Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Star Wars

This is perhaps one of the most loved and popular films of All times. It’s a cult film with a fan following that defies logic. Now, since I don’t live in a well or rather that my well has a good healthy radius I too had heard of this and though for some strange reason or the other hadn’t managed to watch the entire series, had seen enough in snippets to know its jist.

Now when Star Movies(a while ago) decided to show all the Episodes “In Order” someone like me couldn’t have been more excited. Finally, I figured I could actually see what the hype was all about, I presumed it was just the camera tricks and laser fights which caused the frenzy. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is conceptually perfect. George Lucas got it bang on right. I found the concept of the Jedi warrior more real than anything else. It is always the truth in fiction that makes them so endearing. If we see the teaching they preach it is the very same that is written in the Holy Scriptures. One must know no fear, fear leads to anger, jealousy & aggression. Isn’t this very often the premise of most paths? In my opinion, it is a resounding yes.

Now the basic concept is this: In the future to come there exists society with democracy ruling and the Jedi’s maintaining peace in the galaxy. The Jedi are a group of chosen people who are trained from a very young age to become the guardians of peace. They are people with whom the Force is particularly strong. They are exceedingly wise, strong and just. But, no matter how advanced this race is, the dark side still exists. And its lure is stronger and more apparent than before. When this very dark side begins to cloud the Jedi the problems begin and they cannot see the Evil force which exists right before them in the Dark Lord.

Then we begin to see the true meanings of the Jedi teachings and why attachment is the root of all problems. We see a truly gifted young one turn to the wrong side because of the very exalted emotion we call “Love”. There is a dialogue between Aniken & Padame in Episode III which I find exceedingly poignant
A: “ You are so beautiful”.
P: “ I am only so, because I am in Love”
A: “No, you are, because I am so in Love with you”

That I thought was more often than not, very true. We so often color everything with our emotions. When we are happy everything is yellow and lovely and when we are melancholy everything is blue and dark.
We then see how Ani becomes Darth Vader, how Padame dies and the birth of their twins who then restore the balance that Vader had shaken.

Darth Vader we then realize was not born a monster (as is generally the case), it was when his belief’s were shaken that he began to turn. The tragedy of his mother, his deep attachments, their tragic demise and his loss of faith in the Jedi cult became his undoing.

With the light speed with which we are advancing, the Star Wars kind of world doesn’t really seem so distant. We seem to be taking giant technological leaps with each passing year and as for our spiritual ones, the bridges are already built & are awaiting those brave enough to tread and cross over to the other side. May the Force be with us all.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

G O D

“God” perhaps is the most misconstrued, misused & misunderstood concept in the history of human civilization. Every religion claims it superiority over others. Wars, murders, bloodshed & hatred are all in the name of Their own God & the best part is-they don’t even know Him.

Who art thou? Or what am I? Both mean the same thing. So much of chaos right now prevails but in actuality one underlying principle is what exists. We are similar-- variants at most of an original seed. The nature or rather quality of energy is perhaps the differing factor amongst us. But that ofcourse means that we are an impure form-- that which can nevertheless be purified. When we seek the Why’s more often than not the How’s present themselves.

It is said that there are as many paths to Awakening as there are variant forms. So, no path followed by one can be followed blindly by another. Each has to seek his way, but perhaps if the variant follows a variation of a certain method, that also will yield results. Every religion in its essence is a method of Enlightenment. In a few it’s apparent, in others hidden, but always available to those who seek.

The depth of Its complexity is as startling as Its level of simplicity. Sooner or later, the rivers will find their way to the ocean. But, as we do so, let’s not dry up & make deserts but rather deltas along the paths we traverse.

Sunday, April 30, 2006

His Dark Materials Trilogy

This is the last series I read. The trilogy consists of ‘The Golden Compass’, ‘The Subtle Knife’ & ‘The Amber Spyglass’. These were written by Philip Pullman. The books had concepts which I never heard before and were quite fascinating, I really loved the idea of Daemons and wonder what mine would look like..
The series are based on this special kid Lyra on whose decision, eventually, the fate of the world would depend (some concepts though, just refuse to die). Anyway, so how this rebellious young one defies all odds and does what is her destiny is the premise of the trilogy. The first one I enjoyed b’cuz of the uniqueness of its ideas, the second, for its story and fast pace(& ofcourse, the introduction of  Will) and the third for its quotes. At the beginning of every chapter in the third book is a quote and/or a picture. They all are amazing one’s and the chapters should not be preceded with, without having first read them. I found to my absolute delight that they were quite a few by my all time fav- William Blake. Never have I enjoyed the words of one as much as those of Blake’s. In the book, even before I read who the saying was by, I would know which one’s are his, just by the way they touched my soul. Ever since forever, I have loved his poems and quotes.
So, I loved the third one for that alone, cuz somewhere towards the end, I felt that Pullman kind of lost the plot. But, on the whole, I liked the series.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Tere Ishq Mein

