एक मुद्दत से तमन्ना थी जिसे कहने की,
बात वो अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम,
ज़िंदा हैं अश्क़ अब भी जो बहाये मैंने,
मैं उन अश्कों मैं कभी बह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
याद आएँगी मुझे खामोश ओ मजबूर रातें,
अपने ही आप से मैं करता रहा था बातें
सोचा था अब तेरे दीदार को ना तरसूँगा कभी
जो न मुझे मिल सका उस प्यार को ना तरसूँगा कभी
सोच कर फिर वही मायूस सा हो कर सोचा
बिन तुम्हारे मैं रह भी ना पायूँगा सनम
वो बात अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
मेरे बारे में कभी तुमने भी ये सोचा होगा
ये भी एक और दीवाना है दीवानो की तरह
मैं जो रौशन हूँ सियाह रात में शमा की तरह
मेरा परवाना है यह भी परवानो की तरह
सोच कर तूने इतना तो सोचा होता:
इतने सितम मैं सह भी ना पायूँगा सनम
वो बात अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
खुद को मुझसे इतना भी ना तू दूर समझ
अपने परवाने को इतना भी ना मजबूर समझ
मैं अगर चाहूँ तो इतनी भी है ताक़त मुझ में:
याद को तेरी मैं इक तू ही बना सकता हूँ
इक तो तू है जो मेरी हर बात को समझे वहशत
अपनी तू को मैं हर इक बात सुना सकता हूँ
तुझको सजाना चाहूँ तो ज़ुल्फ़ भी छूने नहीं दे
अपने अरमानो से तेरा हर अंग सजा सकता हूँ
गम नहीं अब जो तू लाख भी रूठे मुझसे
अपनी तू को मैं जब चाहे मना सकता हूँ I
(Pic courtesy: www.dreamtime.com)
Ek muddat se tamanna thi jise kehane ki,
Baat wo ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam,
Zinda hain ashq ab bhi jo bahaaye maine,
Main un ashqon main kabhi beh nahin paayunga sanam.
Yaad aayengi mujhe khaamosh o majbuur raaten
Apane hi aap se main karta raha tha baaten
Socha tha ab tere deedaar ko naa tarsuunga kabhi,
Jo naa mile mil saka us pyaar ko naa tarsuunga kabhi.
Soch kar phir wohi mayuus saa ho kar socha:
Bin tumhaare main reh bhi naa paayunga sanam,
Wo baat ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam.
Mere bare mein tum ne bhi ye socha hoga,
Yeh bhi ik aur deewana hai deewano ki tarah;
Main jo raushan hoon siyaah raat ki shamaa ki tarah,
Mera parwaana hai yeh bhi parwaano ki tarah.
Soch kar tune itana to socha hota,
Itane sitm main she bhi naa paayunga sanam,
Wo baat ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam.
Khud ko mujh se itana bhi naa tu door samajh,
Apane parwaane ko itana bhi naa majbuur samajh.
Main agar chaahun to itani bhi hai taaqat mujh mein,
Yaad ko teri main ik tu hi bana sakata hoon.
Ik to tu hai jo meri har baat ko samajhe vehshat,
Apani us tu ko main har ik baat suna sakata hoon.
Tujhako sjaana chaahun to zulf bhi chhune nahin de,
Apane armaano mein tera har ang saja sakata hoon.
Gam nahin ab jo agar laakh bhi roothe mujh se,
Aapni tu ko main jab chaahe manaa sakata hoon.
Why do we sometimes cry listening to our favourite old songs?
Last night, I got the desire to see 1952 iconic movie Baiju Bawra after five decades. As each song was played from ‘Jhule mein pawan ke aayi bahaar’ as Gauri and Baiju grow up, to ‘Tu Ganga ki mauj’, ‘Door koi gaaye’, ‘Insaan bano’, Bachpan ki mohabbat ko, ‘Mujhe bhool gaye saanwariya’, ‘Man tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj’ and ‘O duniya ke rakhwaale’; I felt the eyes and heart becoming more and more moist.
Why do we cry? Oh, I will give anything to have those movies and songs again; flute was an essential instrument, there was simplicity, there was innocence and there was as Badshaah Akbar said in the movie: Azmat!
I was thrillrd to see that credits to Ustaad Amir Khan and DV Paluskar ranked ahead of playback singers Rafi, Lata and Shamshad Begum.
Why do we cry?
Does anyone have the answer? Well, I posed this question in my Facebook Group ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne’ (I had to make this group when in the last group ‘Dil Ki Nazar Se’ people started putting up frivolous posts. All my groups, on the other hand, are based on the principle of mutual-learning than merely groups for entertainment and socialising). Here are the responses from some of my friends on the group.
1. Nitin Shringarpure “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of Powerful feelings. It takes its origins from the emotions recollected in tranquillity” William Wordsworth, “Same is the thing with crying”.
2. Surekha Saini Well my reason for crying is a bit stupid. ..when I listen to these songs I start relating myself to the character n feel the same pain through lyrics n music the character must be feeling in that situation. …n I cry every time when I listen to. .Mann tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj…and..O duniyaa ke rakh wale. ..from my childhood so no chance of memories related to the songs…I mentioned both poetry n music. ..as a child I used to cry with no reason but now its lyrics n poetry n of course singing. ..n if I relate myself to the character means movie n the storyline come naturally. ..until I understand the film thoroughly how can I relate myself to the character. …actually mera dil mere dimag se jyada kaam karta hai. …
3. Raj Dutta When ever our Soul wishes to have a bath…it takes the body and the brain though a memory trip facilitated by sense organs mostly eyes and ears…the brain does some chemical locha and triggers and squeezes the tears ducts…moistening your eyes and sinuses…And lo the Soul is fresh again…sentimentally and temperamentally formatted…But my late eldest Tayyaji never wept even on the demise of his near and dear ones…When I once asked him the reason He in a shayrana andaz said, “Bahut roya hoon Ghame zindagi mein, Ab toh ansuon ne bhi mujhe bhula diya hai”…He had taken part in WW II.
Raj Dutta then put up a Pakistani song by Rahim Shah to explain this:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KyHanHl5X30%3F
This only means one thing that the very songs that we rued kept us away from storyline and “avoidable” at that time when we used to see movies as children and teenagers, are actually the most wonderful memories of the movies of that time. And remember how we used to compare with Hollywood matter-of-fact, “professionally made” “no nonsense and no songs” movies?
There is no better way to express emotions than through poetry.
Tears are also seen as a ‘release’ of emotions. Indeed, at deep and traumatic shocks, the docs get worried if the affected person does not cry. There are many theories about crying. One lovely one was given to us by Mukesh through Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal in 1967 movie Milan:
Mubaarak ho sab ko samaa ye suhaanaa mai.n khush huu.N mere aa.Nsuo.n pe na jaanaa mai.n to diivaanaa diivaanaa diivaanaa – 2
Hazaaro.n tarah ke ye hote hai.n aa.Nsuu agar dil me.n Gam ho to rote hai.n aa.Nsuu khushii me.n bhii aa.Nkhe.n bhigote hai.n aa.Nsuu inhe.n jaan sakataa nahii.n ye zamaanaa mai.n khush huu.N mere aa.Nsuo.n pe na jaanaa mai.n to diivaanaa diivaanaa diivaanaa – 2
The other is the 1964 movie Hamrahi song put together by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shankar Jaikishen and Rafi for Rajendra Kumar:
Ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
mai.n ro_uu.N to ro de.n aa.Nsuu
mai.n ha.Ns duu.N to ha.Ns de.n aa.Nsuu
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
Aa.Nkh se Tapakii jo chi.ngaarii, har aa.Nsuu me.n chhabii tumhaarii
chiir ke mere dil ko dekho, bahate lahuu me.n priit tumhaarii
ye jiivan jaise sulagaa tuufaan hai
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil ki zubaan hai.n -2
mai.n ro_uu.N to ro de.n aa.Nsuu
mai.n ha.Ns duu.N to ha.Ns de.n aa.Nsuu
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
So then why did the eyes start becoming moist with the very first song: Jhule mein pawan ke aayi bahaar even though the song is nice, happy and romantic song in the movie Baiju Bawra?
Here are the responses:
Ritu Soni I cry sometimes because I connect with the lyrics and music to a very emotional and personal level and sometimes I cry as I feel where all this has gone.. The simple beautiful people and life.
Manju Saigal Mittal Tears r just an expression of emotion I think!
Surekha Saini Ravi ji. …its not necessary that u cry only when you feel sad or hurt…Hum log jab anandit hote hain tab bhi to aankhe chhalakti hain. …Ab main. ..Mann tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj. ..pe kyon roti hun….may be its my desire to see God…reason for crying while listening to a song varies person to person. ..
Vipan Kohli Much has been written by Surekha ji Raj Ritu Soni and Nitin Shingarpure about tears. Here’s Hindi poem on tears. I don’t know who wrote it but it appealed to me the moment I read it.
आंसू छंद नहीं होते हैं आंसू नियम नहीं होते हैं
भावों की अनुभूति है आंसू, कभी ख़ुशी कभी गम होते हैं.. मैंने देखे सुख के आंसू, हंसते गाते झिलमिल आंसू
दुःख मे भी देखे हैं आंसू, दर्द भरे रोते से आंसू.. हुई बिदाई जब बिटिया की, छलक पड़े आँखों से आंसू
गौरव के पल आने पर भी, बह निकले आँखों से आंसू.. कभी किसी की मृत्यु हुई जब, बरबस बहते देखे आँसू
खुशियों के अवसर पर भी तो, रुक न सके आँखों मे आंसू.. दरिया कभी बनाते हैं आंसू, मोती सम पलकों मे आंसू
जार-जार रोते हैं आंसू, बार-बार आते हैं आंसू.. दिल ने जब भी रोना चाहा, सुख गए आँखों के आंसू
प्यार जहां इनको मिल पाया, छलक गये आँखों से आंसू.. सुख में भी आँखों मे आंसू, सूरदास के बहते आंसू
ऊँच -नीच का भेद न करते, नर-नारी के आते आंसू.. प्रियतम की चाहत है आंसू, माँ नयनो मे ममता आंसू भाई बहन का प्यार हैं आंसू, जीवन का श्रृंगार है आंसू..
At this stage, Amit Lambah and Maj Vishwas Mandloi took opportunity to post some Aansu songs (the group is meant for that) such as:
“Teri aankh kay aansoo pii jaoon aisi meri taqdeer kahan”
“Tukde hain mere dil kay aye yaar tere aansoon, dekhey nahin jaate hain dildaar tere aansoo.”
“Rona kabhi nahi rona …chahe toot jaye koyi khilona”
I, therefore, realised that whilst I was looking for reasons as to why does one cry listening to old favourites, everyone has own reasons for the same. This thought itself was covered so nicely by Sahir Ludhianvi (I regard this as his best) in the 1961 Hum Dono’s most beautiful song:
कभी ख़ुद पे, कभी हालात पे रोना आया
बात निकली, तो हर इक बात पे रोना आया
हम तो समझे थे कि हम भूल गए हैं उनको
क्या हुआ आज, ये किस बात पे रोना आया
किस लिये जीते हैं हम किसके लिये जीते हैं
बारहा ऐसे सवालात पे रोना आया
कौन रोता है किसी और की ख़ातिर ऐ दोस्त
सबको अपनी ही किसी बात पे रोना आया
Vipan Kohli, at this stage, put up a most beautiful Punjabi song by Jimmy Shergil: Rona Chadita Mahi Mahi
Raj Dutta wasn’t to be left behind and put up: Aaj bahut roya main….
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qqd4RyezpP0%3F
Here is a moistening of eyes of different nature as a tribute to all my friends on YKDN: Yaaro mera saath nibhaao roz aisi mehfil kahan:
rahe na kuch aaj sab luta do
dilo me jitna hai pyar baki
rahe na kuch aaj sab luta do
dilo me jitna hai pyar baki
rang ho jitne bhi yahi saja do
hogi na kal ye bahar baki
hasi ke chirag jalao ho gayi raat jawan
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
yaro mera sath nibao roj aisi mahfil kaha
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
kisi liye koi luta to gham kya
jine ko ek ye khushi bahut hai
kisi liye koi luta to gham kya
jine ko ek ye khushi bahut hai
mile na mile ek sanam ki bahe
mujhe tumhari basti basti bahut hai
dekho aise dur na jao pyar ka yahi hai sama
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
yaro mera sath nibao roj aisi mahfil kaha
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
aao hase itna aao hase itna
And since it was the death anniversary of Talat Mehmood and since Patita is the movie of the title song of the group, I put up one more reason why aansu jhalak jaate hain.
