In The Rain

A lonely afternoon, somewhat melancholic, deeply frustrating and undoubtedly grim. Then suddenly, I heard that sound, the sound of rain - or rather music. It was as if a prayer that I had never said had been answered. And off I went, out of my home, out of my shell, into the rain. I went on a long lonely drive to nowhere.

The rain drops that hit my car created a song that lifted me. A song that my body danced to, without actually dancing. And my world seemed transformed - from melancholic, frustrating and grim to gleeful and carefree; though still somewhat lonely. My energy, which had been drained out by some (unkown) sadness was back. And I sang along with the rain, as I drove away to glory on the somewhat deserted roads.

After quite a long, watery drive, I brought my car to a halt, and set foot outside. As I felt the rain drops touch me, an overwhelming feeling of strange happiness surrounded me. And for one fleeting moment, the melancholy inside me was 'completely' gone. It was as if the cold drops of divine water that hit my body, percolated into my soul and somehow 'warmed' me. It was the most playful, light-hearted and romantic I had felt in a long time. I wish time just paused  there - at that cold, warm moment.

And as I stood there inhaling the fresh smell of rain,  I wondered why 'rain' is associated with the dark days of life (as they say - 'rainy days'). A rainy day is so wonderful, so amazing. It was then that it dawned on me that everything is what me make it to be. A rainy day can seem bleak and dreary - if you look at it that way. But it can also lift your spirits - like I found out. Sometimes, in the seemingly most dark and 'rainy' days of our lives, lies something beautiful, something glorious, if only we care to find it.

I remembered old, carefree, rainy days, when I used to fill the little streams of water with small boats. When just wearing a raincoat or holding an umbrella brought a sense of excitement. Where had that enthusiasm disappeared? Why had I forgotten to enjoy the rain all these days? Why had I allowed tension and sorrow to overwhelm me, drain me out and take control of me? Probably it was the growing up - the innocent days of childhood now a distant memory.  But in that moment, completely drenched in rain, I remembered those days, probably because I had suddenly discovered the child 'still' in me.

I returned home with a renewed spirit, with the realization that life was not so dull and gloomy after all. Maybe tomorrow the sadness will return; I may (will?) slip back into the gloomy mood. But, whenever that happens, I will remember this rainy day and hopefully, just the thought of it will bring back some cheer.

So bring out the child in you, go and dance in the rain, enjoy every day and moment, and you will discover that life is not that bad after all. You will then eternally find a happy, cheerful, enthusiastic you.

So when there's something biting you, some pain, or just plain boredom, pray that it rains so that you can drive away your melancholy.

http://blog.samarthprakash.com/index.php?itemid=20&catid=10

Festival of Lights, Life of Darkness

The sound of fire crackers all around. The light of lamps everywhere. Smiles on faces. Sweets, color and lots more. Diwali. The Festival of Lights. The triumph of good over evil. Diwali, a great festival, a time for celebration, a time of togetherness with family, with friends. For most of us, a time for holidays. A time for hope.

What about the other side? Diwali. A time which underlines the deep hypocrisy of Indian society. Diwali. 'Outward' shows of happiness, of lights. What does it mean to celebrate  the triumph of good over evil once a year, when evil wins all throughout. What does it mean when we mostly tend towards backwardness and darkness. What does it mean?

Bright lights and sounds for a short time, only for darkness and silence to take over again. What does it mean? What does a lamp that burns brightly signify? What does a fire cracker that lights up the atmosphere and brings a smile signify? What does all this mean, when everything eventually melts away into darkness and is merely a memory.

What does it mean for Lord Ram to burn the effigy of Ravan? What does it mean when the Ravan inside all of us is stronger and will eventually prevail? How hypocritical can we be? How much more openly can we celebrate it?

And, let's not highlight one win for good here and there. Those are mere aberrations. And we all know it. Aberrations that makes us believe that all is well. But as they say, the truth is always something else.

Perhaps Diwali is a time for forgetting sorrows and darkness. Perhaps Diwali is the time to leave behind the troubles. But being oblivious for a day, for a week, doesn't obliterate anything forever. Diwali is the time to wake up. To wake up to the true light - light that forever seems to evade us. It is a time to ponder. We need the light to see the darkness. What better time than Diwali to do that?

Let this Diwali not be a time of mere hope. Let it not be a time to merely distribute sweets. Let it be a time that begins sweeter thoughts. Let it not be a time for merely lighting lamps outside our homes. Let it be the time to light the lamp inside our hearts.

An eternal optimist, I do hope we will have a Real Diwali someday. I hope I live to see that day. Until then, for whatever it is worth: Happy Diwali; whatever that means to you all. Frankly, today, it means little to me. Zilch.

Diwali. Festival of Lights. Life of Darkness.


Nothing has changed since: http://blog.samarthprakash.com/index.php?itemid=47

Distant Bells

An unclear face, a special night - now far away, a parting of long ago, an old brush with destiny, maybe an exceptional coincidence or a quaint little meeting - ancient, faint glimpses of unforgotten people, glimpses still strong inside us, glimpses that never die.

When we dig into the past and recollect, we remember - with some fondness - those people who inspired us, people who touched us, people who somehow defined us - rather helped us define ourselves, people without whom we would have been someone else, probably somewhere else. Maybe a favorite teacher, perhaps a dear friend, or perhaps someone extra special. People who somehow stood out in the crowd. People, who in their own little, somewhat mystifying language, talked to us even in silence. The echoes of those words are heard even years later. The light from those sparks that were created is never dulled.

Even in fading light, inspite of the ever increasing speed of life, and the thick mists of the mind, some souls never leave us. Some encounters, however momentary, however fleeting, leave their imprints - imprints, firm and memorable.

