Ever since I was a little girl, Diwali has been one of my favourite festivals. I never liked the crackers and the bombs but I loved lighting the little diyas. Every Diwali, parents bought those small earthen lamps along with a big earthen lamp. They were then put in a tub full of water. After some time, they were taken out and put in the sun. Once they dried up, we kept them aside. Towards the evening, we children arranged them in a big plate and put a wick in each of them and poured oil in each of those little lamps. Then, we went on the terrace with those lamps.
We used to keep the plate with the lamps on the ground. We lit the big lamp first. Then we used to place three or four small lamps next to the big lamp and soon those lamps were lit. We then would arrange the four lamps in such a way that each of those lamps could light three other lamps.
Some how the act of lighting those lamps made me feel as if there was a glow deep within my own heart. Their quiet, flickering flame silently braved all the breeze that is generally a characteristic feature of the moonless night. If a lamp flickered too much, sheltering it with the hand was enough to console the tiny light.
Though these days, all kinds of lights are used in Diwali, lighting the small earthen lamp and gazing into its flickering light is still something I look forward to. It makes me believe that as long as we have this tiny flickering light of hope deep within our hearts, nothing will be impossible for us even on a moonless, windy night!
The stars in the sky also look like little lamps to me. I once read that when we look at the stars in the sky, we are actually looking back in time for the light of these stars takes millions of years to reach us. By the time, the light reaches us and we see the star, it is probably long gone!
Today, I wish a very happy Diwali to all of you who are travelling on this path of light, love, hope, togetherness. Whether or not we meet, I pray that your life is as warm as the little lamps that brighten up our Diwali and long lasting as the stars, whose light continues to guide us long after they are gone!
Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a beautiful princess. When she grew up, her father started looking for a groom for her. Soon the word spread and a young handsome lad who was famous for his bravery won her heart and hand. They got married and the lad started living in the palace. His wife gave him the keys to all the rooms in the palace and said, ‘Darling, you can open any room you like. But, if you want me by your side, please do not open the room with the heavy iron door.’ The lad agreed. However, when he saw the room with the great iron door, he could not resist. He opened it and stepped inside. He saw a fearsome demon who laughed at his naivety and said, ‘Now, your wife will be mine!’ The demon carried the princess away and the lad went after them. After a lot of fight, he finally managed to kill the demon with the help of his wife. They came back to the palace and opened all the rooms of the palace. They slayed the demons and lived happily ever after.
There is room in my house. I usually keep the door closed because my dogs like to sneak into it and chew anything that they find interesting enough. The room has a balcony but we do not use it often. Everything that I don’t like or I feel is not required goes into that room. Sometimes, things that I don’t understand also go into this room because I always think that I may need them later.
My daughter wants this room for her own. She wants to create her own space in this room and design it her way. She keeps telling me her plans and I just keep nodding my head. I don’t agree or disagree with anything my teenager says. But thankfully, my room does not have too many things at least as compared to my mother’s room of everything.
This is not because I am a very good organizer or I like to throw clutter every now and then. In fact far from it. Instead, the reason my room is still manageable is because I have a maid who helps me to get rid of things that I don’t need. Though she dusts the house quite well, she does not like to dust most things in that room because she feels that its a waste of her effort. However, she knows that the room has to be kept clean and tidy. So, she keeps telling me to throw this or give that when she dusts the room. I cannot refute her logic or arguments because they are mostly valid. Yet, I cannot bring myself to throw most of the things in that room. So, we have devised a little charade to trick my mind. I pack up the things that I want to get rid of and put them away. If I don’t need them or remember them in the entire month, I give them away. However, I still cannot bring my self to throw away most of the things. But, I am thankful for my maid who does not let the clutter pile up into an unmanageable mess! My mother on the other hand does not let any one get into that room. The last time I sneaked into that room, I saw a huge looming mountain of clutter.
I wish the closed rooms of our heart and mind could also be cleaned or managed as easily. The rooms where we hide all our hurts, unresolved emotions, destructive patterns and even demons mostly remain locked. We hide them with fancy doors and curtains and don’t even acknowledge their presence. The problem is that unlike this world, there, in those depths of our being, there is no one to help us understand what to keep and what to throw.
We must do the spring cleaning ourselves and that is perhaps the most difficult feat of all!
Thoughts!
Old and dusty, cobwebs abound,
The lost memories of old marriages, hurts and resentments can be found.
The happy honeymoon and the sadness that it left behind,
Still sometimes creep into the heart and mind.
There must be a drainex or harpic to flush these memories away,
For they block all the light in the room and leave a shadow gloomy and grey.
Do you have a room like this in your house or heart? How do you manage it? Does it scare you? Do share your story with us!
I can sincerely confess that in the past few months, I have done little or no work. I have been staring into the space and whiling away time everyday. My head was like the blue sky, thoughts kept floating about like clouds but whenever I tried to make sense of a thought or write it down, it vanished without a trace.
I remember spending my class X holidays in a similar way. But, I did read a lot in those days. I used to get lost in worlds of fantasy, mystery and magic.
However, this time, it was different. I was lost but I don’t know where. I thought but I don’t know what I thought. My entire day passed in staring into nothingness and thinking nothing. In this time, nothing existed for me, neither the past or the present or the future. All my life, I have worked for success but now, it seemed as if there was no desire left for success or achievements or accomplishments. Questions like who was I or what was I kept floating around in my mind. Am I the mind or the body? What is my identity? People know me by my name, but am I really a name?
During this time, I read about Mahavidya Dhumvati. She is pictured as a widow, sitting on a horseless chariot. A crow sits on the top of the chariot. Dhumvati holds a winnow in her hand which she uses to separate the grain from the chaff. Dhumvati or she who has a smoke like appearance is considered the personification of the void which swallows everything and from which everything emerges.
For most seekers, Dhumvati is the dreamless sleep where nothing exists. She is that which emerges after all forms of identification is wiped out- the dark void which swallows everything. Perhaps, she is the black hole from which the universe emerged and by which it will be eventually swallowed. Interestingly, she is also considered the giver of siddhis or powers in the occult world.
When we are born, our parents become our world. Slowly, we realize that we are separate from our parents. We work so hard to create our identities, our values, our world. We achieve our goals, aims and targets. Our journeys are full of challenges and we do our best to overcome those challenges.
Slowly, as a result of these exploits, we accumulate stories of our triumphs and failures. Time and again, we narrate these stories to others and ourselves to assert our identities. We even fight wars to maintain these identities or defend them. We forget that there was a time, these stories did not exist but we existed even then in sheer bliss and joy. As children, we were always in a state of bliss because nothing really mattered and we knew the art of doing nothing.
But, how will the world function if we do nothing? Is doing nothing not against the very doctrine of karma where we are taught to play our role to the best of our capacity without bothering about the end result?
Dhumvati is not beyond karma. Dhumvati simply teaches us to remain in awareness of who we truly are. We are not our names or titles or accomplishments. We are beyond those. I remember a friend who was the vice president of a very big company telling me, ‘I am not the vice president but I work as the vice president.’ Similarly, we simply have donned our roles and identifications.
Dhumvati urges us to drop all identifications and simply play the role that time demands.We are not the role. We are no-thing. We are no-one. Our true self lies beyond the object, observer boundary. We are the awareness that always is. The awareness from which the experiences emerge and to which the experiences return. We are the stage which witnesses the play of the object and the observer for the stage will remain even when the play ends and the players vanish!
If you ever experience this stage in your life, think about what you really identify yourself with. Who you are really when you are stripped of all the identifying badges? What are you without this game of winning and losing?
We all love the flashy and the bling. People are drawn like flies to the glitter and glamour and for most of them it does not matter what is beneath the wrapping.
As I was watched the children tear open their presents for Christmas, I wondered if the joy of opening these presents would still be the same had the presents been simply wrapped in brown paper?
The joy of tearing open the gift and discovering what is inside has become a momentary joy in today’s world. After a while, the gift becomes inconsequential like the hundreds of gifts that we get every now and then. For most of us, if the gift is not wrapped in shining paper, we feel disappointed while receiving it and may even hesitate to open it.
Whether gifts or human beings, the case is the same. We love the stars that glitter in the sky but fail to notice those lone light houses that stand bravely in the raging storm while the stars are covered in the clouds. Not many ships may come that way but those who do come find their way home thanks to the bright shining light of that lone light house. Yet, the light house stays forgotten while the world gazes in wonder at the stars.