Please enjoy: Hain sabase madhur woh geet jinhe…
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत जिन्हें, हम ददर् के सुर में गाते हैं
जब हद से गुज़र जाती है खुशी, आँसू भी छलकते आते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत
(पहलू में पराये दर्द बसाके, हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तू हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा ) – २
तूफ़ान से कह दे घिर के उठे, हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
(काँटों में खिले हैं फूल हमारे, रंग भरे अरमानों के
रंग भरे अरमानों के ) – २
नादान हैं जो इन काँटों से, दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
(जब ग़म का अन्धेरा घिर आये, समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं
समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं ) – २
हर रात की है सौगात यही, तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
HAIN SABSE MADHUR WO GEET -TALAT MEHMOOD…
Manik Lakhkar Chava Awwww…. long discussion. Ravi, there is and can not be any remote control. One feels like crying… aansu bahane dijiye. Cry for some one with some one… the drop of pearls are too valuable…. for you, me for every one.
Evani Leela Aansoo aanaa matlab aatma parmatma ko chu rahi hai. Jab dil se dil ke taar juDte hain to jo bridge banta hai, wohi aansoo hote hain. Jab koi drishya dekha, kuch suna, kuch mehsoos kiya, kisi ki uaad aayi, koi kitab yaa kahani paDhi to aanssoo bhi chalakte hain, muskaan bhi khilti hai. Inn donon par jab sanyam nahin hai to samjho hum uss paramatma ke kareeb hain.
Evani Leela Phoolon ki khushboo bhi aapko rulasakti hai khushi se, bachon ki kilkaari bhi rulasakti hai. Manik Lakhkar Chava se poochiye jab humne inki poti par geet post kiye to kyon royi. Humne jab anniversary lar geet post kiye to kyon aansoo chalke?
Evani Leela Aansoo aur muskaan donon par jab hamara vash na rahe to hum saamne wale ke dil ke ander samaa gaye. Isi liye jab geetkaar ke shabd humen rulate hain to iska matlab hai, woh geetkaar hamare dil mein ufar gaya aur usne woh kaha jo hum khud kehna chahte the. Jab woh shabd hum tak pahunchte hain to hamare dil ke taaron mein jhankaar hoti hai. Wohi niyam sangeet ke liye bhi laagoo hota hai.
Amit Lambah “Jo hamne dastaan apni sunayii aap kyon roye….hamara dard o gham hai yeh issay kyon aap sehte hain, yeh kyun aansoo hamare aapki aankhon se behte hain….. qayamat aapke ashkon ne dhayi aap kyon roye .jo hamne dastaan aoni sunayi…..naa yeh ansoin rukke to dekhiye phir hum bhi ro denge, hum apne ansoo on mein chaand taaron ko dubbo denge, fanaah ho jayegi saari khudaayi aap kyon roye…
Evani Leela Maine ek baar ek choti si kahaani paDhi thi, jismein do sceintist shukr grah par pahunchte hainn wahan par ek hi praani dikha jo ek talab mein tair raha tha. Use ek sceintist ne dekha aur use chune ki koshish ki.par woh haath na aakar door door tairta …See More
This started another round of Aansu songs with Vipan Kohli suggesting that we have a Flash Fest on Aansu
Maj Vishwas Mandloi Jo hamne dastaan apni sunayi … aap kyu roye …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf3RhMt_ljU
I reminded them that the other day Surekha Saini commented how at one time she was jealous of my comments on Evani Leela’s posts and comments.
“Now, take this post itself. All of us, in answer to the question ‘Why Do We Cry With Our Favourite Songs?‘ thought of this as an oopurtunity to put up Aansu songs. Some even suggested that we have an Aansu Fest here itself. Not Evani Leela. She responded with ‘dil se’ (something that she does in all her posts and comments, beautifully and brilliantly, in the wee hours of the morning after all the dust had settled down, as to why do we cry.
Now, you will understand, brothers and sisters, this special relationship of not just brother and sister but of love, dard, empathy, and emotions. I remember the time about two years back when her description of a song would be one or two words: eg, Song#1 and the first word of the song such as Aansu. However, I saw in her someone special, someone who feels deeply. The result is for all of you to see.
Evani Leela came up with a gem, at this stage that Aansu and Muskaan are two sides of the same coin. In her own words: “Maine yehi mehsoos kiya ki aansoo aur muskaan sikke ke do pehlu hain. Kisi bhi tarf dekgo sikke ki value kum nahin hoti. Haan yeh baat alag hai ki humari aankhen num hon to tapasya doosron ke aansoo pee saken to paramatma ka vardaan.
She put up a beautiful song by Shailendra from the 1959 Raj Kapoor Movie Anadi:
किसी की मुस्कुराहटों पे हो निसार
किसीका दर्द मिल सके तो ले उधार
किसीके वास्ते हो तेरे दिल में प्यार
जीना इसी का नाम है
किसी की …
(माना अपनी जेब से फ़कीर हैं
फिर भी यारों दिल के हम अमीर हैं ) – (२)
मिटे जो प्यार के लिये वो ज़िन्दगी
जले बहार के लिये वो ज़िन्दगी
किसी को हो न हो हमें तो ऐतबार
जीना इसी का नाम है
(रिश्ता दिल से दिल के ऐतबार का
ज़िन्दा है हमीं से नाम प्यार का ) – (२)
के मर के भी किसी को याद आयेंगे
किसी के आँसुओं में मुस्कुरायेंगे
कहेगा फूल हर कली से बार बार
जीना इसी का नाम है
So, ultimsately, I had dozens of excellent replies as to why do we cry when we listen to old favourite songs.
We feel for the era gone by: our own as well as the era of the song, we feel for the Lyricists, Music Directors, Singers and Actors of those movies. We relive their emotions. We are touched by the simplicity and innocence in people as there used to be (Read: Hindi Songs And The Age of Innocence). There are many valid reasons.
I think, there is one more reason; and that is the great longing to belong (both emotionally and poetically) and call something one’s own: my own thoughts with which I relate to others who have similar (if not identical thoughts); someone who can understand my state of mind; something that I can call my own.
I am past sixty years of age now. And yet, at the end of six decades of going through this world, are friends my own? No. Are relatives my own? No. Are my children I can call my own? No. Is there something I can call my own? Hardly. Songs and poetry are something that helped me build my own private world. I cry when I am reminded of this world, however small, where I was I and I am still I
I was in school when Trini Lopez’s number by the name What Have I Got Of My Own? was released. I later heard the song from pop-singer Ajit during Summer Festival in Shimla.
The lyrics of the song went like this:
What have I got of my own, my own?
What have I got of my own?
The castles I build when I lie in the sand,
Belong to a king in a fairy tale land.
The treasures I find, when I dream in my sleep,
Are gone in the dawn. not a thjng I can keep.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
The stars all belong high in heaven above.
My heart belongs to the one that I love.
The rivers that flow all belong to the sea.
What have I got that belongs to me?
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
I hope someday before too long
My heart will sing a happy song.
I’m tired of being lonely, unhappy and sad.
I wanna have the things that other men have.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
Solo interlude
If I could choose one thing forever to hold,
I know I would never choose diamonds or gold.
Just give me one true love to be mine alone,
Then I’ll have all the things of my own, my own.
What have I got of my own?
I was embarking on my journey through life and hence everything appeared within reach, everything was to be owned, to belong.
Four and half decades later, I am not too sure if anything at all belongs to me. Of course religion and scriptures tell me that finally when we go, we don’t take anything with us. And yet, there is this innate desire to own, to possess, to relate to; to be a little more precious than a speck of dust.
My own.
What have I got of my own?
I cry when I realise that just like Baiju Bawra, Naushad, Shakeel and Rafi; everything will pass away and even the memories would get blurred. As Shakeel, Naushad and Rafi voiced in the 1948 movie Mela:
ये ज़िंदगी के मेले, दुनिया में कम न होंगे
अफ़सोस हम न होंगे
इक दिन पड़ेगा जाना, क्या वक़्त, क्या ज़माना
कोई न साथ देगा, सब कुछ यहीं रहेगा
जाएंगे हम अकेले, ये ज़िंदगी …
दुनिया है मौज-ए-दरिया, क़तरे की ज़िंदगी क्या
पानी में मिल के पानी, अंजाम ये के पानी
दम भर को सांस ले ले, ये ज़िंदगी …
होंगी यही बहारें, उल्फ़त की यादगारें
बिगड़ेगी और चलेगी, दुनिया यही रहेगी
होंगे यही झमेले, ये ज़िंदगी …
These personalities are still being remembered at least by some one like me who relives their and my own era through their songs.
Who would ever think of me….. a katra (drop of water) in the river?
This article is in good humour and not a punch below the belt. Some of my very good friends have been at one time or the other posted to the Personnel Branch. Read on.
This article is a tribute to the Personnel Branch guys in the Naval Headquarters; the demi-gods and gods. If the Army and Air Force friends and even civilians see some similarity with what they have, it is not just coincidental; it must be universal. Post retirement from the Navy, I am working in a corporate now and I can assure you the HR guys here are the all powerful, sought after, God’s own people and creme de la crème.
Their reasoning appears to us a little cockeyed (since we are not used to it). But, there is always method in their madness. For example, lets say you are looking for a transfer out of Vizag. The correct approach with your appointer (it never fails) would be: “Sir, just called to thank you for sending me to Vizag. We have just moved into ‘A’ type accommodation, children have finally been admitted to Timpany School after many years of waiting, and wife has found a job. I was wondering if you would keep me here for a few more years….” By the end of the day, your transfer orders, by signal would be issued.
These guys are full of empathy. Indeed, they would never have been appointed in the Personnel Branch if they hadn’t displayed this trait somewhere or the other. In the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy, most of them were (during my time in the Navy) from the Navigation and Direction branch since ’empathy’ requires great navigational and directional skills. Just to give an example, in May 1984, my father died at the age of 56 years in a jeep accident. So, I sought a transfer closer home, ie, New Delhi itself. I wrote to my appointer and since they advertise it ad-infinitum, called on him in his office in Naval Headquarters. He responded with great empathy that he felt for me. And then he added with greater empathy (for his branch type, that is) that his analysis showed that 57.67 per cent officers lost one or the other parent at my age and that if Naval Headquarters were to transfer all of them to New Delhi, it would be like opening an orphanage. Since then, I have never stopped marvelling at the first four letters of the word analysis.
(Organogram courtesy: indiannavy,nic.in)
It appears that the two great principles of life that P branch people follow as gospel truths are:
1. People can always learn on-job and anything at all. Hence, it won’t make any difference whether you put square pegs in round holes or vice-versa. P branch is like the other P business: Police, that is; the customer is always wrong.
2. No matter whatever wretched place you transfer people to, they will eventually get so used to it that they won’t like to be transferred out from the place they didn’t want to be transferred in to.
P branch people listen to so many stories that they become great story tellers themselves. The most efficient of them have five stories to tell for every one of yours. There was one who became the Chief of Personnel and he was a great story-teller. So, if you ever went to him telling how all hell had broken loose at your home or in the ship, he would, in great style, open his table-drawer, take out one of his self-published books named Stephen’s Violin or some other musical instrument. He would vouch for it that one reading and all your problems – whilst they may not go away – would become insignificant. The guy who told you how to get rid of your severe headache by hitting yourself hard on the toe with a hammer was certainly a P branch guy.
How can you make out a P branch guy? Do they have special insignia? No, nothing of that sort; they don’t need anything special; they are special. For one thing, they use the pronoun we in their speech very often; eg, “We are looking at your peculiar problem with your best interest in our mind. And soon (mentally thinking of one or two years), we will have it behind us (and then it becomes our successors’ problem!). Secondly, they are always invited for promotion (stripe-wetting) parties on two counts: one, they make it appear like they are somehow responsible for the poor guy’s promotion; and two, promotion entails transfer and it is in the hands of these worthies. So, keeping them in good humour at all times is the done thing.
A rough depiction of the HR processes followed by the P branch people (Pic courtesy: www.123rf.com)
Can you guess as to which is the word that they have adapted their life to? The word is called flux. So, they are very much in control if they can keep maximum people in a state of flux. Contented people don’t even remember God; however, discontented, dissatisfied, and distressed people remember their Maker and Appointer until the three d’s last. The P branch people, therefore, keep you thus until it becomes a habit with you to remember them. Do you remember the Jenson & Nicholson paints ad: whenever you see colour, think of us. It is the same with P branch people guys: whenever you are in __it, think of us.
What else do they do in Naval Headquarters other than keeping the entire naval community in a state of flux? Well, they attend meetings and conferences. So if you are in so much __it that you can’t breathe, and you are desperately phoning up your appointer, anticipating the nature of the __it you are in, he doesn’t take your call for the next several days, he being busy in a meeting or conference until the __it settles down on its own.