Never have I, in my life heard a song which exudes such tangible sweetness & encapsulates sadness so beautifully. The first time I heard this melancholy masterpiece by Rekha I was moved to tears. Everytime I listen to this mellifluous melody, I’m enthralled.


“Tere ishq mein

Haaye tere ishq mein

Tere ishq mein... haaye tere ishq mein..

Raakh se rookhi
Koyele se kaali
Raat kate na
Hijraan waali

Tere ishq mein...haaye tere ishq mein..

Raakh se rookhi
Koyele se kaali
Raat kate na..
Hijraan waali...

Tere ishq mein..haaye haaye...
Tere ishq mein..tere ishq mein...tere ishq mein..tere ishq mein..

Teri justjoo.. karte rahe
Marte rahe..
Tere ishq mein..

Tere roobaroo.. baithe huey...
Marte rahe...
Tere ishq mein...

Tere roobaroo...tere justjoo
Tere ishq mein..haaye..tere ishq mein..

Baadal dhuney...mausam buney
Sadiyaan gini...lamhe chuney...
Lamhe chuney...mausam buney..
Kuchh garm the..kuchh gunguney

Tere ishq mein...baadal dhuney..mausam buney...tere ishq mein..

Tere ishq mein...haaye haaye...
Tere ishq mein...tere ishq mein...tere ishq mein...tere ishq mein...

Tere ishq mein...tannhaaiyyaan...tannhaaiyyaan...tere ishq mein
Humnein bahot...behlaaiyyaan...tannhaaiyyaan...tere ishq mein..

Roosey kabhi..manvaiyaan...

Tanhaiyyaan..tere ishq mein

Mujhe toh kar..koi din gaya
Mujhe chhed kar...koi shab gayi
Meine rakh li ...saari...aahatein
Kab aayi thi...shab kab gayi..

Tere ishq mein..kab din gaya...shab kab gayi..tere ishq mein..

Tere ishq mein...haaye ....haaye haaye...
Tere ishq mein..tere ishq mein..tere ishq mein...tere ishq mein...

Raakh se rookhi..
Koyele se kaali
Raat kate na..
Hijraan waali..

Dil sufi yeh thaa......
Hum chal diye...jahaan le chalaa...tere ishq mein..
Hum chal diye...

Tere ishq mein......haaaye...tere ishq mein..”

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

The Lightning Thief

The golden-black hued cover gleamed as a beamed of light ricocheted off it. As it caught the attention of my sis & me, we went over to see an array of a certain book being displayed in the center of the mall floor. A flying shoe was depicted against the bluish black background & in bold italic golden letters was printed ‘Percy Jackson –And The Olypmians’ & below amidst the white streaks of light ‘The Lightning Thief’. ‘Half Boy, Half God, All Hero’ screamed the catchline. My sis was rather impressed and recommended we buy it.

“Another wannabe Tolkein or Rowling” scoffed I & pulled her away. A couple of days later, she showed me a glowing review of TLT in a Sunday newspaper & gave me her ‘I told u so’ look. As I always do in situations like these, I walked off in a huff.

Anyways, her birthday was fast approaching and it was time to go a-shopping. I walked through various gallis & nukkads (my favourite shopping haunts) but of no avail, I was stumped, I couldn’t find anything she’d like. So, out of sheer desperation, I went over to Blossoms & picked up, yes, The Lightning Thief.

So, on the eighteenth of October when she unwrapped her presents, she was quite shocked (pleasantly, ofcourse) to discover a hard bound copy of the book.
“So, you are gradually getting converted from an angadi shopper to a brand buyer” she exclaimed.
“Only this once” I muttered to myself.

Now any book, good or bad, new or old (the older the better, actually) plain covered or flashily clothed cannot stay for long infront of me-Unread. Barely had I tepidly opened TLT that I was pulled into a rollicking adventure.