Ships may have been able to chart their courses because of the north star but had it not been for the light houses they would have crashed against the rocks.
We love admiring those famous faces that stay in the news for every little sneeze that they take but we hardly pay attention to those who are quietly making their way in the world, building their life, fighting their challenges and inspiring people around them. Not many people may know them but these people work as light houses for those who come their way. Perhaps if we were to pay more attention to these every day heroes, we would also be able to create something out of our own lives.
Does spending all that money in a fat Indian wedding guarantee happiness for life?
My marriage had been fixed. My prospective in-laws very categorically told my parents that whatever my parents will be giving, will be to me, their daughter. We were quite naive at the time. We thought that they didn’t want anything. But more of that later. Anyways, my parents started collecting their savings. After all, it was their daughter’s marriage.
My marriage wasn’t a very lavish one. But then, we are a middle-class family which doesn’t have that kind of money. The relatives and friends who were invited for the wedding came with their bag and baggage. Every thing went as per the plan. However, the marriage for which so many people came, so much was done, did not last long.
Today, as I look back, it makes me wonder why do some people spend so much on a daughter’s marriage especially on all calling and hosting relatives and friends for days or even weeks? They take out all their savings, some of them even mortgage their houses, all for a grand wedding. I know they do it for their daughter but why? What is the point?
If the parents have kept some money aside for their daughter’s marriage, why cannot they have a small wedding and then give that money to their daughter in the form of a fixed deposit or investment so that she has something for a rainy day? In today’s day and age, where people can be equated to chameleons and relationships are so fragile, why cause so much of pollution with all that band-baaja-baarat? Why have such a big carbon footprint?
Why not have a solemn affair which is more about the union of two souls and the blending of two families?
I know age old customs will not die. But then, it is just a thought.
Maroof Raza, India’s leading expert commentator on strategic and defense affairs, talks to Shailaza Singh about various issues including Kashmir. He has authored several books and opinion pieces besides producing an award winning television series on the many wars and operations conducted by the Indian armed forces. Raza loves to speak his mind without being ‘politically correct’.
Maroof Raza, a retired army officer loves wearing many hats. He is a consultant and strategic affairs expert who has appeared in almost all of India’s leading television channels as an expert on military and security matters in India and BBC world service radio programmes. He has also authored books like Kashmir’s Untold Story (Bloomsbury India), Confronting Terrorism (Penguin India), Low-Intensity Conflicts- The New Dimension to India’s Military Commitments and No Peace Over Kashmir. He is currently working on a new television series titled ‘Tales of Valour’ which focus on the acts of bravery in the past battles of India.
The first impression that one gets on meeting the man is that he loves to speak his mind, a rarity in today’s day and age where people aspire to become ‘people pleasers’ and have developed a penchant to be politically correct even if it means stifling their own hearts and minds.
By his own admission, his children tell him that he is completely out of sync with the real world since he does not have any social media accounts and always keeps his mobile on silent. When he talks, all one can do is listen in rapt attention.
Pakistan’s Kashmir Fixation
Pakistan has always had this dream of conquering Kashmir. They even tried to annex Kashmir by sending in troops but were repelled by the Indian forces on October 27, 1947. Christopher Snedden, the well known Australian author, political scientist in his book ‘The Untold Story of People of Azad Kashmir’ says that Pakistan has a permanent government-in-waiting in Azad Kashmir who are prepared to unfurl the Pakistani flag once the Kashmir valley falls. For them, that is when the process of formation of Pakistan will be complete. However, what they don’t understand is this is a dream that they will never realize under any circumstances. The interesting thing about the line of control (LOC) is that it is not just a military divide but also a physical, demographic and geographic divide. Given the current LOC’s strategic location and terrain, it is not possible for the either side to conquer any more land.
After the war in 1971, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was instrumental in establishing the line of control. She categorically told the Pakistan government and the Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, at that time that there will be no further wars. However, what many did not realize was that she was doing a peace arrangement with a man who had built his entire career with hostility towards India. It is interesting to know that for ten years, Zulfikar Bhutto was an Indian national. He had studied in Mumbai. He adopted Pakistan’s nationality only in 1958. He was waiting in the wings to see whether it was worthwhile to go to Pakistan or not. Not only that, he was the man who orchestrated the surrender of the 1971 war. It was not the Indian army per se. It was he who was sent by General Yahya Khan, the president of Pakistan to New York to negotiate with the UN so that the cease fire could be announced. Bhutto did not want the cease fire but was being pressurized by Yahya Khan. So while in New York, when General Yahya Khan asked him on the phone about the cease fire, he told him he could not hear him. The operator told Bhutto that he could hear General Aya Khan but Bhutto told him to stay out of it. Bhutto wanted to prolong the ceasefire process till Dhaka fell so that Pakistan army could go back motivated.
The entire concept of Pakistan is based on anti-Indian identity. There was no thought about progress of the people. The man Muhammed Ali Jinnah, who created the new state of Pakistan was himself not a believer. Today, people of Pakistan are suffering from the incessant factional wars in Pakistan and the level of human rights abuses.
Solving the Kashmir’s Problems
I always say solve the problems in Kashmir so that you don’t have a problem of Kashmir. Our government needs to solve the issues of broken schools, colleges and hospitals. Give the people of Kashmir the best engineers, best administrators. In my conversations with the National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, I have always been of the opinion that we need to have a tear off calendar for Kashmir. If you make Kashmir a heaven by giving them all the modern-day amenities to its people, it will be like Singapore or Dubai. Does any one talk about freedom in Singapore or Dubai? In India, a few handful of politicians have kept the pot boiling because that is their bread and butter. When the Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me during his first tenure and asked me for advice, I told him to go all out on Kashmir because as it is no one is giving this government any extra points for doing anything in Kashmir. All we need to do is just make Kashmir a place where people can go for holidays, do business, have intellectual discussions. Of course, the most important thing is that we need to seal it from Pakistan.
However, I am of the opinion that keeping Kashmir on the boil is profitable to many people in our country. The home ministry of India will become irrelevant if you solve the Kashmir issue. They will be dealing with Padma awards and pensions. The paramilitary and armed forces will be at a loose end because they will have no war to fight and no medals to win. The contractors want everything to be permanently temporary so that they do not have to face any audit. The NGOs want a conflict to be able to cry on and get funds. Pakistan, of course enjoys all this chaos because it helps them to keep their people diverted from the inability of the government to deliver on any account.
China’s Game Plan
Pakistan is merely a foot soldier in China’s game plan. In intelligence terms, we call it the Jeff and Mutt Policy where China plays the nice guy and the bad guy with India at the same time. They are getting an annual trade of about 40 billion USD from India. This is the same money that they are investing in Pakistan under the China Pakistan economic corridor. We have gotten so used to cheap electronic goods that we cannot say no to buying these goods. Moreover, we in India cannot emulate China when it comes to their manufacturing industry. US banned Huawei because they found some chips that they suspected might be transmitting information in a lot of defense equipment supplied by China.
The Enemy Within
People don’t understand army and that is not their fault. It is the fault of the Indian Army. When I talk at the events organized by the Indian Army, I tell them because biggest enemy of the armed forces is the armed forces themselves. I wanted to make a movie on the Balakot strikes. For this, I talked to the Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor, who thought it was a great idea. So, asked him to talk to the air force authorities to give me unclassified information. He agreed. When I went to the air chief’s office , the public relations officer (PRO) did not help me and said that letter is required. I asked him if tomorrow if the NSA calls you up to tell you of an impending strike, would you still want a letter in writing? That project fizzled out. I told the PRO that if they cannot take a decision to make a film how will they take a decision to engage with the enemy?
Army needs decision makers like Lt. General Sagat Singh, PVSM, who had literally filled the Nathula pass in 1965 with the bodies of the Chinese soldiers. The authorities then decided to remove him from his command because they felt that he was too decisive. In the 1971 war, they brought him back which changed the course of the war. The point is you cannot disregard that quality of taking the right decisions at the right time in an army man. If at the level of a Lieutenant General you are indecisive then are you waiting to become the army chief to become decisive? Everything in the army has become very rank centric. During my tenure in the army, I believed in doing a thing and getting over with it.