Your ship or establishment is down to barest minimum officers and now out of two that you have, one has been sent to Timbuktu, you don’t know how to sail your ship or run your establishment. You are desperately trying to raise ACOP (HRD) on phone but he is attending meetings or conferences or both in India or/and abroad. Finally, when you get to him after ten sunrises and sunsets, the very first thing that he tells you is this: “Oh, please don’t tell me about manpower shortages”; as if, being ACOP (HRD) the only reasonable thing to discuss with him would be the state of underwater hull or firing rates of ship’s main weapons.
The P branch Johnnies have perfected the art of poking fun at all and sundry. For almost four decades when I was in the Navy, year after year, a P branch team would visit the Commands and give presentations on ACRs or Annual Confidential Reports. Besides PJs on pen – pictures such as “He would go far; the farther the better”, they would bring out hilarious mismatches between the pen-pictures and PP (Promotion Potential) points or vice-versa. If you ever sat in the front few rows during these presentations, you had no choice but to laugh appreciatively lest they should notice your lack of enthusiasm at their brilliant humour and transfer you to Timbuktu or neglect giving you or your ship’s officers and sailors their due awards and honours. By the way, there is hardly any officer appointed to P branch who hasn’t conferred upon himself an award during his tough tenure.
Changing Personnel Policies as frequently as Imelda M used to change her shoes is part of the flux plan that I discussed earlier. The joke going around in P branch is that when a senior officer retires or is transferred from the branch, during his farewell party, they handover to him all his policies as a farewell gift.
Two anecdotes about them before I close. One, there was this Flight Commander on Himgiri who had always been writing his first choice of transfer as Port Blair knowing pretty well that that effectively kept him from being transferred there. One fine day his transfer actually came to Port Blair because his appointer – hold your breath – took pity on him. He cursed and cursed.
Then there was this case of Jaggi Bedi who was CO Ranvir at that time (he retired as a Vice Admiral and C-in-C West), attending a Combined Fleet party on Ganga in Kochi after a theatre level exercise. For about half an hour after the party started we bemoaned that no stewards came our way with either drinks or small-eats. JSB too was upset. But afterwards we noticed that a bevy of stewards stood around him with drinks and eats. We enquired from him the cause of this quick and welcome transformation. He said that having got fed up, he let it slip out that his next appointment, after handing over command of Ranvir, was to be DOP (Director of Personnel). And then the drinks and eats started flowing.
India is a nation of debates, discussions and controversies. Our news channels generate enough in a week to last us a few lifetimes. If you listen to a news hour debate anchored by Arnab Goswami, for example, you would conclude that he, by himself, can account for a major part of global-warming.
Religious controversies, however, are not just an Indian phenomenon; all over the world, religious fervour and fanaticism can result into tempers running high, killings and violence in the name of God and Religion. The more anyone would want to liberate the world from ritualistic adherence to religion, the more anyone would desire a world free from fundamentalist hydra-heads, the more these mushroom everywhere. Historically, when Mankind drifted away from God and Godliness, many right-minded saints, gurus and incarnations of God Himself descended on earth to show the right path to the people. However, it appears that the Devil is perhaps as strong and more wily than God that people easily become the followers of the former and require reminders, again and again, to align themselves with God.
The above were my first reactions on seeing the premiere of Harinder Sikka’s Nanak Shah Fakir on 16th April 2015 in PVR, Juhu, Mumbai; and the ban on the movie in Punjab engineered by SGPC (Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee) and a few other organisations ostensibly representing the best interests of Sikhs. Whilst discussing the ills of Kalyug over Satyug, Guru Nanak brought out that there is a great positive in Kakyug; which is that whilst in Satyug you required someone to pray for you, in Kalyug you are one to one with God. Nothing stands between you and God.
(Poster courtesy: www.nanakshahfakir.co.in)
SGPC and other organisations haven’t seen the writing on the wall if they feel that they are intermediaries between us and God. They are as much out of sync as various Hindu organisations including militant ones who tell you what is acceptable to Hindus. They don’t keep you intact because of common culture and love but because of threat of violence in case you don’t listen to them. Incidentally, Guru Nanak and the movie shunned violence but the modern protectors of our religion think nothing of keeping their flock together through threat of violence.
And, as I write this, Harinder Sikka after receiving directions from Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has decided to withdraw the movie for the time being even though he had earlier decided to go ahead with the release of the movie on 17th April with the above poster despite opposition from SGPC, DSGMC and Akal Takht mainly because portrayal of Sikh Gurus on the celluloid is not permitted. The movie has also been banned in UK bowing to the sentiments of the Sikh community.
I feel that Harinder Sikka and his team (Cast of Arif Zakaria (playing Mardana), Puneet Sikka (Harry’s daughter playing Guru Nanak’s elder sister Nanaki, Shraddha Kaul, Anurag Arora, Adil Hussain (playing landlord Rai Bular), Narendra Jha and Tom Alter; Music of Uttam Singh; Sound of Rosul Pookutty; and Cinematographer AK Bir) deserve to be congratulated for an outstanding movie on several counts.
Firstly, the idea behind the movie and its focus. I am convinced that Harry Sikka must have been chosen by God to take up such a project. Sri Guru Granth Sahib has a mention of such blessings showered by God on the chosen ones. The focus throughout the movie is on Guru Nanak and his teachings. There is no other side story; there is no attempt at direct teaching by the chronicler of the movie Mardana, for example or by the movie makers.
One of the examples of stunningly beautiful cinematography of the movie (Pic courtesy ibnlive.in.com)
Secondly, I like the anecdotes that have been selected from the life of Guru Nanak. These have been selected with an eye on their current relevance. Once again, rather than forcefully and imposingly preaching, these have been as gently brought out as we imagine Guru Nanak to be. There are, for example:
Guru Nanak as a young boy refusing to wear the holy thread Janeyu that every Hindu male is required to wear by religion. This was Guru Nanak’s first opposition to ritualistic adherence to religion rather than binding oneself with God.
Nanak selecting a friend and consort who was always booed as Marjana (Cursed to die) and calling him Mardana. Mardana, the rebab player, a Muslim, accompanies Guru Nanak wherever he goes and gives musical accompaniment to his raagas.
Nanak being sent by his father Mehta Kalu (Full name Kalyan Chand Das Bedi) with 20 rupees “to do business”. Nanak buys food with the money and distributes amongst saints and poor. When questioned by his father, he responds that he has done Sachcha Sauda or “True Business”. It would be sometime before his father would understand. The movie indeed brings out how Rai Bular, the local landlord and Nanak’s elder sister Bebe Nanaki were the first to have recognise divine qualities in him even when he was a boy.
Nanak selling baajra at Sultanpur Mandi and whilst emptying the bowls in buyers’ bags, getting stuck at the count of terah (13), since terah also means ‘yours’ (in this case God’s). A complaint is made against him to Daulat Khan Lodhi, employer of Nanaki’s husband, through whom the job was given to Nanak. But, when the gunny-bags of grains are counted, there is no discrepancy!
Nanak’s wedding with Sulakhani and the mature understanding relationship that he had with her. At the end of the movie, Guru Nanak, back from an Udaasi (travel) to spread the word of God, is seen leaning on the shoulders of their two sons, Sri Chand and Lakshmi Chand and telling them the simple essence of his teachings:
Vand Chhako: Share with others in need. Kirat karo: Earn or make a living honestly without fraud or exploitation. Naam Japna: Meditate on God’s name.
Nanak was thirty years old, in the year 1499 when he went to meditate and bathe beside the river Kali Bein (Black River), accompanied by Mardana. Mardana later discovered Nanak’s clothes on the bank but Nanak was missing. A search was mounted for him including divers sent by Daulat Khan but there was no success. Everyone, except Babe Nanaki, assumed that he had drowned. Three days later, Nanak emerged from the river alive. He had achieved Enlightenment and the locals started calling him Guru. The very first words that he uttered after his Enlightenment were: “Na koi Hindu; na koi Mussalman” (There is no Hindu; there is no Muslim). This led to his prime teaching: Ek Omkar, there is One God.
Soon after his Enlightenment, Guru Nanak, accompanied by Mardana, went on his first Udasi (travel) to Bengal, Assam and Manipur (Between the year 1500 to 1524, Guru Nanak undertook five Udaasis, covering a distance of more than 28000 kms, in all four directions, as far as Tibet, Ceylon, Kashmir, Baghdad, Mecca and Medina.
The movie brings out some remarkable anecdotes during the Udaasis. The incident of his having accepted the invitation of a low-caste artisan, Bhai Lallo and rejected that of the rich landlord Malik Bhago was well covered. When Malik Bhago was enraged, Guru Nanak asked for the two meals: one from Lallo’s house and one from Bhago’s. He produced milk from the former and blood from the latter. Thus, in his simple but clear way of teaching, he brought home the difference between honest work and exploitation in order to obtain riches.
The second anecdote very well covered was at Hasan Abdal, near Rawalpindi. Guru Nanak, Bhai Mardana and a congregation gathered at the foot if the hill, atop which a Muslim priest Bawa Wali Qandhari had established his dera next to the only source of water there. Since Guru Nanak’s congregation was thirsty, Guru Nanak sent Bhai Mardana to request Wali Qandhari to release water for them. The latter angrily turned down the plea. Mardana was asked by Guru Nanak to go up again and request for water. Reluctantly he did and Wali Qandhari derisively asked Mardana to tell Guru Nanak to directly appeal to his God for water. Guru Nanak then lifted a stone over sand, dug with his hands and produced water. Meanwhile Wali Qandhari’s pond began to dry. Enraged he launched a huge rock down the hill in order to crush Guru Nanak and his followers. When the hurling rock came charging towards Guru Nanak, he merely touched it with his hand and the rock stopped. Wali Qandhari witnessed this and suddenly realised that Guru Nanak was a messenger of God and he then fell at Guru’s feet. We all know that the spot of this miracle is marked by Gurudwara Panja Sahib.
My favourite incident of Guru Nanak’s Udaasis, accompanied by my favourite hymn, has been depicted so well in the movie that it left me stunned. The incident at Jagannath Puri, just before the annual rath yatra has Guru Nanak being invited for the Aarti at the temple.
The Guru visited the temple not to offer Aarti to Lord Krishna but to teach the people that the worship of God is superior to the worship of the deity. It was the evening time and the priests brought a salver full of many lighted lamps, flowers, incense and pearls and then all stood to offer the salver to their enshrined idol-god. The ceremony was called ‘Aarti’, a song of dedication. The high-priest invited the Guru to join in the god’s worship. The Guru did not join their service which enraged the priests. On being asked the reason the Guru explained that a wonderful serenade was being sung by nature before the invisible altar of God. The sun and the moon were the lamps, placed in the salver of the firmament and the fragrance wafted from the Malayan mountains was serving as incense. The Guru, therefore, instead of accepting the invitation of the high-priest to adore the idol, raised his eyes to the heaven and uttered the following Shabad as Aarti (Punjabi: Kaisi aarti hoy…)
“The sun and moon, O Lord, are thy lamps; the firmament
Thy salver; the orbs of the stars, the pearls enchased in it.
The perfume of the sandal is Thine incense; the wind is
Thy fan; all the forests are Thy flowers, O Lord of light.
What worship is this, O Waheguru (God)?
This hymn and the scene in the movie at the sea-shore are a powerful message against ritualistic observance of religion, meaningless and fruitless practices and institutions. Instead, one should directly be with God as a supplicant.
My favourite scene of the movie (Pic courtesy: www.sikhsiyasat.net)
If I have to sum up the movie in one word, I would call it outstanding. And yet, the movie has controversies about it. The media talks about “objectionable scenes in the movie” but no one has specifically brought out as to what is objectionable. So, we are left to wonder whether the so-called guardians of religion have their egos hurt that such a fine movie has been made not because of them, but, in spite of them. Guru Nanak cautioned us all against giving in to haume (I am); five centuries later, is it that the guardians of religion themselves are ruled by haume?
Secondly, doesn’t Guru Nanak belong to all of us surpassing the boundaries of religion? In which case, does our personal observance of his teachings have to be coloured by some intermediaries?
