Nature

Innocently glowing, valiantly beautiful,
The flower is standing graciously alone,
If it could, it would,
Like to adorn a damsel’s hairs,
If the strength and tenderness of its petals is not seen,
What can it do?
It can only let its fragrance blow,
Because its nature is to bloom and glow

The vast expanding hills,
Carrying yellow sunflower fields in its lap,
If it could, it would,
Like to be explored and played upon,
If the raw beauty of its big boulders and scattered trees is not seen,
What can it do?
It can only be sturdy and vast,
Because its nature is to stand stout and tall

The openness of sky, the warmth of sun,
The isolation of broken walls and naturalness of the fields,
Invites and kindles the fire of unquenched love,
If it could, it would,
Like to silent that thirst forever,
If it doesn’t find a union,
What can it do?
It can only remain mute and beseech,
Because its nature is to yearn for total freedom and release

True Soldier

Running indefatigably, toiling hard
Knocking obstacles, marching ahead
One more victory, countless others won
Yet the smile of success eludes you
What’s the matter Soldier, my dear pal?

Not knowing day from night,
Ever looking ahead to grab one more fight
Occupied with nothing else but war
Strategizing, manipulating, doing everything to reach the top
Yet the glow of contentment seems miles apart,
What’s the matter Soldier, my dear pal?

Dear ones have waited patiently
For you to bring security, love and goodies to feast on,
You promised to get all these,
Yet that day never comes, as the time goes on,
What’s the matter Soldier, my dear pal?

Is it that you forgot to look at the little flower, shining in all its colors?
And cared not to wet your feet in the cool currents of the singing stream?
Is it that you ignored the milestones and didn’t rest in the knowledge that,
How far have you arrived overcoming all the odds?
Is it that the lure of distant peak, made you blind,
To the sparkling light dancing in your backyard?
Is it that you are afraid to let yourself loose?
And cry over the wonders of beauty, for its innocence, simplicity and charm?

You need not reply, just pause and ponder
I am with you, as I have always been
Listen to me and get that lost meaning,
To go ahead and fight afresh,
Just for the sheer pleasure of it all,
Rise now and become a true hero,
You are a soldier after all!

Review of Girish Karnad's Play "Bikhare Bimb"

This is a very famous play written and directed by Girish Karnad originally in Kannada version as ‘Odakalu Bimba’ and later translated in Hindi as ‘Bikhare Bimb” and in English as ‘Broken Images’. This is a solo actor play and the Hindi version was enacted by Arundhati Nag. This is my impression of the 50th show of 'Bikhare bimb' at Rangashankara on 18-04-2010;

Theme: The play delves into deeper issues of identity crisis of an artist, the reality and fiction element in the creation, the genuineness of the art, the conflict between depicting the common life around the artist in all its colours and the pull to craft the art so as to serve the global audiences.

Script: The script has been translated from the original Kannada version. The translation in Hindi is done aptly. The Hindi used in the translation comes closer to literary form and is in keeping with the style and seriousness of the play. The script has also been given contemporary feel by giving the characters the modern occupations and portraying its changing patterns and demands.

Stage design: The stage was designed in a simple manner. Only the necessary items giving an impression of a TV recording room were there. The TV set displaying the inner self of the protagonist (Manjula Nayak) was placed in a side so that the centre of the stage could be occupied by the protagonist and her movements.

Acting: This is a solo actor play though the script has many characters in it. Well, needless to say that Arundhati Nag, as the protagonist ‘Manjula Nayak’, does full justice to the character. She feels confident in the role and brings out emotions, conflict, fear and frustration nicely. In fact, she plays out the vacuum in Manjula’s married life in a very nuanced and natural manner. However, (though this is a very minor error but just pointing it out for the sake of perfection), she doesn't pronounce the hindi word "Srijansheelta" correctly. She pronounces the letter "Ree" as "Ru".

During the dialogue with her inner self, the protagonist’s inner self forces her to get in touch with her psychological self -to see the boredom in her routine life, to honestly probe her prejudices and shortcomings. It also makes her look at her marriage through a different lens -to discover the issues of trust, understanding and physical chemistry in more subtle manner.

It is challenging to touch such varied and complex issues, let alone dissect and discuss it. Nevertheless, the play accomplishes this feet by maintaining its rhythm through tight script, apt language, sensitive portrayal by the actor (Arundhati Nag) and through close coordination of lighting and televised recording.

Exhaustion

How many times will I have to undergo such pangs of existence? What sort of cruel restraint it is when you feel like dying and are not able to cry for help.

So much have I suffered to say you goodbye (which is like parting with my own self). I just wanted to test whether I really loved? How deep this love was? What strength did it have? I have burnt, have consumed my entire self in the fire of that union.

I am afraid of myself. I am afraid of those experiences, the separation without union, the desertion forever. I don't have capacity to go on like this, when my beloved is away from my field of existence.

