ज़िंदगी एक ख़ाक है
इस सूखे पत्ते की तरह
जिंदगी भी कभी सूख जाती है
और शाख से गिरकर
ख़ाक हो जाती है
पर एक दिन ये भी एक नया पत्ता थी
ये सोच कर उस ख़ाक में भी इतराती है।
प्रदीप/जून ११, २०२१
फोटो: आज छत पर
Monday, June 14, 2021
Book Review - Stories I Must Tell by Kabir Bedi
Stars don't live on the earth, they are a part of our universe but they have a world of their own that's why you can't connect with them as long as they are stars until they come back on earth and live a life like you and me.. sometimes this stardom never fades and they vanish in the sky itself without mixing with the common folks on the earth. There are a very few who while being stars project themselves as a commoner and in real life also live like so, so perhaps they daily commute in a local train to go to become stars and return home to a "normal" life.
Last week, I picked up "Stories I Must Tell" that was out of syllabus, as I had no plans to read that and had announced a number of books that I intended to read for the next two months. However, before I finished my previous read I listened to Kabir Bedi talking about his biography on a chat show "dreamers and unicorns" with Abhijit Bhaduri, who has recently written an engaging business book with the same name and since been conducting chat shows and podcasts under the title. The compelling narration of Kabir forced me to read the book.. here and now, that's why when I picked this "out of syllabus" book. Although a slow reader, I finished it in the next 5 days, unusual for me.
When Kabir says he was born in a middle class family, I was surprised.. his father Baba Bedi a philosopher and an iconoclastic Sikh (by his own admission he was 16th generation of Guru Nanak dev ji's family) studied in Oxford in the early last century, fell in love with a fellow student, an English girl Freda, got influenced with Tagore and Gandhi when they visited the campus came back and joined the freedom struggle in their own way through satyagraha. Having born to such parents and studying in a nursery/primary school with Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi and often seeing Jawaharlal and Indira in early childhood, you can't be falling in the category Middle Class of India.. that is reserved for people like me.
The book starts with his life changing experience of interviewing iconic Beatles during an unscheduled stop over in Delhi in 1968. The book covers his ambitious journey into the Dreamworld and the glamour of theatre and celluloid. Dashing, well educated, a Stephenian, fluent in languages, daring Kabir made it to the Bombay film world (that was not called Bollywood those days) with some successes. And as it happens with people who get under such brightness when headlights are turned on you, you raise yourself on the platform when you see only bright things and not notice (दिया तले अंधेरा). You are blinded with the glamour. So as 22-23 year old when he met another intelligent, ambitious and flirtatious girl Protima Bedi he was drawn to the Dreamworld that was common for stars.. live-in relationships in those days were not as common amongst middle class people that ended in a forced marriage as living in such relationships with a child was still not common even in the glamour society of Bombay (as it was called then). When you join such 'high flying" world you also tend to conform to their norms.. so multiple relationships were common .. you get into it, your partner gets into it.. I wonder is there a "home" you come to when all this goes on?
Anyway, so breakup and another relationship with a schizophrenic Parveen Bobby (she was obviously an equally attractive, if not more and more famous and successful as an actor), and another break up, another marriage, break up, marriage.. it's endless.. you always try to find happiness that keeps eluding you.. it's like a mirage you are chasing. You are in your Dreamworld and deny the existence of the real world around you. For a common man like me and I suppose with most of us, when you had a bad night at home your work in office or whatever you are engaged with, suffers and at the same time you are at your best when you had a happy night home the previous night. So although you are an actor and can put a layer on your emotions, you would still not be giving your best during the emotional drain when you have had fights or upset with breakups. Four marriages and many relationships he finally thinks that he has found his "true love" when he was 70 in a girl 28 years younger, nothing wrong provided he doesn't get disillusioned yet again ( historically, it's a tough call). I would like to wish him best and may his marriage five years back lasts a life time and he finds happiness of Lifetime in his newest relationship. Just remember, relationships are not castle of Legos that you build and demolish and remake in different colours, shape and size.
Although he has been a star in Bombay, Italy and Hollywood, I think and he also says so, he is a real star in Italy as Sandokan that has seen unprecedented success. One would always see oneself as equally successful in other roles but statistics say it otherwise.
The mess you create around you with relationships leave a bitter taste and make those memories haunting for all the actors in the real life drama.. you, your partners and mostly children. Kabir talks about how his son from the first marriage gets into depression and commits suicide. Such a tragic end to a promising life largely due to the broken family. (dedicating tis book to him is hardly any consolation). That is the price you pay for your so called "success". This is nothing new, that has always happened in society from time immemorial at all levels not just in "high flying" societies. Just about a century ago even in our society it was common to have multiple wives in all the religions. I think a lack of true respect and honesty for each other in the couples is what takes such tolls.
The books also elaborately talks about his parents and their careers. His father also moved places and lived with multiple women, in the whole story I think his mother is one person who remained strong and focused, a caring person who ended up as a Buddhist monk and remained so until her death.
Besides the quality of being ambitious and hardworking I wonder if one can draw much inspiration from his life except that I greatly appreciate his honesty with which he has admitted all his faults, guilts and failures. It's not an easy thing. But having admitted what he has, I am sure he will be at peace with himself and will also spread peace in every relationship that he has had.
