Showman Raj Kapoor was a shattered man post debacle of his dream song Mera Naam Joker. He thought he had made a classic a masterpiece, but the box office thought otherwise.

Of course, he was too big and too engrossed a filmmaker to have shut shop and he decided to go back to his familiar terrain of making a love story, but with new theme, new actors, new team of lyricist, music directors and new singers. So, he made Bobby, a love story set on the theme of rich boy meets poor girl with an added twist of interfaith love, cast his younger son Rishi, barely out of his teens as hero with 15 years old Dimple as heroine, brought in the then happening lyricist Anand Bakshi and changed his long time trusted music duo of Shankar Jaikishan with Laxmikant Pyarelal. He also needed a fresh voice for his son Rishi and we heard mint fresh voice of Shailendra Singh, but the biggest hit song amongst the blockbusters such as main shayar to nahin, hum tum ik kamre main band hon, main mayke chali jaaoongi was Beshak mandir masjid todo sung by then relatively unknown Narendra Chanchal. Of course, we Delhiites knew Narendra Chanchal for he had already established himself as a highly popular crowd puller jagran singer – for the uninitiated, jagran is night long chanting of devotional songs in praise of sheranwali maan or Vaishnodevi, a manifestation of Mother Durga. And Narendra Chanchal was the undisputed king of the stage, such was Maan’s blessing on him!

I know all this because as some of my readers know, my mother in her hey days was a celebrated singer and amongst other events, there was a time when she was very active in singing in such jagrans. I distinctly remember she paying heartfelt tributes to Narendra Chanchal. She had the good fortune of sharing the stage with the great man on couple of occasions and she’d tell how Chanchal mesmerised the devotees, transporting them to a different planet where they could virtually realise the mother or have a sakshatkar of mother as would be more appropriate!

I made a mention of his Bollywood debut by that gem of a song that earned him coveted Filmfare award for the best playback singer. He intermittently flirted with Bollywood, but as I heard, he was unavailable to the music directors for he was always occupied with his first love – devotion to maan ! He visited Katra – abode of the divine Ma Vaishnodevi, every year on the last day of December to sing the paeans of Maan on the new year. His biography “ Midnight Singer” narrates his journey and as the name says, singing for whole night and that too night after night, especially during auspicious period of Navratri, is no mean job and Chanchal whose scale of singing was extremely high electrified the audience to keep them glued and soaked in devotion.

He was unwell for last 2-3 months but I am sure he has gone to her beloved mother whose paeans he sang all his life without getting distracted by anything else!

RIP Narendra Chanchal! For as and when devotees pray to their beloved mother, memories of Narendra Chanchal’s bhents ( as the devotional songs sung in mother’s honours are famously known as ) will remain alive in their hearts!

I just received a video post forwarded to me by my friend. This in fact is a clipping from Pakistani media appreciating India’s great victory yesterday at Gabba. In fact, the presenter is very generous in praising the fighting spirit and character of this young, relatively inexperienced Indian team. He picks out Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundaram for their great show and their contribution in defeating Australia at their home by winning the test as also series and retaining Gavaskar- Border trophy.

Siraj reminds me of another great fighter and spirited bowler Mohammad Shami. Lion hearted Shami gave that added edge to Indian fast bowling, which now has the likes of Bumrah, Ishant, Umesh and the new crop of pacers Shardul, Siraj, Navdeep Saini and Natarajan. I do not recall any other instance of Indian team having so much depth in its pace bowling department and in fact, spoilt for choices.

I remember those days when the fast bowlers, mainly all rounders, who could bat a bit – Abid Ali, Madan Lal, Mohinder Amarnath, Ghavri etc were expected to bowl a couple of overs to make the ball slightly more easy to grip for spinners, who would come after 5-6 overs and formed the main attack. It was Kapil Dev, the first genuine fast bowler, who changed the game and who inspired a generation of fast bowlers like Chetan Sharma, Javagal Srinath, Prasad, Munaf etc. And look at the choice today, with so many other pacers sitting on the sidelines awaiting their chance.

The performance like one in Australia that swung from humiliation to full glory has two important lessons. First that we should be more consistent and second we should keep top 30-35 players in state of readiness by regularly rotating them so that seniors don’t burn out and juniors are not rusted.