Whilst on this issue, and it is a very touchy issue, the very first utterance of Guru Nanak, after Enlightenment is that there is no Hindu and there is no Mussalman. Five centuries later, we are propagating that even Hindus and Sikhs are different! If that is indeed the case then who exactly is going to reform the religious practices of Hindus and Muslims that Guru Nanak had set out to do? Why is it that idol worshipping is as prevalent today as it was many centuries back? Why are even elections in our so-called democratic society fought on basis of castes that Guru Nanak sought to eradicate? I have visited many gurdwaras and the ritualistic practice of sukh-aasan of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Resting of SGGS for the night) would compete with the ritualistic aarti of Jagannath Puri that Guru Nanak was opposed to. If Guru Nanak was to be born again, he would surely tell that when his tenth successor Gobind Singh ordained, “Guru Granth ko maaniyo, pargat Guran ki deh” (“Consider the Granth as your Guru now onwards; wherever the Granth is present, the Guru is bodily present”), he meant the observance of the teachings contained in SGGS and not ritualistically following it as the flesh and body of the Gurus. Guru Nanak wrote about one fifth of the Shlokas in the SGGS and many of these bring out how to be a true Muslim or Hindu sans the rituals. Even in the movie, when Daulat Khan asks him to do the Namaaz with them, he joins. But, when he is told that although he sat with them, he hardly said the Namaaz; Guru Nanak brought out that even they didn’t do so since whilst their lips moved, their minds were elsewhere! Why do we forget all his teachings and observe religion in rituals only?
The other day someone asked me as to why the Sikhs (the word Sikh, to me, has much greater meaning than the narrow confines of religion that were, in any case, opposed by Guru Nanak himself. The word means “the taught” or learned or one who has gained consciousness through his true intellectual growth) have prospered and survived many centuries after the Gurus? My instant response was that the Sikh gurus lived with their people through adversity and kept the flock together through personal sacrifices and examples. A Sikh, therefore, finds his way out of any adversity, trials and tribulations. His faith in oneness of God makes him so brave that he can battle against totally hopeless situations and emerge a winner (the Battle of Saragarhi, for example, on 12 Sep 1897, had 21 Sikhs of 4th Battalion of Sikh Regiment under the British fighting against 10000 Afghans; read ‘Battle of Saragarhi‘ on Wikipedia recorded by the UN as the bravest battle in the world ). Who were the leaders after our Gurus who were fired by the same spirit of sacrifice and selflessness? The factionalism both in our religion and politics, in the current world, is to be seen to be believed. Most of it is based on haume.
One of the arguments against the movie, surprisingly, is that “sentiments of the Sikhs have been hurt”. I have brought out in a series of articles (For example, read: ‘Who Are The “People” Whose “Sentiments Need To Be Respected”‘ and ‘Whose God Is It Anyway?’) that people or mobs do not always have the best sense. If they did in history, for example, we didn’t require the likes of Guru Nanak to bring them to the right path. Lets not follow the edict blindly that Sikh Gurus cannot be depicted on-screen. First of all, as the makers have clarified no human being is represented as the Guru; he being depicted only through a computer graphic. Secondly, if hundreds and thousands of pictures and write-ups are available on the net, in the books, movies, and on the television, why only in the movie that these are not permitted? And, most importantly, the movie makers have taken no license to distort history; the events have been, to the best of my knowledge, brought out as historically recorded.
Guru Nanak was one voice against the social ills of his times. He was eminently successful but now we are back to square one. Now is the time when a movie such as Nanak Shah Fakir should be most welcome and seen by all classes and conditions of men and women everywhere. The region of Punjab that Guru Nanak was born in and lived in has the menace of drug-addiction amongst the youth. His teachings would be most relevant to such misguided elements. Religious fundamentalism has shown its ugly ahead in the world again and there is violence and killings in various parts of the world; just as it was Babar’s forces that unleashed unheard of violence in India that was depicted at the end of the movie. We need the teachings of Guru Nanak all over again. Greater part of India is once again in the grip of idol worshipping, corruption, intolerance and the like. We need a messenger of God like Guru Nanak to do away with the dhund (mist) of ignorance and bless the people with chaanan (Light).
So, rather than banning, opposing or protesting against Harry Sikka’s movie, we should ensure that as many people as possible should see it and profit from Guru Nanak’s messages of one God and oneness with God, no haume, no religious and caste divides, Vand Chhako, Kirat Karo and Naam Japna. As the makers of the movie have proclaimed, all proceeds from the sale of tickets would be used to further the teachings of Guru Nanak.
थक गया हूँ अब मैं ज़िन्दगी के झमेले में
गुम हो गया हूँ सरापर दुनिया के मेले में
मेरा वजूद क्या है मेरी हक़ीक़त क्या है?
पूछता हूँ अपने आप से यह सवाल अकेले में.
कोई जवाब नहीं आता सब धुंधला दिखता है
कौडी के बदले यहाँ इंसान बिकता है,
क्या मैं भी ऐसी “इंसानियत” की शख्सियत हूँ?
जो हो गुनाहगार पर मासूम लिखता है?
मुझे याद है अब भी वह सुहाना बचपन
वह हंसना खेलना वह लापरवाह लड़कपन
ज़िन्दगी ढूँढ़ते ढूँढ़ते कभी सोचा ही न था
वही तो था ज़िन्दगी का खूबसूरत अपनापन.
ज़िन्दगी ने ला दिया अब उस मुकाम पे
जुर्माना लग गया है अब किसी भी आराम पे
कभी जिस्म थक गया है कभी दिमाग हुआ है बंजर
तरस आ रहा है दिल – ऐ – नाकाम पे.
काश किसी जगह मिल जाए इस दिल को सुकून
आँख बंद हो जाए सर्द हो जाए ये गर्म खून
सांस थम जाए उभरते जज़्बात खामोश हो जाएँ
क़त्ल हो जाए दिल ओ दिमाग का जूनून.
बहुत देख लिया बहुत सोच लिया बहुत जी लिया
ग़म का जाम सुबह शाम पी लिया
फरेब – ऐ – नज़र से हयात बेइत्मेनान है
कांपते होंठों को मैंने कस के सी लिया.
(Pic courtesy: insideechenrysbrain.typepad.com)
Thak gaya hoon ab main zindagi ke jhamele mein
Gum ho gaya hoon saraapar duniya ke mele mein
Mera wajood kya hai meri haqeeqat kya hai
Poochhta hoon apne aap se yeh sawaal akele mein.
Koi jawaab nahin aata sab dhundhla dikhta hai
Kaudi ke badle yahan insaan bikta hai,
Kya main bhi aisi “insaaniyat” ki shakhsiyat hoon?
Jo ho gunaahgaar par maasoom likhta hai?
Mujhe yaad hai ab bhi wo suhaana bachpan
Wo hansna khelna wo laaparwaah ladhakpan
Zindagi dhoondte dhoondte kabhi socha hi naa tha
Wohi to tha zindagi ka khoobsurat apnaapan.
Zindagi ne laa diya ab us mukaam pe
Jurmaana lag gaya hai ab kisi bhi aaraam pe
Kabhi jism thak gaya hai kabhi dimaag hua hai banjar
Taras aa raha hai dil-e-nakaam pe.
Kaash kisi jagah mil jaaye is dil ko sukoon
Aankh band ho jaaye sard ho jaaye yeh garm khoon
Saans tham jaaye ubharte jazbaat khaamosh ho jaayen
Qatl ho jaaye dil o dimaag kaa junoon.
Bahut dekh liya, bahut soch liya, bahut jee liya
Gham kaa jam subah sham pi liya
Fareb-e-nazar se hayaat beitmaynan hai
Kaampte hontho ko maine kas ke si liya.
Why do I shed tears, year after year, on the day of the death anniversary of Shakeel (the name means Handsome or Good Looking), today, 20th April? Is it because he died too young (Having been born on 3rd Aug 1916, he was only 53 when he died on this day in 1970)? I am not even well versed in Urdu, not even a hundredth of what he was and yet I pray to God that before I die I should be able to write at least a couplet as good as he wrote.
On the 10th of January this year I started a Facebook group ‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ primarily to air my devotion for him and some other Urdu poets. I regularly put up Shakeel’s poetry with meanings so that more and more people can savour his excellence. I call him the King of Irony since no one can write irony better than he did. Just one example:
Na milata gham to barbaadi ke afsaane kahan jaate? If there was to be no sorrow, where would odes of ruin find a place
Agar duniya chaman hoti to veeraane kahan jaate? If the world would be just a garden, where would deserts find a place
Chalo achha hua apano mein koi gair to nikala, It is good that amongst own people there was an outsider too
Agar hote sabhi apane to begaane kahan jaate? If all people were your own (in the world) where would strangers find a place
We were a slave nation for 31 years of his 53 that he walked on this earth. All his contemporaries wrote about social inequalities, poverty, slavery and the like. Shakeel wrote about Love, Mohabbat, Ishq, Wafa, Ulfat; it is as if he lived in a different world. In addition, his god faring nature ensured that he also wrote the finest Bhajans in Hindi movies.
Lets start the journey into his Ghazals. This is the first part; more to follow:
Ghazal #1
His most famous ghazal had Irony, Gham, Despondency and ruefulness in adequate measures; a ghazal made famous by Begum Akhtar, Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazals), though other vied to sing it too.
Please enjoy: Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya….
Aye Mohabbat Tere Anjaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa O love your outcome makes me cry
Jaane Kyun Aaj Tere Naam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Today I do not know why the mention of your name makes me cry
Youn To Har Shaam Ummidon Mein Guzar Jaati Hai As it is that every evening passed by in expectations
Aaj Kuch Baat Hai Jo Shaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Today something is there that the evening makes me cry
Kabhi Taqdeer Ka Maatam Kabhi Duniyaa Ka Gilaa Sometimes I grieve for my destiny, sometimes I blame the world
Manzil-e-Ishq Mein Har Gaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Every step I take towards the destination of love makes me cry
Mujh Pe Hi Khatam Huaa Silsila-e-nauhagari With me ended series of lamenting
Is Kadar Gardish-e-Ayyaam Pe Rona Aaya To this extent the vicissitudes of fortune made me cry
Jab Huaa Zikr Zamaane Mein Mohabbat Ka Shakeel When there was a discussion on love, worldwide, Shakeel
Mujh Ko Apne Dil-e-Naakaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa The futile struggles of my love made me cry
Ghazal #2
Another of his ghazals made immortal by Begum Akhtar had the same despondency, irony, sadness about it. Words melted into tears.
Please enjoy: Mere humnafas, mere humnuwa, mujhe dost ban ke daga na de….
Mere Humnafas, Mere Humnawaa, My soul-mate, my dearest friend
Mujhe Dost Ban Ke Dagaa Na De Do not be my friend and betray me
Main Hoon Dard-e-Ishq Se Jaan-Valab, The pain of love has left me lifeless
Mujhe Zindagi Ki Dua Na De Do not give to me the blessing of life
Main Gham-E-Jahan Se Nidhaal Hoon I am listless with the sorrow of life
Ke Saraapaa Dard-O-Malaal Hoon I am head to toe in the pain of grief
Jo Likhi Hai Mere Naseeb Mein What has been written in my fate
Wo Aalam Kisi Ko Khudaa Na De May God not grant to anyone this state
Na Ye Zindagi Meri Zindagi Neither this life is my life
Na Ye Daastaan Meri Daastaan Nor this story is my story
Main Khayaal O Weham Se Door Hoon From thoughts and fancies I am far away
Mujhe Aaj Koi Sadaa Na De May anyone not call me today
Mere Ghar Se Door Hain Raahatein Relief is distant from my home
Mujhe Dhoondhti Hain Musibatein Trouble has been searching for me
Mujhe Khauf Yeh Hai Ke Mera Pataa I am scared of this, that my address
Koi Gardishon Ko Bataa Na De May someone not reveal to my misfortunes
Mujhe Chhodd De Mere Haal Par, Let me please be on my own
Teraa Kyaa Bharosaa Hai Chaaragar How can I rely on you, O healer
Ye Teri Nawaazish-e-Mukhtasar, This inadequate favor of yours
Meraa Dard Aur Badhaa Na De May it not further aggravate my pain
Meraa Azm Itnaa Buland Hai My resolve is so sublime
Ke Paraaye Sholo-n Kaa Darr Nahin That the fire-bolts of others scare me not
Mujhe Khauf Aatish-e-Gul Se Hai, I fear the flare within the flower
Ye Kahin Chaman Ko Jalaa Na De May it not set the garden ablaze
Mere Daagh-e-Dil Se Hai Roshni, The scar of my love begets a radiance
Isi Roshni Se Hai Zindagi This radiance begets an existence
Mujhe Darr Hai Aye Mere Chaaragar, I am scared of this O healer of mine
Ye Chiraag Tu Hi Bujha Na De May you not yourself, blow out this lamp
Mera Chashm-E-Shauq Tera Bharam The desire in my eyes is a delusion for you
Rahe Umr Bhar Yoon Hi Taaza Dam Shall be fresh like this all of it’s life
Naa Pukaar Us Ko Ke Wo Sanam Do not call her or that darling of yours
Kahin Jal Ke Jalwa Dikha Na De May she not light up to display her splendour
Dar-E-Yaar Par Badi Dhoom Hai There is a big ruckus at the door of my lover
Wahi Aashiqon Ka Hujoom Hai That mob of her suitors has gathered there
Abhi Neend Aayi Hai Husn Ko My sweetheart has just now gone to sleep
Koi Shor Kar Ke Jagaa Na De By their noise they may not wake her up
Kabhi Jaam Lab Se Lagaa Diya Sometimes she takes the wine-cup to my lips
Kabhi Muskura Ke Hataa Diyaa Sometimes she smiles and takes it away
Teri Chedh Chaadh Aye Saaqiyaa This teasing of yours O bar-tender
Meri Tishnagi Ko Badhaa Na De May it not intensify my longing for you
Wo Uthein Hain Leke Khum-o-Suboo, She rises-up holding a cup of wine
Are Aye ‘Shakeel’ Kahaan Hai Tu Listen O Shakeel Where are you
Tera Jaam Lene Ko Bazm Mein To take away your cup of wine
Koi Aur Haath Badha Na De May Someone else not extend his hand
Ghazal #3
Whilst Beghum Akhtar sang some of his non-filmy ghazals, the best filmy ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni were sung by both Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. But, the fact is that they sang some of his non-filmy ghazals too.
