastic stories about the secret life of the ants!

I cannot and without telling you about my school. I began to attend classes when I was five years old. I hated school. A normal feeling. Tell me, which child like to go to school? I felt wretched in the classroom. I am convinced that school-learning is unnatural and bad for human beings.

In school we sat on the floor and chorused our lessons. The teachers were terrible. They would write something on the board, aks us to take it down and go out go gossip or to smoke beedis. I was very naughty. I got punished and thrashed quite often. But it did not stop me from mischief.

My family insisted that I should attend school, but did not scold me when I failed exams. I barely managed to pass each year. It was the same story when I joined college. I scraped through my BA examinations. What a relief it was to know that I need never go into a classroom again!

Yes, I have worked very hard and long. But I have not forgotten that you can see the world through pieces of coloured glass. Nor have I lost my love for those noisy black birds which are always around us, managing to survive. I continue to paint crows with as much enjoyment as I did on those long ago days of carefree childhood, when each day was exciting and every hour brought adventure.

>>>>>>>

Laxman feels oppressed by having to turn out a cartoon everyday. "Each morning I grumble, I plan to resign as I drag myself to the office. By the time I come home I like my work."

Laxman plays with every shade of humour -- wit, satire, irony, slapstick, buffoonery, tragicomedy. Such versatility dazzles as does his unwearied discipline. Through the long, prolific years the man from Mysore has never hit anyone below the belt. And that makes him India's most beloved cartoonist


One of the most famous Indians of our time doesn't exist in real life- the Common Man. With his hair and glasses askew, in his crumpled dhoti and checked shirt, this always puzzled, ever silent being was created by Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman, a cartoonist who has been synonymous with the Times of India ever since your grandfather was a child.

Laxman once said of his Common Man, "He's been with me throughout my career. I didn't find him. He found me... I would say he symbolises the mute millions of India, or perhaps the whole world, a silent spectator of marching time." Half a century ago, he would draw a Bengali, a Tamilian, a Punjabi and so on to represent Indians. These figures dropped out of his cartoons gradually, until he was left with this lone character.

What drew Laxman to cartooning? The youngest of the six sons and two daughters of a school headmaster, he loved the illustrated magazines that arrived at their Mysore home from London by sea mail. Even before he mastered reading or writing, he could identify the names, styles and techniques of these artists — including David Low of Punch and Illingworth in the now-defunct Strand.

In 1985, Laxman became the first Indian cartoonist to hold a solo exhibition in London. During the visit, he called on his childhood idols, Low and Illingworth. Imagine his pride when The Evening Standard once invited him to take Low's place on their staff in London, which did not work out.

"Mercifully, I was neither encouraged nor discouraged by my parents and elders," recalls Laxman. "They left me free to do what I liked. They enjoyed my drawing. They appreciated my qualities. My brother (R. K.) Narayan started writing short stories, which were published in The Hindu. When I was just 12 or 13, I was asked to illustrate them. The Hindu used to pay me two rupees eight annas per cartoon. In those days, that went a long way."

In his autobiography, The Tunnel of Time, Laxman confesses to an unusual personal quirk — he never keeps a diary, refers to a calendar, or wears a watch! So, it proves doubly difficult to find dates to match events in Laxman's life.

His father was not unduly upset by Laxman's low school test scores, noting his son's preference for hours on a marketplace bench, sketching the bustle around. Whenever the child bawled at dusk for their mother, who might be away at the club, playing chess with the Mysore Maharani, his older brother Seenu found a novel way to calm him — by sketching endlessly.

At school, Laxman remembers a dhoti-clad teacher, who often left their class to secretly smoke a beedi. He once asked his students, seated on long benches, to draw a leaf on their slates while he was away. Laxman's leaf impressed him so much that he declared, "You will be an artist one day. Keep it up."

What are Laxman's school memories made of? He found it a nightmare to distribute 15 mangoes equally between three people, but could name historical villains, heroes and warriors with ease.

As the arithmetic teacher droned on one day, Laxman unselfconsciously sketched all over the margins of his exercise book. Suddenly, he felt a stinging slap. The teacher was glaring at Laxman's drawing of a tiger cub, which he imagined was his own caricature. Years later, the cartoonist realised that people's expressions could be likened to those of animals or birds.

