SHOLAY – A MOVIE THAT CAN NEVER BE ECLIPSED!

 
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If there was a movie that encapsulated every emotion under the sun and ticked every box, it was Sholay, the blockbuster, by Ramesh Sippy that burst on the horizon in 1975 with absolutely no warning. The first time I watched it, I was rather young, but I still remember that it evoked emotions within me that very few other movies have. The impact was so powerful that today, I write this article out of memory.

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Sholay had everything – excitement, humour, romance, violence, pathos, tragedy, exemplary acting, brilliant music, unbeatable direction and cinematography; in short, it was like delving into a treasure trove and coming out with rare gems every single time.

The excitement begins when the two thieves, Jai and Veeru, are taken to the Thakur’s mansion at Ramgarh, a mansion as majestic as the taciturn shawl-clad Thakur himself. As the saga of Gabbar Singh unfolds, the viewers feel the tempo of their heartbeats go up in anticipation. The eerie silence that exemplifies the village night, the dimness all around, the tenderness of the mouth organ that seeps into the heart of the bereft young widow as she puts on the lights on the veranda, aware of a young man’s brooding gaze upon her, these are unforgettable moments. It is recorded that that one scene took three years to shoot.

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Romance wafts in, in the form of the talkative Basanti, the tongawali, whose charm and beauty win over Veeru’s susceptible heart. . How can one forget the one-liner with which Jai stems her chatter?

“Tumhara naam kya hain, Basanti?”

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On the other side is the silent attraction that Jai and Radha share, unspoken except through their eyes, quieter moments that cause the pulse to settle down, moments that engender hope.

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Humour plays a huge role, coming in at expected moments to lighten the intensity and the violence that make up a large part of the narrative, be it is Jai’s tongue-in-cheek comments as he describes his friend Veeru’s qualities in absolutely unflattering terms to a horrified Mausiji, Basanti’s old aunt. Jai’s words destroy any hope of Mausiji letting Veeru anywhere near her niece, and it is left to Veeru to stage a drunken rant atop a water tanker, where he threatens to commit suicide, which will send Mausiji to prison. The rant ends with the amusing “Budiya going jail – budiya chakki peesing and peesing!”

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Who can forget Asrani’s role where he marches in proclaiming, “Main Angrezon ki zamane ka jailor hun!” his Hitler moustache twitching as he gives comical orders and almost falls over his polished boots. A brilliant cameo, only rivalled by Surma Bhopali, a villager who boasts of how he has turned in the notorious Jai and Veeru over to the police, and the moment his bravado vanished as Jai corners him!

Asrani, the comic jailor - Facebook

Jagdeep as Soorma Bhopali - Facebook

The village of Ramgarh has always been beset by dacoits, and the very name of Gabbar wreaks fear in every heart. There is anticipation in the air as well as terror. However, Gabbar Singh’s opening scene is a masterclass of suspense, that begins with his boots treading on the rocks as three men cower in fear. His raspy voice, his olive-green uniform and his unshaven face with its characteristic grin, all send a shiver through the spine.

                                                      Gabbar Singh - the best villain ever! 

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“Arey O Sambha, kitne aadmi the?” The words, simple, yet menacing.

                                                          Arrey O Sambha...  Facebook

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The scene moves onto its denouement, as one of the men quavers,

“Sarkar, humne aapke namak khaya hain.” Gabbar’s reply is momentous.

“Ab goli kha!” Gunshots in unison and three men lie dead. A dreadful lesson taught and learnt! Gabbar’s name needs to evoke fear.

The enmity is between the Thakur, an ex-police officer and the dreaded dacoit, Gabbar. It begins when the officer apprehends Gabbar and imprisons him. However, wily as he is, Gabbar escapes from the jail.

