Before I Forget…

Aamir Khan’s latest is a masterpiece.  Just go.  I cried shamelessly almost throughout.  Everyone did.  But it’s not a downer.  Very fresh.  Was amazed to see how far “Bollywood” has come.  This is a must see for all the following :
1. Indian parents.
2. Indian NGO types.
3. All other Indians.
4. Everyone else of all other nationalities.

The morning started with an outing to the Esplanade Library with IM.  Desperately hunted for some Fellini on every shelf but found nothing.  Was walking back to IM who had been comfortably perched on his sofa by the tall windows in the back when the sight of “The White Sheikh” under New Arrivals delighted.  Mere coincidences are mere when they find you ; they’re small miracles when you find them.  Read the one Fellini interview book as IM sprinkled Horrible Science tidbits on the otherwise pristine setting.  Fellini’s views on childhood, and the movie he never made about a large house with lots of children, inspired and enraptured.  Picked up some Kurosawa as well, based on the aforementioned interview book.  Noticed Daag (Rajesh Khanna 1973) on the shelf and noticed that Sahir Ludhianvi has penned it’s lyrics.  That was the one reason I picked it up.  Spent until 330 AM Sunday morning with Sahir Saab’s magical poetry, which I shall attempt to translate and YouTube next.

Thelonious Monk was a genius if ever there was one.  His music grows on you, to say the least.  In my experience, it started as a curiosity and has come to define the very meaning of musical good taste and artistic excellence.  The following 2 clips aired on National Public Radio on Oct 10. 2007 - the 90th anniversary of the birth of this American genius.

Clip 1 : 8m 18s
Clip 2 : 26m 12s

Bharat Ratna, Dear to the Mahatma, “Goddess Of Musical Notes” :
“M.S. does not sing. She makes divinity manifest.”

hari tum haro jana ki pīr
Almighty Lord God, remove the sufferings of Your slaves.
draupadī kī lāj rākhī
tum badhāyo cīr
You protected the honor of Draupadi,
Lengthening the garment that covered her.
bhakta kārana rūpa narahari
dharyo āp śarīr
For the sake of Your devotee,
You assumed the form of Nrsimhadeva.
hiranyakaśyapa mār līnho
dharyo nāhina dhīr
You killed Hiranyakasipu
With Your fierce form.
būdate gaja rāja rākhyo
kiyo bāhar nīr
You rescued the drowning elephant Gajaraj,
Taking him out of the water.
dāsi mīrā lāl giradhar
dukha jahāń tahāń pīr
Oh Master Giridhara! I am only Your maidservant, Mira.
Here and there, there is only suffering and pain.

There is something very special about the hesitation and accidental-ness of the way Thelonious Monk plays the piano.  A musician of the highest order.  Here’s a recording of his from a 1973 tour (Berlin) -

“I dig the South” -