Laxman insists that a cartoonist needs a sense of humour, the talent to draw, and a sound education. "It is of no use if one of these traits is present without the others, or any two without the third. He must have all of them. Cartooning is inborn," he says. "It cannot be taught."

Can you imagine the Common Man nodding his agreement? He should know the truth of that statement, better than most.

On "Doing Nothing"

I have often been accused of slacking. When I wrote my first blog , people were always saying to me, "So . . . you write one blog a week ?" They wouldn't come right out and say the rest of what they were thinking, which was: "And how long does that take you ? Two hours a week ?" But I knew. What these people failed to understand is that the hard part of writing is not the typing part, but the thinking part. If you were to come into my office, you would most likely see me engaged in some activity that did not appear, to your untrained eye, to be some sort of work. You might see me clipping my toenails, or exploring the vast information resources of the Internet, such as the site that tells you who was the highest scorer in the current cricket series or which song was No. 1 on the record charts on any given day for the past 1 year . Or you might see me thrashing around with my empty tea cup in my futile but ongoing (for nearly two decades) attempt to score a century .

You'd probably think I was slacking. But you would be wrong. Because while I am engaged in these seemingly pointless activities, I am thinking about a critical writing issue, such as: Which is a funnier-sounding mineral name, feldspar or potash? It takes hours of grueling mental effort to solve that kind of problem, but you, the reader, see only the finished product (feldspar).

Another example which is quite in the news today is The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark federal funds rate from 5.25% to 4.75%.One would think the Federal Reserve Board. It doesn't appear to do much. Every six months or so, it raises or lowers the prime interest rate by maybe a quarter of a percent. You think: How hard can that be? You could do that without ever leaving the golf course! Yet if you asked the members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, I bet they'd tell you it's a lot of work.

I suspect that most people — like me and the Federal Reserve Board — think they work pretty hard. But it isn't always easy to tell the difference between working and slacking, especially in the modern corporate culture ( ethics ) , where relatively very few people do something which can be inarguably coined as "work" , such as going down into a coal mine and coming back up with pieces of actual coal. A lot of us would have to admit that it would have been a minimal effect on any heck of what so ever , if we skipped a day or two of "work," or even a couple of months, or maybe even three or four years.The only effect would have been we would have missed our paychecks.


So the question is: What is work? Why do we work? Is it a moral duty, or do we do it only because we have to? Is it O.K. to not work if we can get away with it? Do we resent those who are able to slack? Or do we envy them?

These are some of the questions that comes to my mind when i decide that i would take a year off before i can start working again so that i can spend my time lying on couch watching TV , getting up when ever i want and go to bed when i need to.

Summerarily I just want to "Do Nothing".


These two contrasting views of work, that have remained with us across the centuries. People all around preach work ethics for the sake of it and thats why
( unfortunately ) the sect believing in "Work" has always dominated, but the slackers' undercurrent has always been there, and has always resonated with the public who dont hide what they think. But much to our surprise the recent trends suggest that this undercurrent is getting projected as a popular culture.


I may conclude that most of us are both workaholic and slacker — "we all tend to embody a bit of both ends of the spectrum." We feel we work too hard, but also that we fritter away much of our time. We scorn the lazy and unproductive, but we long to win the lottery so we can hit the jackpot ourselves. We criticize our kids for doing exactly what we did when we were their age.

we need slackers, who serve "as a goad to examining our relation to work, as a role to adopt while finding our relation to work, as a critique of our culture's twisty relation to work and to leisure, and as a celebration of the same.

"Doing Nothing," now inspires me and leaves me with a deeper appreciation for the value of not working. In fact, I wish I could do more of it. Alas,
I cannot: these toenails aren't going to clip themselves. would they ??

