RANDOM THOUGHTS

As a student I was made familiar with the terms Intrinsic or Face Value & Local value.As an example a digit say 7 is taken.Its face value is 7.But local value is altogether a different matter. Placed in the ten's place , it becomes 70; in the hundred's place it becomes 700..........so on and so forth ad infinitum.

In a hierarchical structure and system as it prevails in Government offices, this phenomenon is more manifest.Talking of district administration of which I have been a part for pretty long time, the D.C., ADC, ADM ,SDM have vehicles allotted to them against some monthly deduction made from the salary .

Now a driver is a driver but the local value or importance of the driver varies with the rank of the officer with whom the driver happens to be attached.So the Deputy Commissioner's driver appropriates to himself more importance than those attached with junior officers down the line.

Another thing that I have observed is that no driver willingly drives a very old vehicle and whenever a new vehicle arrives, everyone wants to be at the wheel and the driver who drives a new vehicle rouses some envy in others.

An old Ambassador car fell to my lot when I was holding a desk job in a district.I had the bare minimum repairs carried out to make it roadworthy and it worked fine for plying locally.

One day the driver came with the report that the vehicle won't start.The mechanic was taken to the parking and after much ado ,it was found that the passage between the fuel tank and the engine had been blocked by inserting a piece of cloth.However, the 'gag' was removed and the vehicle was fine again. A clear mischief and a silent protest ! 

On another occasion right in the middle of a flash flood that rocked the district and threw everything out of gear and damaged the roads so badly that the necessary commodities had to be brought through helicopter sorties. the wind screen of the car developed cracks and it was not possible to look through and drive.A forced rest to the driver ? No. Within two days the new windscreen was transported by helicopter and got fixed.

In retrospect, I find the incidents quite amusing.

Random Musings

I was more than happy when on completion of tenure in a hard Tribal area, I received orders of my transfer to a ' soft' area, though not to one of the three stations I had given my option for, as per the existing and much touted Government policy that station of choice would be given after a tenure in a hard area.Further, I had to wait for about two months before another 'scape goat' arrived to take over from me.

I got relieved , packed the stuff and left

the station bag and baggage taking all nice memories of the place with me.I had arranged for my household effects to be transported in advance so as to be able to spend my joining time at Shimla.

After exhausting joining time , I travelled to my new place of posting and reached there at 9:30 PM.A member of staff was there to receive us at the bus stop who also accompanied us to the PWD rest house.We had some dinner and settled for the night.

We just had the tea in the morning the next day when the Chowkidar came and announced that someone had come and wanted to see me. A strange thing at a new place and that too early in the morning.Anyway, I sent for him. He was a middle aged person. We exchanged greetings and I asked the reason of his coming.He said that he had brought some 'gift' for me.Taken aback, I asked him what made him think that I would accept a gift from him or anyone for that matter . My wife joined me and said in chaste Hindi that we were not the ones who accepted gifts.Somewhat peeved that tables had been turned, he was quick to add that he was a Nambardar.Unmoved, I didn't ask him his name and politely told him that I expected to see him more often. The person left but I also felt compelled to think that I was to deal with a clever lot. Soon I was able to identify the person and was given to think that he was deliberately sent to enquire and gauge, what type of a person I was.So I was being put to a test !The Nambardar did not show up again during my entire tenure of close to three years.

Nevertheless I had a reasonably good time.

NOOR JEHAN

A star that shone on the firmament of the Indian cinema as an actor and a singer in the beginning and later became an iconic singer/ actor of Pakistan , Noor Jehan, born Allah Rakhi Wasai started singing at the age of five. Pushed into singing to continue the family tradition ,she learnt Hindustani Classical Music of the Patiala Ghrana from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and was trained in Thumri, Khayal and Dhrupad. Initiated into singing by G.A. Chishti, her singing talent was recognized she started giving public performances . Endowed with good looks and sharp features,in due course she was offered role in films, thus fulfilling her cherished dream . Making her debut in 1935 as a child artiste , between 1935 and 1942 she acted in a number of films, probably 15 or 16. It was in 1942 that she was offered a role in film Khandan opposite Pran . The film became a hit and Noor Jehan got launched on an acting career. Between 1942 and 1947, she acted in films like Duhai, Naukar, Lal Haveli , Dost, Zeenat , Gaon Ki Gori , Badi Maa, Bhai jaan and some others but the films that catapulted her to fame as an actor and a singer were Anmol Ghadi, Jugnu and Mirza sahibaan. With the duet - Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siwa Kya Hai – in film Jugnu Mohammad Rafi also got established as a full fledged playback singer. 