One of the scenes that is heartrending is the way the officer’s whole family is massacred. There is no overt violence, just silence, and gunshots as one by one, they are picked off, their bodies falling in slow motion. A clothesline collapsing, a man tumbling down the hill, women murdered in cold blood and saddest of all, a little boy near a swing that creaks, his eyes widening as he realises that he is going to be shot. The terror and the sadness are all too palpable, and when the officer comes back, the chilling silence continues, as he sees the bodies lying under white sheets, the only survivor his daughter-in-law, Radha, who is now a widow.

Sholay continues to throw twist after twist, but the one that really hits hard is when the dacoits attack Ramgarh, and after they have been chased away by Jai and Veeru after a hard fight, the latter accuses the Thakur of not having lifted a finger to help them, only to realise the poignant reason why he did not do so. That was truly a heartrending moment.

The cinematography and camera work are awe inspiring. The grandeur of the ravines, the starkness of the terrain, the silhouettes of the dacoits against the sky, the rumbling of the train, the gaiety of Holi, the festival of colours, cut short by the appearance of the dreaded dacoits, the panorama of the imaginary village of Ramgarh – every detail worked on painstakingly. The final scene when the Thakur overcomes Gabbar using nail-studded shoes is truly climactic.

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In 2007, Ram Gopal Varma made a huge blunder in trying to recreate Sholay with a movie unimaginatively dubbed Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag, a fire that was doused by the box office and has the dubious distinction of being called one of the worst films ever made. Even Amitabh Bachchan playing the role of Gabbar could not save the film from flopping. None of the characters came up to even a quarter of the level of their predecessors who were all thespians in their own right.

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Sequels should never be made, and this is totally my own opinion. They not only take away from the original, but also do themselves no good. Comparisons are odious, but they will be made. It is a risk not worth taking, again my opinion!

The background scores of Sholay still play in my heart and mind – the opening score, the wonderfully apt songs – the unforgettable Mehbooba, Mehbooba picturised on the absolutely delightful Helen and a dapper Jalal Agha, was a showstopper.

The scene where Basanti is made to dance over broken glass pieces, even as Veeru pleads with her not to dance before ‘inn kutthon’ (these dogs) is still deeply etched in my mind. 

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 Yeh Dosti remains a paean to friendship everywhere, and the lilting number ensured the record sale of sidecars on motorbikes. Yet, at the end, when Jai sends Veeru away, after a rigged coin toss, and succumbs to the bullets of the dacoits, the same song brings tears later as Veeru weeps over Jai’s body. I cried buckets, deeply affected by the scene, the song and the towering persona of Amitabh Bachchan.

Yeh dosti - Facebook

There will never be another Sholay, a movie so well made, every character making a dent in the hearts of viewers because of the amazing script penned by Salim-Javed, the deft direction of Ramesh Sippy and produced by G.P. Sippy. The fabulous music score was by R.D. Burman. After a slow run initially, it took over the box office everywhere and ran for five years at Minerva theatre, Mumbai. It continued to be the highest grossing movie till it was taken over by Hum Aapke Hain Kaun in 1994.

Today, when I think back on why Sholay was the blockbuster it was, maybe it is because, while the heroes (all three of them, including the Thakur) were impressive, Gabbar Singh played the villain with great aplomb and showmanship. I believe that that was what truly made Sholay great, the brilliant interplay between black and white, heroism and villainy, and good and evil.

 
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The post is a part of 'Pass the Popcorn Blog Hop' hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed  and sponsored by Jaico Publishing House under #EveryConversationMatters.

  

ANGRY JUNGLEE BOSSES BY CROSS

 
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What ensues whenCOVID-19 wipes out the entire human race and animals take over the world? Angry Junglee Bosses by Cross (Gaurav Roy) tells you just that. It is an allegorical novel that is faintly reminiscent of Orwell’s Animal Farm. The bright red cover image with a dapper Fox winking at the reader catches the attention at once, rousing curiosity in the contents of the book.

The shrewd Fox, armed with his exuberant inner Fox, is surely the perfect protagonist for this book. His business degree aids him to walk into his first job at We Feed Ya as a sales representative. Fox had never envisioned himself as an employee, which he felt was a “never acknowledged form of slavery” almost as good as serving jail time.