This article was published in the Arbit section of Rashtradoot Newspaper on December 12, 2019
For Makarand Deshpande, theatre is all about searching for answers to various questions of life and bringing it to the masses. He believes that theatre is a cathartic experience that helps in experiencing and releasing the unresolved issues of life.
If you are performing theatre on a regular basis is one of the best therapies. A theatre helps in untangling the knots inside an individual in terms of self-expression and opens many other doors of feelings and emotions. It helps in relieving one self of any emotional baggage.
When I saw Makarand Deshpande for the first time, I could hardly recognise the man. I had only seen him with his unruly hair playing small, villainous, menacing characters on the screen. I was expecting to meet someone larger than life, instead I met a quiet, observant man who lives and breathes theatre. His play ‘Miss Beautiful’ was a part of the eighth edition of the recently concluded Jairangam: Theatre Festival 2019. The play was about a scriptwriter (played by Makarand) who is working on a new script which is based on his life and the life of his ailing parents. He aspires to give his parents a ‘beautiful death’- an intriguing concept. When I met him, I couldn’t help asking him about this concept.
No one talks about giving parents a beautiful death. Where did this come from?
We work so hard in our lives. We don’t prepare for our death. We see our parents growing older and weaker. In our social fabric, death is viewed as something very terrible. Growing old should be celebrated, death should be celebrated.
How can one help parents to celebrate an approaching death?
Parents tend to compel their children to do things which their children may not want to do. The parents tell their children to get married just because they want to see them married because they die. They tell their children to have children so that they can see their grand children before they die.
Why are we scared of death?
I feel no one is prepared. The desires don’t die. People have new desires even on their death bed. There are times, parents on their death bed tell their children that they should not fight because they (parents) want them to live together so that they (parents) can die peacefully.
So, does that mean that parents try to control everything?
Yes. Parents need to give up control to have a beautiful death. In the earlier times, we had people giving up their worldly life and going to the forests. It was known as the ‘vanprastha’ ashram. Slowly they use to detach from everything even food. Thus, their passing was more like becoming a part of the forests, going back to the nature that they came from. It was a gradual process where the family would not come to search for the individual. The mindset was that the parents had done their bit, served their roles, honoured their commitments and now it was time to let go of the world and everything in it.
So that brings us to a very interesting question. According to you what is the role of parents or the duty of parents in a child’s life?
It is they who keep searching for things to do in the lives of their children. They want their children to be settled. I am okay till there. But then, they want to ensure that everything is alright with their grand children too. They don’t want anything for themselves but they want to ensure that everything is okay with their children. How is that possible? How can they control what will happen to their children’s lives?
How is it like in places outside India? Is it different?
I am sure. I don’t know personally but I have heard and read that people in many countries don’t let their children sleep with them after a certain age. However, the point is not that of independence. The point is you are alone with your death no matter how many children you may have and for that don’t make people guilty. Don’t emotionally blackmail them. Actually, death has nothing to do with your children’s marriage. Saying that their children getting married will help them to die peacefully and easily. What does children getting married have to do with peace? They are people who say that they can now die peacefully just because their children are married, they have their own children and businesses or jobs. The question is are the children alright with themselves. Its not about success or failure. I believe a poor man can tackle an approaching death more successfully than people who have everything. Maybe he just accepts death more easily and gracefully.
You have dealt with a topic like death which is considered a taboo in the society. How can plays help to deal with these topics and other unexpressed emotions?
Plays approach emotions more deeply because you are not writing one emotion at a time but many emotions at a time. A scene in a play is a combination of many scenes unlike a film which is one scene. It is more impromptu. Theatre is a cathartic experience from writing to acting. Whatever emotional experiences you have are used not necessarily your own but surroundings also effect your emotions. If you are performing theatre on a regular basis is one of the best therapies. A theatre helps in untangling the knots inside an individual in terms of self-expression and opens many other doors of feelings and emotions. It helps in relieving one self of any emotional baggage. That is why you see the actors who perform theatre on a regular basis unless until they are not into drinking and spoiling themselves, they are one of the happiest people till they are acting. That is why you see many people who play negative characters in their reel life are great people in real life because they have been able to exorcise whatever negative emotions they had in them through acting.
What do you think is theatre to Jaipur and Rajasthan?
I have been a part of Jairangam for the last eight years and I have seen some unbelievable work being done by Deepak Gera (founding director of Jairangam) and his friends in this field. We need theatre every where. The problem is whether there is enough exposure for this artform or not. Theatre is a live performing art just like dance or music. If people can go to watch a dance performance or listen to music, why shouldn’t they come to watch theatre? Theatre has conversations and dialogues. I am happy to see that the number of people coming to see theatre has increased in these years. But now I want to know if the popularity of theatre amongst the people has increased so much that if the price of each ticket is 500 INR, will people still come to see a good, well-performed play even if there are no known faces in the play? Then I would really know if theatre has gained that popularity in Rajasthan. I want more people to come, not only those who know and understand theatre but also those who are new to this art form.
So can theatre match the popularity of movies?
Yes, of course! I feel if we give them easy access, people will love to watch plays. Today, they are used to spending money on movies. If theatres are built in malls where the movies and theatre are playing side by side, then we will be able to make theatre as popular as the movies. Today, theatre does not get that kind of exposure. The prime location in today’s world is a mall. So if we have theatre in a mall, it will become a prime activity. So, we need to elevate theatre to a prime slot. I want the common man to see the theatre not only the elite and those who know theatre.
Do you think as a nation we are obsessed by our past?
It is okay to be obsessed by our past but we should not use the past to fight. If I am using the past to talk about my grandfather who faced these challenges and emerged victorious, it is good and inspiring. Other than that past should not be used to dig out old issues and fight about them. How can we talk about the future when we only keep regretting the past? To plan for the future, you need to live in the present.
How has thirty years of theatre helped you to evolve?
When I passed out of college, we formed a theatre company called ‘Heads Together’ where any one could join. I have written plays to answer the questions that came to me in the course of my life. I wanted life to become a part of the plays that I am performing or creating. Its like having an experience in life and exploring all the possibilities of that experience in a play, whether it was about doing a play of Mahabharat where it was about Hanuman sitting in the flag of Arjuna’s chariot and his take on the war after sunset. I am not a seeker or a very ambitious person. I recently did a play called Ram where I had to read Valmiki’s Ramayan, Ram Charitamanas etc. So my play is not Ramayan, it is Ram. This play is my take on Ram in today’s time. I wanted to feel and express Ram. Today we are talking about Gandhi. So now I want to feel Gandhi and find out if he and his thoughts still exist. If he is there, then what can be the manifestation through a play.
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on December 4, 2019
Amidst the sea of sand- Dapu Khan- a Merasi musician, who is also an exponent of Kamiacha, one of the oldest bowed instruments of the world- carries a 1500 year-old legacy in his powerful and soulful music.
His rustic voice creates a mental picture of the endless dunes that play with the winds in the desert of Rajasthan. He sings of Kabir, of finding long-lost love and love stories that are still alive in the sun-kissed sands. His name is Dapu Khan, a Merasi musician who is also an exponent of Kamiacha, one of the oldest bowed instruments of the world.
Dapu Khan, who lives in the village Bhadli near Jaisalmer had come to Jaipur as a part of the ongoing Rajasthan Kabir Yatra which travels across Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Jaisalmer regions. The audience in the amphitheatre at the Jawahar Kala Kendra welcomed Dapu Khan with a thunderous applause and whistles that spoke of the musician’s popularity amongst all age groups. His soulful renditions of Kabir’s bhajans entranced every one present and they all kept nodding their heads and clapping their hands to the beat.
Despite his popularity, Dapu Khan’s simplicity reminded me of bhajans that he had just sung. Here are some excerpts from the tete-e-tat:
Since when have you been singing Kabir’s bhajans?
Kabir’s bhajans are very old and I have been singing at least eight of his bhajans since a very long time.
Why is Kabir so popular even today?
Kabir’s works speak of the world, he speaks of selfless action, he does not criticise anyone nor does he praise anyone. He is only connected with the supreme power. He tells people that you shall only reap what you sow. He talks about cleansing one’s own mind and heart and keeping the five senses in check. ‘Kabir Kabir kya kare, socho aap sharir, panch indriyan vash karo, aphi das Kabir.’ (Why do you keep calling out to Kabir, control your five senses and you will also become like Kabir).
