Ravan was the primary antagonist in the Epic Ramayana but he was not all about negativity. He was a great scholar and a worthy opponent of lord Ram himself. There is no denying that Ravan did some good things and Ram did bad things too making both of them grey rather than black and white. Of course, one grey-er than the other but the point is that we can choose to see good in both of them. So, wouldn’t it be better if we plant the seeds of Ram in our lives rather than burning wooden Ravans. Burning effigies of Ravan may have been a custom, a symbolism but it is hardly anything more than a blob of smoke in present times. People barely know more about Ramayana than what was shown in the famous TV series. Yes, because we don’t read anymore, don’t question and that’s why we don’t know why things are being done like the way they are. So, it is more like an obligation than a celebration.
Tumultuous milieu, Insouciant soul in saudade, Life lost its purpose…
-doc2poet
The world around us is changing, so should we. I hope we decide to plant a tree instead, in the name of lord Ram, to celebrate Dussehra. Because I feel creating something is much better than killing. It will be a more constructive approach; at least a positive one and the Ram born inside us will eventually kill the Ravans in our hearts and minds while making the city green and clean.
I hope we can come up with greener ways to celebrate our festivals so we can keep the spirit alive, celebrate our rich cultural heritage and pass on this legacy to our kids with a positive message.
We just went past #Dussehra and #Durga-Puja and the fireworks of Diwali are just around the corner, here is a post from my archives portraying the changing face of festivals and the need to fix them. Hope you had a wonderful extended weekend studded with festivities and wish you a Happy and prosperous Diwali in advance. 🙂
Haiku is one of the most important form of traditional Japanese poetry. Haiku is, today, a 17-syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. It has to be written, read and understood as an independent poem, complete in itself, rather than part of a longer chain.
The famous verses of the masters of Haiku of the likes of Basho, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa are properly referred to as hokku. The distinction between hokku and haiku can be handled by using the terms Classical Haiku and Modern Haiku.
Modern Haiku
The history of the modern haiku dates from Masaoka Shiki’s reform, begun in 1892, which established haiku as a new independent poetic form. Shiki’s reform did not change two traditional elements of haiku: the division of 17 syllables into three groups of 5, 7, and 5 syllables and the inclusion of a seasonal theme. Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression. The power of haiku lies in brevity and juxtaposed images. Kawahigashi Hekigoto carried Shiki‘s reform further into greatness.
Haiku-poems can describe almost anything, but you seldom find themes which are too complicated for normal PEOPLE’s recognition and understanding. Some of the most thrilling Haiku-poems describe daily situations in a way that gives the reader a brand new experience of a well-known situation. Each Haiku must contain a kigo, a season word, which indicate in which season the Haiku is set. For example, cherry blossoms indicate spring, snow indicate winter, and mosquitoes indicate summer, but the season word isn’t always that obvious.
A classic haiku by Matsuo Basho
An old pond! A frog jumps in— the sound of water..
***
Here’s my first one, hope I could do justice to Haiku with my first attempt:
Cool breeze,
Insouciant serene mind,
And poetry is born…
***
Here’s a few in Hindi:
खुला नीला आकाश,
अंतर्मन की उड़ान,
शब्दों ने रूप लिया काव्या का…
***
बेबाक उफनती लहरें,
क्षितिज तक फैला सागर,
फिर साहिलों पे क्यूँ क़ैद हैं हम…
***
Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Well! everyone knows about the classic ‘मधुशाला’ but here’s one of favorite from his archive:-
वृक्ष हों भले खड़े,
हों घने, हों बड़े,
एक पत्र छांह भी,
माँग मत, माँग मत, माँग मत,
अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ,
तू ना थकेगा कभी,
तू न थमेगा कभी
तू न मुड़ेगा कभी
कर शपथ, कर शपथ, कर शपथ,
अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ,
यह महान दृश्य है,
चल रहा मनुष्य है’
अश्रु, स्वेद, रक्त से,
लथपथ, लथपथ, लथपथ,
अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ ||
***
Hymn
Meaning- A song or ode of praise, usually addressed to gods, but sometimes to abstractions such as Truth, Justice, or Fortune.
***
Hope you are having fun with me. If you are reading this, thank you for stopping by. This post is sixth in a series of 26 posts that I will be writing as part of the A to Z challenge for April 2016. My theme for the challenge would be A to Z of poetry. Feel free to leave your feedback and visit again:-)
Ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. It is a poem that tells a story, mostly relying on a simple and easy-to-understand language, which are often used in songs because of their rhyme. A ballad is a poetic story, often a love story. Stories about hardships, tragedies, love and romance are standard ingredients of ballads irrespective of geographical origins. Another conspicuous element of any ballad is the recurrence of certain lines at regular intervals. Ballads can also be in interrogative form with appropriate answers to every question they ask.
Ballads, as stage performance, enjoyed the status of being one of the main sources of entertainment in ancient times. Legends and historical events were narrated in the form of a ballad which would comprise song and dance. Ballad was a perfect substitute for our current day technology-based entertainment, albeit with more emotional appeal.Ballads seldom offer a direct message about a certain event, character or situation. It is left to the audience to deduce the moral of the story from the whole narration.
The song “someone like you” by Adele is a perfect example of ballad from modern times.
“Someone Like You”
I heard that you’re settled down
That you found a girl and you’re married now.
I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things I didn’t give to you.
Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain’t like you to hold back or hide from the light.
I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it.
I had hoped you’d see my face and that you’d be reminded
That for me it isn’t over.
Never mind, I’ll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don’t forget me, I beg
I’ll remember you said,
“Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead”
***
It is a beautiful composition by Adele and it is a delight to read. Here’s a link to the complete lyrics:-
It is a poem (story that rhymes) dedicated to my first crush…my beloved wife which I wrote a few years back. And it also happens to be a Ballad, Here it is…
ख़यालों ने उनके सताया है इस क़दर, के राबता हो उनसे..तो पूछेंगे ज़रूर,
के तराशा है तुम्हें खुद उस ख़ुदा ने, या हो तुम परी..या कोई हूर;
है तुमसे ही धड़कन इस दिल की, और तुम्ही से इन आँखों का नूर,
के मर ही मिटा तुमपर, तो इस दिल का क्या क़सूर;
इस दिल ने ही दिखाई अंधेरों में , नज़रों को राहें तमाम हैं,
माना हुई है इससे ख़ता, पर क़ुबूल हमें भी ये ख़ूबसूरत इल्ज़ाम है;
न जाने हुआ ये कैसे , के एक ही झलक में दिल-ओ-जान गवाँ बैठे,
अजनबी हुए ख़ुद से, और उन्हे भगवान बना बैठे;
जादू चला उनका कुछ इस तरह , के हम…रहे नहीं हम,
मिल जाए पर उनका साथ अगर, तो ख़ुद को खोने का भी न हो ग़म;
उनकी नज़रों में छलकती अपनी तस्वीर सा नशा, किसी पैमाने में कहाँ,
के मुहब्बत की इस बेखुदी सा मज़ा, होश में आने में कहाँ;
बयाँ कर पाना मुम्किन नहीं, के बीते कैसे बरसों इन नज़रों की तलाश में,
ज़िंदा होने के इल्ज़ाम तले, चल थी रही साँसें…ज़िंदगी की आस में;
के लौ सी तपती धूप में , राहत…शाम में हमने पाई है,
गुज़र गये झुलस्ते मंज़र, के जीवन में शब लौट आई है;
सजदा करूँ मैं पल-पल उनका, जो शख्सियत ही ख़ुदाया है,
Khwaja Fariduddin Masud Ganjshakar popularly known as Baba Faridwas born in 1173. He was a Sufi saint and a Muslim missionary from the Chishti order. He was the first Punjabi poet and his most important contributions to Punjabi literature was the development of this language for literary purposes.
Baba Farid was given the title Shakar Ganj‘Treasure of Sugar’when he was a few years old. There is a legend according to which the young Baba Farid asked her mother what was gained by prayers. His mother replied Sugar. Accordingly, she used to hide some sugar under his prayer-carpet, and, when he had finished his prayers, draw it forth, and give it to him as a reward of his devotion. One day his mother forgot to put the sugar but after prayers, there was sugar under the carpet. From that day on, Bibi Miriam started calling his son Shakar Ganj, or the treasury of Sugar.
Baba Farid is still celebrated in India and Pakistan alike. There is a city named after him in Punjab and a 3 day festival of ‘Baba Sheikh Farid Āgman Purb Mela’ is celebrated each year in September to commemorate his arrival in the city.
He has produced many great compositions but this couplet is my favorite (it has also been used in a song from the Bollywood movie ‘Rockstar’)
कागा रे कागा रे मोरी इतनी अरज तोसे चुन चुन खाइयो मास
खाइयो न दो नैना मोहे पिया के मिलन की आस
O Raven, you have searched my skeleton, and eaten all my flesh.
But please do not touch these eyes as I hope to behold my Beloved.
***
Blazon
Meaning: Poetry which catalogues the virtues or attributes of women
***
If you are reading this, thank you for stopping by. This post is second in a series of 26 posts that I will be writing as part of the A to Z challenge for April 2016. My theme for the challenge would be A to Z of poetry. Don’t feel shy to leave your feedback and visit again:-)
H
gun in 1892, which established haiku as a new independent poetic form. Shiki’s reform did not change two traditional elements of haiku: the division of 17 syllables into three groups of 5, 7, and 5 syllables and the inclusion of a seasonal theme. Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression. The power of haiku lies in brevity and juxtaposed images. Kawahigashi Hekigoto carried Shiki‘s reform further into greatness.