From the start, the façade of the corporate world comes into play, with offices on different levels atop a tall broad tree, a reception area, meeting rooms replete with framed, garlanded photographs of the Great Bat that infected humans with the virus. “The Age of the Animals came with the extinction of the humans.”

Multi-lingual and well-travelled, Fox is initially impressed by the facilities in his new workplace – hollow bamboo pipes for communication, the Bugged Lines that connect the vast jungle, the bustling cafeteria, the fascinating descriptions of animals used for agriculture according to their strengths, and the seemingly efficient running of the office. He meets his bosses and his colleagues and puts his acumen to work at once, multi-tasking to meet his deadlines.

The first bosses he meets reinforce his urge to prove himself – the understanding Bison, the friendly and helpful Himalayan Bear, the elderly African Elephant and the mature white Liger, with whom he shares a rapport.

However, Fox’s expectations come crashing down as delays stall his tasks, forcing him to burn the candle at both ends. One bone of contention is that he does not wear the dirty yellow uniform shirt. His biggest disappointment comes when he realises the duplicity of the other animals who have the power to make his life uncomfortable – Hippopotamus, Gharial, Hyena and above all, the obnoxious Sheep.

How does Fox handle the situation? Is he able to stem the rot in the system and contain the rumours that surround him? These and other questions are answered in great detail by the author, whose imagination certainly runs riot, albeit in a good way. One can only marvel at the time he must have spent to create punny alternatives to our human rockstars, litterateurs and classic books, many of which were hilarious. To quote just a few – ‘Tom Hangs’ in ‘Forest Bump’, ‘Sir Sean Canary’, ‘Pythanne Hathaway’, ‘Brad Pigg’ and the like.

The list of songbirds brought a further smile to my face – ‘Alisha Chinchilla’, ‘Ducky Ali’, ‘Enrique Eaglesias’ and ‘Brayin Adams’. There are myriad other references, a testament to author Gaurav Roy’s unstinting research and undoubted sense of humour, as the glossary at the end of the book reveals.

While I did enjoy the idea behind the book and the satire that imbues its narrative, there were pages of intricate details, and repetitive dialogues, which somehow brought the tempo down. For a person who is not from the corporate world, the jargon does become heavy after a while. A round of editing would have elevated this book to a different level altogether. However, that does not take away from the fact that this is an amazing read from a debut author who believes in the adage that writing is meant to hold up a mirror to society.

PS: I received a copy of the book from the author as a prize for the ‘Beyond the Desk Blog Hop’ by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed.

#AngryJungleeBosses #satire #interestingread #debutnovel #humour

Book Title: Angry Junglee Bosses

Publishers: Jain Book Agency

Cover: Anze Ban Virant

LOVE AT FIRST BYTE - DIVYA RAMASWAMY - BOOK REVIEW

 
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One closes the last page of Divya Ramaswamy's Love at First Byte with a smile at a tale well told. The book revolves around the twenty-year-old Annika, who claims to be an introvert at the very beginning. However, her sense of humour, and her joie-de-vivre, keep the readers wondering what she is going to do next.

The book is set in Hyderabad, takes a short detour to Dubai, and then settles down in Hyderabad again. Annika has an amazing bond with her parents and sibling, and takes digs at them with good humour.

"...Annika, a surprisingly modern name, considering some of the short-listed choices my Mom had scarred me with during my childhood."

The characters who revolve around Annika are also noteworthy, be it the temperamental Riva, the amazing trio of Kabir, Kriti and Maggie, and of course, her affable yet efficient boss, Kevin, who is a true mentor to her. The author brings them alive with their endearing quirks and reveals the bonhomie which tethers them.

The book is an odyssey across Annika's budding career in a start up company, Bubble, and brings out the ups and downs young professionals encounter, the relationships created, the camaraderie, and of course, the disruptions in the form of unpleasant colleagues and bosses, amusingly given monikers like 'Baby Faced Monster' and her pet allergy 'Mokshitis'.