What attracts today’s youth to Kabir?
People who have started knowing Kabir through music or through teachers or hermits are drawn to Kabir’s works because of their simplicity and the eternal truth that they speak.
What is your experience with Kabir Yatra?
This is the first time I have been associated with Kabir Yatra and so far its been a good experience.
What is your take on the today’s audience for the ancient Indian arts like yours?
Indian tourists and Indian people visiting India from abroad value these arts more than people who live here. The ones who come visit from other countries like to hear these songs and even record them and take them back with them.
What else do you do besides playing music and singing?
I have old books of all religions and great writers. I read them whenever I get time. I also help people to find their lost things by smelling and calculating the names and numbers of people they are associated with. I also calculate the day and the month and season too matters. This is a calculation which has been passed through word of mouth from our ancestors.
Dapu Khan’s life seems to be a reflection of the Sufi Bhajans that he sings. He is an ardent believer of the goddess Karni of Deshnokh and has named his sons after her. He sings his songs with an abandon that matches that of the well-known saints. This unassuming man is one of the few exponents of Kamiacha, an instrument created out of a single piece of wood, and has not been changed since the last 500 years.
The burgeoning crowd at the Rajasthan Kabir Festival is a clear indication of the fact that Indian audience still enjoys listening to musicians like Dapu Khan. However, unlike the Bollywood movies or other forms of popular art that are publicised days in advance, there seems to be a dearth of publicity when it comes to these festivals. The lack of space seems to be another problem that plagues such events. The amphitheatre at the Jawahar Kala Kendra was almost full but people still found place to sit on the grass and on the steps. Today, our folk artists and their artforms need a new rendezvous with the youth who enjoy them when they get a chance. The atmosphere is created, all we need is to spread the word and create some space in our halls and hearts.
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Musician
This article was published in Rashtradoot’s newspaper’s Arbit section on October 4, 2019
Shailaza Singh bumps into Maria Jose Padgett, a 26-year old dress and jewelry designer from Texas, who works with Jaipur’s artisans to develop dresses and jewelry for American customers,
‘You know what is the most amazing thing I love about Jaipur? Sometimes, the façade or the entrance of the building looks so ordinary and plain that nothing prepares you for the beautiful textures or interiors.’ The speaker was Maria Jose Padgett, a 26-year old dress and jewellery designer from Texas.
Sometimes, serendipity strikes and the chance encounters with strangers from a different country help you to gain a new perspective about your own country. Something similar happened to me as I sat sipping coffee in Anokhi Café. Since there was a dearth of tables, I was sharing a table with Maria Jose Padgett, who frequently visits Jaipur for her designer brand ‘Zindagi’.
‘I love Bollywood movies. I saw this movie, ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,’ and decided to name my brand ‘Zindagi’ because just like life, my jewellery and dresses are completely unique. No piece repeats itself.’
‘I originally am from Honduras and my sisters and me live in Texas in USA. I first came to India in 2014 with my ex-boyfriend’s mother. She is now a fashion designer and she introduced me to the world of fashion. I visited the Janpath market in New Delhi and there I saw the most amazing jhumkis (earrings). I decided to explore more and visited Jaipur. I was amazed at the style and variety of jewellery and dresses. Soon, I decided to create my own brand ‘Zindagi’. Earlier I used to buy jewellery and ready made clothes from here and sell them in the States. In 2017, I actually started designing my own jewellery and clothes and came back to Jaipur. Now I come every six months or so to work on my designs with the artisans who live here.’
I asked her about her impressions of Jaipur. ‘Jaipur is so unlike Delhi. People here are so friendly and open. I don’t know if this is because I am a foreigner or something but I have always had people come up to me and talk to me. They have invited me to dinners and we’ve had long chats. The fact that I speak a little bit of Hindi also intrigues them. I have ended up making great friends with people from all walks of life. I spend most of my time with my artisans, the block printers and the jewellery creators here who create these amazing pieces of jewellery and dresses for me based on the designs I give them. Last week, I took their entire family to dinner. We’ve become such a close knit family now. When I am at work with them, we sing and play Bollywood songs and share our life stories. It is amazing that it was my driver who introduced me to these artisans and now they are such an integral part of my family.’
What else does she like about Jaipur? ‘I love raj kachori so much so that my friends call me ‘kachori’ now! Once when we were travelling to Jodhpur, we stopped at a road-side dhaba. I ordered raj kachori and chat much to the amusement of my friends who were travelling with me and since then my nickname is ‘Kachori’ , she laughs.
‘The thing about old Jaipur is that there are so many alleyways to explore that one leads to the other. Like the other day, I was in Jauhari Bazaar and I kept walking in and out of alleys and saw all these jewellery makers. Then I also like the way children still play games like tag and hopscotch outdoors in the evening. In Honduras, there are safety issues and children don’t play outside and in the States most of them so hooked on to their mobiles and i-pads that one does not see a lot of children playing these games. What I also like is the way people can open their barber shop or any other shop in the streets. In Texas, I don’t get to see much of that. Then I also love the way these artisans teach their craft to their children and how it runs in the families. I don’t get to see that much in the world. Here heritage is really valued and preserved.’
So, how did her parents react when she first proposed the idea of going to India in 2014. ‘When I came to India for the first time, my parents thought I would get kidnapped and they will never see me again. But my ex-boyfriend’s parents convinced them and they agreed. Now they are so used to it. In fact my mother and sisters have also visited Jaipur a couple of times and they have loved it!’
What does she think about Indian men? ‘The Indian men I am surrounded with are very protective and very respectful. With my artisans who are mostly men, they are so respectful towards me. I feel blessed to have them in my life.’
So, how do people in her country see India? ‘I wear the traditional Indian dresses when I go to weddings in my country and it intrigues people. They are intrigued by the fact that I visit India so often and they ask me about how India is and whether it is safe to visit and I tell them that India is an adventure and people here are very friendly and hospitable.’
So, how does she view life? ‘Life for me is ‘Zindagi’ where I am thankful for every blessing that has come my way. My work, my friends in three different countries, the warmth that I experience in this place have all been so fantastic. There are times I feel like buying a place of my own in Jaipur because I would want to get my children and grand children here and let them experience this unique and unforgettable city with all its warmth and love.’
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and YouTuber
This article was published in Rashtradoot’s Arbit on October 1, 2019
For the last sixteen years, contestants on MTV Roadies have been travelling to different destinations to participate in various tasks that challenge their physical and mental strength. Winners are then decided on vote outs, vote ins, immunity, eliminations, captaincy and twists introduced by producers. Special appearances by guests- actors, sports persons and musicians- are regular features of the show. The current hosts-Rannvijay Singha, Nikhil Chinapa,and Gaelyn Mendonca- who were in Jaipur to inaugurate the city’s first Club Roadie talk to Shailaza Singh about their experiences.
In the last sixteen years, MTV Roadies has not only entertained the Indian audience with some ‘out of the world’ dares but also spread the ‘fitness fever’ amongst the youth. Rannvijay Singha, the host of MTV Roadies says, ‘I think this country has become fitter because of Roadies. If some hundred million people have jumped on to the fitness bandwagon, I can bet 85 percent of them have been inspired by Roadies.’
The three popular roadies, hosts Rannvijay Singha and Gaelyn Mendonca along with VJ and gang leader Nikhil Chinapa were talking about their connection with Roadies and Jaipur at the opening of the first Roadies Club at the Marriott Hotel in Jaipur. The free-wheeling chat was entertaining, spooky and engaging.
Shooting for Roadies.
Rannvijay said, ‘I had a spooky experience while shooting for Roadies 4 sometime back. After finishing our shoot in Chokhi Dhani at about 6:30 am, Raghu Ram, creator of MTV Roadies, Ranjeet Bajaj, an ex-Roadie, another guy and me decided to go to Bhangarh on four bikes since it was our day off. Just like it happens in those horror movies, one of the bikes broke down just outside Jaipur. We left it there and went on the remaining three bikes. Then we were greeted by storm and rain. This was the month of May-June. We took shelter in a small dhaba. Though the thought of going back did come, true to the Roadie spirit, Raghu and I decided that we would finish what we had started. We reached Bhangarh at about 12:30 in the afternoon. The entire place was very still and quiet as usual. There was no one there. We decided to get some shuteye since we had not slept the entire night. In my sleep, I thought I heard some noises of some children playing. I got up and looked around. There was no one. The other three guys were sleeping. After a while, we got up and went back on our bikes. Again, we were greeted by a storm and rain on our way back to Chokhi Dhani. In the night, when we were having food in Chokhi Dhani, Ranjeet who was perhaps the most easily frightened out of all of us told me that he heard some children playing when we were sleeping in Bhangarh. We all looked at him and realized that all of us had heard the same voices. That was spooky.’