Yesterday's Choice of Songs

Phoolon Ke Rang Se
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Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji
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Mr India (Kaate nehin )
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Old Choice of Songs

Lamha Lamha Duri
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yeh Kahan Agaye Hum
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School Chalein Hum
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Bahoot Dur Mujhe Chale jaana hai
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Tune Mujhe Pehechana nehin
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Mitwaaa By Amanat
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woh humse khafa hain
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Ek Din Aap(Yes boss)
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Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla - Zakhm
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Jai ganesha
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Diwaana Dil Diwaana
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Mera Saiaan Moose Bolena
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Haan Pehli Baar -- Kishore
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Yun Hi Chala Chal -- Swadesh
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Tuu meri zindagi hai...
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The economics of watching a movie in a multiplex!

I ‘try’ to go by law. Hence when they asked the movie lovers to stop watching new movies on pirated VCDs and DVDs - I stopped religiously. And it is a decade I watched a new Hindi or english movie on pirated CDs. I don’t watch them in spite of me having enough sources to provide me crystal clear prints of the latest movie the very same day of the release. But recently I had this transformation of thought - whether I have been deliberately allowing myself to be fooled by these multiplexes!


Of course I love the latest cinema halls, I love the a/c, I love the digital sound effects, and there are few movies, which compulsorily have to be watched on BIG screens. I am even ready to pay double the amount of ticket’s cost for any movie just for the experience I get. But then what drives me mad is the exorbitant price of the snacks that are sold inside the building.

Good they don’t allow outside food may be they think people might dirty the hall. Or probably they want people to buy snacks available in their counters – point taken. But then why is Rs 10 MRP wala Lays cost Rs 15, why Rs 5 wala puff cost Rs 30, and why Rs 15 worth popcorn cost Rs 50?

Any public place should compulsorily provide a clean bathroom and pure drinking water free of cost (at least in India). Recently at Pasad IMAX – I found an old man searching for the bathroom and the security coolly said – the bathroom is on the 2nd floor, and the movie was shown in the ground floor! And at Satyam I found no source of free water this time, and they charge Rs 30 for 1 liter of water, which otherwise is just Rs 10.

The law says that no product should be sold above MRP price anywhere in India, and the lawyer I had met said – you can very well sue them provided you have the bill for the purchase. But who has the time?

This is just one part of the headache. The second part is the mobile phone nuisance created by the well-educated literate crowd. They have the least idea about how disturbing their mobile phones could be on their neighbour’s eyes. They either scratch their crotch or keep fiddling with their mobile phones sending and forwarding SMSs! It is not the age where only the elite have the luxury of possessing a mobile phone. Today every asshole has the later one – just imagine if all the 300 and odd people seated in the theatre either talking over the phone or sending SMSs. There will be total chaos. Then who will watch the movie in peace?

Well today my logic says – to avoid getting fooled deliberately for the snacks and to avoid nuisance created by the literates - I can very well break the law!


And Now i download movies in Torrents and see them while having Tea , Coffee , Water and all below MRP Price. Shhhhh............

Today's Listings

Spare a Thought -- India Poised
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AirBus A 380 - Take Off and Landing
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Funny Dogs
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Old Choice of Songs - 4

Jai ganesha
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Diwaana Dil Diwaana
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Mera Saiaan Moose Bolena
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Old Choice of Songs - 3

woh humse khafa hain
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Ek Din Aap(Yes boss)
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Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla - Zakhm
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Cricket - The Chameleon (Part 2)

In that, of course, they had some of the feel of the 1983 World Cup-winning side led by Kapil Dev, which surprised itself as much as the world of cricket by beating the West Indies in the final.

Previously the West Indies had never lost a World Cup match. But they lost two of the three matches they played against India.

The question is: Will India's win in Johannesburg prove as symbolic for the country and for cricket as 1983, India's only other major cricket trophy?

That 1983 victory saw the Indians take to the one-day game. It also saw a certain Mr Gupta, then a lowly nobody in Delhi, take to cricket and become one of the game's big match-fixers, the man who bribed Hansie Cronjie.

It also changed the world game. Until 1983 all World Cup matches had been played in England and all of them were 60-over matches.

The next World Cup was held in India and games had been reduced to 50 overs - due to the lack of long summer light that England has - and the format that has become the norm.

Indians who before this had been described as patient people who loved five-day Tests turned out to be keener on the thrills of the one-day ‘tamasha’ (an Indian word that combines fun and unpredictability). The Indian economy also learned to market the game, making India the financial powerhouse of world cricket.