The years in between may have dimmed the faces, may have somewhat tempered the strong bonds. But the light that shone from their hearts will always touch us. The spaces that separate us from them, can never break the hidden bridges - bridges that make light of distances too great. Vivid images of those seasons, that almost seemed to span an era of our lives, strike us - suddenly - out of nowhere, and bring with them the legacies that those people left behind.

And, some of them tap our inside in a way that can never  be erased. And, when they are gone, we do begin to believe that we may never see their like again, never again see anyone from their tribe. For some people touch us in their own unique ways, which can never be recreated by anyone else.

Such people come along once in a while. Their paths cross ours for a brief duration of time - time which is ours - and theirs - to bring out something momentous, something far-reaching, something exemplary. And, sometimes, that small slice of our life, seems like eternity, seems like a life in itself. So, keep your senses on alert, 'listen' to the signs that people bring along, and never miss that short span of time, that can redefine our lives and the lives of others.

And then comes the bitter part. A heavy-hearted goodbye that leaves us forever sad - a farewell at a graduation party or maybe a farewell at a railway station, a grand farewell at the end of life, or even a farewell that never was. A farewell that was truly tearful even without tears - for some tears never come out. But, away with forlorn thoughts! For, even though we part, we carry with us some lessons, some fulfilled dreams, perhaps a changed outlook, a treasure of memories, that we can someday dwell upon with a smile and a tear, and above all a hope - a hope that someday in the distant future, our paths will cross again.

But of course, destiny may never bring us together again. Fate  may never let our eyes meet again. But, distant bells - bells of an old tryst, of sweet meetings and doleful partings, will forever ring in the memory of our hearts.

http://blog.samarthprakash.com/index.php?itemid=26&catid=8

Movie Review - Skyfall

What are the expectations when you walk into a James Bond movie? Action, action, action? With so many 007 movies in the bank, and a steady flow of action movies over the years, people are increasingly looking for that something extra from a Bond movie. With the previous movie Quantum of Solace being a disappointment, I stepped into the movie hall with slightly confused expectations, yet hopeful that the film would be a good watch.

Skyfall starts of pretty well, the initial action sequences with the bike chase on roof tops and the moving train sequence being top notch. But surprisingly, purely from an action perspective, the movie goes downhill from there. That one exceptional sequence that blows your mind away doesn't arrive and leaves you more than a tad disappointed. What rescues the movie though - ironically - are the portions in between the action, filled as they are with emotion, philosophy, choices and betrayal.

The defining moment of the movie, for me, was the court scene when 'M' reads out lines from the poem Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson:

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in the old days
Moved earth and heaven that which we are, we are,
One equal-temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
(read full poem: http://www.love-poems.me.uk/tennyson_ulysses.htm)

It's the essence of what Skyfall is trying to say: that M and Bond are still forces to reckon with, that time may have dimmed their ability to an extent, but that it hasn't dimmed their spirit and will. It's a toast to those people who still want to fight one more battle, taste one more victory.

Overall, in spite of the dearth of extraordinary action, the movie hold it's own, nudged along by a tight script, brilliant performances and a certain depth. Even in an action movie, sometimes it's those scenes in between that can make or break the movie. Thankfully, Skyfall scores in those portions. But the finale, though well executed, falls a wee bit short in terms of impact, mainly because the action is not something that you haven't seen before. It also seemed more than a little bollywood-ish.

Daniel Craig is extremely good and likeable. He has only got better from Casino Royale to Skyfall. Judy Bench as M does enough justice to her role. Ben Wishaw as the tech wizard enacts his part exceedingly well and adds a comic touch to the movie. Bérénice Marlohe, who is good in a short role, makes her mark in the conversation scene with Bond. But it's Javier Bardem as Silva who walks away with all the accolades, the standout sequence being his first scene with Bond, where he is brilliant.

Bottom line: The movie falls slightly short of expectations and if all you are looking for is great action, Skyfall will probably not quench your thirst. Yet it's worth more than a watch simply because of the underlying emotional quotient and the fabulous performances.

Rating: 3 / 5

The Kite

The soul that wants to fly
To faraway unknown lands,
The heart that yearns to soar
Like the kite, into the endless sky.

As the beautiful little thing
Fast disappears beyond the horizon,
Where dreams and aspirations lie;
Enchanting and captivating feelings
Take over the somewhat heavy,
Somewhat enamored heart.

The string that strongly holds
The poor little thing that struggles,
To break free of unwanted bonds,
And from the ever seizing strangles.
Knowing fully well that without
The strand, it would float downwards,
All It asks is a free hand that
Allows It to reach golden heights.

Bright imaginations color the mind
As It flutters with the wind,
Trying to find a mystic place,
Where desires and reality meet.

It meanders away to glory,
To perchance meet candy times;
To rise unhindered, to chart
Its own magical path;
'Let me fly, Let me loose'
It seems to say with every pull.

Then It realizes, bitterly
That the unrelenting hand
Will never let free;
That it's better to pull away,
And perhaps risk a glorious fall
In place of the restraining chains;
To live a vision, to chance a dream,
And even in storm, To meet victory in loss.

The wind is favourable, Time is ripe;
It's better done now;
For winds do their direction change,
Without warning and without a trace.

And then there will be no escape,
From the torture of the unwilling hand.
So It cuts off, with a moment of thought,
It tries to sail into the distant heavens;
Though lonely battles are a hard win,
It fights till every nerve is thin.

It again tries, rises with charm and pride,
And makes It's way a little further
Eyeing long longed peaks and the crown;
Then, as sure, as death is certain,
It falls somewhere in remote terrains.
If only the hand had let It free,
What glory could have been,
What pinnacle It could have seen!

- Samarth Prakash
http://blog.samarthprakash.com/index.php?catid=16&blogid=1