Here is one of my favourites by Lata Mangeshkar: Aank se aankh milata hai koi…
Aa.Nkh se aa.Nkh milaataa hai ko_ii Someone is making his eyes rest on mine
Dil ko khii.Nche liye jaataa hai ko_ii Someone is tugging at my heart
Vaa-e-hairat ke bharii mahafil me.n Alas in this party full of wonder
Mujh ko tanhaa nazar aataa hai ko_ii
I find someone is alone
Sub.h ko KHunuk fanaa.oñ ki qasam I vow by the happy weather of the morning
Roz aa aa ke jagaata hai ko_ii Someone comes again and again to awaken me
Manzar-e-husn-e-do-aalam ke nisaar Offering of the spectacle of the beauty of two world
Mujh ko aa-iina dikhaataa hai ko_ii Someone his showing me the looking-glass
Chaahiye Khud pe yaqiin-e-kaamil One should have firm belief on oneself
Hausalaa kis kaa ba.Dhaataa hai ko_ii Who is there to provide encouragement?
Sab karishmaat-e-tasavvur hai “Shakeel” All are miracles of imagination, Shakeel
Varanaa aataa hai na jaataa hai ko_ii Else no one comes, no one goes
Ghazal #4
Another singer who added his name into the list of immortal ghazal singers was Talat Mehmood.
Here is he singing Shakeel’s famous ghazal: Meri zindagi hai zaalim tere gham se aashkara…
Merii zindagii hai zaalim, tere Gam se aashkaaraa My life is a manifestation of your sorrow, O tyrant Teraa Gam hai dar-haqiiqat mujhe zindagii se pyaaraa The truth is that your sorrow is dearer to me than my life
Vo agar buraa na maane to jahaa.N-e-rang-o-buu me.n If she won’t mind then in this world of colour and fragrance
Mai.n sukuun-e-dil kii Khaatir koii Dhuu.NDh luu.N sahaaraa May I search for support for the sake of peace of my heart?
Ye fulak fulak havaaye.N ye jhukii jhukii ghaTaaye.N These happy winds, these low rain bearing clouds
Vo nazar bhii kyaa nazar hai jo samajh na le ishaaraa What kind of eye is that which can’t take this hint?
Mujhe aa gayaa yaqii.n saa yahii hai merii ma.nzil I have come to believe that this is my destination
Sar-e-rah jab kisii ne mujhe daffa’atan pukaaraa On the road when someone called me spontaneously
Mai.n bataauu.N farq naasih, jo hai mujh me.n aur tujh me.n I can tell you my counsellor, the difference between you and me
Merii zindagii talaatum, terii zindagii kinaaraa My life is like a sea-storm, your life is like a shore
Mujhe guftaguu se ba.Dakar Gam-e-izn-e-guftaguu hai More than the conversation, I have grief of permission to converse
Wahii baat puuchhte hai.n jo na kah sakuu.N dobaaraa She asks me about that thing that I can’t repeat
Koii aye ‘Shakeel’ dekhe, ye junuu.N nahii.n to kyaa hai Someone should see this, Shakeel, isn’t it madness
Ke usii ke ho gaye ham jo na ho sakaa hamaaraa That I became hers but she couldn’t be mine
Ghazal #5
These ghazals are not in any order. Here is a famous ghazal of his (there are none of his ghazals that are not famous!). This has been sung by Pankaj Udhas.
Please enjoy: Kaise keh doon ke mulaaqaat nahin hoti hai….
Kaise kah duu.N ki mulaaqaat nahii.n hotii hai How can I say that meeting with her doesn’t take place?
Roz milate hai.n magar baat nahii.n hotii hai We meet everyday but don’t say anything
Aap lillaah na dekhaa kare.n aaiinaa kabhii For God’s sake, don’t ever see a looking-glass
Dil kaa aa jaanaa ba.Dii baat nahii.n hotii hai It is not such a big thing that I fell for you
Chhup ke rotaa huu.N terii yaad me.n duniyaa bhar se Stealthily from the world I cry in your memory
Kab merii aa.Nkh se barasaat nahii.n hotii hai That’s why rain of tears don’t freely fall from my eyes
Haal-e-dil puuchhane vaale terii duniyaa me.n kabhii You aske me the wellness of my heart, in your world at any time
Din to hotaa hai magar raat nahii.n hotii hai Day rises but night never comes
Jab bhii milate hai.n to kahate hai.n kaise ho “Shakeel” When you meet me you ask me how are you, Shakeel
Is se aage to koii baat nahii.n hotii hai Post this, no other conversation takes place
https://youtube.com/watch?v=I3-BbFDE5ys%3F
Ghazal #6
Anyone singing any of Shakeel’s ghazals would gain instant immortality. Begum Akhtar did and also Nirmala Devi, actor Govinda’s mother. She was a Hindustan classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana and her rendition of Shakeel’s ghazal Bana bana ke tamanna mitayi jaati hai got her fame.
Please enjoy: Bana bana ke tamanna mitayi jaati hai….
Banaa banaa ke tamannaa miTaa_ii jaatii hai Craving is repeatedly built up and destroyed
Tarah tarah se vafaa aazamaa_ii jaatii hai In many different ways fidelity is tested
Jab un ko merii muhabbat kaa aitabaar nahii.n When she has no trust in my love
To jhukaa jhukaa ke nazar kyo.n milaa_ii jaatii hai Then why does she meet my eyes lovingly?
Hamaare dil kaa pataa vo hame.n nahii.n dete She doesn’t let me know where has my heart gone
Hamaarii chiiz hamii.n se chhupaa_ii jaatii hai My own thing is kept hidden from me
‘Shakeel’ duurii-e-manzil se naa-ummiid na ho Shakeel, destination is far, don’t lose hope
Manzil ab aa hii jaatii hai ab aa hii jaatii hai You are about to reach the destination now
Ghazal #7
This is very good and you ought to read it with translation. However, I couldn’t find either the video or the audio for this except for a recitation by Nomaan Shauque. It is still a very fine ghazal.
Please enjoy: Woh hamase door hote jaa rahe hain…
Woh hamase door hote jaa rahe hain She is moving far from me
Bahut maghroor hote jaa rahe hain And becoming arrogant
Bas ik tark-e-mohabbat ke iraade Only the resolve for break-up
Hamen manzoor hote jaa rahe hain Is becoming increasingly acceptable to me
Manaazir the jo firdaus-e-tasavvur The scenes of paradise of imagination that were earlier accepted
Vo sab mastuur hote jaa rahe hain Are becoming hidden now
Badalti jaa rahi hai dil ki duniyaa The world of the heart is changing
Naye dastuur hote jaa rahe hain
New customs are arising
Bahut maghmuum tha jo deeda o dil Very sad was the sight of my heart
Bahut masruur hote jaa rahe hain Very cheerful is she becoming
Wafa par murdaani si chha chali hai Fidelity has the shadow of death over it
Sitam kaa noor hote jaa rahe hain She is becoming the light of the oppression
Kabhi woh pass aaye jaa rahe the At one time she was coming closer
Magar ab door hote jaa rahe hain But now she is moving farther
Firaq-e-hijr ke taareek lamhe The dark moments of parting and separation
Saraapaa noor hote jaa rahe hain Totally are becoming clearernow
Shakeel, ehsaas-e-gumnaami se keh do Shakeel, let the feeling of anonymity know
Ke ham mashhuur hote jaa rahe hain That I am becoming famous now
Ghazal #8
Begum Akhtar again and this time with a much simpler ghazal.
Please enjoy: Khush hoon mera husn-e-talab kaam to aaya…
Khush huu.N ki meraa husn-e-talab kaam to aayaa I am happy my way of wanting beauty has found a use
Khaalii hii sahii merii taraf jaam to aayaa Even though empty at least the wine glass has been offered to me
Kaafii hai mere dil ki tasallii ko yahii baat This thing is sufficient for the consolation of my heart
Aap aa na sake aap kaa paiGaam to aayaa You couldn’t come but at least your message came
Apano.n ne nazar pherii to dil ne to diyaa saath When my own people moved away at least the heart accompanied me
Duniyaa me.n koii dost mere kaam to aayaa In this world at least some friend was of some use
Wo subah kaa ehasaas ho yaa.N merii kashish ho It may be the feeling of morning or my attraction
Duubaa hua Khurshiid sar-e-baam to aayaa Sinking Sun came to the corner of the terrace
Log un se ye kahate hai.n ki kitane hai.n “Shakeel” aap People tell her how Shakeel (good-looking) is she
Is husn ke sadaqe me.n meraa naam to aayaa At least my name was uttered in the offering of the beauty
https://youtube.com/watch?v=fbYP0Y3pHXc%3F
Ghazal #9
If I have given you a ghazal of his sung by Lata Mangeshkar, I am bound to give you one by Asha Bhosle (Asha ji). This is from the 1953 movie Hazaar Raten.
Please enjoy: Meri Zindagi Pe Na Muskaraa Mujhe Zindagi Kaa Alam Nahin….
Merii zindagii pe na muskaraa mujhe zindagii kaa alam nahii.n Don’t smile on my life, I have no anguish about life
Jise tere Gam se ho vaastaa vo Khizaa.N bahaar se kam nahii.n The one that’s related to your sorrow, that autumn is not less than spring
Meraa kufr haasil-e-zuud hai meraa zuud haasil-e-kufr hai My disbelief is in the realm of abstinence, my abstinence is in the realm of disbelief
Merii bandagii vo hai bandagii jo rahiin-e-dair-o-haram nahii.n My devotion is that devotion that’s not pledged to temple or mosque
Mujhe raas aaye Khudaa kare yahii ishtibaah kii saa_ate.n God willing my moments of ambiguity should become acceptable
Unhe.n aitabaar-e-vafaa to hai mujhe aitabaar-e-sitam nahii.n She at least has trust in love, I don’t have trust in her tyranny
Vahii kaaravaa.N vahii raaste vahii zindagii vahii marahale Same caravan, same raods, same stages of life’s journey
Magar apane-apane muqaam par kabhii tum nahii.n kabhii ham nahii.n But in our own stations, sometimes you ain’t there, sometimes I am not there
Na vo shaan-e-jabr-e-shabaab hai na vo rang-e-qahar-e-itaab hai Neither is there pride in being a young man, nor is there atmosphere of havoc and displeasure
Dil-e-beqaraar pe in dino.n hai sitam yahii ki sitam nahii.n These days my restless heart is oppressed that there is no oppression
Na fanaa merii na baqaa merii mujhe ai ‘Shakeel’ na Dhuu.NDiye Neither I own mortality nor death, please don’t search for me
Mai.n kisii kaa husn-e-Khayaal huu.N meraa kuchh vujuud-o-adam nahii.n I am someone’s beauty of thought, I don’t have life or after life
Ghazal #10
K Asif’s 1960 magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam was as famous for depicting the love affair between Prince Salim and courtesan Ananrkali as for its songs and ghazals penned by Shakeel Badayuni with Naushad Ali’s music.
The best ghazal of the movie in his characteristic style is this.
Please enjoy in Lata’s voice: Aye ishq ye sab duniya waale bekaar ki baatein karte hain….
