Life in May2 - Jun 10

Me: Is it over? Is that it?
Life: No.
Me: Then what is this? why are we here?
Life: This is just a milestone. A momentary stop.
Me: Ah!

May 2 to Jun 10 was a period of incredible luck as i had mentioned in my earlier posts. I was so fortunate that even i passed the driving test the first time. The major activities were:

I am enjoying my work very much. Enjoying the workplace discussions, team spirit, competitiveness and responsibility. I think i should try to live in this mode only. I have tried living in a relaxing mode but it never helps.

My Kabir project - Had a wonderful time listening and writing Kabir songs.

Had a mini Indian Indie festival. Saw Before the Rains by Santosh Sivan. Decent movie. Nice music and some great scenes.
Next was Lets talk. Brilliant. Must watch.
Next was Amal. You should watch it, you must watch it. If you need it, just tell me, rest i will make sure that you get it. Kind of movie which tells you what you never think.

Post driving test celebration - After i passed my driving test, it was 12 noon on a Thursday and i had the rented car till 5 pm. So i went on a drive. I had always wanted to go to Half moon bay. And today it felt like it. First, i started driving on foothill expressway. And then a thought occurred - How about i drive on this road until the road ends. And so i just kept on driving on Foothill expressway. I reached Mount Etna, Steven's Trail. It was like driving in those Indian hills, going to Amarkantak or Dehradun. But at last the road beat me, i had to turn back, I must have drove for an hr on that road but after that it was getting too curvy and i had to go to half moon bay. Then i went to Poplar beach in half moon bay, Sat there for half hr and came back. Sitting on the beach is so peaceful.

Was a proud competitor in moustache may competition, and hence didnt shave my beard for the whole month. Good experiment.

Shifted my place. Was getting bored at the old one. This new one looks very good so far.

DMV driving test - DU style

June 4, 2009. Time: 11:33 am.
Test administrator: Go to line D.
Me: What? Did i pass the test?
Test administrator: Yes.

DU exam giving style. Exam is 30 days ahead.
Day 1 to Day 20. Do nothing.
Day 21: Start planning of doing something.
Day 25: Do the actual planning.
Day 25: Planning done, go and watch movie.
Day 26,27: Watch more movies as during exams you wont get time to watch them.
Day 28: Go to a friend's room and ask for syllabus. Get it marked in the book.
Day 29(One day before the exam): Look for past 2-3 year papers and ask some stud to tell how to solve them.
Day 30 (the morning before exam): Practice those 2-3 papers.
Day 30: Watch movie after giving exam.

DMV test. Gave written test , 2 months permit - aka 2 months time to get license.

Day 1 to Day 40: Do nothing.
Day 41-45: Start thinking about giving a test.
Day 45: Start looking for rental cars.
Day 50: Actually go and get a rental car.
Day 51-58: There is lots of time for the test. Watch movies.
Day 59: (the day before test) Start searching online for common mistakes done by people. Youtube had some excellent videos.
Day 60: (Day of the test) Get up early and practice not committing those common mistakes. Go and gice the test.
Day 60: Go for a ride after giving the test.


Santa Clara, California was my DMV center. Many claim that it is the hardest to crack, many have failed in the past but they never tried it in DU style. The formula always works.


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Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Gaadi Hanko

This is my last post for Kabir project. This month May 2009, has been one of the best months of my life and i wanted to end this Kabir project with it. Gaadi Hanko has got a very interesting story. I first heard it when Devenderji played it before a concert at NSIT in 2005. It was too good. In 2006, we invited Rita Ganguliji at NSIT and requested her to sing this song. It was one of my best concerts at NSIT. And then in Blore, while working i remembered this song and i searched for this one online. And thats how ui found Prahlad Singh Tipaniya and his art. The thirst was always there, and we (me including NSIT volunteers) were always behind Devenderji to give us that recording. And then its 2009, in April Manish and others were able to get the recording. Mesmerized by the reecording once again, i ordered the complete Kabir vani from BeatofIndia.com and loved all the three cds. In May 2009, I attended Tipaniya sahab and co in a live concert in San Francisco. At the concert i got a books containing lyrics of Bhajans with meanings. Thats when i decided that all this should be online. So, enjoy Gaadi Hanko, the sarangi is awesome in this one. The starting dohe in Tipaniya sahab's rendition are so beautiful.