So, what would you have done if you had actually encountered a monster in Bhangarh?
Rannvijay laughed and said, ‘ Whenever I go out to such places, I always go in a group. In such situations, my first reaction is to run. But since it is all about the survival of the fittest, I ensure that I am at least faster than one person so that I don’t get to be the prey.’
Gaelyn said, ‘I didn’t have a spooky experience but I had a very interesting experience all the same. Before every Roadie series start, we have a task trial. The crew of the Roadie try out every task before giving it to the gang leaders and the contestants. I have almost always been a happy guinea pig for those trials. I remember in one task we had to mixe the poop of a hippopotamus with the poop of an elephant. By the time I finished it, I was stinking but since we were in an open field, we had no bathrooms, so I had to spray a lot of deodorant and get ready for the show.’
‘I had no such experience,’ said Nikhil, ‘but I get very frustrated when I see people with big muscles and small brains. I don’t know what to do with people who say that they are physically very strong but don’t know how to row a boat or use a catapult or how to climb a rope. They don’t have the basic life skills and come to roadies after years of building muscles just by drinking protein shakes. I keep asking them how did they survive life so far without knowing how to play marbles or fly kites or bows and arrows.’
Changes in Jaipur Youth
Rannvijay said, ‘ My connection with Jaipur is very deep. My father is from the Rajputana rifles so we a lot of friends here. Also, in the last ten years, Jaipur has been voted as one of the ten best cities to settle down because of the quality of life one can get here. Earlier when I used to come here, I used to talk to people and they used to say that they had to go to Delhi or Mumbai for their careers or to study. In the last decade, things have changed. Everything including all brands, clubs, educational institutes are here. You have bigger houses, better roads (comparatively).There are more opportunities to do your own business in your own city are more as opposed to going to a bigger city and trying to find a footing there . I have realized that more and more young people are coming back to Jaipur and settling here which is good because the cost of living is low and quality of life is high. People no longer feel the need to go to Delhi and party or go to study elsewhere. Talk about parties or studies or careers, Jaipur has everything. Once I went to a party in Nyla Bagh and I realized that this party could even have been in Brazil.’
Nikhil agreed, ‘ I remember some fifteen years ago, there was a Maan Industrial Estate where they held parties that were awesome. In fact, I believe Jaipur has better opportunities in sports too because here you have relatively a few million people and more grounds as compared to twenty million people in a metropolitan city and the ever-increasing dearth of space due to increasing cemented jungle.’
Homogenized Attitude
Rannvijay feels that everything is homogenized because of the media and internet. ‘The youngsters today are following the same kind of people, same kind of fashion, same brands and opportunities.’ Agreed Gaelyn, ‘These days, it is even very difficult to know where a contestant is from unless he has a very strong original flavor of the place either in his speech or accent or mannerisms.’
So does that mean we are losing the local flavor with all this homogenization?
Rannvijay had a different point of view. ‘My parents wanted me to learn the Punjabi language, so they taught me. This homogenization is not technology’s fault. If parents and community want to ensure that the youth learn something about the culture and don’t lose out on it, they need to take the initiative.’ Nikhil agreed, ‘you can be anything you want to be. You need to create your own identity. It’s your choice.’
I realized that the Roadies were right. Life is all about choices and carving your own path. You don’t have to lose your identity to be a part of the crowd. As Gaelyn said, ‘You can be modern and yet be cultured. You don’t have to lose your identity just to be ‘with it.’
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
This article on MTV Roadies was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 29 November 2019.
Shabnam Virmani is known for her soulful renditions of Kabir’s bhajans through which she educates people not just about Kabir but also inspires them to imbibe the values preached by the mystic poet.
The annual Kabir Festival has it all; singers who create magic with their voice, musicians who make music through their very being and the audience who absorbs these soul stirring renditions like a sponge. However, as unique as every artist is, Shabnam Virmani seems to be a person who has travelled the road less taken.
In the beginning of her career, Shabnam Virmani was one of the first journalists to report Roop Kanwar’s Sati in Deorala in Rajasthan. But then, she decided to pay heed to her calling and became a documentary film maker. Her films on Kabir earned her a special jury prize in the 58th National Awards. She is also known for the soulful renditions of Kabir’s bhajans through which she educates people not just about Kabir but also inspires them to imbibe the values preached by the mystic poet whose festivals are been becoming more and more popular in the country.
When I started conversing with this multi-talented yet grounded personality, little did I know that I would be introduced to the true essence of Kabir by a person who has imbibed Kabir into her very being.
When did you start listening to Kabir’s works?
I think I have been hearing Kabir since my twenties. I think I first heard Kabir from Kumar Gandharv, wherein the course of my work as a film maker in rural area I started absorbing the folk poetry. Kabir would crop up in many conversations with the villagers and draw of his poetry would intrigue me. But really the quest for Kabir began in 2002 after the Godhra riots. I started to inquire into the true meaning of Kabir then.
Was delving into Kabir’s poems and couplets some sort of a reaction to the riots?
When there is a riot and you are disturbed or when there is violence and unrest in the society, you are concerned and search for answers. You wonder about why such things happen and if they really need to happen. I thought Kabir would have the answers and the solace I was seeking.
Why do you think there is an increasing interest in such festivals?
I think historically or socially when there is intolerance, there is counter movement towards a philosophy of greater wisdom. So, I think there is a surge of interest in Kabir and other mystic poets right now because we are also seeing in the last two three decades so much hardening of identities that are causing a lot of unrest and overt conflict in the society. I think there is genuine interest in the youth. There is interest in the youth as they are looking for a kind of return to meaningful spirituality and the adhyatma that is located within ourselves. I believe that these things are like the Yin and the Yang. When one side gets too heavy something helps in countering the extra weight. So where you have people becoming more and more public in their displays of religiosity which is clearly depicted in the number of religious festivals celebrated publicly everywhere including housing societies. I think to balance that energy, there is equal a growth and interest in what I would call a much deeper, more genuine inner work which is not outward but very inward.
Do you think we need bigger venues than Jawahar Kala Kendra so that more people can come to such festivals?
No, not really because I believe the tradition of Satsang is intimate. Kabir Yatra is more or less a Satsang which cannot be clubbed as entertainment. In this, there isn’t much distance between the audience and the singers sitting on the stage. The tradition has actually thrived over the centuries in very small and meaningful settings and I feel to revive them in that idiom is a very valid enterprise.
What makes you think that such festivals are becoming more popular with the youth?
To me, it is pretty apparent from the feedback I get and the interest with which people view our films. Festivals like these are mushrooming all over the country. We are doing the Malwa Kabir Yatra with the famous singer Prahlad Singh Tipaniya. We have also been doing the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra. Now, people are telling me that the famous writer from Gujrat, Dhruv Bhatt will also be organizing a Kabir Yatra in Gujrat in December this year. This will be very similar to the one we have in Rajasthan. So, there is obviously something about this that is capturing people’s hearts and minds. People probably are feeling that this is a meaningful thing to do in the times we are now. That is why lot of people are interested in such programs. However, on the other hand there is an equal amount of extremely orthodox religious formations as well and maybe in larger numbers. However, I cannot comment on the intricacies of these changes since I am not a social scientist. All I do is draw value from the work I do. The scale does not matter, all that matters is that we do our bit in fueling and amplifying the wise and the good and the higher spirit of the human society.
What is the connection between spirituality, faith and fear?