Annika, who terms herself "blissfully technology unaware" grows through "the crazy spikes and troughs" of business, and proves herself by burning the midnight oil, finally turning into a team lead, doing it all with aplomb.

The love interests, in the form of the captivating Veer and the magnetic pony-tailed Kiaan, both of whom pique Annika's romantic interest, keep the readers guessing for three quarters of the book.

The story kicks off and ends with violins and tulips, an indication of romance in the air, despite all the upheaval. Divya Ramaswamy has created an office ambience that is enviable. Annika's love for life and her determination to never say die keep the rhythm going with the interest never flagging.

What I particularly enjoyed, apart from the author's breezy style of writing, were the nuggets of humour strewn through the narrative, lighting it up at intervals. For example -

House hunting in Hyderabad got hectic after Annika's parents; ultimatum - 

"We can find an aunt or a fourth cousin there that you could stay with." A familiar scenario!

The description of Brian Day or the Baby Faced Monster (BFM) - "a chap going off like a rocket launcher with excess fuel" and the description of Annika's shopping spree with trolleys at the supermarket - "The pesky creatures and I still hadn't managed to reach an agreement on how to tackle our combined lack of coordination."

Who said that it was not right to judge a book by its cover? The well-conceived, eye-catching pink cover with its fun images portray exactly what the book contains within, and its tone as well.

I enjoyed this read, mainly because it was engaging without once turning mundane. The characters were real and the relationships strong and believable. The protagonist's personality shone forth, and in the process, made the book shine as well. The author's corporate experience has obviously played a stellar role in making the narrative in the book authentic. 

Book Title: Love at First Byte

Author: Divya Ramaswamy

Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications

Book Cover: The Book Bakers

#corporatelife #romance #humour

 I received this book as a prize for the Beyond the Desk Blog Hop by Manali Desai and Sukaaina Majeed.

THE SIMPLEST GUIDE TO RELIGION – UNDERSTANDING HUMANITY’S SEARCH FOR THE SACRED BY TOMICHAN MATHEIKAL - BOOK REVIEW

 
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“There is something eternal in religion.” Emile Durkheim

Author Tomichan Matheikal’s book titled ‘The Simplest Guide to Religion’ is a detailed yet interesting treatise on the history of religion, how it first began and evolved. The story of religion throughout the book is one of transformation over the centuries. At the beginning, gods emerged from human myth and imagination, as men sought answers from a seemingly indifferent world. Religion came across “as a profoundly human response to the unbearable weight of existence.”

Early humans gazed upon the world with fear and awe. “Religion grows where fear asks for protection and wonder asks for reverence.”

Before religion, humans saw the universe as “a community of living presences.” Animism and nature worship came into being almost naturally, propagating the power of trees and groves, animals with souls and ancestral spirits who cast an influence over the living. “The sacred was woven into ordinary living.”

The author provides apt examples, peppering the narrative with them to strengthen his arguments. For instance, the ’living dead’ of Tana Toraja (Indonesia) and the Famadihana (Madagascar) dwell on ancestor worship and its fascinating allied rituals. Scottish anthropologist, James George Frazier, believed that human thought evolved through three stages – magic, religion and science, connected in various ways, influencing one another.

There is no doubt that Tomichan Matheikal has spent copious hours researching on the myriad aspects of religion, from its earliest emergence to its avatar in the modern era. Monotheism (the idea of a single supreme divine authority) and polytheism (a crowded heaven populated with many gods) have both been well expounded, replete with examples from ancient civilizations and societies.

From that point, it is a seamless progression to the way in which myths and oral traditions grew into scripture, giving religion a formal shape. However, when scripture went through a process of over thinking and emphasising, it slowly deteriorated into orthodoxy and inflexibility. From there on, it was only one step away from heresy, which was a retrograde step, mentioned for the sake of historical correctness.

The author moves on to expound on how the religion of yore turned gradually into a discussion of rational enquiry in the times of Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. 