The 1996 World Cup was held in the subcontinent - the second to be held there - and saw the Sri Lankans pioneer pinch-hitting in the early overs (the old 60-over format encouraged steady batting early on and a bash only at the end), a ploy that saw them win the tournament.

The Australians took this one-day cricket further when they brought some of the same urgency to score quickly into Test cricket, completely changing Test matches.

Now Twenty20 has brought another dimension. Consider that final back in 1983. India batting first made 183 in 54.4 overs, with the West Indies in reply scoring 140 in 52 overs. That final featured batsman of the highest calibre in Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Jimmy Amarnath, Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Clive Lloyd.


On Monday in Johannesburg, India made 157 for five in 20 overs and Pakistan replied with 152 in 19.3. If any indication was needed of how cricket had changed, this was it. As the remarkable sixes hit by players like Yuvraj Singh showed, this was not just slog hitting, but often good cricket strokes against not bad bowling.

I am sure cricketers will think if this is the tempo cricket can attain in 20 overs, why should the tempo of the 50-over games not increase?

The worry for the 50-over game may be that as Twenty20 catches on then the 50-over game may go the way the old 60-over game did.

The Indians have already planned ambitious Twenty20 tournaments and all the signs are they will take to it as they did the 50-over game after their 1983 triumph.

Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of the ICC, insisted to us today that 50-over cricket will continue, but history has shown that change can come quickly to the sport.

Given the way Twenty20 has captured the fans’ imagination, the long-term future of the long one-day game could be in doubt.

DHAMAAL IS CREATING DHAMAAL ( MUST WATCH )

Cast : Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Ritesh Deshmukh, Aashish Chowdhry,
Sohail Khan, Javed Jaffrey (Hats Offf)

Director : Indra Kumar
Music Director : Adnan Sami



Dhamaal is a grass root comedy movie about four goofy, useless youngsters and a cop Kabir Nayak (Sanjay Dutt). The foolhardy gang of four includes Roy (Riteish Deshmukh), who feels his purpose of birth is to be the best detective. Aditya Shrivastav (Arshad Warsi) also called Adi is the jack of none with half knowledge, adds to the great proficiency of this half-boiled group. His brother Manav Shrivastav (Javed Jaffery) is always merry but unaware of the fact that he tops the list of idiots. Last but not the least is the all time petrified Boman Contractor (Aashish Chowdhury). His worst nightmare is his father, Nari Contractor (Asrani).

The idea of work for this adorable gang of idiots is small time conning. In this process they get themselves juggled into a life threatening yet a witty and amusing situation. The chase begins when they get involved in the murder of Bose (Prem Chopra), a notorious criminal on whom police inspector Kabir Nayak (Sanjay Dutt) had set eyes on. The criminal informs the four about a hidden treasure that makes their lives even more ecstatic. But Kabir desperate for his promotion gets suspicious on the idiotic troop. One misfortune leads to another and the fool hardy’s get trapped into hilarious situations that are side-splitting.

Movie Review

Dhamaal starts off brilliantly. The perfect execution of the script by the director combined with the brilliant comic timing of the actors hold the film together in the first half, which is filled with jokes that are extremely funny. While the introduction of the 4 characters is funny, the car break-down scene and the chemistry between the 4 lead characters gets the house down. The first half sets up the atmosphere and the mood for a even better and funnier second half. But unfortunately the second half slightly disappoints. The pace dips, the jokes are no longer as funny as they were. The introduction of a few more characters in the latter half too does not help.

Director Indra Kumar is back in form after the disastrous Pyaare Mohan although he ought to have worked harder, especially on the second half. Hats off to the director, for delivering a comic caper without a female character. No love angle, miniskirts and deep necked tops. This is certainly a welcome change… The music by Adnan Sami is good.

Performances

For Sanjay Dutt, its a been there, done it a million times kind of role. He sleepwalks through it. Arshad Warsi is as always outstanding. Riteish Deshmukh stand out with a brilliant performance. He even manages to outshine Arshad Warsi in a few scenes. Javed Jaffery has a role that resembles Hrithik Roshan in Koi Mil Gaya. He carries off the role of a funny mentally challenged guy with confidence and delivers a stellar performance. Aashish Chaudhary manages to make an impact. Arsani, Tiku Talsania, Vijay Raaz and the rest of the cast is good.

