Pink : a review

Stop glorifying girls . You don't have that moral standard to do so . Pl stop this dirty trick of respecting the fairer sex . Because for respecting them , you would first draw lines , create brackets -- beyond and outside that they don't even exist for you . So stop this business of respecting female folks , all you hypocrites --- all you boys & girls who condescend and decide to respect them within the limits of your own obdurate feudal mindset . Go and watch #Pink instead ; and learn :- learn to accept the girls the way they are -- the way Nature has selected them to be or rather the way they choose to grow in their own personal space .
                  As for the movie , this is back to back surprise by Shoojit Sircar after Vicky Donor & Piku . The star cast is remarkable . All the three female protagonists : Taapsee , Kirti &  Andrea give their pitch perfect performances . Even Angad Bedi as a formidable well connected guy with fewer words and menacing stare pulls off a great show in front of our Big B : the brainstormer at his best in this court room trial . You can't miss cynical and smirky approach of prosecution lawyer played by Piyush Mishra , as well .
                        This cine-verite has a rock solid message to deliver . Bachchan in his rich baritone quizzes Minal certain uncomfortable questions  in a straightforward way , without resorting to obfuscatory language . And he gets a candid reply in the open court without prevarication . I bow to the entire crew and the script writer in particular for risking such a film -- Bollywood seems to have come of age .
                       The beauty of the flick is it's intense plot , handled equally well by the Director Aniruddha Chowdhury . The dilemma and complexity of modern young women is unravelled  thread by thread by the beautifully crafted script . Instead of a direct narration of the incident or relying heavily on several flashbacks , it builds mostly on silences and nuances . You need to read several things between the lines . You need to mature , revelation after revelation . You need to grow from " Why & What " of the things with several question marks ; to " Why not & so What ?? " approach , for the matter to sink in fully .
          When you spot Minal on her jog , out of breath , sweating  neck deep while doing her stretches - you realise with amazement that she glows like a girl in her full bloom . But here's the point -- Do you notice her watchful but confident eyes ? A woman with substance , free spirited bird readying her wings to fly : - for the liberating journey ahead .
           When you find Falak crumbling under callous , heartless trial , breaking , screaming and wrongfully admitting , accepting money . You need to feel how deep is the cut in her psyche -- how one bleeds within as a woman with hurt dignity
               When you hear Tariang complaining about society's approach towards North Easterner , you need to understand she is not just complaining , She is exposing us all  . So better go prepared .
                The pathos in the track कारी , कारी रैना सारी  gonna rake up few deep seated emotions in you . It's worth a repeat watch as a maturer audience .
                                 # Rajesh Pandey

बस्तर करवट ले रहा है ।

बस्तर करवट ले रहा है । हम सब इस महा परिवर्तन के साक्षी हैं । और धन्य हैं वे सब जो इस दंडकारण्य की डांडी यात्रा में प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से सहभागी हैं । साल के वनों ने बहुत ताप झेला है । पर हज़ारों , लाखों बरसों से सूरज की आग पी जाने वाले सागौन के पत्तों ने कभी इतनी बेचैनी नहीं देखी थी जो पिछले कुछ बरसों में महसूस की गई । " सलवा जुडूम " से " ललकार रैली " तक की स्वतः स्फूर्त हुँकार ने इस धरती के नदियों , घाटियों , झरनों , जंगलों में आशा की नई आँच पैदा कर दी है । दशकों से यहाँ के अलसाए हज़ारों गावों को जिस नक्सलवाद ने कर्फ्यू ग्रस्त कर रखा था , अब अपनी बेड़ियाँ तोड़ कर फेंकने लगे हैं । ऊँघते से रास्तों में बेख़ौफ़ दौड़ते वाहन , नक्सलवाद की छाती को रौंदने लगे हैं । यहाँ के युवाओं ने भविष्य की योजनाएँ बुननी शुरू कर दी हैं । सपनों को विश्वास और सुरक्षा के ख़ाकी पंख लग रहे हैं । वर्दी और सभ्य समाज इतना क़रीब कभी नहीं रहा । ये धरती ग़वाह है इस नए अमृत मंथन की । मैं अभिभूत हूँ , गौरवान्वित हूँ इस महा संक्रमण काल की उषा का एक अदना प्रहरी बन कर ।
                            # राजेश पाण्डेय