                                  Socrates, Plato and Aristotle - Wikimedia Commons

The Middle Ages perceived the rise of Scholasticism where Christian doctrine blended with logic and reason through systematic analysis. The author speaks of, apart from others, Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanuja, Indian philosophers who saw religion as a blend of reason and spirituality, and also a disciplined spiritual path towards God.

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The period of Enlightenment shone forth as numerous thinkers came forward to expound on their version of religion, rationalism and truth – Rene Descartes – (I think, therefore I am!), Baruch Spinoza who identified God with Nature, John Locke, David Hume and Voltaire who fiercely criticised institutions that used religion to suppress freedom and enquiry.

Immanuel Kant chose the middle path between faith and scepticism. Karl Marx and Max Weber perceived religion as ideology and a historical influence from acceptance to critical investigation. By the 20^th century, religion had metamorphosed and the history of religion had adapted, transformed and survived. Darwin spoke of evolution, and Nietzsche of the mortality of God. “Humanity was now creating new values rather than inheriting old ones.”

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Why did religion survive? Maybe because humanity still needed its indispensable social functions and rituals to reinforce their cultural values. As the author puts it so aptly, “The sacred has not vanished; it has taken new forms.”

New gods have arisen in a godless world. Fundamentalism which severs the world into insiders and outsiders, Nationalism which serves as a cementing force, political religions like Communism and Fascism. Even more recent are the Eastern spiritual traditions like the practice of Buddhism, Hindu philosophy, yoga, meditation and new age spirituality which promise personal growth and self-transformation.

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Of course, the latest gurus are the celebrities – actors, musicians, influencers and public figures who are idolised like deities. Consumer capitalism rules as people have put their faith in acquisition and consumerism. There is a separate tribe that exhibits profound and moral concerns for the world around them, following the concept of Environmentalism which ironically harks back to the ancient concept of Nature as sacred. 

When I finished reading Tomichan Matheikal’s book, I could only marvel at the immense fount of knowledge that he has put out into the world. This is an opus that must have taken hours of perusal and research. His language is simple, and his style lucid and interesting. Apart from references from ancient texts like the Rig Veda and the Bible, the book is peppered with apt quotes from great minds like Albert Einstein, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Chief Seattle, Immanuel Kant and the like.  

As the author himself proclaims, he turned from agnostic to admirer, may I dare say, of the myriad chapters that strove to glean meaning in a seemingly indifferent world, and “order amid chaos, community amid isolation and hope amid suffering.”

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Chief Seattle’s wonderful quote says it all.

“All things share the same breath beneath – the beast, the tree, the man… the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.” If this simple truth were realised, men would probably not fight over religion, which, in itself, could be a force that binds and not one that divides.

Queen of Treasures website: The Author with his Book 

The eBook link of the book is https://tinyurl.com/4e3ewje4. The book is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

THE BALANCING ACT

 
Image by supervalouf from Pixabay

Have you had days when hours hang heavy in a long-linked chain?

You gaze in frustration at the unmoving clock hands in vain?

The day drags on relentlessly, the work piles never end,

Of late, do you feel that has become the trend?

I smile thinking of our younger days of abandon and fun,

Just the two of us – exuberant, romantic, needing no one;

Keeping house was exciting, buying new things a game,

Love bloomed around us like the perfect picture frame.

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Then arrived a tiny gift, a baby girl so sweet and fragile,

Chubby cheeks, rosebud fingers, translucent nails to beguile,

Our little daughter, apple of our eye, kept us up all night,

Yet holding her fragrant and close made us feel just right.

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Young parents were we, strapped of cash many a time,

My partner slogged it out as though rest were a crime;

Our rosebud grew, we grew with her – life remained the same,

She started school, and so did I – a teacher I became!

Work was often tough, but the three of us made it work;

Our precious time with our rosebud we never did shirk,

Insidiously the work hours encroached on our personal time,

As we desperately strove to reach home before the clock did chime.

