Asha Bhosle was the first diva of Indian music industry, much before the looks and stage performance assumed importance. Till then, the singers, including the playback singers, used to stand before a microphone with a harmonium in front, singing by reading the lyrics from a copy in front of them, with an appreciative audience sitting quietly. However, Asha was like a diva on the stage- well dressed and singing and dancing to the accompanying rhythm and taking the audience along with her.

For most part of her career spanning more than seven decades, she chose to remain in the shadows of her more illustrious sister, the great Lata a Mangeshkar, who was all along the first choice of all the music directors. Asha would get to sing songs for side actors, vamps and those declined by Lata. However, composers like O P Nayyar and R D Burman exploited her potential to the fullest by composing the songs specifically for her. Chain se humko kabhi, her last collaboration with OP, for which she won a National Award and Piya tu ab to aaja for RD gave a new rhythm to Indian movies. She also won a National Award for her ghazals in Umrao Jaan. Towards the latter half of her career, maestro A R Rahman made her sing a few memorable numbers, including the tracks of his first original album in Hindi, Rangeela.

Awards were just reaffirmation of the brilliant talent that she possessed. She sang with zest and chutzpah though she was fully versed and trained in classical music.

She also loved cooking and she took her this passion to professional heights by opening a restaurant chain “ Asha”.

She has died rather suddenly and till very recently was actively singing, including doing stage shows.

Singling out her exceptional songs will be an exercise in futility, because she made almost everything that she sang exceptional. We can only thank almighty for giving us Asha and keep her alive in our memories by listening to a wide repertoire of songs she has left us for us.

Change is the only constant holds more than true in case of April Fool’s Day. It was a day observed with much enthusiasm and pranksters had a field day. In fact, each one strove to become a prankster, though the pranks were harmless and amusing.  

However, I hardly see any mention of April Fool, not even on social media and close knit groups that usually share everything. Probably, with so much fake news, including the deepfakes doing the rounds on social media, playing pranks seems to have lost its relevance. 

The day, however, still drenches me into the nostalgia of the past, though playing pranks is now a passé! On a philosophical note, I wish, if the main protagonists of all the wars being fought currently come together and declare that all their fresh threats to damage each other’s assets were April Fool’s day pranks and that they are having an immediate ceasefire. 

Please don’t get me wrong! The above is not an April Fool’s prank but a sincere wish straight from my heart! 

I have come across posts and reels on social media  with people thanking their stars for being in India in the current geopolitical situation. People are feeling safe and are also living the life as usual, with no shortage of any petroleum product, expect LPG cylinders in certain pockets.

I have also seen posts, reels and pictures of the long queues at the gas stations and petrol pumps in certain countries and the steep increase in prices of petrol and diesels in certain others. I am also aware of certain advisories by certain governments to their citizens to conserve energy, avoid unnecessary travel and work from home instead of coming to office daily.

We are lucky to be in India indeed, where the energy crisis is yet not been experienced by the public and the common citizen is spared  from the vagary of any general price increase.

However, with the middle east crisis completing one month with no signs of abating, the onus is on all of us to observe self discipline by conserving energy and helping our government to ration its fuel imports looking at the exorbitant rates. With rupee under pressure and unending flight of funds by FPIs and foreign institutions from our markets, we must collectively ensure that our precious forex reserves don’t deplete below the comfort level.

At the government level, diplomacy, efficient management of energy resources, excise tweaking etc are all being gainfully used; we should not shy away from our own humble contribution, howsoever insignificant it may be. 

Today is Gudi Padwa and my yoga guru highlighted the significance of neem and gur (jaggery) consumed as prasad today. It represents the acceptance of life’s dualities—bitter challenges and sweet joys. This mixture serves as a reminder to face both with equanimity. It also marks the spring season, offering health benefits like immunity boosting and body detoxification.

It’s amazing that how all our festivals have not only very deep symbolic significance but also scientific rationale.

Happy Gudi Padwa and Ugadi to all my friends.

 I belong to a generation that grew up much before we started hearing new age terms such as millennials and GenZ! Yet, much before women power, equality of gender, save the girl child started becoming fads, I was the flag bearer of feminism. 

My mother, a professional singer, managed her singing career without neglecting her household responsibilities and even if I was not capable of helping her, my mind was always there with her. And much before helping wife with household work became fashionable, I never left my wife toiling alone in kitchen or elsewhere and I watching TV or reading book or newspaper. I was there right by her side helping her. And my daughter always had freedom to exercise her choice – whether it was the field of study or, profession or life partner! 

Naturally, when we write about a woman behind a successful man, women bosses, women subordinates, women in all fields etc , they sound cliche! Anything that describes woman differently from man, even if it’s a eulogy, it’s discriminatory to my mind! 

This international women’s day, let’s ensure that a woman is just one amongst us, requiring no celebration, eulogy, tribute etc. on gender basis. 

When the strife seems to have taken the entire world into its grip, the flavour and the mood of Holi, the festival of colour, joy and brotherhood certainly dampens. Under the circumstances, burning of Holika assumes more significance as we wish the evils such as wars, causing tremendous human suffering should perish in fire along with Holika! Let’s hope that good sense prevails on those calling shots and the entire mankind, so that we can enjoy life on this beautiful planet called earth.

Live and let others live on this beautiful planet,

By partaking all the Mother Nature has given to all of us;

Instead of killing others to satisfy our elephantine egos ,

And acquiring a better than others superior status.

Festivals like Holi teach us the spirit of brotherhood,

A much needed virtue in today’s fragmented world;

So that joy, happiness and prosperity prevail all over,

And the flag symbolising peace can be unfurled!

Happy Holi.

I have read about the folklore concerning the phoenix, a legendary immortal bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again. Associated with the Sun, a phoenix obtains new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. Some legends say it dies in a show of flames and combustion, while others say that it simply burns to death and decomposes before being born again. This is the origin of the popular phrase “ Phoenix has arisen from ashes .”

However, my friend shared interesting information regarding the Phoenix number, 1/7, a number that refuses to die or get destructed. When we divide 1 by 7 we get an answer in which six digits get repeated endlessly- 0.142857142857……….. That’s not all if you divide 142857 by numbers 2,3,4 5 or 6, the answer is same six digits in a cyclical order as shown below:

142857X2 = 285714

142857X3 = 428571

142857X4 = 571428

142857X5 = 714285

142857X6 = 857142

No matter what we do, the number refuses to die, with the same digits changing places in a cyclical order. However, when we multiply this number by 7, the number that created it, the cycle ends as the result is 999999. It’s destroyed by the very number that created it!

The mystery, however, doesn’t end here, as shown below:

142 + 857 = 999

14+28+57 = 99

1+4+2+8+5+7= 27 = 9

The magic is not yet over. Let’s multiply 142857 by 8 and 9 and see what happens

142857X8 = 1142856

If we add the leading digit, 142857 is reborn.

142856+1 = 142857

142857X9 = 1285713

285713+1 = 285714

And this repeats endlessly!

142857 – born from 7, destroyed by 7 and reborn from the ashes. Phoenix number that never dies.

Over the years, like everything else, Valentine’s Day has evolved from being purely a romantic occasion celebrated by lovers to an occasion to celebrate anyone appreciated. Accordingly, we celebrate our mother’s affection, our father’s protection , our sibling’s care, our best friend’s company and our admired idol this day, apart from our beloved. 

Extending the above logic  further, this Valentine’s Day, I would love to give a rose to the following:

(1) our beloved tobacco and pan chewers, who are determined to fail the national initiative of “Swachch Bharat”;

(2) neighbourhood dog owner who’s unable to control his big dog on leash from attacking by passers and who refuses to clean the dog’s poop from pedestrian pathways;

(3) overzealous road hog, who has scant regard for traffic rules but actually stares at you when you are not heeding to his relentless honking as the light is still red;

(4) enthusiastic social media denizen, who has all the time in the world to prescribe sure shot remedy for anything and everything in the world and has a view on all national global matters; and 

(5) more loyal than others senior, who uses abusive language and makes the life of his team members miserable by his acts! 

And advantage of celebrating Valentine’s Day with the above lot is that no secluded nook is required and one doesn’t run the risk of facing the wrath of self styled protectors of our culture and heritage! 

Happy Valentine’s Day to all my readers and friends.

We are generally advised by wisemen- spiritual gurus, teachers, coaches, orators etc – to live in the present moment as we have no control over the past or the future. While dreaming about good things happening in future is still alright, carrying the baggage of the past can ruin our present. 

However, a friend shared the following beautiful lines by Robert Drake that show our nostalgia or yearning for the past in a completely different light. The lines read:

*Sometimes,*
I feel I want to go back in time… 
_Not to change Things_, but to feel a couple of things twice..

*Sometimes,*
I wish I was a Baby for a while… 
_Not to be walked in the pram_ but to see my Mother’s smile

*Sometimes,*
I wish I could go back to school… 
_Not to become a Child_ but to spend more time with those friends, I never met after school..

*Sometimes,*
I wish I could be back in college… 
_Not to be a Rebel_ but to really understand what I studied

*Sometimes,*
I wish I was a Fresher at my work… 
_Not to do less Work_ but to recall the joy of the first pay cheque.

*Sometimes,*
I wish my kids were younger…. 
_Not because they grew Fast_ but to play with them a bit more.

*Sometimes,*
I feel I still had some more time to live… 
_Not to have a longer Life_ but to know what I could give to others.

Such yearning or nostalgia neither crushes us with burden nor drowns us in any repentance or regret. It actually alerts us about the remaining moments of our life to be savoured with full zest, so that when the present or the future becomes the past, we have nothing to reflect upon. 

A thought just struck my mind that why good things and habits are so difficult to follow and if these are indeed so difficult then how can they be good? 

Daily exercising as against lazing around, eating healthy ( read insipid) food as against lip snacking delicacies, eating fruits ( read monotonous) as against mouth watering desserts, sleeping and getting up early as against late night TV watching and waking up in late hours after sun is out, reading saucy and gossipy stuff against high intellectual stuff, trying natural remedies as against swallowing a tablet for immediate relief, living in present instead of rueing the past and worrying about the future ….. and the list can go on on, are not easy but requiring quite an effort and resolve. 

A while ago, I came across a post, ostensibly by a nonagenarian Japanese that became viral on social media, as it was the antithesis of what all I have listed above as good things or habits. The aforesaid proponent reportedly was living a happy and healthy life without necessarily following the usually recommended doable. 

I think truth lies somewhere in between. Life ought to be a mix of discipline and occasional indulgence. Out of 24 hours, it is not impossible to take some time out for light exercises or yoga, meditation and a brief thanksgiving prayer. An occasional late night binging with some entertainment is alright once in a while, say on weekends. An odd rasgulla or a piece of barfi will not kill us but rather satisfy our craving. And reading is a good habit, irrespective of the kind of stuff we read! 

This, if read in tandem with my previous blog on New Year’s resolution, can help us live a healthy, happy and above all, guilt free life.