Old Choice Of Songs - 2

Bahoot Dur Mujhe Chale jaana hai
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Tune Mujhe Pehechana nehin
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Mitwaaa By Amanat
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Goswami Tulasi Das

Introduction
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The great poet who composed the 'Ramacharita Manasa'. His childhood was one of poverty and suffering; but yet he became a great scholar. One word spoken by his wife brought him a realization of his true goal; he became a devotee of Lord Sri Rama. And this poet-saint showed thousands of people the way to a meaningful life. 'Tulasi Ramayana' is a very famous and great epic of North India. It relates the story of Sri Rama. It was written by Goswami Tulasidas. That is why it was popularly known as Tulasi Ramayana.


The Age Of Tulasidas
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Goswami Tulasidas was born about 1487 and lived upto 1623. He lived for 136 years.It was a bad period for the Followers of the Vedas. They had lost their freedom and had to struggle hard to maintain their unity. All their scriptures were in Sanskrit; so many people found them difficult to understand. As the followers of the Vedas had no freedom, it was difficult for them even to attempt to expound the ideas of their religion.Women and also some groups among the Hindus did not have equality. This state of affairs made gifted and liberal-minded poets unhappy.

Sri Ramananda was a disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya, the founder of the Sri vaishnava sampradaya. He and his disciples lived in North India. He opened the doors of 'Bhakti' (devotion) to all and brought hope into the lives of the masses. It was at this time that Sri Ramananda spread the cult of Rama Bhakti by preaching that Rama is the protector of all people. Saint Kabirdas extolled the greatness of 'Rama - the formless God' saying that Ram and Rahim were not different. Thus he tried to bring about unity among the Hindus and the Muslims.

Sri Tulasidas set before the people the conception of Sri Rama as all virtuous, all powerful, the Lord of the World, and the very embodiment of the Supreme Reality (Parabrahma). He gave them the light of 'Bhakti' and thus dispelled the darkness of fear from their minds. Sri Rama shone as an ideal man and the protector.


Forsaken By His Own Father
----------------------------------------

Atmaram Dube of Rajapur was a great scholar in Vedic literature and astrology. His wife was Hulasibai. They were happy in every way but had no children. They worshipped Anjaneya and,prayed to him with devotion to bless them with a son. One auspicious day Hulasibai gave birth to a beautiful baby son.

The newborn babe started saying 'Ram, Ram' instead of crying. So he was given the name Rama Bola (one who said Ram). So goes a story.

Tularam was a baby of a few days when he lost his mother. His father also forsook him. People give many reasons for this. Here is one story. Pandit Dube cast the horoscope of his son. All the planets were favorable. But the child's star? The star was 'Moola'. The father thought, 'This is a bad star. It will bring me bad luck. I must go away. Otherwise I am doomed.'

He left the town once and for all. The unfortunate child was brought up by his old grand-mother. Thus Tularam lost the love and the care of both the father and the mother. He became the favorite of all his neighbors. They tended him, and played with him, gave him something to eat and blessed him.

When Tularam was able to stand on his legs, he began to go round the town begging for food. He lived on whatever he got.

In one of his songs Tulasidas recalls how exceedingly difficult it was for him, as a boy, to get even four grains of gram.

After a few years his grandmother passed away. Then he became the child of the whole town. The devotees gave him to eat whatever was offered to God and that was his daily food. "The temple is my shelter. God is my father and mother," Tulasidas has said. "Anjaneya is my father who fed and brought me up" says Tulasidas recollecting those childhood days; he then actually lived in a temple of Anjaneya and every day partook of the food offered to God there


The Guru
-------------------------

Naraharidas was a reputed scholar, philosopher and storyteller (he gave discourses on stories of devotion). Once he came to Rajapur. He stayed in the temple of Anjaneya. At the request of the people he began a series of discourses on the Ramayana.