The wonder years flew by, she was soon a young lass,

Brimming with self-confidence, optimism and sass;

College, graduation, a job, and then true love found her,

The hourglass shifted sand, time for her to move on further!

Now I had all the time in the world that I did not need,

My partner still worked long hours, I decided to follow his lead,

I filled my diaries with countless words, as I wrote reams,

A good way to drive away loneliness, to ignite my dreams.

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On certain nights I was so drained I would a siesta take,

Before my husband got home; our beautiful dog would stay awake,

Exhausted after the never-ending commute, his eyes too would close,

Another day gone by; however, it was the life we chose.

The grandchildren arrived, time for my husband to retire,

PNGEgg

It was time for me to work full time; I was happy and all wired!

The tables turned, life changed and both our roles reversed

I burnt the midnight oil, in a role in which I was well-versed.

Now he waited patiently for me, as I had done for so long,

While he understood, there was times when things went wrong;

We tiptoed about on eggshells, often tempers frayed,

Suddenly the years had flown by; we had both greyed!

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The one fine day, a light bulb flashed; realization struck,

There was no more time to pass the buck,

Time and tide wait for no one, there was no doubt,

Finally, it is Destiny that does wield the clout.

I cut back on my work though I loved it so,

We would spend our lives together, and maybe just go

On a trip to sunny Greece, or travel to the beach,

Go to the ends of the earth as far as we could reach!

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The joy of living returned, as did the adventures,

“Thank God,” he joked, “We’re doing this before dentures!”

The next moment we had embarked on a long lazy cruise,

The best way we knew to frighten away the blues!

So here we are both, with good advice to dole,

Spending precious time, hand in hand, is now our goal;

To grasp every nettle before time runs out,

And climb every mountain before we have gout!

 
Etsy

  This post is  a part of Beyond the Desk Blog Hop hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters.

 

 

INKED INHERITANCE: STORIES STITCHED ACROSS GENERATIONS - MANALI DESAI

 
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“…the journey never really ends. It simply moves on – in memories, in stories and in the people we love.” 

'Aboard the Memory Train' - Manali Desai

This beautiful quote could well encapsulate the premise of Manali Manan Desai’s twelfth book, ‘Inked Inheritance: Stories Stitched Across Generations’, a book that she wrote to honour her grandparents who had played such a significant role in her childhood, and life. As she puts it, “Inked inheritance is for these four people – all of whom I wish I had more time with.”

The cover glows in sepia, evoking a feeling of nostalgia and memory, with three generations all holding books in their hands, smilingly engrossed in their contents, which again symbolises Manali Desai’s fascination with books and reading, which link the past and the present.

Crafto

The book is divided into four sections – Roots tethering her to the people who shaped her, Wings denoting selves stitched together, Storms referring to the griefs carried by human beings and finally, Shelter the love that remained.

Most of the stories in the book lend a feeling of euphoria and well-being. The emotions are myriad – joy, sorrow, nostalgia, regret, envy, affection, hatred, betrayal… and the characters live life like all of us do, going through all the feelings and experiences that we all do.

When I started reading this book, I felt that I was delving into a bowl of sunshine. Various queries arose in my mind, about the situations the protagonists found themselves in, and the solutions offered by the author which were simple, yet effective. The quotes that were peppered across the narrative were apt, shining a light on the stories, enhancing them further.

“I didn’t think silence could be this loud – with birdsong, rustling leaves, the creak of an old chair or the soft turning of a page.” (From ‘Peace Between the Pages’, a deeply emotional story of love and longing)

And again – “Living in his friend’s shadow had felt like living in someone else’s season – waiting endlessly for sunlight that never quite reached him.” (From ‘Coming Out of the Shadow’, a tale of frustration and envy)

Some stories deal with the conservation of nature and the environment. ‘A Birthday Wish Come True’, ‘From Soil to Soul’ and ‘To Storms that Stay’ deal with memories, and the attempts to relive the past in the present day, leaving the reader with a feeling of intense nostalgia and a yearning for the days gone by. 