पापा नहीं रहे

" *पापा नहीं रहे* "। कौंध जाता है ज़ेहन में । लगातार नहीं , पर बार , बार , अचानक । जैसे कभी आप विचारों में गुम हों और बरबस ही बिजली कड़क जाए , और आप चौंक कर जानें की बाहर रिमझिम सा बरस रहा है , न जाने कब से । हाँ ऐसा ही कुछ भीतर ही भीतर रिस रहा है । सब के पापा होते हैं , मेरे भी " थे " ; और बस ये *"थे"* कौंध जाता है , अचानक से ।
               वो जीना चाहते थे - आँखें बोलती थीं , कातर नहीं थीं पर बेबसी ने एक धार पैदा कर दी थी --- कई बार कलेजा चीर गईं मेरा- हम सब का । मैं नज़रें चुराता था , वो अपलक निहारते थे । बहुत कुछ बुरा चल रहा था- समझते थे - पर भरोसा था अपने दोनों बेटों पर । कुछ न कुछ रास्ता निकालेंगे ये - कैंसर भी एक बीमारी ही तो है । उनकी जीवन साथी देती थी ऐसा भरोसा । अभी तो घर पर दोनों छोटे बच्चों के साथ खेलना रह गया था -  दादा थे वो ,  टकटकी लगा देते थे पोतों पर । भीतर ही भीतर कुछ चलता रहता था , कहते नहीं थे - पर मैं जानता हूँ - वो जीना चाहते थे - अभी थोड़ा और । भरोसा था - इच्छा थी - कारण थे- पर फिर भी पापा नहीं रहे । कौंध जाता है कभी-कभी अचानक- लगातार नहीं , पर बार-बार ।
                                      #  राजेश पाण्डेय

A Friend , Philosopher and Guide

           सात जन्मों का तो पता नहीं ; पर लगता है यह एकाकी जीवन ही कई जन्मों के संचित अनुभवों का सार समझ चुका है । खट्टे , मीठे , कड़वे अनुभव !! पर सम्भवतः इतनी ही परतें जीवन में रिश्तों की विविधता की भी रही हैं । विशुद्ध दुनियादार भाषा में ये " रिश्ते " नहीं कहलाते , पर स्वाभाविक सम्मान , अनपेक्षित दर्द और बेलाग भावना के स्तर पर मैं इनकी गरिमा को रिश्ते की ऊँचाई से ही देखता हूँ ; या यूँ कहूँ कि रिश्ते की गहराई में ही महसूस भी करता हूँ ।
                रिश्ते के सारे ताने-बाने तो किसी एक लेख में समा नहीं सकते , पर जो इनमें सबसे सरल और सहज है -- --वो भी वैचित्र से भरा है । सुनता था , सच्चा रिश्ता सात समंदर पार भी फीका नहीं पड़ता । आज के दौर में सात समंदर पार से रिश्ते import भी किए जाते हैं । चलो सात ना सही , पर एक समंदर पार की कोई बात कहता हूँ ।
          यह नाता भी है सिर्फ़ आपसी सहजता, और साझे दर्द की अनुभूति का । शायद भावनाओं की सतह पर ऊष्णता से महरूम हो , पर वैचारिक धरातल पर परिपक्वता की उजास लिए है । नाते-रिश्तों की पुरातन देहरी पर किसी भी नाम को मोहताज़ ; पर परस्पर सम्मान के प्रवाह में दोस्ती की तरलता से संचालित ।
                         मुझे ख़ुद भी नहीं पता कि कोई एक शब्द इतना सामर्थ्य लिए है कि वो इसे पूरी तरह अभिव्यक्त कर ले । मुझे यह भी नहीं मालूम कि क्या इसे मैं " रिश्ता " पुकार भी सकता हूँ ? क्यूँकि मेरे सारे मानवीय सम्पर्क मेरे भीतर यूँ  ही पनपते हैं ; शायद इतनी शिद्दत से सिर्फ़ मैं ही इन्हें सहेजता भी हूँ ; बहुत सम्भव है कि यह कभी आपसी समझ की साँझी धरोहर ना रही हो । पर क्या मुझे कभी इसकी फ़िक्र हुई ? इस बात से भावना की आंतरिक ऊर्जा तो ख़ारिज नहीं होती ।
      " A Friend , Philosopher and Guide ":- अंग्रेज़ी साहित्य के अध्ययन के दौरान मन को छू गया कोई phrase मात्र था । आज सतह पर साफ़ परिलक्षित है , पर सिर्फ़ मेरे लिए । आप अपने जीवन में ऐसे कितने लोगों से जुड़े हैं ? जिनका आप आदर भी करते हों और जो आपके दोस्त भी हों ! जिनसे आप साधिकार सलाह भी लेते हों और जीवन के गहरे अनुभवों को बाँटते भी हों ! जिनसे आप ज़िद भी करते हों और स्वाभाविक झिझक भी पालते हों ! जहाँ साँझी पीड़ा को लेकर आपसी संवाद का मर्म , भावना के स्तर पर आपको अपने भीतर ही उड़ेल देता हो ! जहाँ किसी से कोई सीख आपको शर्मिंदा ना करके और सहज और समग्र बना दे ! सामाजिक मर्यादाओं के दायरे के भीतर आप दोस्ती का हक़ भी जता सकें ! और यह सब भी ,बरसों बिना मिले , मीलों दूर - बिना देखे , परखे । अरसे से एक दूसरे के निजी जीवन से पूरी तरह अनभिज्ञ । एक दूसरे की भाषा के ध्वनि-संकेतों से भी अपरिचित से।सिर्फ़ अभिव्यक्ति के विभिन्न माध्यमों में संवाद के आदान -प्रदान की कड़ी का हिस्सा बने ।सिर्फ़ पीड़ा की निरंतरता में साझे भागीदार । कितना मिश्रित अनुभव ! तिलिस्म सा !!
           सम्भवतः हम सब अपने जीवन में ऐसे विविध दौर से बार बार गुज़रते हैं , पर महसूस करने से रह जाते हैं । आँखें देखती हैं , स्वप्न चूक जाता है । हम आवाज़ें सुनते हैं , मर्म छूट जाता है । सरलता से महसूस होती बात में से सम्मान फिसल जाता है । बेलाग और सहज रह कर भी हम ख़ुद से झिझके रहने के आदी हो चुके हैं -- और इन सब में साझा अनुभवों के भंडार का कोई शाश्वत सोता असमय ही सूख जाता है ।
                 Think of it . Express it before it dries out .
                                     # राजेश पाण्डेय
   