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bekaar ki baatein karte hai Talk nonsense (about love)
Payal ke ghamon ka ilm nahin They don’t have any knowledge of the pain in the ankle bells
Jhankaar ki batein karte hai And then they talk about its jingling (sarcasm)
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Har dil me chhupa hai teer koi In every heart there is a hidden arrow
Har paanv me hai zanjir koi In every leg there is a shackle
Puchhe koi unase gham ke maze May someone go and ask them the joys of grief
Jo pyaar ki batein karte hai All those who talk about love
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Ulfat ke naye deewano ko The ones who have recently fallen in love
Kis tarah se koi samjhaye How to make them understand
Nazron pe lagi hai paabandi Here, there is a restriction on gazing
Deedar ki baatein karte hai And they are talking about getting a glimpse
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bhanware hain agar madhosh to kya If the bees are intoxicated, then what
Parwane bhi hain khamosh to kya If the moths are silent, then what
Sab pyaar ke nagme gaate hai All of them sing melodies of love
Sab yaar ki baatein karte hai All of them talk about their beloved’s
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bekaar ki baatein karte hai Talk nonsense
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2_scqYgA92s%3F
Ghazal #11
A beautiful ghazal sung very beautifully by Kusum Sharma. Please keep thinking of what I have told you about irony.
Shaayad aaGaaz huaa phir kisii afasaane kaa Perhaps there is beginning of a new romantic tale
Hukm aadam ko hai jannat se nikal jaane kaa Edict has been given to Adam to quite the paradise
Un se kuchh kah to rahaa huu.N magar allaah na kare I am saying something to her but it shouldn’t be Allah
Vo bhii mafahuum na samajhe mere afasaane kaa She too is not able to understand the meaning of my tale of love
Dekhanaa dekhanaa ye hazarat-e-vaa_iz hii na ho.n See again that it shouldn’t be the mister preacher himself
Raastaa puuchh rahaa hai ko_ii maiKhaane kaa He is asking for the way to the tavern
Beta’alluq tere aage se guzar jaataa huu.N Without your acknowledging I pass in front of you
ye bhii ek husn-e-talab hai tere diivaane kaa This too is a way of longing for your mad-lover
hashr tak garmii-e-ha.ngaamaa-e-hastii hai “Shakeel” Until the day of judgment the heat of riotous life is there
sil-silaa Khatm na hogaa mere afasaane kaa The series of my tales of love shall never conclude
https://youtube.com/watch?v=xav5wjLUcs0%3F
Ghazal #12
Once again, I couldn’t find a video or audio for this ghazal. But, nevertheless, it is a beautiful ghazal.
Please enjoy: Teri mehfil se uthkar ishq ke maaron pe kyaa guzari….
Terii mahafil se uThakar ishq ke maaro.n pe kyaa guzarii What happened with the love-stricken who left your assembly?
muKhaalif ik jahaa.N thaa jaane bechaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii The world was inimical, God knows what happened to the poor souls?
Sahar ko ruKhsat-e-biimaar-e-furqat dekhane vaalo O you who look at the departure of ill with separation in the mornings
kisii ne ye bhii dekhaa raat bhar taaro.n pe kyaa guzarii Did you ever think what happened to the stars in the nights?
Sunaa hai zindagii viiraaniyo.n ne luuT lii milakar I have heard that life was looted by the deserted places
na jaane zindagii ke naaz_baradaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii God knowswhat happened to those who tolerate coquetry in life?
Ha.Nsii aa_ii to hai bekaif sii lekin Khudaa jaane Laughter came but joylessly God knows
mujhe masaruur paakar mere Gam_Khvaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii After finding me cheerful what happened to my sympathisers?
Asiir-e-Gam to jaa.N dekar rihaa_ii paa gayaa lekin Prisoners of sorrow escaped after sacrificing their life
kisii ko kyaa Khabar zindaa.N kii divaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii Who knew what happened to the cells of the living?
Ghazal #13
This one is so perfect that I often marvel at its beauty. Once again, I could neither find a video or an audio.
Please enjoy: Ab taq shikaayetein hain dil-e-bad-naseeb se….
Ab taq shikaayetein hain dil-e-bad-nasiib se Until now she has complaints about my unfortunate heart
Ik din kisi ko dekh liya tha kariib se All I did was to see her closely
Aksar ba-zom-e-taraq-e-mohabbat Khudaa gavaah Often with the pride and determination of renouncing love, God be my witness
Guzraa chala gaya huun dayaar-e-habiib se I have crossed the place of the beloved
Dast-e-Khizaan badh ke wahin usako chun liya Autumn’s hand came forward to select the one
Jo phool gir gaya nigaah-e-andaliib se Flower that had fallen from Nightingale’s glance
Ahl-e-sukoon se khel naa ai mauj-e-imbisaat O wave of ecstasy do not play with those who are at peace
Ik din ulajh ke dekh kisi gham-nasiib se One day battle with those who are destined for grief
Naa ahl-e-naaz ko bhi mile fursat-e-niyaaz People of vanity will not find leisure for amorous words
Main duur hat gaya who jo guzre kareeb se I distanced myself when they passed close to me
Ye kis Khata pe rooth gayi chashm-e-iltifaat On whose oversight glance of love became angry
Ye kab kaa intiqaam liya mujh gareeb se I don’t understand of which thing’s revenge was this
Unake bagaair bhi hai wohi zindagi ka daur Without her too there is era of life
Halaat-e-zindagi hain magar kuchh ajeeb se Circumstances of life are there but a little strange
Samajhe huye the husn-e-azal jisako hum Shakeel The one who I had imagined to be eternal beauty
Apna hi aks-e-rukh nazar aaya kareeb se From close it turned out to be own reflection of face
Ghazal #14
Ghazal-king Talat Mehmood again with a very beautiful ghazal of Shakeel Badayuni.
Please enjoy: Unase umeed-e-ruunuumaai hai….
Un se ummiid-e-ruunumaa_ii hai There is hope of guidance/leadership from her
Kyaa nigaaho.n kii maut aa_ii hai Are my eyes heading for death?
Dil ne Gam se shikast khaa_ii hai Heart has been defeated by sorrows
Umr-e-raftaa terii duhaa_ii hai There is appeal to the past life
Dil kii barbaadiyo.n pe naazaa.N huu.N I am proud of the ruins of heart
Fatah paakar shikast khaa_ii hai I have tasted defeat after victory
Mere maa_abad nahii.n hai dair-o-haram My house of worship is not the temple of sanctuary
Ehatiyaatan jabii.n jhukaa_ii hai I have bowed my forehead to my misgivings
Vo havaa de rahe hai.n daaman kii She is fanning with the hem of her dress
Haaye kis vaqt niind aa_ii hai I don’t know when I went to sleep
Khul gayaa un kii aarazuu me.n ye raaz The secret in her longing became known
Ziist apanii nahii.n paraa_ii hai Life is not mine but belongs to someone
Duur ho Gunche-o-gul merii nazar se Remain away from my sight flowers and buds
Tuu ne merii ha.Nsii churaa_ii hai You robbed me of my laughter
Gul fasurdaa chaman udaas ‘Shakeel’ Flower is disappointed, garden is saddened
Yuu.N bhii aksar bahaar aa_ii hai Sometimes spring comes in this manner
https://youtube.com/watch?v=QopXvVHibYs%3F
Ghazal #15
Must end Part I of this labour of love for Shakeel Badayuni’s poetry in the form of Ghazals with this Yaad ghazal.
Please enjoy: Rooh ko tadapa rahi hai unaki yaad….
Ruuh ko ta.Dapaa rahii hai un kii yaad Soul is tormented by her memory
Dard ban kar chhaa rahii hai un kii yaad Pain is the manifestation of her memory
Ishq se ghabaraa rahii hai un kii yaad Scared of love is her memory
Rukate rukate aa rahii hai un kii yaad It is coming haltingly is her memory
Vo ha.Nse vo zer-e-lab kuchh kah uThe She laughed and whispered something
Khvaab se dikhalaa rahii hai un kii yaad It is as if her memory is showing me dreams
Mai.n to Khuddaarii kaa qaa_il huu.N magar I am in favour of self-respect, but
Kyaa karuu.N phir aa rahii hai un kii yaad What can I do when her memory comes to me?
Ab Khayaal-e-tark-e-rabt zabt hii se hai Now there is affinity towards tolerance of thought of giving up
Khud ba Khud sharmaa rahii hai un kii yaad By itself her memory is shy
Please await Part II of Immortal Ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni
Generals, they say, become adept at fighting the last war. In a very short article titled ‘Out Of The Box Thinking’, nearly four years back, I had brought out that the need to have uniformed services, both in dress code and in demeanour and response, keeps the armed forces from truly encouraging (and not paying mere lip-service to) out of the box thinking. A few years back when the subject of out of the box thinking became the flavour-of-the-month in the armed forces, its fall-out was as curious as the Army, forever engaged with Pakistan, being told to act ‘strategic‘ and hence starting every operational presentation with focus on the Indian Ocean. It was as fascinating as comical when I took the Naval Higher Command Course with me as Director of the College of Naval Warfare to the Northern Command units from 2007 to 2009 and they would start their presentation, say, in the Leh Div, by focussing on the Indian Ocean. This is from my page ‘Make Your Own Quotes’ on the Facebook:
I can imagine the army big-wigs giving orders to the subordinate commands, corps, divisions, brigades, and battalions to ensure that out of the box thinking becomes standard, routine and uniformed way of thinking in the units. Also, every unit has to show records and returns of the out of the box thinking that it has indulged in at a fixed interval.
So, if you then reach the conclusion that armed forces people are not meant for out-of-the-box-thinking, you are in for a huge surprise. There is one sure innovation that a new incumbent anywhere in the armed forces cannot resist and that is to look down on what the previous incumbent used to do and bring about a change. Lets say a new Commanding Officer takes over. As soon as the handing-over/taking-over is completed, he/she issues out an order: “All orders of my predecessor shall remain in force unless or until amended by me.” However, soon after issuing this mandatory order, his/her mind starts working overtime to amend all previous orders.
This is called the Ninety-Days Leadership Impact Syndrome. One has to make a quick-impact within ninety days of taking over so that your superiors would notice how quickly you have brought about a “long-overdue change“. You start with what has now become standard lingo in the armed forces and industry alike: quick-wins. One of the sure-shot quick-wins is to standardise correspondence, mails, reports, returns, procedures and policies that your predecessor (somehow busy in other matters; poor chap) was never able to do. The fallacy with this quick-win is that you never bothered to find out if your predecessor already did so (being the product of the same system, after all). Indeed, whenever anyone of the previous regime (these unfortunate and uninformed guys are left-out by the headquarters for – hold your breath – providing continuity) essays to bring out the rationale behind how things used to be done earlier, your first reaction is to snub him/her with: “Don’t tell me anything of your previous knowledge” (Please also read ‘Ten Things To Avoid As A Leader’). You also earmark such people as resistant-to-change and discuss with your contemporaries how difficult your job is going to be to get people out of their mould.
(Pic courtesy: www.qvidian.com)
Your so-called contemporaries are only too eager to be on your side by suggesting how to bring about the desirable change as quickly as possible.
Here is an imaginary discussion (the more discussions that you have the more you are seen as the right man for bringing about the desirable and long-overdue change) between a new incumbent (NI) and his trusted (to help him bring about change) new-order cronies (NOC) in the presence of OGs (Old-order Guys):
NI: I have been thinking about making the sun rise in the East. I can think of getting excellent dividends through this new concept.
OG1 (trying to butt-in to bring out that the sun always rose in the East and that it was not a new idea at all): Sir, our previous CO used to……
NI (showing his extreme displeasure at the mention of ‘previous CO’): Now don’t again start with what was being done with the old regime; India wasn’t free on 14th August 1947 but it became free the very next day because people changed their thinking.
NOC (seeing in this an opportunity to brown-nose the NI): Sir, the other day I was reading a book by Yoshihito Kawasaki (“I hope it registers with NI that me and my generation are endowed with forward-looking thinking“) and he brings out that the very reason that Japan emerged as a leading economy in the world, despite having been defeated in the Second World War, was only because they have aligned their thinking to the Sun rising in the East. ‘Land of the Rising Yen’ was made possible only by slight change in the way they looked at the Sun.
OG2 (trying to make another determined effort to bring home the fact that there is nothing new in the Sun rising in the East): But Sir, from times immemorial….
(Pic courtesy: blog.close.io)
NOC2 (seizing the opportunity to align himself with the thinking of the new Sun: NI): Indeed, Sir, what NOC1 has brought out has merit; not just Japan but even Korea and Singapore profited by thinking of Sun rising in the East.