I believe at a fundamental level the human nature is predicated on a very insecure ego. It is the nature of all human tribe. We are born, we are separated from some source whether it is our mother’s womb or original energy if you will and we yearn for that comfort, that love and that embrace to feel okay. Most of us wander feeling disconnected, fragmented, feeling alienated and we seek connection. When we seek connection, identification and security in structures outside of us which include a community identity or national identity or through material assets like big cars and houses, we try to derive security out of those connections. However, that insecurity does not go away, since we’ve put all your hopes and aspirations and made all these external things as the base for our insecure self. This makes us so vulnerable to them going away. The truth is all these external objects are threatened by uncertainty which makes us very fearful. We are fearful about everything and that is why we build walls around us to keep our world safe. All these places that we place our faith leads to fear. I believe faith and fear are very deeply connected when our faith is in something other than our self. I believe Kabir and all these mystics and Sufis are telling us something very simple but difficult to do. They are trying to tell us to place faith in the self and go within. When we will find that God is really within us, then the faith in our heart will not be easily destabilized by some Babri Masjid demolition. We will not feel insecure because then our faith will be rock solid within us and independent of anything that happens in this world. It is then we will become truly fearless. Spirituality means do we have the capacity to feel stable within ourselves regardless of what other people say or do.
How does one get centered within themselves?
It depends on person to person. People use all sorts of methods to get centered. Some choose the path of meditation or serving others without any motive. There are some who just bring up their children lovingly and beautifully. All you need to do is choose a method and be alert enough to understand if your sense of security is coming from things or people or objects around you. If you develop a sadhana or practice where you find your peace and faith within you, you will do something very meaningful and be an asset to the society.
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on 7 October 2019.
When santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma talked about his relationship with his son Rahul Sharma who is also an accomplished musician in his own right, it was a symphony of another kind.
Parenting is perhaps one of the world’s toughest jobs. All parents no matter who they may be walk that tightrope walk to ensure that their children grow up to be balanced individuals who are able to achieve their goals in life. However, this balance is difficult to achieve for most parents. They are constantly plagued with questions of how much indulgence is too much, whether you should convince the profession of your choosing or let the child find his own path. Hence when Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma talked about his relationship with his son Rahul Sharma who is also an accomplished musician in his own right, at India Music Summit 2019, it was a symphony of another kind, the one, parents wish that some one could have helped them listen to. Here are some excepts:
On choosing a path in life
I think music or any talent is inherited from past life. More than the practice or hard work, it is the flair the child is born with which parents must recognise. When I embarked on this path, I had encountered a lot of difficulties because people were not very aware of Santoor at the time and I had to struggle to make a mark. So my wife said that we will not teach our children music or make them face these challenges. My elder son Rohit is not into music. But one day when I heard Rahul composing a Casio that I had bought for him from Japan, I knew he had the flair for music and I decided to teach him. So, if a child has the flair, the parents must recognize it and encourage the child.
On father-son relationship vs guru-shishya relationship
When I had started teaching Rahul, our father-son relationship had already been established. In a father-son relationship, the son can place a hand on the father’s shoulder but in a guru-shishya relationship, the formality and the sanctity of the relationship has to be observed. He would sometimes ask me why should I do this in this way only. This was in the beginning and I had to sort out the dynamics of the relationship and ensure that I play different roles at different times. Now it is well established that when I am teaching him, I am his guru and after than I am his father and he is my son. I think that is very important that we don’t mix up these roles in life. Only then the teaching-learning can happen.
On experimenting with new options in life
I believe one should not stop children from trying out new things in life. Many years ago, a saxophone player from Norway had contacted me. He wanted me to create a combination of Santoor and Saxophone which I did not think was a good idea at the time. However, when Rahul wanted to create the same combination with Kenny G, who is considered one of the world’s greatest saxophone players today, I never stopped him.
On the constant learning from others
My father always encouraged me to learn new aspects, new styles from people around me. I have seen gurus who tell their shishyas to not look at anything except what they are being taught by the guru. However, my father had a different perspective on this. He never stopped me from listening to music made by other people. He encouraged me to listen to all kinds of music. There is a saying in Panjabi ‘Sikhiya, Dekhiya, Parkhiya’ which means to learn the music from your guru, hear other people’s music and compare whatever you’ve learnt from others and your own learning. Then you must constantly keep innovating and improving your craft. When I was living in Jammu, I used to listen to the western classical music on the radio every night. So, I have not stopped my son from listening to any instrument or any kind of music because that I believe creates limits. A free musician can get ideas from anywhere and that is how Rahul has been able to grow as a musician.
On the pressures faced by parents
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma: The most important thing is the value system that you must establish as a parent in the first few years of life. If your values are right, then the children will learn the right thing. Moreover, you must have the confidence in your child that he will be able to perform whether on stage or life.
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
This article appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on 6 October 2019.
Guneet Monga’s journey to success is nothing short of phenomenal. She is one of the youngest producers in India and a trailblazer who believes in the power of story telling. Her movies have won accolades around the world. The Hollywood Reporter named her as the “most prolific producers of a new wave of cinema”.
‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ I hadn’t understood the true meaning of this adage until I talked to thirty-five year old Guneet Monga, an Oscar winner, a BAFTA nominee whose boutique production house Sikhya Entertainment has produced notable movies like The Lunchbox, Gangs of Wasseypur, Masaan. Her 2018 production Period. End of Sentence won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. However, the road to these achievements hasn’t been easy for this former Delhite who has worked as a DJ, insurance agent, an event planner, a salesperson for Laughing Cow Cheese in her quest to seek her true calling.
Some excerpts from the conversation:
You’ve been into so many jobs. What made you turn a producer?
I am a story teller by heart. Even if I have to explain a small incident, I will take 15 minutes to talk about it. Producing is a very powerful form of story telling. I also get to empower so many directors to produce great content. I am a multi-tasker who is wired for delegation and organization, so becoming a producer was a natural progression of sorts since I started as a production intern and then moved on to become a location manager and so on.
Adversity seems to have been a part of your life. In your childhood, you’ve seen domestic violence. You struggled to return the 50 lakhs to your neighbour after your first film tanked. How do you find the strength to move on?
From the very beginning, I have been a go-getter. I don’t think much, I just dive into the work and do what needs to be done. Choice is a privilege and when you don’t have a choice you just need to move on. When my first movie tanked, I went from school to school, location to location to showcase the movie which helped me to pay it back.
Life has this way of resetting our value systems by constantly giving us something different from what we expect, believe or want? Has it ever happened with you?
All the time! I lost my parents about 10 years ago. And I am an only child. You always look back at your parents for your core value system and to understand where you come from, what you were taught to believe in. Today, though I have achieved a lot but I miss that kind of appreciation from the core. So, everything that happens is good but not great because that sense of validation which comes from your parents is not there. So, I have learnt to become my own parent. I have set my value system with my own checks and balances to check my self and understand where I could be better. Whenever something good happens, I tell myself this is just the start, there is so much to do, so much to learn. But that is a lot of internal work.
What does success mean to you?
I am actually a big believer in power of failure because that teaches you the most. When you achieve success in anything, you don’t think things could go wrong. To me, the movies that have not worked, the movies that have not been released, are the reasons why I am able to be a part of a movie that is successful around the world and wins awards because I learnt so much from the movies that didn’t make it. To me success is this wisdom, and to be inspired and to be continually allowed to be tell my stories. For this I have learnt to be grateful and content.
What is the biggest strength of a woman according to you?
Women are generally very perceptive, empathetic and have a great sense of intuition and responsibility which allows them to be in a better position than men. Besides, there are women like me who lost so much in life that they have nothing to lose and are grateful for opportunities that they get. So that fearlessness is also a very powerful tool as a woman.
Have you been to Jaipur?
Yes, I was their for the Jaipur Literature Festival this year. I love Jaipur and its people. The place has amazing energy. I am a silver jewelry collector so Jaipur is a great shopping destination for me!
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on October 11, 2019
Pramod Kapoor’s book is full of illustrations and photographs which transport the reader into the world of Mahatama Gandhi and his ideologies.
Let me make a confession here which may not be very well taken by some members of the society. Yet, I’d like to be completely honest here. I am not a big fan of Gandhiji. Yes, I have read about him and I admire his dedication, devotion and service to the nation. But that’s where it ends. So, when I received an illustrated biography on Mahatma Gandhi, I wondered what was new. After all, we have read so much about him all our lives that I believed that there was nothing new to learn.
