HUNGER IS THE BEST SAUCE

HUNGER IS THE BEST SAUCE, they say and truly enough. But it is a heavenly boon and a bliss when you are treated to a reasonably good food , unexpectedly right in the middle of a desolate place or a Jungle.

In ' 80s while undergoing probation and part training at Ghumarwin, I was asked to carry out a joint inspection along with I&PH department and some stake holders to identify some land for the construction of a huge water storage tank.The group walked from one place to the other surveying vacant Government land amid some tree growth.At last some land got identified and some marking was done on the copy of revenue map after taking measurements of the spot.The exercise proved tiresome and exhausting in view of the fact that I had not taken breakfast in the morning. A person accompanying us,theretofore quite unknown to me sensing that something was wrong with me , enquired about my well-being.I frankly told him that I was dead hungry.

He assured me that he had some food with him and he was looking for water nearby. Luckily we found water on the way and we sat on the ground.He took out some wrapping from his bag. There were some chapatis softened with desi ghee, and some green leafy vegetable.

He shared his food happily with me , a complete stranger. The icing on the cake was some jam he was also carrying. This made a perfect lunch.

Even today, 32 years on,the thought of the kind person and the tasty lunch he was so happy to share with me, fills me with immense joy.

राज कुमार

अपनी अनूठी संवाद अदायगी, राजसी अदाओं एवं  तौर तरीकों के लिए  विख्यात, अद्भुत अभिनय प्रतिभा का दशकों लोहा मनवाने वाले अभिनेता  राजकुमार की आज जयंती है । इनका वास्तविक नाम कुलभूषण पंडित था।

स्कूल के ज़माने में मुहम्मद रफ़ी का अपने ख़ास अंदाज़ में गाया एक गीत ' घोड़ा लाहौरी मेरा, तांगा पिशौरी मेरा...' बहुत लोकप्रिय हुआ था । अभी हाल में  यू ट्यूब पर तलाश किया तो पाया कि यह गीत राजकुमार पर फिल्माया गया था ।एक बार और उनकी अभिनय प्रतिभा के प्रति प्रशंसा का  भाव मन में उभरा ।रजत पट पर अपनी जानदार उपस्थिति से कई बार पार्श्व भूमिका निभाते हुए भी नायक पर  भारी पड़ते हुए राजकुमार ने अनेकों यादगार फिल्मों में अभिनय किया !
आज उनकी 92वीं जयंती पर हमारी विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि !

A SIMPLETON TRIES TO ACT SMART:

Familiar to the words ‘manicure’ and ‘pedicure’ only to the extent that they do exist in the English dictionary, I am quite regular, rather scrupulous in cutting the nails of my hands once in a week , and of feet every two weeks.For this I need a nail cutter handy as I am not on eofthe types who can cut/pare their nails to perfection with a razor blade . 
But once I was faced with a situation when my nails became due for cutting and I had no nail cutter .
The incident relates to early ‘80s. I was away from home for a few days and had forgotten to take the nail cutter along with other paraphernalia. On a day , the nails got due for cutting . What to do ! Those were not the days of ATM or debit card and one had to bank on and make do with the cash one had in the pocket.

Even though earning at that time , I had not much of cash with me and had to live within the amount I had. Purchasing a nail cutter seemed out of the question as I needed to save till the purchase of bus ticket for the back journey. I went to a small shop the market and asked the boy to show me a nail cutter. I cut my nails on the pretext of testing the nail cutter and asked the price. When told, I asked the boy to reduce the amount of price as at my place the same was available for much less amount . He refused to oblige me saying that the price was fixed. I refused to buy it much to the annoyance of the shopkeeper boy who pointed out that I had served my purpose cleverly . I didn’t say anything as he was right.Coming back , I myself felt bad and a bit guilty about it .However, I put the matter to rest hoping that I would be home before the next nail cutting became due.

Tom Alter

Today is the first death anniversary of Tom Alter, an Indian actor of American descent. Born Thomas Beach Alter at Mussourie in today's Uttrakhand on 22 June, 1950, he received his early education abroad. Coming back to India, he FTII  Pune . After passing out from there he rushed to Mumbai .He got his first break in Sahab Bahadur, in which Dev Anand was in the lead roke.His first film to be released was Ramanand Sagar 's Charas.He got to play roles in Ram Bharose, Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin, and Paravarish.He also dubbed for Jeevan in the movie Amar Akbar Anthony.
He acted in Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi, and also played the memorable role of a British Officer in Kranti.His other  films include Naukri, Kudrat and Sardar, a film based on the biography of Sardar Patel in the context of partition and Indian Independence.He also acted in an Assamiya film Adajya.Turning briefly to Hollywood, he acted in Peter O Toole's One Night With The King  .

He also acted in TV series Samvidhan, Bharat Ek Khoj, Khamosh Sa Afsana,Shaktiman and Junoon.
He was also active in theatre and  acted in plays like Beckett's  ' Waiting for Godot'
He was also an author and wrote some books.
Well versed in both Hindi and Urdu and familiar with Indian culture , he was fond of Shayari .
He was awarded Padma Shri in 2008.
He died this day last year, aged 67.
Our humble tributes to the very talented and versatile Actor !