Congratulations once again to Team India. It has certainly brought laurels to the country and zing back into Test cricket!

I was not even a teenager when India was all out for 42 in their second innings of second test match of the series at the historic ground of Lords in the year 1974. As aforesaid, I was very young but several times more passionate about the game of cricket than I am today. The nation was shocked at the humiliating performance by its national team and I distinctly remember the deep distress I felt and that I skipped a meal that day!

Fast forward it to 2020-21 India’s tour of Australia and dismal performance by Kohli’s heroes in the first test by being out at a paltry score of 36 and I won’t say that I didn’t feel bad, but the feeling was nowhere close to that passion of 1974! And today at enigmatic Gabba, a youthful and bruised India’s historic victory by scoring rather difficult 326 for victory in the 4th innings has healed whatever shallow wound I had when they scored 36 a few weeks ago! And we have new heroes – Pujara is new Dravid, Rahane new VVS and Rishabh new Dhoni. And what to say about new stars Siraj , Washington and Natarajan! It also shows the depth and width of Indian cricket, where almost a B team convincingly defeated all star Australian outfit!

Incidentally, the above victory also reminds me of another glorious victory by Indian team against a mighty West Indies consisting of Lloyd, Viv Richards, Greenidge, Kalicharan at Port of Spain in 1976 by chasing 403, first time any team scoring victory by chafing 400+ runs! And against pace battery of West Indies, many players were battered and bruised like what happened at Gabba this time!

Congratulations Ajinkya Rahane and his brave hearts for gratifying the hearts of Indians!

Vaccination drive has started all over the world, including in India. We should all be proud to be a nation where vaccination has commenced along with the major counties of the world, most prominently US. And we should salute those who have done this proud to us – Serum Institute that’s manufacturing covishield under licence from University of Oxford and Astra Zeneca at its Pune facility and covaxin by Bharat Biotech at its Hyderabad facility. These two companies have given India a head start over those countries that are looking up to manufacturing countries for their share. India has a large population of its own and covering the entire population with vaccination is not going to be an easy job, but simultaneously India will have to do philanthropy to fulfil the requirements of other countries, especially the friendly ones. This we all saw when at the personal request of President Trump, India diverted its home supply of hydroxychloroquine to US, a gesture that earned India a worldwide goodwill.

It’s most unfortunate that this proud moment for the country is not being celebrated and instead this issue is getting quagmired in needless political controversy! As a nation, we seemed to have forgotten all the good things! We are critical of aarogya Setu, do not feel confident about India’s own vaccine, are unhappy with the way government is tackling the economic aftermath of Covid 19 etc. But the worst is that we do not even celebrate valour of Indian forces – whether it’s surgical strike or our brave heart’s befitting response to Chinese aggression!

We as a nation seem to be hitting the new low as far as divergence of views is concerned – we don’t agree on farm bills, on article 370, on love jihad, on Ram mandir, but more worryingly on the acts of bravery of our armed forces. Let’s not fall prey to this political gimmick but remain united as a nation. Let’s worry about our farmers but celebrate the country’s vaccination drive.

Enthused by the reaction to my previous blog on the newspapers being another casualty of Covid 19, I am encouraged to write another blog on newspapers.

Many readers reacted by naming the daily they either read in their childhood or youth or adored. One reader told me about Tribune, Chandigarh, a newspaper once edited by highly respectable Prem Bhatia. In fact, there was a time when not only the newspaper, but the editors at the helm of these popular dailies acquired almost cult status. Redoubtable Khushwant Singh, after Illustrated Weekly, came to edit Hindustan Times and elevated its popularity to unprecedented heights. His weekly column, “ With malice towards one and all” appearing in the Saturday editions lent the required chutzpah to otherwise drab and serious national dailies. My grandfather loved Girilal Jain, who steered Times of India for many years. He used to especially borrow copy of Statesman from his neighbour to read editorials by S Nihal Singh. And who can forget columnists and cartoonists? If R K Laxman remained incomparable, Sudhir Dar, Mario Miranda and Abu Abraham were equally formidable.