QuotesGram

The presence of grandparents in many stories, either in person or in spirit, their valuable life lessons, the principles that they lived by and their relevance in the lives of their grandchildren make these stories a joy to read. For example, ‘Old Soul, New Scroll’ and ‘Peace Between the Pages’ are two narratives which start in reluctance and hesitation and end with absolute surrender and joy, an indelible bond between the old and the new generations.

Four stories stand out from the others as they explore genres different from the latter, maybe because they were written on prompts given by Authoropod – 'Honey(Un)moon', 'The Borrowed Umbrella', both evoking a sense of horror, 'The Banyan Tree Brew' where the theme is murder and 'A Season of Belonging' which touches on the supernatural element, stories which highlight Manali’s versatility.

While I was browsing through all the stories, some of them nestled in my heart, easily turning into my favourites - 'Once Upon a Page' where nostalgia, love and longing lock arms, 'Old Scroll, New Soul' and 'Peace Between the Pages' where relationships ebb and then move on to fulfilment.

However, my all-time favourite story in the collection is 'Stitched With Words' where Malini’s grandmother stitches old fabric along with her words, and it is only at the end, after a lifetime, that her granddaughter understands that dreams cannot be outgrown, but tailored, a sentiment that is so true for all dreamers and doers.

“For the longest time, this book existed as scattered notes, half-finished drafts, forgotten ideas and stories waiting patiently for their turn. Then they took shape slowly and steadily over the past two years on my blog. Today, I finally get to share it with everyone.” Manali Desai

Going through Inked Inheritance was an experience – heartwarming and poignant, joyful and nostalgic, thought-provoking and at times, painful, Manali Desai has put her heart out there for the world to see. In the beautiful story titled ‘Feel-In-the-Gaps’, the protagonist, Rishan, loved his Dadu’s house – “… the smell of freshly baked cookies, the glow of fireflies in the backyard, and the sound of old stories told from a creaking rocking chair.” A quote which could very easily be the theme of this heartwarming book!

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 PS: I was honoured to be part of the virtual launch of Inked Inheritance along with Nilshree Damani Yelulkar on the 13th of June 2026.

  

WHERE WORDS FAIL, MUSIC SPEAKS!

 
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“Music is life. That’s why our hearts have beats.” Cecily Morgan

In times immemorial, music existed! Not in the manner that it does today, but in the rustle of the wind, the whispering of the greens, the gushing of water and in the crescendo of a waterfall! It nestled in the buzzing of bees, in the melodious chirping of the birds and the sonorous rumbling of thunder… these were, perhaps, the first sounds that inspired the very idea of music. In fact, it was Shakespeare himself who said, “The earth has music for those who listen.”

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The very first musical instruments were believed to be bone flutes that came into existence in the Upper Paleolithic era. Different civilizations – Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, Persian, Mesopotamian, Middle Eastern and of course, Indian, had their versions of ancient music that influenced the world.

In olden times, early man in hunter and gatherer societies also used crude instruments like rattles, drums and shakers out of gourds, reeds, bark and skins.

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There were also towering figures who were credited with creating music, such as our very own Hindu Goddess Saraswati, Shah Jamshed in Persian/Iranian culture and Jubal, the descendent of Cain in Christian mythology. In Chinese mythology, it was the famed musician Ling Lun, whose ear for tunes caught the songs of the mythical Feng Huang birds from where he invented the bamboo flute. The Muses in Greek mythology were also believed to play a part in having invented the arts, including music.

India had a rich repository of ancient music mentioned in Sanskrit, right from the four Vedas to the works of Kalidasa. Ilango Adigal wrote extensively about music in his Silappatikaram, which is considered one of the earliest Tamil epics. It is a glorious tale about the handsome young merchant Kovilan who marries the loyal and virtuous Kannagi, but is led astray by his passion for Madhavi, the beauteous courtesan. Music plays a significant role when the lovers sing about their love for each other and betrayal, in a music festival dedicated to Indra, the king of the gods. Later, they forsake their love and Kovilan returns to his faithful Kannagi who forgives him. She gives him her priceless anklet so that he can make some money to start life again.