I sat down to examine the illustrated biography which had been written and curated by Pramod Kapoor, the publisher of Roli Books. The first thing that I noticed was the thickness of the paper and the collection of photographs. The book begins with a photograph of Gandhi. On the next page, is a colourful photograph of a pamphlet printed in the pre-Independence era which showcases a non-violence tree with the faces of important leaders of the time. On the subsequent pages, a timeline of Gandhi’s life is given.
As I was reading the book, my 13-year old daughter came into the room. She wanted to look at it. ‘Wow, the pages are so thick,’ she said. As she explored the book further and saw the photographs, she sighed, ‘ I wish they could give these kind of photographs in our school books. Then the lesson on Gandhiji would have been become so interesting.’
I agreed to her point of view. The photographs in this book are probably the lifeline of the book. They transport the reader into the world of dandi marches, handwritten elaborate letters, satyagraha and the era of Gandhi. The letters have all been photographed and reproduced in their original form. Almost all of us have learnt about these letters at some point in our education about the father of the nation, however looking at them in their original format is an insight into the language used in those days. The interesting part of most of these letters whether the one written to Adolf Hitler, urging him to stop the war or the one written to his own father were that many of them were typewritten. While browsing through the book, I discovered a diet plan that Gandhi had sent for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose wherein he had talked about how he believed drinking tea or coffee was not important for good health, instead he considered fresh, unboiled milk from the cow as the best food. He also wrote to Bose that garlic and onions were good for his health.
The book is punctuated with anecdotes from Gandhi’s life and also talks about women and men who followed Gandhi. The list of women includes Dr. Sushila Nayyar, Esther Faering, Millie Graham Polak, Margarete Spiegel amongst many others. However, the book though traces the life of Gandhi but it does not look to sell the Gandhian ideology to anyone.
Reading this book is not difficult particularly because it is photograph and illustration intensive rather than being text intensive.
The point is you may or may not like Mahatama Gandhi but you cannot ignore the man since he is considered the father of this nation. This book seems to be a product of Pramod Kapoor’s penchant for publishing ‘larger than life’ books where he spares no effort in creating a book which can be time and again taken out from the library for conversations about India, Gandhi and the past.
However, there is something that I have always wondered. Pramod Kapoor himself has said that Gandhi was a great problem solver and in fact Raj Kumar Hirani’s movie ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ was based on ‘Gandhigiri’. Why is it then that no one has written a book about how to solve problems the Gandhi way? It is great to keep revisiting history but why cannot someone use lessons from the history to enhance the future of the nation, which I am sure Gandhi would have loved, had he been alive today.
Shailaza Singh
Published Author, Poet and Youtuber
All images courtesy Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography, Pramod Kapoor, Roli Books.
This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on 23 November, 2019
Gauri or Gavri dance as it is popularly known is a forty-day festival observed by the tribal communities of Mewar where men dress up as various characters including women to appease the Gods.
I entered the non-descript room which was located in a corner of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh (MSMS) II Museum in the City Palace. I saw about fifty men and women sitting in the room. I also saw two foreign looking men (who I later discovered were the American photographer Waswo X. Waswo and Giles Tilloston, consultant director, research exhibitions, MSMSII Museum) and a Sonika Soni, a art historian sitting in the front of the room. The topic of discussion was Waswo X. Waswo’s recently released book ‘Gauri Dancers’ by Mapin Publishing while a slide show which displayed some pages of book played in the back ground. Waswo has been living in Udaipur in Rajasthan for the past twelve years where he collaborates with the local artists to create sepia-coloured pictures along with the photo-hand colourist Rajesh Soni.
Waswo talked about how he was introduced to the style of Gauri when he was clicking a picture of a Gauri dancer in 2010 as a part of a regular series. However, it was only in 2011 when he encountered a man selling Gauri masks that he decided to create a book by using the dancers as models and creating appropriate back drops for them. In fact, this book is the only English-language book on the tradition which features the portraits of performers.
I looked at the crowd. Some were busy chatting on their phones while the others were listening to the conversation. I was wondering about what was so interesting about a bunch of sepia-toned, hand-coloured photographs when Waswo started talking about the Gauri or Gavri, the forty-day festival which is celebrated by tribal communities of Mewar, in southern Rajasthan. The celebrations commence on the next day of Rakshabandhan, a period which is interestingly known as the most inauspicious period according to the Hindu calendar because it is believed that the Gods go to sleep after Raksha Bandhan and no auspicious activities including marriages are held during this period. During the forty days, the men from the Bheel, Gameti and Meena communities observe strict fasting and do not eat in the night. They abstain from non-vegetarian food, alcohol and walk barefoot and sleep on the floor. The predominant belief behind this entire ritual is that if they worship Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati by observing these austerities, then the gods will bless them with ample rain during the rowing season and an abundant crop.
The interesting aspect according to the historian Sonika Soni was that no women take part in these celebrations. Women are an important part of the audience and the welcome group as the performers travel from village to village during these forty days. The performers generally choose the villages where their daughters have been wed and the villagers from these villages host these performers. In these performances, many performers play multiple characters and keep improvising and changing their costume depending on the act. The stories are based on Shiva, his wives Mohini and Parvati and Bhasmasur, the demon. They wear makeshift and locally improvised costumes. Only one character called Rai Bhudiya wears a mask who acts as Shiva and Bhasmasur. The wives of Shiva are Mohini and Parvati. Sonika Soni recounted how men and women from the village seek blessings from the performers as they believe that the performers imbibe the gods during this period.
Waswo narrated an anecdote where he had invited the performers to his make-shift studio in outskirts of Udaipur and told them that he wanted to photograph them in their costume. The performers were so enamoured by the idea that they kept coming back for photographs even when they did a minor change to their costume for the upcoming act. He also talked about a photograph which had several children posing together as ‘monkeys’. He said that the children of the tribal community just stay keep watching the performance and do the odd jobs for the performers. According to him, nothing has ever been documented in this age-old tradition and everything including the acts, stories is word of mouth which has been passed on from generation to generation.
Sonika Soni said that in the recent years, the NGOs from various parts of Rajasthan have started taking an interest in this festival and may be the government will also start doing something for these artists who are endeavouring to preserve an age-old custom. However Waswo had a different take on this and said that as of now the tribal community and the festival has been thriving with the support of the local villages. He said that the intervention from the local authorities should not take away the spirit of the festival and transform it into just a day-long affair for the amusement of the tourists, something like what happened to the Kathakali, the famous dance from Kerala.
For me the photographs from the book were just the icing on the cake. The real deal was the Gauri dance and the dancers who have been keeping this folk tradition alive without any incentive except their faith in their Gods. In a non-descript room of the museum in the City Palace I had a rendezvous with the living and breathing history of Rajasthan, something that has not been relegated to commercial performances, at least not yet.
Shailaza Singh’s article on Gauri Dancers was published in Rashtradoot’s Arbit on November 2, 2019.
Rajshree Kumari’s book Palace of Clouds offers the reader an interesting and engaging narrative of her experiences in life.
The common folk like us are often made to believe that the life of royal families often resemble fairytales. They are more or less the privileged souls who live high above the earth, in the clouds where no worries and problems that plague the common man can even touch them.
However when I read ‘Palace of Clouds’, a book authored by Rajashree Kumari, the erstwhile princess of Bikaner I realized that life had its own challenges even for the favourite child of Dr. Karni Singh, the erstwhile Maharaja of Bikaner.
The first few pages of the book feature in-depth reviews about the book. The writers include well-known authors like Amrita Gandhi, who is also a television anchor, Aman Nath who is also a hotelier and Dharmendra Kanwar, Dr. Amin Jaffer, who is also a senior curator of Fine art at the Al Thani Collection and Christie’s, London.
The author begins with an in-depth description about the history and origin of Bikaner. This is followed by chapters about her family lineage. Though these pages give interesting insights into the lives and times of the royal family of Bikaner and many a times, the author has been able to weave the historical events seamlessly into her narrative, to people who already know about the history of Bikaner, they feel like pages from a history book. Nevertheless, they should be an interesting read for the uninitiated and those who are unacquainted with the rich legacy of Rajasthan.
The chapters along with the photographs that detail the life of the author are full of anecdotes that give an insight into her growing up years, her fears and her personality. Whether it is about the origin of her childhood fear of abandonment by her parents or about losing her father, or her relationship with her husband, the author has been completely candid about her life experiences. I was taken aback by the innate honesty with which she talks about the strained relationship between her mother and her paternal grandmother or her efforts to learn cooking before her marriage or the breakdown of her marriage.