In India almost all her songs and many of the films became hits . Her songs are remembered & hummed even today. Both Noor Jehan and Suraiya virtually ruled the film world doubling as actors and singers . On the formation of Pakistan in 1947, she and her husband Shaukat Hussain Rizvi left India and settled in Karachi. In Pakistan Noor Jehan became a leading female actor and singer and was duly honoured by the Government there by awarding her Tamagha-e-Imtiyaz Sitara-e- Imtiyaz . She also received the Life Time Achievement Award twice. Besides, she is known by the honorific Malika –e Tarannum – Queen Of Melody .

Some of her most popular songs are _

Awaz De Kahan hai – duet 

Aja Tujhe Afsana Judai Ka Sunayen

Hamen to Sham-e Gham Mein Katni hai Zindagi Apni 

Kis Tarah Bhoole ga Dil

Diya Jala Kar Aap Bijhaya

Baithi Hun teri yaad Ksa Le Kar Ke Sahara 

Kya Mil Gaya Bhagwan Tumhen Dil Ko Dukha Ke 

Mere Bachpan Ke Sathi Mujhe Bhool Na Jana 

Haath Seene Pae Jo rakh Do To Qaraar Aa Jaye - Duet 

Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siwa Kya Hai - Duet 

Hamari Saanson Mei Aaj Tak Wo Hina Ki Khushbu Mehak Rahi Hai 

Jawan Hai Muhabbat, Haseen Hai Zamana 

Nigahen Mila Kar Badal Jane Wale 

Chaandni Raaten O Chaandni Raaten 

Mujhse Pehli Si Muhabbat Mere Mehboob Na Maang 

Le Ayi Phir Kahan Par Kismat Hamen Kahan Se 

Kya Yahi Tera Pyar Tha

Latt Uljhi Suljha Ja Baalam …..

There must be many many others as she has a rich repertory of about eighteen thousand songs to her credit. 

Our humble tributes to the great singer / actor.

Indrani Rehman

Today is the birth anniversary of Indrani Rehman, an Indian Classical dancer who was well versed in Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi and played a pioneering role in popularizing these dance forms in the West. She won the first Miss India contest in1952.

She was a recipient of Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Academy award.
Our humble tributes to the great danseuse and choreographer !

A REMEMBRANCE -II

While you are studying in an institution, the count of those whom you could consider close friends from amongst your classmates hardly gets past ten, the initial double digit . At the most , it could be just 5 or 6. But yes , you are familiar with almost all, know the names and some details of quite a few . Still we enjoy a kinship sort of with all of them as comrades. After studies, the meetings among classmates become rather rare as most of us get scattered over different places for reasons of employment etc. 

On an impulse, where ever in Himachal, my job took me, I had the desire to look for and enquire about my classmates from that area. In 1986 , when destiny took me to Pooh, in Kinnaur , I enquired about two of my classmates in college - Nihal and Daya Ram- who happened to be from Kinnaur. 

Within days, I was not only able to spot them but had a visit to my office by Nihal who in connection with his job as a Secretary of the Tehsil Cooperative Union was stationed at Pooh only. We relived the moments as we had met after more than thirteen years. We kept meeting as I was also called to the Union meetings being an ex-officio member.The Union had trucks plying to carry out commercial activities. I badly felt the need for a Hamam to warm water for bathing etc. as, due to erratic and irregular power supply despite the best efforts of the Officers and staff of the HPSEB, no other option was in sight. He got me a Hamam . Whenever I tried to make the payment, he said ‘koi baat nahin le lenge……’ perhaps as a gesture of being a comrade and a classmate. 