Tularam was filled with pleasurable excitement. Discourses of this type, which blended music and literature, were a feast to him. He used to attend them every day without fail. Devotion to Rama lay like a seed in his heart; as he listened to the discourses, it began to sprout.

Every day the boy sat right in front of Naraharidas and listened to the' discourse with rapt attention. and also the boy joined the general Bhajan, singing melodiously. Naraharidas grew interested in the lad. He saw the boy's handsome looks, hisdelicate figure, large eyes and prominent forehead, and the bright radiant face. He recognized the mysterious power in the boy. He pitied him when be learnt that he was an orphan. One day he asked the boy. "Will you be my disciple?" Tularam touched his feet with reverence and burst into tears.

Naraharidas lifted him up and patted him on the back. From that day Tularam became a disciple of Pandit Naraharidas. In one of his songs Tulasidas has said of this incident, 'I got for my Master God Parameswara Himself in human form.' After his discourses in Rajapur Naraharidas set out for another place. Tularam bowed to Lord Anjaneya and followed his master.

Wherever Naraharidas went Tularam went with him. His duty was to sing Ram Bhajan before and discourse began. He sang melodiously. The whole day was spent in studies. The master taught him various subjects like the Vedas, the Upanishads, philosophy, mythology and languages - Sanskrit and Prakrit. Bhajans were held at night. Thus they traveled far and wide for fourteen years and came to Soro in Uttar Pradesh. By that time Tularam had mastered all subjects. He was acquainted with the life of the people. He could sing much better than his master. He could not only give discourses on the Ramayana, but also compose poems. Naraharidas felt extremely happy at his disciples, accomplishments



Marriage And Renunciation
----------------------------------------

Tularam had attained scholarship in all branches of learning; the teacher Naraharidas himself arranged for his marriage. Tularam married Ratnavali, a very beautiful and accomplished daughter of a Brahmin by name Deenabandhu Pathak. Parting from his master who loved him more than a father was very painful to Tularam. Yet bound by the master’s wish and his own duty he became a householder.

Tularam had everything-good looks, youth, education, honour and a good income too. Rich people used to invite him now and then to their houses, honour him and offer him money. His wife Ratnavali was a beautiful and a virtuous girl. Tulararn loved her very much. They led a happy life. No wonder that, in his state of joy and contentment, he thought less and less about God. He loved his wife so much that for years he did not send her to her parents’ house at all.

One day Pandit Tularam went to neighboring village to give a discourse. The same day Ratnavali's brother came to see her. Ratnavali had not as much as glanced at her parents' house ever since her marriage; when she saw her brother she remembered her parents and began to weep. The brother in fact had come only to take her home. He comforted his sister. He said, "Come, let us go home sister, you can stay with us for a few days and come back. Mother is longing to see you". Ratnavali loved her parents’ home so much that for a moment she decided to go. But she hesitated. She said, "My husband is not at home. How can I come without his consent? Besides he cannot bear to be without me even for a short time. Let him come home; you can talk to him about this. I too will request him. Then we can go." But the brother argued with her and persuaded her. She locked up the house and left the key with the neighbor and said: "Please give this key to my husband when he comes home, and tell him that I am returning the day after tomorrow." She then went with her brother.

It was dark when Pandit Tularam came home. When the neighbor gave him the key and his wife’s message, he became very angry. Without his wife the house looked bleak as a cave. Every hour his boredom grew. He lay down but could not sleep. It was past midnight. He' decided to go to his father-in-law's house. And he started at once.

It was the month of Shravana. The sky was heavily overcast with clouds. It was dark all around. He had just stepped out of his house when there was a heavy downpour of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. But Tularam did not change his mind. He walked on getting wet in the rain, and came to the banks of the river Ganga. The river was in full floods. He asked the ferryman to take him across the river.

"What? You wish to cross the flood, in this rain and wind? Impossible," said! the ferryman.

At the sight of the racing walkers of the Ganga in floods, Tularam's heart sank. But the infatuation for his wife drove him on. He gathered courage, tucked up his dhoti firmly and jumped into the river. He swam against the current and reached the other bank. He did not stop even to wring –his clothes. He raced to his wife's house and shouted, 'Ratnavali, Ratnavali'.