Though the narrative about her life style and travels to different countries did give me an impression of a life swathed in luxury without a dearth of money or the abundant resources that the common people find hard to fathom, her accounts of her travels to various countries are interesting. Many mothers would identify with her story about how she struggled to find Bournvita in Saudi Arabia for her son who refused to drink milk otherwise.
The book is punctuated with several interesting stories like how the Hinduja brothers clearly monopolized the then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher or the unexpected proposal of marriage by an Egyptian policeman. The author also gives a detailed account about her passion and relationship with her pugs which partly inspired her foray into PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) along with her father’s efforts as a Lok Sabha member for creating awareness about the plight of bull frogs which were exported to countries like France for their legs which were considered a delicacy. The pictures are interesting
I discovered an interesting aspect about the author who has been a shooting champion and the youngest recipient of the Arjuna award. In her memoir she talked about how her father was immensely proud of her achievements in shooting . However, she also talks about how her father’s pressure of expectations put her off painting for the rest of her life.
When I finished reading this book in the wee hours of morning, I realized that life is the same for everyone whether a princess or a common man. The privileges or the luxury that comes with being born in a certain segment of the society does not protect us from the inevitable pain and trials that arise from the life events and experiences that become an integral part of our lives.
To the casual reader, the title ‘Palace of Clouds’ may give an impression of a fairy tale life but it is anything but that. By author’s own admission, as a teenager and most Indian girls, she expected to have a life where her father would always be there for her and she would marry a Rajput man and live happily ever after. However, things turned out very different from not only what the author had expected but also from the point of view of a reader who was expecting to read about a rich princess but learnt about a lady who not only took the various tribulations of her life with grace but also became richer and wiser with those experiences.
Shailaza Singh’s article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 5 November 2019.
Polo has not only emerged as a great past time for the masses but also a great career option for those who love a fast life and fast horses.
Picture this – You are wondering what to do with your children on a Sunday. The age-old options of movies or malls don’t appeal to you. You have played the tourist and explored all the forts and palaces Jaipur has to offer. What else can you do? Fortunately, you are in Jaipur at a time where polo matches are becoming the latest passion of the masses.
‘Jaipur has more than a century old history as far as Polo is concerned,’ says Digvijay Singh, secretary, Rajasthan Polo Club. ‘I have travelled across the world and the moment I say Jaipur, people say polo. In a way, Jaipur has become a Mecca of polo players today.’
Polo has also undergone an evolution of sorts with the traditional polo being replaced by arena style polo which has three instead of the customary four players. ‘It is not always that huge grounds will be available for polo,’ says Jai Singh, the co-owner of the famous brand Polo Factory. ‘Moreover, if you realize that the maintenance of the grounds is very important because when the horses run, they dig up the ground with their hooves. So, after every match, the ground has to be leveled again which in itself is a marathon task.’
Digvijay Singh agrees, ‘Besides being a very fast-paced game unlike cricket or other such sports, Polo is also a great employment generator. It requires grooms, stable hands, people who can level the field. Then there are tourists and players who come from all corners of the world to try their hand at polo which creates employment for people who are not even related to polo. New riding clubs have come up in Jaipur which teach riding to those who want to learn polo. Moreover, people of Rajasthan are very friendly with horses since centuries. This camaraderie is so inherent here that most of the helping hands including jockeys, stable boys in the Mumbai Turf Club are from Rajasthan. Some people from the Shekhawati region have migrated to Dubai and are now taking care of the horses that belong to sheikhs and racing clubs.’
‘Polo also has a lot of heritage attached to it,’ says Digvijay Singh. ‘His eyes have a far away look as he reminisces about a time when Gayatri Devi, the erstwhile Rajmata of Jaipur used to regularly come for Polo matches. ‘ She was herself a very good polo player. I remember she used to sit upstairs in the stands. She did not like to be disturbed while watching the match. It was because of her that we had to ensure that no children below the age of 12 years could come upstairs. So, her grandson Padmanabh Singh and other children of the royal household had to sit downstairs to watch the match. The rule is still in place today. The grounds parking used to be full of bicycles since the crowds used to love to watch the erstwhile Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II play the game.’
So what does it take to be a polo player for a person who does not have a lot of money or belongs to royal family. Digvijay Singh says, ‘All it takes is sheer talent and determination. Today there are people like Abhimanyu Pathak, who despite having no royal background are top players of the game. This is one game where it doesn’t matter who you are and where do you come from. If you are good, you will soon be picked up by a team or will get a patron who will finance you. You can even learn playing polo by doing something called a working polo which is quite a norm in many countries.’
So, as you watch the horses gallop across the field, you can always think of this alternate career option for your children. After all, this is one game where you can rub shoulders with the royalty and the richie rich, bump into celebrities who are polo aficionados and have a great life travelling around the world. All on a horse back! What do you say to that?
If you are interested in watching a game of polo today, head to the Polofactory Yard at Dhankya to watch the Polofactory Amateur Cup The entry is free for all.
Shailaza Singh’s article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 17 November 2019.
I was busy watching the men play Polo at the PoloFactory Amateur Cup when I saw a twenty-one-year-old girl cheering the players. She did not look like a mere spectator of the game. She was constantly shouting out advices to the players on the field.
From our initial conversation, I got to know that her name is Rajvi Sen and she is a budding polo player. She is originally from Gujrat. She does belong to any royal family which is what intrigued me. I asked her about her foray into polo. She said, ‘Four years ago, I remember going to a club in Hyderabad and seeing a horse polo game and saying that I want to learn to ride and play this game. The game was fast and exhilarating which is what caught my interest. The game is not just about chasing a ball but also involves a lot of strategy. It’s something like a combination of chess and hockey on horse back.’
So, how did she learn the game? ‘I learnt polo by doing what is known as working polo. In working polo, you pay half the price of the lessons and the stay since you work for the person hosting you. When I turned 18, I went to the South of France for two months. I was riding and I was also looking after the horses and playing. I was the first Indian girl to get a sponsorship this year from a company for the polo induction program in Spain. This involved a selection process too. Then I went to Prague again on a working polo. But this time I played a tournament which was really an exhibition match in Prague and was a captain of a team. Our opponents were from Hungary.’ I asked her about her mother’s reaction to her choice of sport. ‘My mother was initially very worried at first but now she is okay especially because she understands my passion for the game.’
This made me curious about the status of women polo in India. I talked to Ankur Mishra, a polo player, editor, Jodhpur Polo Magazine, founder, Polo Day Out in Jodhpur. He said, ‘The girls are just beginning to play polo. Generally we believe that ladies are naturally more skilful and elegant riders as far as the horses are concerned. In fact, we have our annual Women Polo Tournament on the December 29 this year. However, this is more of a mixed match because in a team of four we have one man and three women. The reason is that we don’t find enough women polo players.’
Mriganka Singh, an avid polo player and erstwhile princess of Jammu and Kashmir agrees. ‘Why would most people in India want their daughters to play such a dangerous sport when they can do something else or get married? I have a friend who used to play great polo but after becoming a lawyer has completely given it up. Yes, there are lot of opportunities in Jaipur for amateurs and low goal players, people who are just starting out. Arena polo is coming up in a big way because in this you need less players. However we need more women in Polo.’
Mriganka was a part of the Indian team at the Special Women’s Polo Tournament which was held in Manipur in January this year. She said, ‘Polo abroad is so different. This year, women from Canada, Argentina, USA and Kenya participated in the Tournament. There were women of all ages from 14 to 40. I saw three pairs of mothers and daughters from Argentina playing and it was so beautiful. Why cannot we have that in India?’
I asked Jai Singh, the owner of PoloFactory about this strange predicament of women’s polo in India. He replied with a very enigmatic smile, ‘Yes, just like the Amateur’s Cup, we are working on something that will help the new women players of polo to practice and ace the game. But you will have to wait for a formal announcement and it will be very soon.’
There seems to be a new vibe in the air with women raring to make it big in a game like Polo. The question is are there enough women to make Polo a passion amongst the masses? Only time will tell.
Catch the excitement of Polo matches at Polofactory Amateur Cup at the Polofactory Yard, Dhankya. The matches are on till November 17.
Shailaza Singh’s article was published in in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on November 13, 2019
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