धीरे धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होए
माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतू आये फल होए

Slowly, slowly oh my mind
Slowly, everything happens
The gardener pours 100 water pots
The season arrives and the fruits come

एक साधे तो सब सधे,सब साधे एक जाये
माली सींचे मूल को, तो फूल फल अघाए
Do one thing well, and all is done
Try to do all and you loose the one
When the gardener waters the root
The tree bears the fruits and flowers.

ज़रा हलके गाड़ी हांको मेरे राम गाड़ी वाले ज़रा धीरे धीरे गाड़ी हांको मेरे राम गाड़ी वाले गाड़ी हमारी रंग रंगीली पईया है लाल गुलाबी हैंकन वाली छैल छबीली बैठन वाला राम गाड़ी अटकी रेट में मज़ल पड़ी है दूर धर्मी अधर्मी पार उतर गया पापी चकना चूर देस देस का वेड बुलाया लाया जड़ी और बूटी जड़ी बूटी काम न आई जद राम के घर की टूटी चार जना मिल मतों उठायो बांधी काठ की घोड़ी ले जा के मरघट पे रखिया फूंक दीनी जैसे होली बिलक बिलक कर तिरिया रोवे बिछड़ गयी रे मेरी जोड़ी कहें कबीर सुनो भाई साधो जिन जोड़ी उन तोड़ी

Move your cart along lightly my Ram is riding Move your cart along lightly my Ram is riding My cart is many colored with wheels of rosy red A lovely lady is holding the reins and sitting back is Ram The cart got mired in mud the destination still far away The good ones got across the bad ones crashed! Healers came from every land bringing their herbs and roots The herbs were useless Ram had left the house Four fellows came to carry the stretcher They tied to up the wooden horse They carried it to the burning ground and blew it up, like Holi! The wife sobs and weeps my partner is taken away! Kabir says, listen Sadhus the one who joins is the one who breaks!

Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Jhini Jhini

My personal Kabir project is nearing its end. And i have saved my earliest memories for the last. Jhini Jhini was the first Kabir song that i heard, this was the first song that got me fascinated. I dont think i grasped its full meaning back then and i dont think that i still do it completely but nevertheless, whatever i understand, its beautiful. I heard this song when it came in Indian Ocean's album Jhini. Kabir songs are by no means limited to classical music, Prahlad Sinh Tipaniya happily acknowledges that he is not a classical singer, And Pt. Kumar Gandharva is at the other end. Somewhere orthogonal to both is pop/fusion and Indian Ocean has done a great job as per my opinion. I am also giving you a rendition by Anup Jalota, i found his rendition today morning and liked it. Anup Jalota's voice has that charismatic simplicity that makes it quite melodious.

म्हारी सदा राम रस बिनी चादर झीनी रंग झीनी अष्ट कमल दल चरखा चले, पांच तत्व. गुण तीनी कर्म की पूनी कान्तं बैठी, कुकरी सूरत महिनी चादर झीनी रंग झीनी , झीनी झीनी झीनी इंगला पिंगला ताना कीन्हों सुखमनिया भर दीनी नौ दस मॉस बितान लागा, ठीक थक कर बीनी चादर झीनी रंग झीनी, झीनी झीनी झीनी या चादर धोबी के दीन्ही, शब्द ताल धर दीनी सूरत शिला पर पकड़ पचाती, इस विध उजली किन्ही चादर झीनी रंग झीनी, झीनी झीनी झीनी या चादर रंगरेज़ के दीन्ही भांत भांत रंग दीन्ही प्रेम पति का रंग चढाया, पिली पीताम्बर कीन्ही चादर झीनी रंग झीनी, झीनी झीनी झीनी या चादर सुर नर मुनि ओढी, ओढ़ के मैली कीन्ही अर्जुन ओढ़ महरम नहीं जाना, मूरख मैली कीन्ही चादर झीनी रंग झीनी, झीनी झीनी झीनी ध्रुव ओढी, प्रहलाद ने ओढी, सुखदेव निर्मल कीन्ही दास कबीर ने जुगत से ओढी, ज्यों की त्यों धर दीन्ही चादर झीनी रंग झीनी, झीनी झीनी झीनी

