Love, Unleashed and Unfathomed…

Love is a sea shore

Where we feel ourselves more

We hold the hands of each other

And pass the sands which still do smother,

Where the waves surrender themselves unto our feet

And make us feel more complete.

The setting sun is our destination

The Infinity is our inspiration.

Love is the mountain-top

We reach there and stop,

But only for a while;

To see you shimmer in ethereal smile.

Close your eyes and behold,

The rising sun withers away everything cold.

Love is the dew-drop on a green grass-blade

Where every sorrow does gradually fade,

And reflect life on the tiny crystal ball,

And makes again the ticking clock stall.

Love is the desert where all the wounds dry

And once again instigates us to try,

To start everything anew;

To provide life an alternative view.

Life is a drama

Here you are the Queen,

Who conquers my heart

And relish everything I win.

I am the sand who craves for death

You are rain with a lease of breath.

You are the spirit who show me the Light.

You are the ocean who teaches the waves to fight.

© Mayukh Lahiri

Patalghar Revisited

Last night I watched the Bengali movie Patalghar (the underground chamber) once again and found something new. Among the Bengali movies Hirak Rajar Deshe holds the distinction to present the scenario of the Indian politics in a way which is vivid and subtle at the same time. Patalghar too has some strong political message. But here the international politics is more important than its Indian counterpart.

The nomenclature and the functionalities depict the International political scenario in an apparently camouflaged way. But it is adequately understandable to those who thrive on grey matters.

Firstly, China was symbolised by the character of Vik (the character played by Biplab Chatterjee). He comes from the planet Nyapcha, the very word the Bengali people use to refer the Mongolian clan. Vik remained asleep for 150 years which stands for the opium age in China. Due to the effect of the opium the Chinese people didn’t find themselves energetic enough to excel in various aspects of life.

Secondly, the character played by Mita Vashishth symbolises the United States of America who are not intelligent enough to invent something new. But they worship the war as it’s the only way of their survival. They have enough money to invest. And that’s precisely the trap in which the emerging nations like India fall into. Like the true business minded persons the Vashishth & co initially run after anything specific (like the instrument of Aghor Sen) but waste no time when they find something better, or, the insrument which suits their style best (like the laser gun of Vik).

Thirdly, the director has shown clear differences between the two segments of the Indian society. The burgeoisie are not afraid of inventions or discovery. But they take a backward step when it comes to the implementation of that very invention or discovery. That is why Bhutnath holds the lantern while Kartik opens the door of the underground chamber. The lower strata of the society still lack education and hence they are largely influneced by the concepts of voodooism and mumbo-jumbo. The character of Gobinda Biswas (Apaya i.e. ominous) symbolises that mindset.

The director has put enough emphasis on the ancient and modern historical aspects. That is why he used a Mongolian and an American-Indian as the servants of Aghor Sen. It should be taken into account that even amidst the booming of science and technology these people have managed to carry on with their own culture. The more striking aspect is the first civilizations of the world developed in the Asia and the Americas.

At the same time, the director has put enough stress on the modern history of India. During the 19^th century India bloomed in every aspect of life (the Renaissance). So, a genius scientist like Aghor Sen is the embodiment of that very period.

The film ends with a semi-positive note as an Indian gets the chance to explore the new side of the galaxy. But at the same time, Kartik, who was the most instrumental person to open the underground chamber was denied the due opportunity.

To The Fallen

The tattering Tornado takes us down

And slaps me hard with the Satan’s gown.

Still untouched as the maximus crown,

The aura of which can only cause a frown.

She depended upon me, O dear,

With the hint of love and tinge of fear;

She pulled me up from the muddy earth under

And introduced me to the gruelling thunder.

The tomb of Hope was already built,

Nevertheless, she kept her tilt

And honoured me with the warmth of love

I felt at home like an olive-branched dove.

The rhyme of love thus discontinues

I still worship her as the Heavenly Muse.

Mayukh Lahiri

A Common Affair

Your loveliest look

Took away my heart

I kept on beholding

You seemed a little introvert.

I well understood the glance

Both of us wanted a chance

To get a partner with

Life-long romance.

I didn’t propose you

You didn’t do it either

It’s the warmth of our love

Which has kept us together.

© Mayukh Lahiri

Indian Premier League: Look Back in Wonder
The Twenty20 (T20) format of cricket made its debut in England in the 2005-06 season. From the very beginning it was able to create much excitement among the people the people. But remember, it was not only the people of England but the people worldwide. The spectatorship rose high to such an extent that Sky Sports, the official broadcaster of the UK Domestic T20, gained a healthy amount of Television Rating Points (TRP). As a consequence, if you ask a cricket-loving Indian that who won the UK Domestic T20 last year, they will easily answer, “Middlesex” at once.

The sub-continent was undoubtedly the capital of cricket-commerce in the world from the ’90s. but the start here was very much unofficial through the arrival of the ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League (ICL), inaugurated by Subhas Chandra of Zee group and legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev. Soon after the introduction of the ICL the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shook its locks and took the necessary steps to introduce Indian Premier League (IPL) which took the cricketing world through a complete jerk.

In its inaugural season in 2008 IPL became the heart-throb of the cricket-fanatics due to the presence of ace players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden etc. eight teams participated from different parts of the country, namely, Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, King’s XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals (Jaipur) and Deccan Chargers (Hyderabad). Each team contained some foreign players, national players, local players and junior cricketers. In a very tough competition Rajasthan Royals, captained and coached by Aussie leg-spinning wizard Shane Warne, lifted the trophy in the first season of the IPL.

After its swashbuckling success in its inaugural edition, much was expected from the 2009 version. The dates were declared earlier but those dates clashed with the dates of the General Elections of India in some cases. Moreover, the security of the players was also under threat after the 26/11 incident of Mumbai. Left with no other alternative, the IPL Committee decided to hold the Tournament in South Africa.

There was a myth that T20 format of cricket is suitable for only those who can hit the ball hard. But the Protean soil proved it wrong, batting on the South African strips were much tougher than that on the Indian pitches. A bunch of young players like Yousuf Pathan, Swapnil Asnodkar did shine emphatically in the 2008 edition. But most of them failed miserably in the 2009 version. The players having strong base of batting grammar, like Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden excelled in style. Besides, the condition was favouring the bowlers on many occasions. The poor performance of the Kolkata Knight Riders apparently shrunk the number of actual competitors, but the other teams put their best effort to provide the tournament an exciting shape. Ultimately, the Deccan Chargers emerged as the Champions beating the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a nail-biting finish. It is to be remembered that the Deccan Chargers finished at the last position in the 2008 IPL.

Cricket is still a drama…even in the Twenty-first century.

To a Newborn Lady

O mistress mine,
Thou art the oldest wine,
Thou settled in the heart of mine,
With all my wishes, I hope,
Thou shouldst be fine.

This was the day,
You announced your arrival;
In me,
You found your loveliest pal.

That day onwards…
I hold your hand…
Let’s travel to some unexplored land
Where we find not the drudgery of a weary band;
Only the soothing murmur of some lively sand;
And we place ourselves in the zone, still unmanned.

This is the loveliest spring,
Nurtured by a cozy winter,
And no precious thing is
Snatched away by the Time-hunter.

Now, it’s the time to make your mark
Take the planet through a complete jerk.
It’s the time to brighten your name;
Show the world, you’re not an ordinary femme.

The more you’re held in reverse light
The more you shine in obverse bright.

© Mayukh Lahiri.