Ratnavali wondered who could have come in such heavy rain. She opened the door and there stood Tularam! His clothes were all wet and water was dripping. He was shivering with cold. Ratnavali was amazed. She was also happy to think of his intense love for her. At the same time she pitied his condition. Could he not stay alone for one day? How foolhardy it was to swim across the river in high floods! The thought made her angry.

She said, "What can I say, my lord? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You have come running after me! If you had the same intense love for Sri Rama, He Himself would have appeared to you. Then you would have been saved from the cycle of births."

These words of his wife struck Tularam like a thunderbolt. Drenched in the rain he was shivering, but now he began to perspire. His mind reeled and his heart was in turmoil. The veil of attachment that had covered his devotion was torn asunder. He went away without looking back even once.

What happened to Ratnavali after, Tulasidas left her? We do not know. Tulasidas has not mentioned her name anywhere in his books.

Is there another fool like me? Entangled in the love of my wife, I forgot Lord Rama and I have just wasted all my time! Never again shall I forget Sri Rama and never shall I think of woman. Sri Rama is everything to me. So resolving, Tularam became Tulasidas" from that day.

What his master had been saying in his discourses came back to his mind: ‘Sri Rama is all merciful and all-powerful. He is so magnanimous that he will never forsake his devotees.’ -Well, then swill Sri Rama forsakes me? Tulasidas’s, mind was made up. He now traveled to Chitrakoota. On his way he visited many holy places. He was in the company of devotees and saints.

What worry could an ascetic have? Where he halts is his town, where he rests is his home. The devotees of Rama are his relations. The earth is his bed and the sky is the roof.

Tulasidas formed a brotherhood of the devotees of Rama. He sang and composed songs. He wrote books and preached to people.

Though he was learned in Sanskrit, he composed poetry in the languages the people spoke. They were only different dialects of Hindi used in North India. He wrote for the common man and not for the learned, it was in the languages actually used by the people that he gave talks and discourses glorifying Bhakti.



The Path Of Bhakti
---------------------------------

‘Sri Rama is the Parabrahma. He is all-powerful. He is Purushothama (The Man Supreme). His deeds, word manners and conduct alone are the models of an ideal life. Singing hymns in His honour as his servants is the on way to attain His grace and a salvation. Knowing Him to be their master, The duty of human beings is to offer their services to Him.' This is the sum and substance of the Bhakti cult of Tulasidas.

After some time Tulasidas began to think of leaving Chitrakoota. This was because he had a feeling that he would not be able to see Sri Rama there. So he went to Ayodhya, the birth place of Rama. For a long time he did 'tapas' (leading a very strict life, giving up all pleasures and devoting all the time to the contemplation of God) there. But even there he did not get the vision of Sri Rama. His mind was not at ease. Day by day his desire to see Sri Rama grew more and more intense.



One day it suddenly flashed to his mind that God Anjaneya's grace 'was essential for him to see Sri Rama. Yes. Anjaneya was the greatest devotee of Sri Rama. Only he could help Tulasidas see Sri Rama. So the first thing was, to see Anjaneya



The Meeting With Anjaneya
-------------------------------------


People say that Tulasidas got the opportunity of seeing Anjaneya because of the help of a Brahmarakshasa (a spirit under curse).

Kashi (Banares) is a holy place on the banks of the sacred river Ganga. The famous temple of Lord Vishweshwara is in Kashi. And it is also the home of Hindu culture. In one part of Kashi there was a temple of Anjaneya. Tulasidas made it his home. He used to bathe in the Ganga every day and then go to theVishweshwara temple to offer prayers; thereafter for hours he would be immerse in meditation. In the evening he gave discourses. In this way a few years passed.



One day as usual Tulasidas poured water out of his vessel at the foot of a tree. As Tulasidas was returning with his head bowed, suddenly a brahmarakshasa appeared before him, and saluted him.

The water was sanctified by the touch of Tulasidas; it fell on the rakshasa and he was freed from a curse. Full of gratitude the liberated spirit said to Tulasidas, "Please tell me, sir, what I can do for you." There was but one wish that haunted Tulasidas day and night and that was to see Sri Rama by winning the grace of Anjaneya.

So he said to the brahmarakshasa "Please help me to meet God Anianeya."

The spirit said: "An ugly old man comes to listen to your discourses in the temple every day. Probably you have not noticed him. He is the first to come and the last to go. His looks are disgusting. But he is none other than Anjaneya. Look for him." So Anjaneya himself had been attending his discourses! Tulasidas jumped with joy. In the evening Tulasidas went to the discourse hall full of devotion. The ugly old man was already there in a corner. Tulasidas felt like running to him, and falling at his feet and crying out, "Show me Lord Sri Rama." But he checked himself. The discourse began.

The entire discourse that evening seemed to be meant only for that old man. All the time Tulasidas's eyes were fixed on him. The discourse concluded with Ram Bhajan; the audience dispersed. The old man also slowly got up and began to walk away. Tulasidas followed him.

The old man left the main road and took a path leading to a forest. Tulasidas noise lessly walked behind him, praying within himself to Anjaneya.

They were now in the heart of the forest. Tulasidas suddenly ran up to the old man and fell at his feet, praying: "My master, please show me Sri Rama. Lord Anjaneya, have mercy on me." The old man pretended to know nothing. Shaking him off he said, "What is all this? I am not Anjaneya. Let go of my feet." But Tulasidas persisted.

I know it all now. You are Hanuman, the trusted servant of Sri Rama. I won't leave your feet unless you reveal your true self to me and fulfil my wish, come what will. Even death" said Tulasidas. He implored and entreated him in several ways.

Then Anjaneya appeared in his true form and said, "Look, hide yourself behind this bush. Sri Rama and Lakshmana will come this way shortly. Then you can see them."

There are several stories about how Tulasidas saw Sri Rama and Lakshmana

Tulasidas gave it the title, 'Ramacharitamanasa.

Valmiki, the first poet, told the story of Sri Rama in his 'Ramayana'; after him hundreds of poets have retold it in their own way. 'Tulasi Ramayana' is one of the most popular and venerated Ramayanas.

Many poets in Bharta Varsa were saints. They were great scholars as well as great devotees. They lived as rishis. Goswami Tulasidas too was a great scholar well versed in Vedic lore.. People say that Tulasidas, by virtue of his perfect devotion, was so fortunate as to meet Anjaneya, the renowned servant of Sri Rama. It is said Anjaneya helped him to see with his own eyes Sri Rama and Lakshmana. Tulasidas declared: 'Bhakti is the only way leading to God's grace. Sri Rama is the Supreme God (Parabrahma). He is the ideal man. And he is the Lord of this world. His words and deeds themselves form the code of human conduct in this world.'

In his 'Ramayana' Tulasidas has narrated the story of Sri Rama; he has also taught the principles of right living through different characters. The lessons taught in that work are valid to this day.

The epic gives beautiful pictures of the right relation between father and children, and of the affection among brothers. It also shows how the husband and the wife, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, should conduct themselves. Tulasidas describes the affection of a teacher for his disciples and the respect of the disciples for their teacher. But his poem is not just a moral Piece. Tulasidas has narrated the story of Sri Rama in a moving and delightful way. As we read it we feel as if we see Rama, Sita and Lakshmana before our very eyes.

Old Choice of Songs - 1

Lamha Lamha Duri
----------------




yeh Kahan Agaye Hum
-------------------




School Chalein Hum
-----------------

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Hubble telescope Top 9 Photos (part 2 )

In sixth place is the Cone Nebula. The part pictured here is 2.5 light years in length (the equivalent of 23 million return trips to the Moon).




The Perfect Storm, a small region in the Swan Nebula, 5,500 light years away, described as 'a bubbly ocean of hydrogen and small amounts of oxygen, sulphur and other elements'.





Starry Night, so named because it reminded astronomers of the Van Gogh painting. It is a halo of light around a star in the Milky Way




The glowering eyes from 114 million light years away are the swirling cores of two merging galaxies called NGC 2207 and IC 2163 in the distant Canis Major constellation.




The Trifid Nebula. A 'stellar nursery', 9,000 light years from here, it is where new stars are being born.