O love, if I have truly loved, if I have truly burnt, then please liberate me. Save me, engulf me, my lovely love. I love you too much. I love you so much that I cannot even express it.

The love that I carry is immortal.

Go, but this love will keep me alive and the day will come when this existence will be burnt to ashes at the altar of your being, O my love!

Darkness

Have you ever seen darkness? All impending, trembling, shaking itself?

How to say? how to make you reveal that I have seen - those pangs, the constant struggle through it, the continuous search for a ray of light - which is hope.

I didn't know that cruelty is so cruel. I am going to give up, you hear? - I will! cause, I am not able to muster enough strength for standing here.

Love? you know?- how have I been into this word and after all that what I find is sheer emptiness. Love to whom? for what? If you are you and I am I, how can we love? What does it mean to love?

It is so incomprehensible and I have given up. You hear? - I have given up.

I will be lost dear. O friend! I will be lost and along with that- this friendliness.

Thanks, thanks a lot for letting me cry, holding you my dear.

Watch

O love!-be joyous.

I love you silently. Sweet beauty, you are full of energy. Fly and flow, never to stagnate.

And I will just see you running, will see you playing and dancing unhindered.

Lovely love, I carry your memories and cry alone for reasons unknown.

Who are you? - who has held me in such an unbreakable bond?

जीवन

जीवन यदि प्राची से उदित दिवाकर की आभायुक्त रश्मियों की भांति लालिमा युक्त व उद्भासित है, वहीं तुषार के धुंधलके में छिपा कोई रहस्यात्मक आवरण है.

जीवन की विभिन्न अनुभूतियाँ मनुष्य के अन्तरतर में विभिन्न रंगों का प्रवाह उसी प्रकार कराती हैं यथा विभिन्न रंग विन्यासों में अंकित कोई चित्र विभिन्न कोणों से भिन्न भिन्न बिम्बों को धारण करता है!

तलाश

यद्यपि जानता हूँ कि संवेदनाओं के प्रभाव छेत्र (Domain) में ,
अनुभूतियों के परास (Range) का वृहत (Universal) समुच्चय (Set) हूँ मैं,
फिर भी कौन सी अंतहीन गवेषणा (Search) है? - पता नहीं,
खुद में सार्थक व्यक्तित्व की तलाश है मुझे!

स्वर्ग

काश ऐसा होता!
काश ऐसा होता,
प्रातः उदित सूर्य की रश्मियों का प्रथम सुखद स्पर्श,
उसी ताजगी के साथ दिन भर हमारे साथ रहता,
रात्रि के चन्द्रमा का धीमा, पीत, शीतल प्रकाश,
हमारी शय्या का बिछावन बन हमें लपेटे रहता,
नव कुसुमित पुष्पों का उत्साहपूर्ण स्मित अपनी निश्छलता
और पवित्रता के साथ हमारे अधरों पर खेलता,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि जीवन की लम्बी यात्रा में गंतव्य को न जानते हुए भी,
फिर भी चलना तो है ही, अतः हम मस्तमौला पथिक की भांति,
संशय, हताशा, भय, अवसाद छोड़ प्रतिपल आनंदित गतिमान रहते,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि कभी न ख़त्म होने वाली हमारी इच्छाएं इतनी छोटी व सरल हो जातीं,
कि उनकी तुष्टि असंभव न रहती,
संतोष रुपी धन का धैर्यपूर्वक कोष सदैव हमारे साथ रहता,
जिससे हम अविचलित, अनुद्द्हत, संतुष्ट व सुखी होते,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि असफलताओं की पीड़ा हमें चोटिल नहीं करती,
सफलताओं की प्राप्ति हमें अकेला नहीं करती,
हम सफलता, असफलता से परे होकर शुद्ध खेल भावना से प्रेरित,
एक साथ मिलकर सफल होते,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि हमारे कदम एक साथ बढ़ते,
हमारी प्रवृत्तियां - स्वस्थ, सुन्दर व सुखकारी होतीं,
तथा हमारी एकता अखंडित रहती,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि निर्धनता का क्रूर दैत्य सदैव के लिए नष्ट हो जाता,
सम्पन्नता व समानता का सावन का मेघ गरज कर बरस पड़ता,
और सुख की जीवनदायिनी सरिता आनंद के महासागर में समा जाती,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
कि हमारा अहम् इतना व्यापक होता जो सब कुछ स्वयं में समाहित कर ले,
अथवा इतना सरल कि गलित होकर स्वयं को पूर्णतया विस्मृत कर दे,
सौंदर्य का दर्शन मात्र आकर्षण न होकर,
हमें पूर्णतया बींधकर सदैव आलोकित कर देता,
काश ऐसा होता!

काश ऐसा होता,
काश ऐसा ही होता,
काश ये सब कुछ होता,
तो क्या ऐसे सुन्दर, सलोने, सुखद व सुरक्षित स्वपन को ही हम स्वर्ग नहीं कहेंगे?