Mahendra Kapoor

Today is the death anniversary of Mahendra Kapoor , a popular ,highly talented and versatile playback singer of Indian Cinema, who strode the Film Music world for decades during the golden era of Indian Cinema and shared space with the stalwarts like Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna De, Talat Mahmood and Kishore Kumar, lending his voice to all known heroes of the times.Born in Amritsar, Punjab on January 9, 1934 he shifted quite early to Mumbai and learnt Classical music from the likes of Pt.Husn Lal.He came out first in the open music competition called Murphy Metro music competition which opened the doors of professional playback singing.He got the opportunity to sing in Narang and the songAdha Hai Chandrama Raat  Aadhi , a duet with Asha Bhosle and  Komal Komal Charan, Shyamal Shyamal varan, a solo became instant hits.He went on to sing beautiful melodies, both solos and duets in films like Dhool Ka Phool, Waqt,Sohni Mahiwal, Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi,Gumraah, Doli, Humraaz, Sangam, Upkar, Poorab Aur Paschim,Nikaah,Fakira, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Jai Santoshi Maa, and many many others. Apart from Hindi films, he sang for Punjabi, Marathi and Bhojpuri films.
He considered and acknowledged Muhammad Rafi, the legendary play back singer and a fellow Amritsari as his mentor and paid him glowing tributes on many occasions.
The throw and range of Mahendra Kapoor's voice was amazing. He sang the title song of popular TV serial Mahabharat .

His song 'Chand chhupa aur taare doobe...' from the film Sohni Mahiwal remains my personal favorite as are the songs from Humraaz, Gumraah, Dhool Ka Phool, Navrang..... and many many others. He also sang a duet with Muhammad Rafi, 'Kitni haseen aaj ye taaron ki Raat hai... ' for the film Aadmi.
He also gave a number of stage performances.
A Star singer at the Shimla Summer Festival in the early ' 70s, he also recorded two Himachali Pahadi songs for Akashvani.
He was a recipient of Padma Shri, National Award for Best Male Playback
Singer and  the Filmfare Award for the Best Male Playback Singer.
He died this day in 2008 aged 74.
Our humble tributes to the great singer !

Rajendra Krishan

Today is the death anniversary of Rajendra Krishan, a highly talented poet, lyricist and Screenwriter of Hindi Cinema. Born on June 6, 1919 in undivided Punjab, British India,he became fond of writing poems while still in school.In his early life he worked as a Clerk in Shimla till 1942.A voracious reader of Indian and Western authors, he acknowledged his indebtedness to the Urdu poetry of Firaq Gorakhpuri and Ahsan Danish as well as to the Hindi poet's Pant and Nirala.
On mid 40s he shifted to Bombay , now Mumbai to work as a screenwriter.His first screenplay was Janta in 1947. His debut as a Lyricist also came in 1947 with the film Zanjeer. After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948 the wrote a lyrical tribute to him,' Suno suno aye duniya walo, Bapu ki yeh amar kahani......', which sung by Mohammad Rafi and composed by Husn lal Bhagat Ram became very popular.
Fame came to him with the lyrics he wrote for the Motilal- Suraiya starrer block buster Badi Behan and another movie Lahore.
Rajendra Krishan never looked back and in the coming years wrote wonderful melodies for the films like

Albela,Aaram,Ladki, Anarkali, Nagin,Azaad, Bhai Bhai, Dekh Kabira Roya,Asha, Adalat, Patang,Barkha, Love In Shimla, Bindiya,,Nazrana, Chhaya, Shaadi, Rakhi, Bluffmaster, Bharosa,Pooja ke Phool, Jahan Ara,Khandan, Pyaar Kiye Ja,Padosan, Brahmchari, Reshma Aur Shera and many many others.He also wrote dialogues for some of the films.He worked with all the leading popular Music Directors of the time.
He was a recipient of Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for the film Khandaan.
He died this day in 1987 aged  68.
Our humble tributes to the great Lyricist !

Jagmohan Sursagar

Today  is the birth centenary of  Jagmohan Sursagar  or simply Jagmohan, a  popular   singer who sang   wonderful  melodies in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Born  Jaganmoy mitra this day in 1918 in West Bengal, he sang  a number of film and non film songs for  Kamal Dasgupta, a Bengali  music composer. He himself is known for a song  ‘Pyar ki yeh talkhiyan ……’ which he composed for    ‘Sardar’ a 1955 movie. The song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and was an instant hit. Jagmohan  also performed on stage shows  and sang along side many contemporary singers. His soft,  soothing , soul touching voice has a class of its own and  is a far cry from the loud film music  one comes across these days. The list of some of the very popular songs  he sang  goes like this :

O varsha ke pehle baadal ……
Dil ko hai tumse pyar kyun……
Mujhe na sapnon se behlao……
Dil de lar dard liya maine …….
Sapnon mein mujhko pyar mila……..
Ye chand nahin teri aarti hai……..
Pyari tum kitni sunder ho ……..
Aankhon mein chhupa kar man mera , man mein hai chhupa kaun…….
Mat kar saaj singaar sundari…….
Tum mere samne aya na karo……..
Meri aankhen bani diwani …………
Ik baar muskara do ……
Us raag ko jo payal mein soya haijagaa do………
Ulfat ki sazaa do mujhe ulfat ki sazaa do ………
                                     He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India  in 1999.
He died on 4th September 2003 , two days short of completing 85 years .
Our humble tributes !