Assembly through a kaleidoscope

          Teachers' quarters were very close to the School premises, so it was customary with us, those who resided there, to walk our way to the school building. And all we found was a great commotion on the road; a mad rush for the Morning Assembly to make it in time. It used to be a curtain raiser for another day's monotonous regularity of pedagogic trial. I was hurrying my steps along with my room mates Trilochan and Upendra, as few bikers and their pillion riders frantically waved their hands at us in greetings. Autos overtook eachother and a few from it yelled "Good Morning Sir", which was immediately followed by a cackle in unision from within it. As we reached the entrance, Ajju's bike almost skidded and slewed by us from behind. Hi!! high fives were exchanged. He was hailed by many a kid at the top of their voices-"Morning Sir!!"; liberty always seemed to be their freaking right with him.
            The sky was overcast and I could sense some confusion in the form of pre-assembly-gathering near the Assembly point. P.T.I.s and few senior faculty members were wondering if Prayer could be held in the assembly-yard or arrangement needed to be done in the  respective classes. We immediately headed for the staff room to relieve ourselves of our handbags; junior sections on our way, were a complete pandemonium and I chuckled to myself with amusement.
                                 The bell rang and rising noises in the class rooms and corridors presented a war like preparation to occupy the courtyard. Students from upstairs were runnig down, almost pushing each other, as it was an open battle field that time. Screeching brakes from the buses, autos, cars and bikes at the entrance gate announced the eleventh hour arrivals , and jumping, running kids with their backloads to the building , darting for their classrooms to throw their stuffs and then returning to the point almost tumbling over each other made a scene.
                   Senior students started pouring in padding across the first floor corridors; just after the juniors were made to fall in line by the teachers. All had assembled, but the class teachers of tiny tots kept scowling at them to make them behave. Few were still arguing with each other, perhaps the matter could not be settled in their auto; few were eagerly enquiring whether or not the teacher of their utmost dislike had reported sick;  few were anxious of their games period getting spoiled due to bad weather conditions; and few wore a serious look-some home work issue perhaps. By the way the Principal with great condescension appeared from his chamber and as usual took an instant dislike to the backrow chatter. Alarm signals were transmitted, and by the time he reached in front to face the assembly, there was a pin drop silence. The bespectacled girl from the senior section cleared her throat to administer the routine prayer-cum-oath.
          "We"......the entire gathering stretched their hands in parade like precision....."we"; they echoed. "The people of India"---sweet lullaby like voices from the left rows repeated--the people of India. "Having solemnly resolved to "----few wavering voices with poor pronunciation were drowned in the panache displayed by many. "Constitute India into a " ---the assembly could hardly reiterate:- constitute India into----Bang, bang---a firecracker from inside the lavatory upstairs boomed.All of us got startled. A fit of the giggles was fairly audible from among the boys; even a chuckle of delight broke in the other half as well. It was  the second improvised, controlled explosion in less than a week. Teachers queued in the back , knew which stream was to be blamed. Students even knew who were the culprits. P.T.I.s running upstairs knew well the incense-stick trick. Changing nuances of our beloved  Pinchu's facial expression was a treat to watch. He had failed till yet to pin the blame on anyone; mere suspicion won't work. But his reticences were more revealing than what he could have actually lambasted.
       "Sovereign, socialist"------the girl conducting the prayer continued with hesitant voice, after all the prayer must go on------"secular and"----the assembly could hardly suppress the titter....."democratic republic". This very word "democratic" puzzled me since then-----'oh.....yes our kids knew exactly what it meant, they knew the very pith and substance behind it and so the firecrackers were timed to salute it, though this time it went off a few words earlier.
                       But the prayer must go on-------as it guarantees in it's later parts "liberty of thought and explosion"-------oooops sorry "expression".
                               From Rajesh Pandey with love.