Percy Jackson is a school kid who suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)he hates school (he’s changed many) & his teachers don’t like him much either, except his Latin teacher Mr. Brunner. Now, Percy’s lifez never been quiet and he seems to have a penchant for getting into trouble. A series of unnatural unexplained events happen & he lands up in Camp Half-Blood. Yup, turns out he’s not all human, he’s Half-God. But no one at the camp can figure out which God’s son he is. At the camp he meets Mr. Brunner, who is actually a centaur & his best friend Grover who is a Satyr. Here he’s told that he suffers from ADHD & can’t sit still in a classroom is because of his battlefield reflexes and the reason he has difficulty with English is cuz his brains’ hardwired to understand ancient Greek.

The fun begins as we slowly realise that he could be the son of any of the three most powerful God’s – Zeus (King of Gods), Poseidon (God of Water) & Hades (God of the Underworld). Percy is then sent on a mission to find out who has stolen Zeus’s Lightning Bolt & if he doesn’t all hell will break loose (literally).

Will Percy succeed? Ofcourse he will, but at what price & the how, makes for an interesting read.

My long review obviously indicates how much I enjoyed the book. With Greek mythology (which I always seem to be drawn to) deftly woven into the books tapestry, Rick Riordan has delivered a winner. But most important of all is the lesson I’ve learnt- Sometimes all that glitter can be gold.

[No. of pages: 375]

Sunday, January 22, 2006

The King Of Torts

..By ‘John Grisham’ is if nothing else, enlightening. What I mean is that, I have learn’t a whole lotta legal jargon, which if I hadn’t read the book, I wouldn’t have ever. Like for eg., well ‘tort’. Though it is ‘legal breach’ as per the dictionary, here it means mass settlement, so I suppose the title becomes ‘The King of Mass Settlement’, doesn’t have the same ring does it? Hence, that’s why, I suppose Grisham used King of ‘Torts’. So, the story begins with our hero who is depressed & struggling and aged 31. Age, important? Very. My interest actually went up a couple of notches when I came upon this very relevant info. It basically signified(to moa) that I had a whole 6 yrs to strike gold & become obscenely rich or rather that I had a whole 6 yrs of struggle infront of me(?)…..


Hmm…whatever, the age was definitely an interesting point of consideration. Right, so after the revelation of JCC-II(J. Clay Carter-II, our hero’s) age, he suddenly becomes rich. How? Well, he receives some inside info on a certain case he is working on & makes the most of it. But..he does so at the price of his ethics & as we all have learn’t , in the world of fiction , that this aint good. What our chap does is really this:


He comes to know (throu’ his secret source) that a certain medicine is harmful to people. So, he advertises this fact, gets their cases and then settles with the company, which is not really bad. What is , is that, he skims off a major portion of the settlement & gives his numerous clients a very small share. This is called ‘mass settlement’.


A couple of twists n turns later his bad karma catches up with him.


But what I found really infuriating was the open ending. I have nothing against them, but JG doesn’t even bother to take the effort to clarify certain important points. Its almost as if he is hoping to do a da vince & wants to write a sequel(or prequel).


But, there’s always one thing about Grisham’s books, you invariably have a good time when u’r readin’ ‘em.


[No. of pages:372]

Saturday, December 10, 2005

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Just finished reading 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' by Baroness Emmuska Ocrzy. Loved it. Now I know where all the old M&Bs I used to read in college got their inspiration from :)

The novel is set right in the middle of the French Revolution. It's the year 1972 and the aristrocrats in Paris are being beheaded by the hundreds at the guillotine. Their only hope for rescue - the Scarlet Pimpernal . Reknowned for his daring rescues and clever disguises, his identity is a mystery to all but his league of loyal followers.

The book is filled with a host of intriguing characters:
The cunning French agent Chauvelin - who is bent upon hunting down the Scarlet Pimpernel
The beautiful and intelligent Marguerite Blakeney - who is blackmailed into spying on the Pimpernel's league

Sir Percy Blakeney - Marguerite's wealthy, gallant and handsome but dull-witted husband

The book is soooo romantic - with a love-story woven into swashbuckling adventure, along with intrigue and comedy.

Lines I loved:
Sir Percy Blakeney's witty poem:
"We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere,
Is he in heaven? - is he in hell?
That demmed elusive Pimpernel"

the whole of chapter XVI ;)