In Mumbai, TOI has remained numero uno all along and HT was a late entrant. Indian Express ( before family division) was a formidable competitor. In Delhi, HT led the number game, though TOI, through its innovative strategy, almost overthrew HT from the top slot. But once Delhi did have respected newspapers like Indian Express and Statesman that had their dedicated set of readers. I also loved Patriot that had two three pages dedicated to Bollywood. There was also National Herald and later Pioneer. Kolkata had duopoly of Statesman and Telegraph though TOI, a late entrant disrupted the market. HT also entered Kolkata market to further wean away the share from the older publications. Chennai had its Hindu, which later started Gurgaon edition through satellite, though Deccan Herald and Indian Express were formidable too.

Mumbai, probably due to train culture , also had a number of mid morning tabloids – Afternoon Courier and Despatch, Mid Day ( still there) and Evening News ( it had a Delhi edition too! ) and then there were publications like Blitz that were most respected.

And here I am not at all talking of vernacular dailies that were loved ( and a few are still lapped up by readers) and I would place Ananda Bazaar Patrika ahead of all others for its literary bent! Probably vernacular dailies deserve a separate blog on them.

Today except an economist par excellence, Swaminathan Anklesria Aiyer, who heads ET, I don’t think anyone remembers the editors of eminent dailies.

It’s part of the change. Who ever thought print media will lose battle to electronic media? Who waits for the morning newspaper to break a news? All the news appear so stale having been acquainted with the fact hours ago thanks to internet alerts! Except for a habituated and connoisseurs of language and activities such as crossword, sudoku. Word jumble, kakuro and cartoon strips ( Blondie and Archie are my favourites) like me, who I presume are handful, newspapers seem to be close to their demise! Or may be I am at a stage of my life when nostalgia of the past is more overwhelming than the future happenings!

I have been an avid newspaper reader- more than news, features like crossword, sudoku and cartoon strips hook me on to this old ingrained habit.

During my long professional career, I have been posted at several Mofussil centres where national English dailies were either not available or available only at the railway book stall and that too stale copy of the previous day. Of course, e versions were unheard of.

Kota, where I was posted and which was situated on New Delhi- Mumbai railway line, offered unique opportunity. It offered both the major editions of Times of India – Delhi as well as Mumbai. I would always go for Mumbai edition for it was much thicker – 24 pages minimum, at times running into 38 pages and full of ads and entertainment.

The reason for this nostalgia is the resumption of newspapers delivery at home post unlocking of Covid lockdown. The newspaper barely runs into 16-18 pages, with two pages of Mumbai Times pinned along with main paper! A couple of weeks ago, popular tabloid Mumbai Mirror that used to come free with TOI was discontinued and made weekly sans all its chutzpah and syndicated columns. Not that Hindustan Times is doing any better!

Print media was already reeling under the assault of TV and OTT and with Covid, readership largely shifted to net, where there are free sites giving real time news throughout the day!

As far as reading books is concerned, I have switched over to kindle. However, I can’t think of starting my day without actually touching the daily copy of newspaper and solving crossword and puzzles using pen. If indeed these major newspapers decide to stop printing and switch exclusively to e editions, it will be the saddest day of my life.

Lohri makes me nostalgic as in our childhood, it was a big festival in Delhi celebrated with much pageant and gaiety.

While lighting of pyre and the fun of standing around the fire in bitter cold was an unmatched experience, the small eatables such as groundnuts, gajak and rewri added to the festivity. Children forming groups and singing Lohri folk song Sunder Mundriye and asking for Lohri, which in those days used to be 5 or 10 paise, added to the fervour of this festival. I think this tradition of asking for money by children on festive occasions is common to Punjab and I have heard similar stories about “ Eidi”.

Of course, festival hastraditional, religious and regional significance attached to it and these stories are well known and I am not repeating them.

What, however, bleeds my heart that the farmers who should be harvesting their crops and celebrating this festival on their farms by dancing to the tune of Bhangra are agitating against farm bills by sitting in at Delhi border under the most severe cold condition? Let’s pray for amicable end to this agitation on the occasion of this Lohri!

Happy Lohri as also Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal! While harvesting is used in relation to crops, I pray that this time these harvesting festivals help us reap peace, health, brotherhood and happiness!

Farmers are braving bitter cold and camping at Sindhu border persisting with their one point demand to the government- to repeal three farm laws. There have been several rounds of meetings between farmers and Government but farmers have made it clear that nothing short of repealing of these monstrous laws will satisfy them. Unfortunately, government has also made it clear that laws will not be repealed. The last hope now rests with Supreme Court; as I write this blog, it’s confirmed that Supreme Court has stayed implementation of these laws till further order and constituted a committee to discuss the issues with stakeholders.