NI: I know it is going to be difficult to make the Sun rise in the East. As OG2 was saying (!), from times immemorial it has been doing the opposite. To make it change to modern way of thinking would be difficult. But, gentlemen, when the going gets tough the tough gets going (says it as if he has suddenly invented a new phrase; indeed, all NOCs make ostensible note of it in their writing pads!). As Napoleon said “Impossible is a word in the dictionary of the fools”.
NOC3: I totally agree with you, Sir. Bringing about a change is always very difficult. However, if we can do the impossible, which we are very capable of doing, the dividends are far too huge.
OG1: But Sir…
NI: No ifs and buts. A lot of our time in India is dissipated in focussing on and discussing ifs and buts. I want a quick action plan within a month about how to make the Sun rise in the East. And, don’t forget to make the plan in the new format that has been already promulgated by my Staff Order. I am fed up of each person devising his own format. That’s not where we want out-of-the-box thinking.
OG2 (after the crucial meeting; to himself, the only person who listens to him): They will soon discover that the Sun always rose in the East! It is totally still. It is the Earth that rotates; and since the Earth rotates in Easterly direction, the Sun appears to rise in the East.
Of course, the NI and NOCs discover the fact of Sun always rising in the East, but, their out-of-the-box thinking would have earned them many awards and honours that the OGs could have only dreamt about since they were so resistant-to-change.
Life goes on until the NI and NOCs become OGs and a new NI comes with another bright idea.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का मुझे दो तगमा,
अपने एहसास में आने दो वह प्यारा नग़मा;
जो दिल की धड़कन के साज़ से जुबां तक पहुंचा,
कहाँ आगाज़ हुआ था और कहाँ तक पहुंचा.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …..
पास रह कर भी तुम दूर चले जाते थे,
मेरी मजबूर तमन्ना को और भी तरसाते थे,
दिल की आवाज़ बन के रह जाती थी सदमा.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …
ये दीवार मैंने नहीं तुम्ही ने तो बनायी थी,
कहाँ थी तुम जब पास सिर्फ तन्हाई थी?
मेरी खामोशी उस वक़्त थी मेरे दिल की मेहमान,
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …
अब हम नहीं, तुम नहीं और हयात भी नहीं,
उल्फत की राहों में सुलगते जज़्बात भी नहीं,
सिसकियाँ भर के खत्म हो गए सब अरमान.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …
(Pic courtesy: www.smsmaja.com)
Iss se pehle ke bewafai kaa mujhe do taghma,
Apane ehsaas mein aane do woh pyaara naghma;
Jo dil ki dhadhkan ke saaz se zubaan tak pahuncha,
Kahaan aagaaz huaa tha aur kahaan taq pahuncha.
Iss se pehle ki bewafai kaa…..
Pass reh kar bhi tum door chale jaate the,
Meri majboor tamanna ko aur bhi tarsaate the,
Dil ki awaaz ban ke reh jaati thi sadma.
Iss se pehle ke bewafai kaa…
Ye deewar maine nahin tumhi ne to banaayi thi,
Kahaan thi tum jab pass sirf tanhaayi thi?
Meri khaamoshi us waqt thi dil ki mehmaan,
Iss se pehle ke bewafai kaa…
Ab ham nahin, tum nahin woh hayaat bhi nahin,
Ulfat ki raahon mein sulagate jazbaat bhi nahin,
Siskiyan bhar ke khatam ho gaye sab armaan
Iss se pehle ke bewafai ka…
The other day when I put up here yet another post about our staff course (I think the post was ‘The Great Wanderlust In Staff College’, one of the ladies mentioned that I must bring out a post regarding the parallel ‘staff course’ that goes on in DSSC (Defence Services Staff College). This one involves the ladies, that is.
His name was Selvaraj. Before long many of the DHs (Desperate Housewives) had enrolled for his baking, cooking and chocolate making classes. Initially, after the ladies tried their hand at it on their own at home (that is, without the baker cum cook cum magician showing them how to), we would get bread that could be used to drive nails in the walls. However, gradually, they improved. In the end, if you can make out a psc (passed staff course) officer by his penchant for making simple things complicated, pssc (passed Selvaraj’s staff course) ladies can be made out from the excellence of their baking and chocolate making skills. So years later when an officer and his wife (“good lady” as our Army counterparts call her!) invite you for dinner and you get the distinct aroma of home-baked breads followed by chocolates after dessert, you are bound to ask (directing the question neutrally between the two of them): “When did you complete your staff course?” Post dinner conversation then would assuredly be about Selvaraj and his varied skills.
I hope the Staff College has honoured the services of Selvaraj (that have made significant contribution towards the grooming of “good ladies” of the army and (possibly) wicked ones of the navy and the air-force) by erecting a small memorial shaped like a chocolate wrapped in shining coloured paper tied with golden or silver thread or ribbon.
Anyway, let me get back to the narrative.
We were out for about ten days for FAT (Forward Area Tour) to the North East. At one time it used to be towards J&K but then, our “friendly neighbour to the North West” (that is how we used to refer to Pakistan during Staff Course! As I mentioned, we excelled in making simply things complicated) decided to ‘bleed us by a thousand cuts’; and it was decided that going closer to our “friendly neighbour to the North East” provided us with greater hope of returning alive. We took off from Coimbatore (A&EHU (Aircraft and Engine Hauling Unit, Sulur to be exact) and landed in Bagdogra. As soon as we started negotiating the NE hills, we became familiar with one land slide or the other and many a times, life did hang from a thin thread. For example, we were stuck on a precipitous road because there was a land-slide ahead. And then a huge rock decided to dislodge itself from the hill and came down on our convoy (if you recall from a previous anecdote ‘Bridging The Gap In Staff College’ our foursome was busy at Bridge when this happened). As per eye-witnesses’ account, it is only at the last-minute that the rock decided to alter course from directly heading towards disrupting our Bridge game and our lives and pass precariously between our one tonner and a three tonner behind us. It was, as you say so often in the armed forces, touch and go.
Here is a picture of some of my pals during the FAT:
So with these kinds of hair-raising experiences, we were now headed back to DSSC and the talk started about “lady wives” or “good ladies“. One of the Army course mates (he is an excellent singer) broke into: “Chala jaata hoon kisi ki dhun mein…” (I keep going singing her tune….) and we all joined in. One of the stanzas is translated into:
[lineate][/lineate]That world will be so different[lineate][/lineate]When she’d come near me, I swear[lineate][/lineate]She would, at times, try to free her arms from mine[lineate][/lineate]And then, at times, she’d embrace me;[lineate][/lineate]She’d come into my arms, holding all kinds of dreams for me.[lineate][/lineate]
We were young and honestly the thought of reuniting with our loved ones was becoming stronger by the moment. One of the Army officers started painting the scene of his reunion distinctly: “She’d be clad in her best saree, with large vermilion bindi (dot on the forehead), holding a pooja thali (prayer plate), waiting for me at the door itself…..”
(Pic courtesy: m.inmagine.com)
And then we disembarked from the buses and headed home with our rucksacks and bags. I can patch up the story of others later; but, here was the scene at my home:
Both Arjun and Arun were at home watching Micky Mouse cartoons on the telly and our maid Regina was busy in the kitchen. But, there was no sign of Lyn. A & A said she’d be returning home any time (it was seven in the evening) as she was wont to do almost everyday.
After Lyn returned at about 9 PM (late for a hill-station like Coonoor), then the story came out.
Most of the ladies in the ‘Staff Course’ of Selvaraj’s cooking and baking classes had formed a group. Every evening, one lady by rotation would invite all the others to demonstrate her newly acquired culinary skills. The ladies had a feast every evening for ten days of our FAT. They knew about our return that evening and hence had organised a valedictory feast and that’s why it continued till 9 PM. Sorry, she said, but most often than not flights and buses arrived late and 9 PM wasn’t that much of a waiting for the men.
Next day, as we compared notes, all the other officers confirmed that they went through similar waits.
And that included the army officers whose “good ladies” were imagined to be waiting for them with pooja thalis, in red sarees and vermilion bindis.
Thankfully for Selvaraj we didn’t meet him on that night; else, we would have taught him a thing or two about cooking and baking.
On my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne, I organise online Music Fests once or twice in a month. These Fests are contests on a chosen theme. The last theme on the weekend of 28th and 28th March was on Zamaana or Duniyaa.
Members realised that there are literally hundreds of songs on this theme. So, they took it upon themselves to put up rare and extraordinary songs. I normally do not put up any posts of mine since I judge the contests. However, on this occasion I put up three of Shakeel’s creations. I realised that Shakeel had much to say on Zamaana or Duniya.
These are interspersed with my own adulatory poetry about him.
Here is the first one.
Music Fest On Zamaana or Duniya Day #2, Song #1
Aye Mohabbat Tere Anjaam Pe Rona Aaya
Shakeel Badayuni was all about Duniya, Zamaana, Zindagi. And I note with satisfaction that quite a few of his songs and ghazals have been selected by members for this Fest.
I also note with satisfaction that the cover picture song of Chhod do aanchal zamaana kya kahega has been put up by Shashi Patil. I am on Ghazals in Hindi movies on my page Lyrical and the Anmol Ghadi ghazal of Noor Jehan: Awaaz de kahan hai duniya meri jawan hai was put up by me last night and today morning it was here in the Fest.
Whilst Suraiyya and Noor Jehan were successively given the honorific title of Mallika-e-Tarunnam (Queen of Melody), there has been only one Mallika -e-Ghazal and that was Begum Akhtar. She could make or mar a lyricist simply by lending or not lending her voice to his/her ghazal.
So much so that the world over, the most famous ghazal ever Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya is widely regarded as Begum Akhtar ghazal!
It is, nevertheless, the best ghazal of my favourite poet and lyricist Shakeel Badayuni. He never wrote! As I have often mentioned, he painted the emotions of his heart and presented them to us. And guess what? Once again all known senses were used the least and this painting was registered straight by the heart.
In short, Shakeel excelled in heart to heart poetry.
Here is in his own words:
Main Shakeel Dil Ka Hoon Tarjuman Keh Mohabbaton Ka Hoon Raazdaan Mujhe Fakhr Hai Meri Shayari Meri Zindagi Se Juda Nahin
He was a poet who excelled in Irony and the last couplet of the ghazal (the ghazal has both Duniya and Zamaana in it) brings out this so well:
Jab huaa zikr zamaane mein mohabbat kaa ‘Shakeel’ Mujhako apane dil-e-naakaam pe ronaa aayaa
If you find better words in self-worthlessness, do let me know.
Here is my small and insignificant tribute to him:
Hamen Shakeel ki shayari kyun pasand hai,
Dil ke taar baja kar woh chala jaata hai,
Phir ham chain o neend apni kho dete hain
Guzra hua zamaana hamen yaad aata hai
Kyaa rang tha, kyaa noor tha, gham-e-aashiqi thi
Woh aalam dil-e-jahan pe chha jaata hai
Door kahin Naushad ki mosiqi ki dhun bajti hai
Dil khud-ba-khud gaata hai aur sunaata hai
Waah Shakeel, mar ke bhi tum zinda hi rahe
Har Fest YKDN pe tumhaari Yaad dilaata hai.
This is not on the music of Naushad but Murli Manohar Swarup.
Please enjoy: Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya…..
Ai mohabbat tere a.njaam pe ronaa aayaa
jaane kyuu.N aaj tere naam pe ronaa aayaa
yuu.N to har shaam umiido.n me.n guzar jaatii thii
aaj kuchh baat hai jo shaam pe ronaa aayaa
kabhii taqadiir kaa maatam kabhii duniyaa kaa gilaa
ma.nzil-e-ishq me.n har gaam pe ronaa aayaa
jab hu_aa zikr zamaane me.n mohabbat kaa ‘shakiil’
mujhako apane dil-e-naakaam pe ronaa aayaa
Music Fest On Zamaana or Duniya Day #2, Song #2
Shakeel Badayuni Again
I can think of another twenty songs and ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni on the theme of the fest. He took songs to a new low of despondency in the 1966 Raj Khosla movie Do Badan starring Manoj Kumar, Asha Parekh and Simi Grewal. Look at the list of songs in this movie:
1. Jab Chali Thandi Hawa sung by Asha Bhosle
2. Bhari Duniya Mein Akhir Dil, Mohammad Rafi
3. Raha Gardishun Main Har Dum, Mohammad Rafi
4. Naseeb Mein Jisko Jo, Mohammad Rafi
5. Lo Aa Gayi Unki Yaad, Lata Mangeshkar
6. Mat Jayio Naukariya Chor Ke, Asha Bhosle
7. Raha Gardishun Mein (Repris’se) Mohammad Rafi
8. Lo Aa Gayi unki Yaad (Reprise) Lata Mangeshkar
Here is a couplet from Raha gardisho mein har dum:
Padhe jab ghamon se pale, rahe mitake nitane waale, Jise maut ne na poochha, use zindagi ne maara…
The song that I am going to put up has both Duniya and Zamaana there once again. It is a cry of the heart, a hopelessness induced by the evil world against true love. Ravi is the composer, just as in Milind’s song Chaudhvinh ka chaand (another Shakeel song) he is the composer in a song wherein Waheeda is called the World of Beauty (duniyaa-e-husn) by Shakeel.