Forever weaving with Ram's essence Subtle cloth of subtle color The spinning wheel turns 8 lotuses 5 elements, 3 qualities Actions are the ball of cotton woven into skeins of fine awareness Right channel, left channel, warp and weft Then they fill the middle channel Nine or ten months go by It was woven just right The cloth went to washerman He dipped it in the pool of Words He beat it on the stone of awareness and made it shine The cloth went to the dyer who dyed it many colors He dyed it the color of love And made it golden Gods, humans, sages wore it covered with spots and blots Arjun wore it without insight so that fool got it dirty too Dhruv, Prahlad and Sukhdev wore it and made it stainless Kabir wore it with such care He shed it as pure when he first got it.

May ends

May 29, as today's Sun goes down, it takes away the last working day of May.
And so ends my one month of unshaven face. I lost the contest, well to an opponent who had made a lot of investment (time) in his beard, so no hard feelings. Moreover, this whole thing was an experiment on me, how long can i take it. And ofcourse an excuse to not shave for a month. Hostel days! Paradise!

But even though it was merely 30 days, i would say that it was a decent amount of time. Let me document the phases of my one month beard life. First three days went without any notice. Day 5-7 were little bit awkward. Urge was to quit, rationalizing questions on why, what and wtf were raised and ignored. The itch started from day 9 or 10 onwards. Sharp pointy hair, pulled down by gravity were like thorns against skin. Constant desire to go and wash face, constant dryness etc marked the middle phase. Itch grows stronger by each day. It is around day 20, one can feel/see the hair without looking at the mirror. And some strange feeling comes into mind. Something is hanging off me, like i am a plant, i can feel the tension in my facial hair, standing on my face. The itch is strongest at this point because it starts to affect both physically and mentally. This phase lasts for about 3 days and after mind accepts its fate. But the best period starts after day 25, where you dont feel anything. My beard becomes a part of me, the sharpness is gone, its soft like a grass on a lawn, like a kashmere rug :). And then comes day 30 where i say good bye to a nice social experiment. Thanks to those who had to bear my sight!

बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ

aaj subah, bas man kiya kuch likhne ka, kuch shabdon ki thi awaaz. 5 min mein, jo aaya man mein woh chaap diya :)


बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ

कुछ मेरे भी सिद्वांत थे
मेरे भी कुछ ख्वाब थे
मैंने भी कुछ वादे किये थे
मेरे भी कुछ उद्देश्य थे
बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ

कुछ थी मेरी आकांक्षा
कुछ थी उसकी उम्मीदें
कुछ थे मेरे फैसले
और कुछ थी मेरी मजबूरी
बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ

मेरी थी वो इक सोच
मेरी थी वो इक तमन्ना
मेरा था इक रास्ता
बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ

कुछ थे मेरे साथी
कुछ थे मेरे हमसफ़र
कई ने समझाया मुझको
बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ


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बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ
जो पीछे देखूं तो एक सच हुआ ख्वाब
जो पीछें देखूं तो एक सम्पूर्ण कार्य
जो आगे देखूं तो अब और क्या
जो आगे देखूं तो कहाँ जाऊं

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बस आज अब कुछ ऐसे मोड़ पे खड़ा हूँ
जो पीछे देखूं तो अक अधूरा सपना
जो पीछे देखूं तो एक अजब निराशा
जो आगे देखूं तो एक और मंजिल
जो आगे देखूं तो एक नया रास्ता
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Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Bina bhed bahar mat bhatko

The followin Kabir vani is sung by Kaluram Bamnia. The central idea is that dont look outside yourself, all the answers are within you. Kaluram Bamnia is again a Malwa singer with his own distinct style of singing Kabir bhajans.

बिना भेद बहार मत भटको बहार भटक्या है कांई अडसठ तीरथ यहाँ बता दूं कर दर्शन थारा देह मांही पावों में तेरे पदम विराजे पिंडल में भागवत याहीं गोडे में गोरख का वासा हिल रहा दुनिया मांही जांगो में जगदीश विराजे कमर केदारनाथ हैं यांही देही में देवी का वासा अखंड ज्योत जलती वांही हाथ बने हस्तिनापुर नगरी ऊँगली बनी पाँचों पांडव सीने में हनुमान विराजे लड़ने से डरता नहीं सुख बना तेरा मक्का मदीना नासिक की है दरगाह यांही कान बने कनकापुर नगरी सत वचन सुन ले यांही नेत्र बने तेरे चंदा सूरज देख रहा दुनिया मांही कहें कबीर सुनो भाई साधो लख्या लेख मिटता नहीं

Why wander without insight? Why wander outside? I will tell you 68 holy places here see the divine in your body. Lotuses rest on your feet Gods in your body Gprakh yogi in your knes With you walks this world! In your thighs dwells lord Jagdish In your waist is kedarnath Your body is the home of devi Thats where the eternal light burns Your hands are Hastinapur city Your fingers, the five pandavas Lord Hanuman lies in your heart Not afraid of any battle Your mouth is Mecca Madina Your nose the sufi shrine Your ears form the Kanakpur city Listen to the true words here. Your eyes are the Sun and moon Glimpse the world within Says Kabir, listen sadhus What is seen can not be erased.

Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Ud jayega

This one is very very addictive. Not only the lyrics are great, it is sung by Pt. Kumar Gandharva whose voice is plain beautiful. Still feeling thirsty after listening hundred times.

उड़ जायेगा उड़ जायेगा उड़ जायेगा हंस अकेला जग दर्शन का मेला जैसे पात गिरे तरुवर पे मिलना बहुत दुहेला ना जाने किधर गिरेगा ना जानूं किधर गिरेगा गगया पवन का रेला जब होवे उमर पूरी जब छूटे गा हुकुम हुज़ूरी यम् के दूत बड़े मज़बूत यम् से पडा झमेला दास कबीर हर के गुण गावे वाह हर को पारण पावे गुरु की करनी गुरु जायेगा चेले की करनी चेला

The swan will fly, the swan will fly The swan will fly away alone Spectacle of world will be mere fair As the leaf falls from the tree Very difficult to find, Who knows where it will fall Once it is struck with a gust of wind When Life span is complete Then listening, following orders will be over The messengers of yama are very strong You will have to face Yama Servant Kabit praises the lord He will find the lord soon Guru will go according to his doings The disciple according to his

Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Jaao Nuguri kaaya

जाओ नुगुरी काया, थारो कई गुण गावां , अरे हां हां रे कई गुण गावां, अब थारो जस गावां ? महेल बनाया हंसा, रहवा नहीं पाया, अरे हां हां रे काटी लेना घास, बाँध लेना टटिया, अरे हां हां रे सोना हंधा महल, रूपा हंधा खम्बा कठ को गयो इन्ही नगरी को राजा, अरे हां हां रे बालू की भीत , अटारी का चड़ना, अरे हां हां रे ओछे से प्रीत, कटारी का मरना गादी गलीचा थारा धर्य रे महल में, अरे हां हां रे एक दिन जलेगा काया लकड़ी का संग में कहें कबीर साहेब जुग जुग जीवना, अरे हां हां रे इन ममता के मार भस्म कर पीवना

Go now, foolish body, without a guru What praises can i sing of you? What glory can i sing of you? You built a palace swan, But couldn't live there Oh yes, oh yes! You cut the grass, wove the walls, Oh yes, Oh yes! A palace of gold, with beautiful pillars But where did the king of this palace go? Oh yes, Oh yes! Walls of sand, with a balcony overhead Oh yes, Oh yes! You loved the small(worthless) like dying from a small weapon, Oh yes, Oh yes! Beds, carpets, strewn in your palace Oh yes, Oh yes! The body will burn one day on a pile of wood, Oh yes, Oh yes! Kabir says if you want to live for ages, Oh yes, Oh yes! Then burn all your attachments Oh yes, Oh yes!

May - the good news month

May 2009 may just be a good news month. There has been positive things happening everywhere.

Congress won elections. Manmohan Singh becomes PM again. Congress two way strategy, one which fights the politics and one which runs the country looks is very interesting, probably some iim/harvard dude should take it up as a case study. Over in Sri Lanka, the LTTE is down. It is interesting that while SL was doing this operation, the whole media was full of reports to stop this carnage, stop killing innocent lives etc etc. But now that they have claimed victory, everyone is quiet. And with our friendly neighbors in Pakistan, they also seem to have been reasonably successful in driving off Taliban, atleast the realization is coming into them.

In personal life, i was given an award in my workplace for a team player. On bike to work day, i won a lucky draw giving me 50$ of theatre tickets. And then sous kitchen ( a company that gives partially cooked food to cook at home for people who do not have time), sous kitchen came to our office to give a demo and there again i won the lucky draw giving me a big meal packet.
(Funny ways in America - they have bike to work day where they encourage everyone to come to work on bike for just one day, they have Earth hours/ Earth day where they ask everyone to keep electricity off for one hour. Is this a successful way to increase awareness?)

And then yesterday, i saw Gilchrist's carnage to Delhi Daredevils. My strategy to watch only the semis and final is paying me very well. Gilchrist's innings was just a pleasure. Like Gandalf coming with the horses with the first ray of the Sun and trampling Saruman's army. On the other hand, keeping McGrath on the bench for a complete series is like Mahabharatha with Krishna asked to watch it from outside. (Bad example !) And today, my favorite team - Bangalore is through to the final. I have a feeling that Blore may just go all the way this time for the simple reason that no one has been extraordinary from Blore in the tournament, it is just their sheer team spirit that has made all the difference. And ofcourse the God - Anil Kumble is leading them.

Sometimes when too many things go right, one wonders, is this a bait in the game of chess?

Kahat Kabir Suno bhai Sadho - Tu ka tu

There are many texts that say that God is everywhere. But there is no one who explains this deep line to a lay man as Kabir does.

सब घट मोरा साइयां, सूनी सेज ना कोय
बलिहारी वा घट की जा घट परघट होय

In every body, there is my lord
No vessel is empty
I reveal that body
which reveals the lord

साहिब तमारी साहिबी सब घट रही समाए
ज्यों मेंहदी के पात में लाली लखी नहीं जाए
O God your godliness
Pervades every body
Like the red unseen
In the green Henna leaf.

इनका भेद बता मेरे अवधू अच्छी करनी कर ले तू डाली फूल जगत के माही जहाँ देखा वहां तू का तू हाथी में हाथी बन बैठो चींटी में हैं छोटो तू होय महावत ऊपर बैठे हांकन वाला तू का तू चोरों के संग चोरी करता बदमाशों में भेड़ो तू चोरी करके तू भग जावे पकड़ने वाला तू का तू दाता के संग दाता बन जावे भिखारी में भेड़ों तू मंग्तो होकर मांगन लागे देने वाला तू का तू नर नारी में एक विराजे दो दुनिया में दिसे क्यूँ बालक होकर रोवन लागे रखन वाला तू का तू जल थल जीव में तू ही विराजे जहाँ देखूं वहां तू का तू कहें कबीर सुनो भाई साधो गुरु मिला हैं ज्यों का त्यों

Do you get the difference, o wise one! You should always do good deeds In flowers, branches, in this whole world wherever i look, i see you only you. In an elephant, you become an elephant In an ant, there is little you As Mahavat, you sit on top the driver is you only you With thieves you become a thief You are in scoundrels too You are the one who robs and runs The cop who nabs is you only you. With givers you become a giver You are among the paupers too! As a beggar you go begging The donor too is you only you! In man and woman only one resides Who in this world could call them two As a child, you start to cry The keeper is you only you In Water, Earth, Life you are present Wherever i look, you only you! Kabir says, listen sadhoos I have found a guru, as is, where is.