Incidentally, Supreme Court also expressed concern at the danger of Corona virus spreading through these agitations and congregations? The Hon’ble court cited the example of Tablighi Jamaat , where a large congregation in closed space raised Covid concerns. In fact, it is most unfortunate that that in spite of Covid wreaking havoc in almost the entire world by afflicting millions and killing thousands, the world has seen a spate of agitations. Whether it’s movement led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman in Pakistan, attack on Capitol Hill by Trump’s supporters or agitation by our farmers, it’s most unfortunate that one of the most virulent strains of the recent times have been ignored by the agitating groups by exposing their as well others’ lives to grave risk.

Let’s hope that Supreme Court’s stay on implementation of three farm laws till further orders have a sobering effect on this ongoing agitation as rigidity in democracy helps no one and the only way forward in democracy is consultative stance and not rigidity of stance and this applies to both – government as well farmers. It’s not the question of who blinks first? It’s the larger issue of who saves nation from going on this destructive path that’s who shows magnanimity first?

IKEA has finally arrived in Mumbai and their mega store at Navi Mumbai is not something that Indians would have seen till now. Of course, those who have traveled abroad to places such as Dubai and Singapore are well aware of such mega stores having visited Carrefour and IKEA thereat. But for others this is an experience to be believed through a visit.

IKEA arrived in India a few years back with their store at Hyderabad and on line delivery. I remember Indians feeling excited at their commencement of Indian operations. In fact, I am told that several people from all over, including Delhi and Mumbai undertook visits to Hyderabad not to see Charminar or Salarjung Museum or Ramajirao film city, but to specifically shop at IKEA.

We of course had done some e -commerce transactions with IKEA and were already enrolled as IKEA family member. In view of ongoing Covid and expecting a deluge of crowd, the store had made pre registration mandatory and we could do so easily in view of priority accorded to us by virtue of we being part of IKEA family.

Somehow this visit reminded me of my childhood days of visiting an exhibition at Pragati Maidan and halls of fame there that were decked up for such exhibitions. IKEA showroom looked as big as one of those halls of fame, like you needed a ticket to enter the exhibition, here you required a pre registration and QR code and there were similar queues for entering the showroom.

Once inside, the experience was almost ethereal, with all kinds of goods aesthetically placed. You felt like picking up every trinket – pieces of crockery, cutlery, storage et al. Food court had long queues and coffee house served quick snacks that were both – delicious and reasonably priced.

I don’t know whether IKEA will be able to sustain this interest or things are going to peter out once the initial euphoria dies down. Will they bring more and more attractive deals and win Indians’ mindshare and wallet share or will Indian experience be below their worldwide benchmarks? Only time will tell. But as is said “ well-begun is half done” and by beginning their Mumbai operations with a bang, IKEA seems to have won the first battle.

Welcome to Mumbai IKEA!

While the world at large is rejoicing at the passage of 2020 and transition to 2021, not everyone shares this optimism and joy. For many, who have been badly bruised and battered by Covid 19, the path to recovery is going to be uncertain and long drawn and that too if Corona does not spread its fangs by way of more vicious strains.

I sometimes follow Urdu press for their poeticism. Came across a couplet in one of the Urdu publications that captured the circumspection of a large population to the premature celebration and optimism around 2021. The couplet reads:

दुनिया गुजर रही है रोज़ आज़माइशों से

है किस तरफ़ न जाने रुख़ वक़्त की नदी का

हम दो दहाईयों से है अबतला में और अब

इक्कीसवाँ साल है इक्कीसवीं सदी का ।।

The above is loosely translated as below:

World is facing new challenges each day

Only God knows what will be future’s way

For last two decades we have faced only trials and tribulations and no deterrent

Will this 21st year of 21st century be any different?

Let’s not presume that with change in calendar date, all is going to be automatically well! We shall have to continue with the new lifestyle post Corona and not revert to our old habits. We will have to respect nature and respect fellow humans for this Covid has been a great leveller and we need to imbibe the reality without any qualms or doubts!

Happy new year once again to my readers.