Our association however was not destined to last long as after a few months, Nihal met with a fatal accident, as while crossing the road at a crucial spot called Urni , he was hit by a boulder that came shooting down from the Dhank . I was shocked at his sudden demise while still in the thirties, and all I could do was visit his village home and offer my condolences. 

Returning to Pooh, I made the payment of Hamam , a little more than Rs.200/-, to unburden myself .

We had met to part so soon !

A REMEMBRANCE -

Detailed to serve a second tenure in the tribal district of Kinnaur, , in December, 1996 albeit on a higher post , as my vehicle stopped at the gate of Deputy Commissioner’s office at Rekong Peo, the first person to greet me or rather welcome me with a smile in Kinnaur was Gopal, the driver. His words ‘Sir, dubara aa gaye Kinnaur !’ still ring in my ears. He knew me from my days at Pooh, where I had served a full tenure as Tehsildar from 1986 to 1989. Gopal was the driver of ADC Pooh and a few times ferried me too, as I did not have the facility of a Government vehicle at that time. Pleasantries over, he told me that he was attached with SDM, Nichar ( Bhabanagar ) and had come to the district HQ with him . My office being in the DC office building itself, he routinely met me whenever he came to Peo. After some more than two years , came the shocking news of his sudden death.. I felt duty bound to offer my condolences to his bereaved family . The day came too soon.. We had gone to attend the cremation of local soldier martyred in action in J & K , at a place marked for the occasion and it was a ceremonial cremation with customary military gun salute . After the ceremony was over, Sonam ji, an XEN of the PWD at that time , who still happens to be a close friend and who knew and was familiar with Gopal as much as I was, proposed that we go to offer our condolence to Gopal’s family. Off we went to his place at village Taranda , a steep climb above the Taranda Dhank, which is famous for a temple on the National Highway. It transpired that Gopal had slipped down and had hit himself while assisting the Telephone people in pulling the cables on a holiday. Misfortunes never come alone I later learnt that his brother too had expired within days. 

But then, life goes on …………

हिन्दी दिवस

एक कार्यालय में जहां मैं वर्षों पूर्व तैनात था, एक बार दिनचर्या के दौरान मेरे पास एक नस्ती प्रस्तुत हुई जिसमे एक हिन्दी पत्र का प्रारूप भी था । प्रारूप पढ़ते पढ़ते एक शब्द ‘ उपक्रम ‘ पर मेरी दृष्टि पड़ी और ठहर गयी । कर्मचारी योग्य एवं मेहनती था और साधारणतया उसके द्वारा तयार किए प्रारूप को अधिक देखना नहीं पड़ता था पर इस बार पत्र के संदर्भ अथवा विषयवस्तु में ‘उपक्रम’ शब्द का न कोई स्थान था न औचित्य, इसलिये मैंने संबंधित कर्मचारी से पूछना उचित समझा । ज्ञात हुआ कि अंग्रेज़ी शब्द ‘undertaking’ से अभिप्राय था और प्रचलित सरकारी शब्दकोश में इस शब्द का अनुवाद ‘उपक्रम’ लिखा था, जो कि सही होते हुए भी उपयुक्त न था । अक्सर होता है कि प्रयत्न करने के बाद भी उपयुक्त शब्द नहीं मिल पाता । खैर मैंने अपनी साधारण सूझ बूझ से ‘उपक्रम’ के स्थान पर ‘वचनबद्धता’ लिख दिया जो कि संदर्भ और विषय से मेल खाता था ।अपना उदाहरण दूँ तो एक बार मेरी गाड़ी भी बजट संबंधी संदर्भ में ‘दत्तमत’ शब्द पर रुक गयी थी । संबन्धित विभाग से पूछने पर पता लगा कि इस शब्द का अर्थ ‘voted’ है । कुछ वर्षों बाद मुझे बहुत प्रसन्नता हुई जब उक्त कर्मचारी का नाम मैंने हिन्दी दिवस पर सम्मानित कर्मचारियों की समाचार पत्र में प्रकाशित सूची में पढ़ा ।यह उस कर्मचारी की योग्यता, परिश्रम और लगन का ही परिणाम था । 

हिन्दी दिवस की शुभकामनाएं !