May god bless our "Sandokan". In the end he is becoming a real life hero.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
ग्रीष्म संगीत
वो मधुर संगीत जब सुनाई दिया तो
मैं भागा भागा पहुंचा
देखा तो पाया वो संगीत आंखों
के लिए था
कानों के लिए नहीं
पर वही सुकून
वही शीतलता
दिल्ली की झुलसती गर्मी में
प्रकृति मानो लाल आंचल फैलाए
ठंडकता फैला रही थी।
प्रदीप/जून १०, २०२१
आषाढ़ की दहलीज़ पर
फोटो: छत पर आज।
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Today in the kitchen - Tinda Masala
Today I picked Tinda to make a masala dish. Tinda is a summer vegetable and in summer when there are not many greens available, it's a good rather great choice to pick along with Kundru, lauki or kaddu all summer vegetables. Tinda has many names in English such as apple gourd, Indian squash, Round melon, baby pumpkin etc.
So let's start:
I again picked a mix of recipes from YouTube but mostly I followed bharatzkitchen. I liked his step by step instructions in clear Hindi. So here are the ingredients, which are not many, to serve 3 or 4 people depending on what else is there on the table. Tinda could be had with roti, parantha, naan or rice, whatever you like.
a) Tinda - 500 gms (approx 8 in numbers)
b) Onion - 2 medium size approx 100 gms
c) Tomato - 2 medium size approx 100 gms
d) Curd (for marination) - 1/2 cup( 80 gms)
e) spices 1 tsp each - turmeric powder, red chili powder, roasted cumin seed powder, cumin seed, table salt, kasuri methi, chat masala, garam masala.
f) besan - 1tbsp
g) green chili small size - 2
h) garlic - 2 cloves medium
i) ginger - 1/2" piece (15 gms)
j) water - 1 cup (approx 150 ml)
Process:
Wash Tinda, cut ends and peel cut in two or four parts depending on the size. Wash again.
Slice and cut onions, tomatoes, green chillies, garlic and ginger into small pieces.
Put a pressure cooker on the stove and when heated add 2 tbsp of mustard oil. When oil gets heated add a tsp of jeera/cumin seeds, when it started crackling add the cut onion and cook it at medium flame till you see it changing colour, this will take about 3-4 minutes, now add 1tsp turmeric powder, cut green chili, ginger and garlic and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Now add cut tomatoes and 1/2 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp chat masala (I didn't have so I used pav bhaji masala), cook this mixture for another 3-4 minutes till you see tomatoes getting cooked and becoming a bit soft.
Now add the marinated mixtures and mix the whole thing thoroughly and cook for about 5 minutes. (when you cook these mixtures you should keep the cooker cover leaving a little opening). Now add 1 cup water ..use the same bowl that was used for marination so that the residual marinate also gets used. Now put the cover over the pressure cooker and steam it for 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the cooker cool.. remove the lid and add coriander leaves, 1/2 tsp kasuri methi and 1tsp garam masala and you are ready to go.
Although it was my first attempt at this, it tasted perfect.. you can have it as a main dish at lunch or dinner. Eat it with roti, parantha, naan or rice.. it goes well with every accompaniment. Very few people I know who fancy Tinda, so I specially remembered @varunbhatia and dedicate this dish to him... wish he was here.
Monday, June 7, 2021
Book Review - "Dastan - e - Ghadar" by Zahir Dehlvi
कर गया दाढ़ी वाला
पकड़ा गया मूंछों वाला।
- जहीर देहलवी (१८३५-१९११)
No no I am not indicating at anything other than the book "Dastan-e- Ghadar" an autobiography of Mughal courtier and a famous court poet, who was all of 22 and holding a post of a security officer in Bahadur Shah Zafar's court in May 1857, when Delhi saw the devastation caught between the mutineers and British India forces.
The couplet was Zahir's narration when he saw British forces plundering and punishing Delhiites after the mutineers (purbias, telanganees and others) deserted city and British forces started killing and plundering the city in a way that was only seen during the Nader Shah's attack on the city between March and May 1739.
Just finished reading this interesting book. Originally written in Urdu and has been translated by Rana Safvi and published in 2017. The title drew me to the book since I have been reading books written by William Dalrymple on the subject..Mughal India and British Raj. From the title I assumed it would be a story and an eye witness account of the Ghadar .. 1857 mutiny against by East India Company's Indian forces.
Although the book starts with that, I didn't get the 360° picture of the event as well as described by Dalrymple in his book "the Last Mughal". About half the book or 5 chapters describe of rebel forces capturing Delhi and killing Europeans and then Indian British forces loyal to EIC capturing Delhi back and killing and plundering anyone and everyone that came in front. And simultaneous migration of Delhiites, whoever could get away from the city.. Zahir was one of them.
The book takes you to Zahir's journey of life running for survival and returning back to Delhi after four years when city calmed down. But Bahadur Shah Zafar's capture, trial and exile had seen the demolition of Mughal court and finding no employment his transition of life started and the next 40 years took him to various courts of Maharajas, navabs in Alwar, Jaipur, Tonk and finally to Hyderabad in hope of a better life. He was largely patronised by the rulers as a poet but also worked alongside as an honest cop whose job was much appreciated and lived a good life. He was disillusioned with his last home in Hyderabad where the court and nobels had no interest in art or music or poetry and lived in debauchery. In his words:
"No one appreciated poetry or literary activities here. There were no patrons for men of letters in this city, however accomplished they may have been.
ऐ अंदलीब नादान दम दर गुलु फरोबंद
नाज़ुक मिजाज़ ऐ शहान ताब ऐ सुखन नदारद
O unwise nightingale,
hold your breath in your throat,
The fragile hearts of kings can't bear to her your song".
Last days of this great poet who was a pupil of the likes of Zauq, Ghalib and Momin went in penury and the famous poet died an unknown death in an unknown city.
It's an interesting story that initially sounds dull if you are familiar with the mutiny stories but it becomes very interesting soon after his migration from the city in the aftermath of killings in the city by British forces. Some originality also seem to have been lost in the translation. I may have enjoyed the original much more..alas! I can't read Urdu, although I can understand it to the level of enjoying the book. So learning reading Urdu script could become a project very soon.😂😂😂.
Saturday, June 5, 2021
Today in the kitchen - Raw Mango Sweet sour chutney. कच्ची केरी की लौंजी।
Today's preparation is a summer season special and quite popular and regular dish this time around in Rajasthan and through Marwadi migration over last century across the country, it is now common in parts of MP, UP, Kolkata and many other parts of the country. We have been having this at home in Indore ever since I remember during summers the season for raw mango aka केरी.
So lets get going.. I used a couple of recipes from YouTube and mixed them. The ingredients I used are:
a) Raw Mango - 2 pcs (about 500 gms),
b) Jaggery - 150 gms-200 GM's depending on Mango taste.. sweet or sour,
Spices:
c) 1 tea spoon (tap) each of jeera/cumin, sarson/mustard,
d) 1/2 tsp of haldi/turmeric powder, kalonji, saunf/fennel seeds, methi/fenugreek seeds, ajwain/ carom seeds, garam masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder, normal salt, black salt
e) 1/4 tap of heeng/asafoetida
f) two cloves of garlic cut to small pieces
g) 2 tbsp oil
h) 1 1/2 cup (200 ml) water.
Peel and cut the mangoes to small pieces. If the seed is not soft you can keep the mango seeds also with the cut mango for cooking. Take a small pan, heat it over low flame and put two tbsp oil, wait till it gets heated and add kalonji, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, carom seeds and turmeric powder. Let this cook till you hear the mixture crackles. Add cut raw mango, plain salt, red chili powder (I used plain chili powder instead of kashmiri chili powder, kashmiri chili powder is less spicy but gives lovely colour) and cook for about two minutes, add 1 1/2 cup water.
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Today in the kitchen - bharleli vangi.
Idea came when she came across a recipe and asked if I would want to try it.. I was more than happy to be trusted. However, I searched for a YouTube recipe that was exact identical. Hebbar's kitchen. I think if you follow the recipes verbatim as demonstrated .. ingredients, proportions, sequence, timing, flame size you can't go wrong. I think you could possibly cook anything if the recipe is explained properly and you have all ingredients and sometimes the necessary equipment. Patience is what sometimes wear out giving unsatisfactory results.
So let's start on today's dish.. BHARLELI VANGI.
Let's first collect all the ingredients at one place..
For filling:
1) moongfali dana/peanuts - 1/2 cup (approx 75 gms)
2) jeera/cumin seeds - 1 tsp
3) til/sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
4) dry coconut pieces - 1/4 cup (approx 25 gms)
5) turmeric - 1 tsp
6) garam masala - 1 tsp
7) mid size onion - 1 (approx 75 gms)
8) garlic cloves - 3 normal size
9) ginger - 1" piece (approx 20 gms)tomato
For main dish:
1) mid size baingan - 8-9 ( 350-400 gms)
2) cooking oil -2 tbsp. I used olive oil but you can take whichever you use for daily cooking.
3) sarson/rai/mustard seed - 1tsp
4) jeera/cumin seeds - 1tsp
5) tomato - 1 mid size (approx 75 gms)
6) clean drinking water - 1 cup (approx 150 ml)
7) corriander leaves - approx. 20gms for garnishing.
Following picture is showing some ingredients.
Cut the baingan in X shape from the bottom till about 3/4th and put them in a bowl full of water.
To prepare filling:
Roast the peanuts for about 3 minutes till it's skins starts coming off, take it out of the pan and let it cool a bit and remove the skin, put it back in the pan and add 2 tbsp sesame seeds and the dry coconut pieces, roast for another 3-4 minutes and allow this mixture to cool. Once it comes to room temperature, put it in a grinder jar and add 1" ginger cut to small pieces, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp garam masala, 1tsp turmeric powder and grind it coarse and remove the contents in a bowl, mix the finely cut onion to this.
This quantity will serve 3 or 4 as main curry dish.
Enjoy the dish with roti, parantha, naan or plain rice.
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