Raaga...!!

I've always been inspired by Nick Hornby's books. Was highly inspired by High Fidelity in my college days. The book was about this guy, his pals, his exs, and his love for music. But the most hilarious part that I remember was, that, he'd a habit of making a top five list for every little things, for e.g, Top Five Favourite Movies, Top Five Favourite Dialogues etc. I've been trying to make a habit of doing something similar for sometimes, but never managed to do so, as I start floundering by the time I reach top 3, evidently this hobby was never my cup of tea. But as far as music is concerned, it is extremely important for me, very much like that chap from the book. I love to sing, though I am no great shakes there and I love varied music, starting from Begum Akhtar to Pink Floyd. And I pretend not to cry when I hear something really nice (a habit that runs in my blood, courtesy my Mum & Sister).

The whole point of blogging today from office at 4 pm, is that I've to write about this very nice song, that came out almost 6 years ago and I am still obsessing over it, it's "Mathura Nagarpati" from OST Raincoat, this acclaimed song is written by Rituporno Ghosh, a Bengali director, who dresses weirdly, and have been flaunting his acting talent lately, might I add, he did a fantastic job in writing this song. The song is written in Brij Bhasha, and it talks about Lord Krishna leaving Mathura, where he's the king and going back to his childhood place, Gokul, leaving his Kingdom, his crown, his wife, to meet his beloved Radha. The song questions Krishna's reasoning for doing such an act. This is written from the point of view of one of his wife, while witnessing the change in him, knowing that he cannot be stopped and will return eventually to Radha without a backward glance, while she will be left behind. This is such a heart wrenching depiction, isn't it?

I came across its English translation on net. It goes like this:

Subah subah ka khyaal aaj
Early in the morning the thought arose
Wapas gokul chal mathura raaj
to go back to Gokul, in the king of Mathura's mind
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum gokuljaaon
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul
Manohar vesh chhod nand raaj
Leaving this beautiful attire oh son of Nanda
Sar se utaarke sundar taaj
Removing the beautiful crown from your head
Raj dand chhod bhumi par vaaj
Giving up ruling this world
Phir kaahe baansuri bajaao
Why are you playing the flute again?
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

Kaun sa anokhageet gaye pee kakool
What unique song did the cuckoo sing
Raj paat jaise aaj bhaidhool
That made you leave the throne like so much dirt
Kaun sa anokhageet gaaye pee kakool
What unique song did the cuckoo sing
Birhan laage phir hridaya akool
That the pangs of separation are stirred anew
Raj kaaj man na lagaao
The heart is no longer in kingly matters
Mathura nagarpati kkahe tum Gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

Poor naari saari vyakul nayan
Men and women watched with anxious eyes
Kusum sajaa lage kantak shayan
The flowers strewn on the bed felt like thorns
Poor naari saari vyakul nayan
Men and women watched with anxious eyes
Raat bhar madhav jaagat bechain
As Maadhav stayed awake the whole restless night
Kaahe aadhi raat saarathi bulaayo
Why did he call the charioteer in the middle of the night
Mathura nagarpati?..

Dheere dheere pahunchat jamuna ke teer
Slowly he reached the shores of the Jamuna
Sunsaan panghat mridul sameer
Lonely banks, soft breeze
Dheere dheere pahunchat jamuna ke teer
Slowly he reached the shores of the Jamuna
Khan khan madhav birha madeer
Madhav felt the bittersweet pangs
Use kaahe bhool na paao
Why can?t you forget her
Mathura nagarpati?.

Tumhari piriya ab puri gharvaali
Your love is now a complete housewife
Doodh navan ghivoo din bhar khaali
Getting new milk and busy the whole day
Biraha ke aansoon kab ke,ho kab ke ponch daali
The tears of separation have long since been wiped away
Phir kaahe dard jagaao
Then why awaken the pain again
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum Gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

P.S. Hear it first thing in the morning. This song creates longing and a sad, poignant pain.

Gobsmacked

Oh God I am feeling so bad, I don't really like the picture I am seeing of my self. I wish the ground below could just swallow me. It all started the day I choose to study MBA, Mrinal being Mrinal convinced me that it is the right thing to do, cause anyways I have lost all interest in Physiotherapy and the subjects I'd studied in my graduation. Deep inside I've always known it's the right thing to do. In the process of it all, I got my first proper job while pursuing MBA, ( I have managed pretty well as I attend weekend classes, though it's extremely difficult coping with both). During all this time (while studying) I have never missed an opportunity to remind him, how he is not helping me enough with my subject, how instead of answering my query he simply ask me to Google it. This always complaining and putting the blame on him has become a second nature to me, I guess, and I am not feeling proud to admit that. OK so from past many days I have been tearing my hair over my final semester Project & Synopsis and I've been eating his head with constant blabbering. Few days back I'd a huge row with him, my days of submission are just around the corner, and I badly need his help with my submissions. He went all gaga about how I should not be sulking about doing my own work and that I should do it on my own to learn the process and all that jazz. I walked out of the room resenting him for being so right. Though we made up quickly enough but I was still seething & worrying about the damn synopsis. We didn't spoke about it again as I vowed not to ask him, he also didn't mentioned it.

Today this very good looking guy came over on my bay asking for "Moushmi Mam" (I simply shriek at the sound of some one calling me Mam, as if I am some specky school teacher), as I didn't know him I didn't corrected him about the "Mam" bit. This guys was looking nervous, with fumbling hands, fifgeting on his pocket to bring out something, he kept fumbling for so long that I've to pretend that I haven't noticed his nervousness.

Tete-e-Tete

I: "Yes", 
He: "I have brought your synopsis. It's on my data card.
I: ( I was like 'my jaw landed on the floor')
He: Finally handing me the data card, "you just check it and let me know if you want any changes"( blah blah I was only half listening, too shocked to come to terms with what he was saying)
I: Like some sleepwalker in the middle of an experience, I simply nodded, while I saved the synopsis on my workstation.
 In a muffled voice I just managed a syllable about it being perfect. Too ashamed to look at him.
He: OK Mam (Taking the card out of the socket), he smiled.
I:  I kept looking at him too aghast to smile. Finally Thanking him, before I forget my manners

I immediately called Mrinal and in a sheepish tone
I said " Hello",
He:  "Hi", (I can hear it in his tone that the devil is laughing at me)
I said: You didn't have to do that.
He: Do what? Sending a good looking guy to you.
I: You know what I mean
He: I would like to be told for a change though.
I: I am perfectly capable of doing my synopsis
He: Thats predictable come up with something more creative
I : Thank You
He : He simply laughed one of those light happy laugh


I put the phone down thinking that's the biggest surprise he gave me till date. Just wish I could surprise the devil himself equally some day. Just the thought of him putting some one to work on my behalf, he made me feel like a queen as well as a bitch all at once. How can he do that I am still wondering. Though I am not complaining.