Once Upon a time in D. A. V.

"Nostalgia" : yes our whatsapp DAV group could rightly earn this epithet for the group name. When I received the invitation to join it, a few days back , a long suppressed yearning to re-live those freaking jolly mood of class rooms in dream corridors of D.A.V. ; surfaced immediately. Though as per the temper of the group , "Nostalgia" was replaced almost immediately with many upbeat ones ; starting from "DAV Gang" to the present "Pinchu ki Pathshala".
                    Years have passed ; so many drastic changes have occurred in every one's personal and professional lives. We are all scattered around different parts of not only India but the globe as well. Few among us are complaining about finding themselves in corporate purgatory with soul crushing tedium ; few find them condemned to the claustrophobia of family life , to suck it up ; few still don't give a damn to whatever goes on in life. I, though , at peace with my present job which is turning out to be more and more a sinecure, find it devoid of self satisfaction which a 40 minute of classroom interaction could always produce. So it was a much needed deja vu of old charms to all of us.
            I regard my 4 year teaching experience at D.A.V.Bilaspur as the golden period of my life. Becoming a class teacher of 11"C"; commerce stream was a culmination ; just before my departure from there. I still recall each and every one of them with tenderest fondness. Their mischiefs always matched their skills : a strong cocktail of youthful exuberence and childlike pranks. Totally unaffected by the damning indictment by the faculty ; the corridors of D.A.V. were always bustling with these teenage pranksters. Being their language teacher I don't know how far I succeeded in whetting their appetite in communication skills; but it struck a chord , and struck on both the sides. The obvious outcome is my still being here with them ; sharing their PJs as a friend.
          Youthful misdemeanours of DAV days still seem to serve  as a meme to the present group. And that's the spirit..........Let yourselves go guys !!!!!!!!

                                                   Rajesh Pandey

                                    
 Naxalism : rotten by product of Democracy !!!

                                       Yesternight's debate on CNN-IBN , convened by Rajdeep Sardesai  on Naxal-menace was such a justification of my own stand that Naxal-sympathizers are nothing but traitors ; romanticizing anti-state-agents.
                                                Nandini Sunder : anti Salwa Judum fame ; was exposed completely , if she was listened to carefully and watched minutely. The venom and hatred she was displaying in her voice and expression while addressing the most popular leader from Bastar , Mahendra Karma , even while he had not turned cold in his grave , was a diabolical effrontery. Was it a schizophrenia on her part , or she is just a hard core anti-State agent ?
       She even dared to compare Naxal attacks and State run counter-insurgency to a war like situation. This is very short of placing robbers and policemen equal as they both have guns in their hands. What a ridiculous falsification. Have they , the Naxal- sympathizers , lost it totally ? Do they have any idea what they are professing ?
              They shamelessly talk of development issues in the remote belts of Scheduled areas while sympathizing , at the same time with those elements who are actually hindering it : by not allowing roads to be built ; blowing Schools and threatening tribals to approach the administration for remedies.They even dare quote Constitution ; let them justify under which provision they support and promote anti-State elements on killing spree .
                   On the 25.05.13 , Naxals killed about a dozen politicians returning from their political campaign at Sukma , fairly under their Constitutional right. They were elected representatives and voice of the people in the State. What justification do they have for their mass killing ? Under which garb of ideology , will they justify to butcher even surrendered and unarmed representatives of the public ?
                                                                                                                  For such gruesome bloodbath , they have just one shameless word : - unfortunate-then they will go back justifying Naxal movements. What rotten interlopers of overt -democracy we have to bear.
                                                                                                                    RAJESH PANDEY