Friday, February 15, 2013

Chalo Ek baar phir se ......Attempting New Beginnings

With a few exceptions who can can move from pain to happiness on their own , most people have this intense urge to pour out the bitter repercussions of an anguished experience and thus cleanse their inside 

Sharing agony and distress with a genuine well wisher is neither weakness nor abnormal.
The winning , and also tricky point however is that the outpour of that bitterness must not create more bitterness 

This is easier said than done 
But I was deeply touched and overwhelmed with empathy when I saw in the documentary film " Soz: Ballad of " that in the present time a lot of youth in the terror torn Kashmir Valley have turned to writing poetry in order to exhume the deep anguish of a painful past 

Also there is Sahir Ludhianvi whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year 
Incidentally his mother belonged to Kashmir 

Most of his poetry is a narration of his life's anxieties and suffering 
He saw and understood through his own struggle the deprivation of others and poured out his compassion , sympathy and empathy for all the oppressed people through his timeless poetry that is remembered and discussed even today 

One of the most fascinating pieces of poetry that he has written , " Chalo ek baar phir se janani bann jaaeiN hum dono ... " has been 

Written by Sahir, music by Ravi and sung by Mahendra Kapoor, this is an underrated masterpiece that sinks in gradually as Kapoor Saheb brings the words to life with a depth that is engrossing and overpowering.

On the first hearing ... and even after many subsequent perfunctory hearings, one may listen and appreciate, but not necessarily be truly touched, leave alone fathoming the depth brought out in words laying bare the layers of human feeling.
But delve in just a bit and it engulfs you completely.
How does one go about becoming a complete stranger to someone with whom they have shared the most cherished moments in life?
How does one make sure that every little trace of the memory that involves a loved one will wipe itself out ...
Or that one will be so willing to let that happen?
Don't we deliberately cling on to memories ... ???
Keeping memories securely sealed somewhere in one's heart is the normal practice of all human beings. And the most touching poetry is most definitely made from memories which refuse to leave their place of pride in one's life.

And hence this song stands out in its uniqueness.
The poet apparently is comfortable in choosing to let go of a loved one with whom he cannot carry on any further.
But hold on.
Although he is moving on, he is not parting with the memories ...
He is taking along with him a bagful of moments too precious to let go ...
And seemingly this baggage is neither burdensome nor tiresome
So he casually and yet so profoundly remarks:
 "Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi bann jaaein hum dono ..."

Moving on is apparently a part of one's existence.
Indeed truly so.
But Come to think of it, how much inner turmoil must one undergo before finally accepting and then coming to terms with life as it comes.
Someone who had not very long ago been the reason of all of one's dreams and aspirations, someone without whom life would become lifeless, someone who he had expected would be there for him throughout his life, and after too, was in reality an illusion ...

How does one come round to admitting the reality that Someone who was The World to him has moved away ...... forever !!!

But if life must go on in separate compartments for two people who once travelled intimately  together, can there be another better option than the one provided by Sahir Ludhianvi?
Shed the old skin .....
Smile as you indulge in the luxury of a new beginning.
You are the same person inside.
But clothed with a much better resolve and determination.
It is a beautiful feeling !!!

Chalo ek baar phir se ... :-)






Saturday, February 9, 2013

Biitiii yaadon ka .....

" Jab bhi jii chahey nayi duniya basaa letey hain log .... "  is a very famous yesteryear song from a Yash Chopra film . Written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, it has been giving word to the feelings of thousands of  broken hearts ever since it hit the scene.

I often wonder why it kind of hypnotises people whenever they listen to it .......

It could be the melodiously touching  composition so expertly created by  Lakshmikant-Pyarelal.
It could also be  the soulfully profound  rendition  from an emotionally charged Lata ji.
Or even the  remarkable picturisation  highlighted by a sorrowful  lonely night and  Sharmila ji looking almost like a white burning candle......

But I'm sure the reason is deeper than what the eyes can see .......
I think  Sahir Ludhianvi's words touch a raw nerve  in the deepest corner of a broken heart...... .
It is said that  "when you are happy you listen to the music, but when you are sad you understand the lyrics" and so every heart  that experienced a breach of trust identifies with this perpetually flowing cascade of pain

The poet very honestly states that  "Hum hi nadaan thay jo odha biitii yaadon ka kafan...."
And how true it is ...... Strangely we often choose to live in an unhappy past and wallow in self pity .....

The bare ( and may be a lot harsh  ) truth is that every memory is capable of withering and fading away with time. But sometimes we are too possessive of the past .... and bizzarely fearful of letting it go away. So we  try to keep it alive in the form of a dry flower between the pages of an old book, or like a melancholy song in our heart .... or at times like permanent  impressions of mutilated petals, torn wings and broken leaves on the open palms of our hands ............
And at the same time   we try to convince ourselves that we have moved on ......
But every once in a while we are unpleasantly reminded that actually, not we, but them, who hurt us  have moved on .... and away .... !!!

I wonder why it is not possible for the one who is suffering to come out of that distressing situation, shake off the misery and with the gait of a winner march ahead to find a beautiful world outside one's limited horizon of sadness.

In love with nauseatingly stale memories for eternity, ironically people don't realise how unforgiving they are to themselves.

Understand this : your tormentors have moved ahead.
They don't need you.
They never loved you.
And they are now nothing more than a memory.
Let the memories be.

Do not stagnate and strangulate your present for memories.
Move on ......
And move on with dignity and truthfulness .....
Forgive yourself. 
Liberate yourself.
Choose happiness ......
And celebrate the freedom that allows you to choose happiness.