Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain jo makam, woh phir nahin aate 

The above immortal lines penned by redoubtable Anand Bakshi, composed by maestro R D Burman , soulfully rendered by all time great Kishore Kumar and lip synced on screen by the then ruling super star Rajesh Khanna, most effectively sum up the philosophy of life that all the gurus and seers are trying to convey to ordinary mortals like us- “ Live the moment”. The times that have gone past us are never relived. Our present and future could be better than our past, but it would never be the same. Therefore, many of us indulge in the nostalgia of our days gone by, especially those of our childhood and youth. But either way – by getting lost in the nostalgia of the days of the yore or dreaming about a bright future tinged in the expectation of fulfilment of our ever expanding needs – we refuse to live in the present and while away all our life in this conundrum.

Last week’s Indian Idol was “ Kishore Kumar special “ in which one of the participants rendered the aforesaid evergreen song that moistened the eyes of all present there and provoked me to pen these few lines. 

Last year, 2023, was the first full year of my retirement that happened on 31/5/22 and I was determined to use it in the best possible manner. I started on a positive note and started some therapy for my arthritic knees. As is generally said, “ New Year resolutions are meant to be broken”, and so happened with me, with some unscheduled travel and social obligations sending my resolutions for a toss. The result – my arthritis worsened, spreading to other parts, mainly shoulders, along with certain other health issues ( cervical, insomnia etc), my efforts for a sustained engagement post my retirement bore no fruits and I also failed to fulfil certain social expectations. This was the year 2023 on personal front.

On other fronts, the nation once again witnessed an erratic monsoon, food inflation, serious train accident, Manipur incidents, loss in World Cup cricket final ( test match as well as one day) and towards the end, revival of covid in a new avatar. And while the Ukraine-Russia war refuses to die down, the world is witnessing unprecedented loss of life in Israel and Gaza. 

But being an eternal optimist, I welcome 2024 in full zest. If 2023 was a tad downcast on personal front, it also ended up on a high note with the publication of my first book on Christmas eve that’s receiving lots of adulation and some rave reviews and in spite of a slight deterioration in my health condition, I am still alive and kicking. And as a country, aren’t we set to become third largest economy, with booming industries and stock markets? Lastly, world is not blind to massive destruction as outcome of wars and seems poised to give peace a chance. 

On this positive note, let me wish you all, your near and dear, friends, family a very happy new year 2024. May you all scale new height of success and attain new peak of happiness in your life! 

Sent from my iPhone

Clicked a beautiful photograph from my balcony this morning with Sun and Moon in the same frame. This triggered certain thoughts in my mind that I converted into a brief verse:

Morning Sun gobbles up the moon,

And Moon reappears only after Sun drowns;

But it’s not impossible for the two of them to appear together,

Though such an event does raise frowns!

If nature is so flexible and so accommodating,

How come humans are so rigid and fanatic;

Divided based on religion, caste, creed and gender,

Sticking to their beliefs and thoughts as if these are prophetic!

Nature has so much for us to learn, if we are open and ready.

BJP swept Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and more surprisingly, Chhattisgarh, where the party trailed initially. The victory proved or more precisely contradicted three theories:

(1) Anti incumbency strongly influenced election outcomes – MP results contradicted this.

(2) Good governance could negate anti incumbency to a large extent. Chhattisgarh results contradicted this. Baghel government seemed to be providing good governance.

(3) Exit polls are largely correct Almost all exit polls predicted tight finish in Rajasthan and MP and Congress victory in Chhattisgarh. All proved wrong.

What are the learning for political parties:

(1) INDIA bloc needs to review its approach. They should join hands on ideology and common minimum programme rather than be a crowd just to oppose BJP.

(2) BJP seems to have won the support of women- can the party also earn at least some backing from minorities, more especially Muslims?

(3) Can South open itself up by trying something new, the way North has done?

(4) Lastly, but above all, no party should take our voters for granted. Let all parties have a growth and welfare oriented agendas rather than trying to woo with issues such as Mandal and Kamandal! Voters have grown much maturer and intelligent and can see through the political agenda that’s divisive and discriminatory.

Long live the vibrancy of Indian democracy!

Mere criticism of India’s loss in the ODI World Cup final or eulogising the team in spite of its insipid performance are both two ends of extreme reaction. Rather it may be useful to imbibe some learning, applicable to not only cricket or any other sporting outfit, but to every team in general. My take on this is:

(1) Like the game of cricket, the market place too is fraught with glorious uncertainties and each team has to remain prepared for any eventuality any moment, which in our parlance these days is fashionably called “disruption”. A rejuvenated Australian team with a better crafted strategy caused disruption.

(2) No strategy is a foolproof key to success and may require occasional or frequent tweaking. India thought that batting first and putting up a total on the scoreboard was foolproof, given the strength of their bowlers. 

(3) Best team members are more dependable, but team cannot rest on the laurels of only chosen few. All cylinders must fire. Kohli and Rahul found difficult to score quickly and the bowling triumvirate fizzled out after the initial burst. 

(4) Law of averages, definite end to a winning streak etc are excuses to justify an outcome on the hindsight. Australia, in the past, recorded a longer unbroken winning streak and all records are meant to be broken.

(5) Like sports, marketplace also is a playing turf, where victory and loss are the two sides of the same coin. The outcome, whatever it be, should be taken in stride without any sharp, knee jerk and lasting reaction. 

Let’s move on folks. There are laurels to be won by other teams – soccer, athletics, tennis, badminton, chess et al – T 20 team is already on the winning ways! 

And this is the message to all the teams! Learn from the past, strategise again and move on! Victory is there to be grabbed! 



कई दिन पहले से ही पटाखे चलते थे 

और मिठाई तो भर भर के खाते थे 

फिर भी न कोई मोटापा था न डायबिटीज़ 

और प्रदूषण न जाने किस चिड़िया को कहते थे!

पर परिवर्तन ही यदि गतिशील है 

तो यह भी परिवर्तन का एक हिस्सा है 

दीपावली का भाव न बदला है न बदलेगा 

पटाखे मिठाई तो दीपावली का एक छोटा सा हिस्सा है!

परम परमात्मा से बस यही प्रार्थना है 

कि दिवाली की ख़ुशी चारों तरफ़ फैले 

इसराइल फ़िलिस्तीन रूस और यूक्रेन में ही नहीं 

सर्वत्र विश्व में शांति और सौहार्द की लहर दौड़े!!

Burning crackers started days in advance 

And eating sweets went on nonstop

Yet no one bothered about obesity or diabetes 

And air pollution was something unheard of!

But if change is the only constant 

Then even this change is inevitable 

The essence of Diwali will never change

Sweets and crackers are eminently disposable!

Let’s pray to God almighty this Diwali 

To spread the message of peace and amity

Not only in Israel, Palestine, Russia and Ukraine 

But in the entire world that’s just one big family!

کئی دن پہلے سے ہی پٹاکھے چلتے تھے

اور مٹھائی تو بھر بھر کے کھاتے تھے

فر بھی نا کوئی موٹاپا تھا نا ذیابیطس

ہوا کی آلودکی کیا ہے نہی جانتے تھ

پر غر تبدیلی ہی مسلسل ہے

تو ئہ بھی تبدیلی کا ایک حصاہے

دوالی کا متلب نا بدلا ہے نا بدلےگا

پٹاگھے مٹھائیُ تو دوالی کا بس اک حصا ہے

پرور دگار سے ہے ئے التجا

کے دوالی کی کھُشی چاروں ترف پھیلے

اسرا ییل، فلستین،روس اور یوکرےن مین ہی نہی

اور پوری دُنیامےن امن اود ہم آہنگی دوڑے

India is playing ODI World Cup tomorrow and the entire national is agog with expectations, expecting nothing but the world champion’s title for their men in blue. And the fact is that in many many years Indian cricket team has not looked so complete and balanced. Everyone is competing not with anyone but with himself to give his best as if there’s no tomorrow and if any big thing is to be achieved, it has to be done today. Such is the confidence in team India’s ability that if the batters are unable to score big, our bowlers can defend any score and if bowlers have an off day, our batters can scale any mountain!

The way the team has played and won its last 10 matches, it seems unstoppable at this juncture. Even if the glorious uncertainties of this great game of cricket are to come into play, even if law of averages is to come into effect at the most inopportune moment tomorrow and for that matter if any unforeseen development is destined for tomorrow, there’s no denying the fact that hearts of all of us Indians only believe that team India seems to be on the cusp of achieving great success tomorrow at Ahmedabad. It’s not to take anything away from Australia, who also have played some great cricket to reach where they are; but this dil refuses to believe anything else but an Indian victory tomorrow.

I thought of writing this prelude to tomorrow’s big event as after the result , whatever it may be, the noise and feelings would reign supreme, overwhelming any worthwhile expression thereof through any article or blog!

Let’s all of us sit tight at Narendra Modi stadium, those of us who are lucky to be witnessing the grand event at the place of action or with our friends and beloved in front of our TV sets in support of our men in blue and seek support from across the border too – Afghanis are already backing team India wholeheartedly- Pakistanis are also passionate about the game and would prefer the World Cup to be in their neighbourhood rather than miles away!

All the best Rohit’s lohits (the men of steel) to repeat the feat of Kapil’s devils in 1983 and Dhoni’s honeys ( beloved boys) in 2011!

Received presumably an old piece of poetry by redoubtable Gulzar, for the kind of vocabulary he uses touches your heart immediately, from a friend on WhatsApp on the occasion of festival of lights, Diwali. I feel a strong urge to share the same with my readers, along with my translation, which is no patch on the original Gulzar poem, for translating the spirit of his work is not only difficult, but impossible and I am no great shakes as far as linguistic skills are concerned. Yet I exhort all of you to enjoy – the original as far as possible, and the translation, if Hindi is not your forte, especially youngsters, who may not realise that walls were indeed painted with lime and 25 and 50 paise coins indeed had value.

हफ्तों पहले से साफ़-सफाई में जुट जाते हैं
चूने के कनिस्तर में थोड़ी नील मिलाते हैं
अलमारी खिसका खोयी चीज़ वापस पाते हैं
दोछत्ती का कबाड़ बेच कुछ पैसे कमाते हैं 
चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….

Cleaning operations commenced weeks in advance
With walls painted white in line with a dash of blue
Almirahs moved from their place led to  recovery of long lost items
Selling scrap would yield a rupee or two
Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwal alive


दौड़-भाग के घर का हर सामान लाते हैं 
चवन्नी -अठन्नी पटाखों के लिए बचाते हैं
सजी बाज़ार की रौनक देखने जाते हैं
सिर्फ दाम पूछने के लिए चीजों को उठाते हैं
चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं …. 

Running across to fulfil the last minute needs
Saving some money in the process to buy crackers to light
Well adorned markets attracted everyone
And window shopping gave all the delight
Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwali alive

बिजली की झालर छत से लटकाते हैं
कुछ में मास्टर बल्ब भी लगाते हैं
टेस्टर लिए पूरे इलेक्ट्रीशियन बन जाते हैं
दो-चार बिजली के झटके भी खाते हैं
*चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….* 

Electric lights adorned the roofs
Master bulb made them to twinkle
Tester was the most important tool
And occasional shock gave no wrinkle
Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwali alive

दूर थोक की दुकान से पटाखे लाते है
मुर्गा ब्रांड हर पैकेट में खोजते जाते है
दो दिन तक उन्हें छत की धूप में सुखाते हैं
बार-बार बस गिनते जाते है
*चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….*

Traveled long distance for cheaper crackers 

And Cock brand was a preferred brand

These crackers were dried in the Sun

So that burning then produced effect that’s grand

Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwali alive 

धनतेरस के दिन कटोरदान लाते है
छत के जंगले से कंडील लटकाते हैं
मिठाई के ऊपर लगे काजू-बादाम खाते हैं
प्रसाद की थाली पड़ोस में देने जाते हैं
*चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….*

Utensils were bought on Dhanteras 

Paper chandeliers adorned the top

Dry fruits atop sweet meats were eaten first 

And exchanging sweets with neighbours was priority on top

Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwali alive 

अन्नकूट के लिए सब्जियों का ढेर लगाते है 
भैया-दूज के दिन दीदी से आशीर्वाद पाते हैं 
*चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….* 

Festivities continued the next day 

With vegetables adorning households 

And Bhai Duj a day after 

Strengthened brother sister bonds

Let’s keep the same spirit of Diwali alive 

दिवाली बीत जाने पे दुखी हो जाते हैं 
कुछ न फूटे पटाखों का बारूद जलाते हैं 
घर की छत पे दगे हुए राकेट पाते हैं 
बुझे दीयों को मुंडेर से हटाते हैं 
*चलो इस दफ़े दिवाली घर पे मनाते हैं ….* 

End of Diwali was a matter of despair 

Vestiges of the crackers burnt representing happiness gone by

And it was time to clean the neighbourhood 

By removing wastes, burnt lamps but feeling high and dry! 

Happy Diwali to all once again!

The other day a friend shared a post on WhatsApp in which former Pakistan cricket captain Intekhab Alam shared his reminiscences about Bishan Singh Bedi, the great Indian left arm spinner, who expired a few days back. The post vividly brings out the man that Bedi was – a loveable friend, a great cricketer and above all, a perfect gentleman.

Bedi was one of the architects of the position of eminence in the cricketing world that team India finds itself today in. He along with his compatriots, leg spinner B S Chandrashekhar and off spinner EAS Prasanna ( also S Venkatraghavan, who frequently substituted Prasanna) formed the great spin triumvirate, much before deadly duo of Thomson and Lillee, Imran and Sarfaraz, Waqar and Akram and the great terrible twins – Croft and Garner formed pairs. India of those days just waited for the new cherry to be soiled a bit – two three overs by the likes of Abid Ali, Ghavri, even Solkar before unleashing it’s main weapon of destruction- the triumvirate. Usually, Bedi was the first to be introduced as he was able to grip a relatively new ball better than the others . With his gently flighted deliveries, he’d put immediate brakes on the runs, choking the batter to try something adventurous and he or his other colleagues would start the demolition. No wonder, till Kapil’s arrival on the scene, who then started the trend of India producing genuine fast bowlers, the spinners ruled the roost with the three of these greats sharing almost 700 wickets amongst them. Bedi’s 266 wickets, till Kapil broke his record, which is now bettered by Kumble and Ashwin, was the best performance by any Indian for several years.

And Bedi was all about grace, patience, artistry, magic and beauty. He was a perfect gentleman but firm when it came to the rules or injustice. But he was a true friend, a person most humble in spite of his great success. He was such an obsessive friend that he named his first son Gavasinder Singh, being totally enamoured by his another great colleague, Sunil Gavaskar, though later on they fell out on some issue.

There were spinners before Bedi ( Vinu Mankad, Subhash Gupte etc) and spinners after him ( Dilip Doshi, Maninder, Ravi Shastri and currently Aksar and Jadeja), but we in our lifetimes may not witness anyone like Bedi – charming, graceful, wizard, artist and of course, a gentleman to the core!

No tribute can be big enough to cover all aspects of his life, which was well lived despite its ups and downs!

RIP the great man !

Folklores connected with our festivals make up for interesting stories, comprising very colourful characters. These fables have a mention in our great scriptures, having great moral value. But apart from the characters tinged in the shades of black, white and grey, there’s strong symbolism in these fables and the excitement over the story sometimes pales this important symbolism and we miss the important underlying message.

Therefore Dussehra, celebrating slaying of Ravana by Lord Rama and Bijoya, celebrating departure of Durga Ma after killing Mahishasura, in fact symbolise victory of good over evil, also reflected by burning of Ravana’s effigy and immersion of Durga’s idol.

This Dussehra let’s slay the demon of communalism, regionalism, casteism, factionalism, gender bias, corruption, divisiveness and personal vices by burning or drowning them and emerging victorious a la Lord Rama or Goddess Durga. We must celebrate all rituals and eat the best sweet meats, but not waste the opportunity by overlooking the underlying great symbolism.

Happy Dussehra and shubho Bijoya!