When Kovilan tries to sell Kannagi’s anklet to a greedy goldsmith, he is unjustly accused of stealing the queen’s anklet. The incensed king has him executed without a trial. A heartbroken Kannagi storms into the king’s court and proves that the anklet belongs to her. She throws her anklet which breaks open, showering rubies on the floor. The queen’s anklet contained pearls within.

The king, filled with remorse, kills himself, and his queen, unable to bear the shame, soon follows suit. Kannagi’s fury still burns high and she curses the city of Madurai, burning it to the ground, till goddess Meenakshi, the guardian of Madurai, calms her down. Later, Kannagi was worshipped as a goddess holding an anklet in her hand, in parts of South India and Sri Lanka.

The Story of an Anklet - Silappadikaram - The Indian Quest Digital

Mian Tansen’s name is synonymous with Hindustani music. He was a celebrated musician in the court of Raja Man Singh of Gwalior who gave him his first break. Later, he was patronized by Raja Ramachandra Singh Baghel of Rewa. His amazing musical talent and his knowledge soon reached the ears of the Mughal emperor, Akbar. At the age of sixty, Tansen became one of Akbar’s Navaratnas, one of his nine gems, and he was given the title of Mian by the emperor. Tansen went on to compose many classical compositions which form the bedrock of Hindustani music. He was also a brilliant instrumentalist.

Tansen - Instagram

Every year, a national music festival is held near Tansen’s tomb at Hazira, Gwalior, in his honour. Selected exponents of Hindustani classical music are awarded with the Tansen Samman on the occasion.

There are legends galore about the virtuosity and brilliance of Tansen’s musical talent. It is believed that he could cause rain by rendering the Raga Megh Malhar and light lamps by performing Raag Deepak. His talents also included taming wild animals by singing to them.

Another famed singer and poet was Mirabai, whose bhajans about Krishna are sung even today with fervour. Mirabai was married to Bhoj Raj, the crown prince of Mewar, and her adoration for Krishna made her in-laws look upon her with rancour. She would immerse herself, singing devotedly to her blue god, and maybe it was her devout worship that made her escape attempts on her life by her husband’s family. It is said that they tried to poison her pretending to send her a glass of nectar. Miraculously, the poison did turn into nectar, or so the legend goes. They also promised her a basket of flowers, sending a snake to bite her, but again, she escaped harm. It was her music that kept her happy and it was her songs that have survived to this very day, though there are doubts about whether all of them were actually penned by her.

Mirabai - Wikimedia Commons

I come from a family of music lovers who firmly believe the Hans Christian Andersen quote which goes: “Where words fail, music speaks.” Right from the rich and meaningful melodies rendered by Hemant Kumar, Mohd. Rafi, Talat Mahmood,  Kishore Kumar, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar, to the more contemporary music makers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Kavita Krishnamurthy and the delightful Shreya Ghoshal, to bands like Colonial Cousins and brilliant voices like the husky Usha Uthup and the evergreen Arijit Singh, music has played a stellar role in all our lives.

When I was growing up, Beatle mania was still prevalent, but there were also albums by ABBA, Boney M, the Carpenters, Kenny Rogers, Neil Diamond (a favourite), Cliff Richards and so many more. The one movie that I can watch repeatedly is, without doubt, The Sound of Music, the story of the legendary Von Trapp family.

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And to end, if there is one song which brings a smile on my face and sets my feet a tapping, it is the brilliant song by Gene Kelly in which he dances ever so delightfully… Singing in the Rain. For those of you who have not seen it, here is the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0asbGJbLKc

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This list of mine is only a drop in the vast ocean of music, and as I hum a song, priding myself on being a bathroom singer, there is only one quote that comes to mind by the inimitable Henry Van Dyke.

“Use what talent you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”

 This post is  a part of Mixtape Mood Blog Hop hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters.