Happy republic Day

Am a patriot.. Am SO FREAKIN PROUD to be an Indian woman.. Am proud my grandfather was a freedom fighter and he fought so hard to free this nation.. he had his own press to publicise wat he believed in.. he was put in jail at one point in time and lost his 5 yr old daughter in the process.. he has withstood the lathi charges of firangs and even some Indians who worked for the britishes (i dont blame them though.. food for one's family becomes more important than freedom sometimes)!! he fought more so to free India from the ill-treatment, than the britishes themselves.. If thats the case, I would say we still havent managed to achieve complete freedom cos we are still fighting ill-treatment from our own people..

Many responsibilities are conveniently forgotten for that extra bit of personal gratification either in terms of money, power or ego! Some politicians, like diapers, have to b changed often and worse.. mostly for the same reason!

Wat went wrong in the attitude of our people durin the last 63 years of freedom?
Wat makes them take our freedom for granted when so many of our own blood have shed theirs for our well being?
Wat rights do a few individuals have, to decide whether to share a natural resource with a neighbouring state!?
Wat rights do individuals have to divide the nation in the name of birth right n community?
Wat r the rights, as Indian citizens, have we decided to exercise than complain wat we dont have?
How many of us even respect the national anthem enough to stand up n salute while its being played?
Wat makes some so not proud of the nation that has given them a life and an identity!

It is but human tendency to pursue peace and unite when there is a problem bigger than life! But let us not wait for something bigger than 26/11 happen to unite us whole heartedly!

Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.. so let us learn and overcome the mistakes we've been making individually, as a group, as a community n finally as a nation!

No nation is perfect.. It needs to b MADE perfect.. As Indians, let us face that responsibility.. let our children be proud of us for the future we create for them in this nation..

To My love, My life, My history, My present, My future, My all, My nation.. My India

- JAI HIND!

Can i ask for more?

Am just back from a live concert by Padmashree Begum Parveen Sultana..

Have you ever felt the surge of adnernaline when a far fetched dream becomes reality, enfolding so beautifully right in front of ur eyes? Ever dreamt of getting a flesh and blood darshan of your deity?

My deity was Begum Parveen Sultana and I did get the darshan!!!!

To describe her in a nutshell, when she sings she transcends herself from noun to verb.. Parveen ji is Music herself.. the only vocalist to reach 4 octaves, her bewitching voice modulations and thaans at an unimaginable speed, she has been unbeatable in her empire for the past 50 and odd years..

Ever since my dad introduced me to one of her recordings when i was a teenager, she and her singing has been a distant dream to me.. her renditions so divine and surreal, there have been times ive just day dreamt about how her audience wldve probably reacted during a particular recording..

At her age of 70+, it was the most amazing performances ive ever heard.. her music made me feel so light and pure.. i was just floating.. with her powerful but smooth as butter voice n her PERFECT SA engulfing the entire auditorium, she never gave me one opportunity to touch base.. I learnt today that it is possible indeed to be drugged by music..

With a constant smile on her beautiful face, everything about her on stage was gracious and divine.. she was grounded enough to call her audience as her God and she was just a Pujari, offering her prashad to them.. heights of humility!!!!!

The minute she started with raag Purya Dhanasri with small quips earlier, it is but impossible to sit through the aalaap without a tear rolling down one's cheeks while hearing her efforlessly glide through the notes from athi mantra sthayi(lowest octave), madhya sthayi(middle octave) n finally reaching to a cresendo of tara sthayi (highest octave).. her voice modulations can give instant moksha.. the experience was more spiritual than musical..

As she ended the concert with raag bhirav, the audience gave her a 5 minutes standing ovation and applause.. not enough compared to what she gave us during the 2 hrs concert..

I am blessed to have witnessed her live concert

I am blessed to have been seated right in front of her n hear her sing while she was directly looking at me

I am blessed to have been even considered to play the tambura for her during the show

I am blessed to have been hugged by her

I was blessed by none other than my Goddess of music herself..

Can i ask for more?