History is full of coincidences. Imagine when Shakeel was alive, to sing his songs and ghazals, we had Begum Akhtar and Rafi.
Here is my take on this coincidence:
Aap ke khayaal kitane haseen the Shakeel Mohabbat ka ek naya andaaz ho gaya Ham pehale se hi aapke qaayal to na the, Padha, suna, socha aur hamen naaz ho gaya Dil ki dhadkan tez hui hamen pata hi naa chala Jab Shakeel ki shayari ka aagaaz ho gaya Aap ke geeton ka dard-e-gham sunaate hi, Har gulokaar sarfaraz ho gaya.
Please enjoy: Bhari duniya mein aakhir dil ko samjhaane kahan jaayen…
Bharii duniyaa me.n aaKir dil ko samajhaane kahaa.N jaae.n
Muhabbat ho ga_ii jinako vo diivaane kahaa.N jaae.n
lage hai.n shammaa par pahare zamaane kii nigaaho.n ke
jinhe.n jalane kii hasarat hai vo paravaane kahaa.N jaae.n
sunaanaa bhii jinhe.n mushkil chhupaanaa bhii jinhe.n mushkil
zaraa tuu hii bataa ai dil vo afasaane kahaa.N jaae.n
Music Fest On Zamaana or Duniya Day #2, Song #3
Shakeel Badayuni Again
The third song, at random, of Shakeel Badayuni that I put up this morning; and the third with both Duniya and Zamaana in it.
Here is Shayar-e-Azam penning his songs for the movie Mughal-e-Azam; meeting of minds of two emperors.
Shakeel and Naushad had already put up some outstanding numbers that are still the standard in songs in Hindi movies. However, in the magnum-opus of 1960, the K Asif’s iconic movie Mughal-e-Azam, they went beyond their own standards. The songs touched new heights in popularity and everyone was singing them.
Once again, look at the songs they created:
1. “Mohe Panghat Pe” Lata Mangeshkar and chorus
2. “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” Lata Mangeshkar and chorus
3. “Mohabbat Ki Jhooti” Lata Mangeshkar
4. “Humen Kash Tumse Mohabbat” Lata Mangeshkar
5. “Bekas Pe Karam Keejeye” Lata Mangeshkar
6. “Teri Mehfil Mein” Lata Mangeshkar, Shamshad Begum and chorus
7. “Ye Dil Ki Lagi” Lata Mangeshkar
8. “Ae Ishq Yeh Sab Duniyawale” Lata Mangeshkar
9. “Khuda Nigehbaan” Lata Mangeshkar
10. “Ae Mohabbat Zindabad” Mohammed Rafi and chorus
11. “Prem Jogan Ban Ke” Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
12. “Shubh Din Aayo Raj Dulara” Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
What is the movie all about? An expression of not just Love between a prince and a courtesan but also one of rebelliousness against the attitude of duniya and zamaana that looks down on love that is not between equals.
When Shakeel was asked to pen the lyrics, he must have kept in mind this theme and hence came up with the song as a symbol of this rebelliousness: Pyaar kiya to darna kyaa…parda nahin jab koi khuda se, bando se parda karna kyaa?
K Asif added further meaning to the song by shooting the song in Sheesh Mahal of Lahore Fort. So when Madhubala dancing elegantly on this number sings: Chhup na sakega ishq hamaare, chaaron taraf hai unaka nazaara, she is reflected in hundreds of mirrors in the ceiling of the sheesh mahal; a master stroke by K Asif.
Here is my take on this:
Shakeel, aap geeton mein phoonk dete the jaan, Dhadakon ka khazaana ban jaata tha jahaan Kyaa taaqat thi aap ke alfaaz mein Insaan bhi ban baithata tha bhagwaan “Pyaar kiya to darna kyaa” sirf geet hi nahin hai Ye rivaayat se baghawat ka hai ailaan.
Lata Mangeshkar was the instrument of this rebellion for Madhubala.
Please enjoy: Pyaar kiya to darna kyaa….
insaan kisii se duniyaa me.n ik baar muhabbat karataa hai
is dard ko lekar jiitaa hai, is dard ko lekar marataa hai
pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa koii chorii nahii.n kii pyaar kiyaa…
pyaar kiyaa koii chorii nahii.n kii chhup chhup aahe.n bharanaa kyaa
jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
aaj kahe.nge dil kaa fasaanaa jaan bhii lele chaahe zamaanaa -2
maut vohii jo duniyaa dekhe
maut vohii jo duniyaa dekhe ghuT ghuT kar yuu.N maranaa kyaa
jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
unakii tamannaa dil me.n rahegii, shammaa isii mahafil me.n rahegii hbox{-2}
ishq me.n jiinaa ishq me.n maranaa
ishq me.n jiinaa ishq me.n maranaa aur hame.n ab karanaa kyaa
jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
chhup na sakegaa ishq hamaaraa chaaro.n taraf hai unakaa nazaaraa -2
paradaa nahii.n jab koii khudaa se
paradaa nahii.n jab koii khudaa se ba.ndo.n se paradaa karanaa kyaa
jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa jab pyaar kiyaa to Daranaa kyaa
pyaar kiyaa koii chorii…
Nearly five years back I did a comprehensive piece on ‘Leadership In The Navy – Past, Present And Future’ and then within a month, having retired from the Indian Navy, I joined a corporate on the civvie street. This article takes into consideration a number of things that I have closely observed in the environment around me. I am convinced that avoiding these things would make a person a much more effective leader.
The Number One Leadership tenet, of course, is that Leadership must be a secondary trait to Love. A Leader cannot be an effective Leader unless he or she is driven by a feeling of love towards his or her resources; the most precious of these being human resource. If you are driven by Love and in the corporate sector not the love for money, you are already on the way to becoming an effective leader. Regrettably, corporates think of a Leader as someone who commands not more respect but more money and many of these leaders actually end up being paid heavily in the hope that they would bring about the necessary change or transformation; which in turn results into being more profitable and hence earning more money. This is from my page ‘Make Your Own Quotes’:
Why is this important? I can give several reasons. However, two of these stand out. One is my favourite tenet: Good leaders have good men. Indeed, Good leaders have good all round resources. This doesn’t mean that their talent hunt is so good that they are able to get good men or women from the market or best resources. It means that what they have quickly become good men and women and resources by the feeling of Love that generates ownership and belongingness. Two, Love rules out an agenda other than to see the best development of your company and resources.
With this background, lets go straight into the Ten Things to Avoid as A Leader.
#1Falsehood. A leader must have high Credibility with those he or she hopes to lead. False promises, both direct and implied, spell ruin. There can be falsehood in things other than promises too. For example, if the people read in your intent motives totally different from the ones proclaimed, your efforts at sincerity are likely to sound as hollow to them as the arguments of a lawyer who knows his client has done something wrong but still argues in his favour because of promise of fees or remuneration. You may cover up your intent by grandiose advertisement campaigns or HR blitzkrieg, but, you won’t have won people’s loyalty. Remember: loyalty is obtained by loyalty and not by spectacular campaigns. Another pertinent and prevalent example of Falsehood is when you promise to bring about a change and openly denigrate what your predecessor(s) were doing; but in the end, you do exactly the same thing, people below you think of it as a great falsehood perpetrated by you.
#2 Focus on or Driven by only Short Term Goals. From national leadership to anywhere in the corporates leaders are nowadays busy with short-term goals. New language evolves and we have a new and respectable name for this; it is called ‘quick-wins’. Regrettably, many leaders do not go beyond these quick-wins to think about long term development. When you go to South India, you come across temples, for example Somnath temple, that took more than 100 years in construction. Nowadays, people seek instant gratification not just in their lifetime but also in their tenures as leaders which are shortened due to frequent job-hopping. Nevertheless, posterity remembers leaders that look after the long term goals of the company, employees and themselves.
#3 Wasting Time on Unproductive Activities such as PPTs. Leaders should never forget that Meetings, Workshops, Brainstorming sessions and Conferences are means to achieve an end and not an end by themselves. Dissipating unduly time at getting PPTs right, for example, may sound impressive but would eventually result into micromanagement of such petty things as font-size, colour and slides layouts. I have seen many so-called leaders getting engrossed in the endless process of getting-it-right and devising new vocabulary to mask their penchant for petty corrections. Great leaders do not waste time in forever controlling everything in meetings, PPTs etc but demonstrate their ability to take in the real issues involved.
#4Parochialism. Diversity is the flavour of the month in corporates these days; especially amongst those that desire to emerge as global players. However, we are at the level of paying lip-service to it whilst ensuring that increasingly people from our own backgrounds, regions and religions join and progress in the company. The best thing that I read about Bias is that you have a bias to prove your bias right. All kinds of reasoning finds its way into thought-processes why people of our background only “will be able to do justice to the tough requirements of the job.” The problem with such parochial thinking is that you lose the right yo lead all but your favoured lot. It is like a government coming into power and looking after the interests of only those who voted for it.
#5Different Rules for Different People. A good leader is consistent about the application of rules, regulations, procedures and practices. He doesn’t give orders that he cannot follow himself. Indeed, whenever he starts a new practice or wants to bring about a change, he leads the change. Everywhere in India we have already spoiled social fabric by inequitable application of rules and privileges. The moment you do so people assume their status to be different or privileged. The oft asked question if such people is: “Pata nahin main kaun hoon?” (Don’t you know who I am?)
#6 Previous Credentials. You join a new company as a senior leader. You denigrate all their previous experiences. You assume that you have been brought there to bring about a change. So, without even understanding how their system works, you jump headlong into imposing your previous experience on them. You must remember that nothing is more frustrating to your new team. It took them years to build up to the system and you straightway commenced throwing the baby along with the bath-water. You don’t just have a vocabulary to support you in your pursuit of bringing about a change, you have an entire philosophy at your disposal. You can quote hundreds of anecdotes and management principles about how Change is painful but necessary; and, how to bring the recalcitrant around to your point. Indeed, in addition to imposing your previous credentials, you now revel in gradually doing away with resistance to change. but, the fact is that you should have first studied the system that you were going to inherit before embarking on the Change Journey.
(Pic courtesy: agbutler.deviantart.com)
#7 Constant Change. This is another favoured phrase which is somewhat similar to ‘quick-wins’. You convince people that Change is forever and in order to stay relevant you have to constantly reinvent. Often a major change that you indulge in is followed by another and so on. You want to be counted amongst the well-read. You brought about a transformation and everyone works the midnight oil going through it. No sooner have you completed it that you read another few books and want to bring in more changes. Vocabulary and anecdotes to suit your current pursuit are readily available. You compare life to a river than to a pond and so on. Unknowing to you, people, always being on a roller coaster ride are confused. You never allowed them to come to steady state.
#8 Ruling By Mistrust Loyalty cannot be bought with money. It has to be won with the currency of loyalty. So, if you have built up an environment of mistrust and intrigue in your organisation wherein people speak in whispers and look furtively if the big-brother is watching; you yourself would be a victim of this mistrust. You are forever checking people’s private mails because you have the power to do so or because your IT policy evasively says so, sooner or later, the Spy versus Spy atmosphere that you set in comes to haunt you.
#9 Excellent Speaking But Poor Listening Skills. A great leader is not merely a good speaker well versed with great communications skills and story-telling; a great leader is first and foremost a great listener. A monologue by a leader is something that is not welcome. How many times I have come across so-called leaders who insist that the questions at the end of their talks should be short; but, they, at the shortest question launch themselves into longer and longer harangues. Hogging the limelight in meetings, conferences, seminars without listening to anyone especially dissenting views make for poor leadership qualities. Just as good oratory need to be practised, a good leader should have practised the art of good listening.
#10 All’s well that ends well. Ends don’t justify means. As you climb up the rungs of the ladder of leadership, the short cuts that you took would come and haunt you. In today’s world of transparency put into place by social media and other means, before you know it., your aberrations are made as public as Clinton’s aberrations with Monica Lewinsky. Just because you are in a position to meet the goals, just because you appear to have charisma, doesn’t give you the right to do the wrong things. Of course, these days, we see the wrong-doers ostensibly doing well, having ostentatious life-styles and privileges; but, you would probably win battles with this approach and lose wars.
