Saturday, December 1, 2007

7th Sem Ended with Russian Connection

End of the semester exam was not celebrated with huge loud and cry. Only mouth fouled language was used to discuss about academics and life. It was a great day for me as in cricket Wasim Jaffer cracked a rocking century against Pakistan. Then, I started watching films with Russian cultural background. It was not due to 'Look East' policy of India but due to mention of such films at my favorite internet site Imdb.

Eastern Promises (2007):
It is drama and thriller feature film directed by David Cronerberg.The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is in danger when he crosses paths with Anna, an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Courtesy -IMDB

Nochnoy dozor (2004):
Night Watch is a Russian fantasy action thriller film, made in 2004 by the Timur Bekmambetov. It is loosely based on The Night Watch.
Courtesy Wikipedia

Dnevnoy dozor (2006)
Day Watch is a Russian fantasy action blockbuster and sequel of Night Watch. It is based on the second and the third part of Sergey Lukyanenko's novel The Night Watch rather than its follow-up novel Day Watch.
Courtesy Wikipedia

I am mentioning these movies in blog because latter two stunned me with the visual graphics and stunning action. American movies has over utilized the concept of vampires and dark side. This was a good change and shows the great imagination of the Russian counterparts.
Eastern Promises was made by Canadian director but with a good search on Russian background. It was one of few movie which shows why not what and when. In the end, the day was over at 1 December at 2 am.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Om Shanti Om Mania on Semester Exams

Here my exams are going on, so no blogging is done. In mean time, I found new status on Gtalk effective enough to put me in jolly mood.

1-Ek night ki fight ki kimaat tum keya jano Dean babu, notes ka ashirwaad hota hai ek night ki fight, exam ke marks ka raaz hota hai ek night ki fight ek nayi zindagi ki prateek hoti hai ek night ki fight.

2-Ye xams bhi apni hindi filmon ki tarah hote hain,ant tak sab kuch achha ho hi jata hai-HAPPY ENDING Agar tum kisi subject mein paas hona chahte ho to saari kayanat tumhein pass karne mein lag jaati hai aur agar aisa nahin hota hai to xam abhi khatm nahi hua.Supplmentary abhi baaki hai mere dost..

Clearly OSO(OM SHANTI OM) is swinging among the youths. And also my rough view(SNAP) in examination days.Date in the camera is wrong. Sorry my fault...Till then Salaam Namaste..

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Black Comedy: My View

Black comedy, also known as black humor is a sub-genre of comedy and satire where topics and events that are usually treated seriously—death, mass murder, suicide, domestic abuse, sickness, madness, fear, drug abuse, rape, war, terrorism etc.—are treated in a humorous or satirical manner. Synonyms include dark humor, morbid humor, gallows humour and off-color humour.

This the typical definition of black comedy in Wikipedia. But personified look at black comedy may vary from protagonist to protagonist. First question that rise in our mind that "how can comedy be classified in colors?" Black is really a color of depression and death symbolized in west. Hence,emotion as comedy is classified as dark comedy or black comedy.

Delight is momentarily and dejection everlasting.
It is universal theme on which dark comedy is based. Laughing on dejection and sorrows is nothing but dark comedy. Comedy is either humorous or filled with nonsense. To laugh on once action,emotion and condition is superb gift to human kind by nature. To fight unjust system with burst of laughter is a big deal. It is well said that laughter is the remedy of all diseases.

Comic characters are famous from our past stories. In the play 'King Lear' the story of fool following the king in all condition is heartbreaking. As a child,I came across comedy "Don Quixote". It is a dark humor about about a noble Don Quixote and his companion 'Sancho Panza'. But literature provides very good but rare examples of dark humor. I regret that no piece of painting, poem or music had struck me like cinema on black comedy.

Only cinema has few gems inside its storytelling way to visualize it. Sufferings form poverty, war, modernization, traditions and death is shown in pure form in early silent movies of Charlie Chaplin in modest way. That was my first introduction to dark humor in my childhood days.Cinema gives new dimension to this art of black comedy.

Jaane bhi do yaaron
is a genuine black comedy from parallel cinema in my country. It depicts the level of corruption in India.But a long way to go to achieve something in this field. But where are we heading now in this field? We fear to use black comic art in field like religion and culture. An artist is not given enough freedom to speech in this country. But an artist is inside everyone to speak out.A rare art of black comedy will come pure with hard times and vengeance to this unjust world.

Imagination:Search for Neverland

Something comes from Nothing in it. That is the imagination of our wandering mind. Imagination is the will of person through which he adjust and creates a new virtual world in his mind.

Mind is like a blank board at the time of birth. Every experience within and encounter with surroundings makes a rough data bank in your mind. They became tool for further creation of ideas and development of imaginative senses. Myth represents collective imagination of society only. The consciousness acts as a way of thinking and judging yours decision. Preview and assumptions for everything comes by this path of thinking. But we are not merely puppets controlled by previous experiences. The idea of escape and search of anything new gives man power of imagination. Our imagination forms a beautiful combination with the dissatisfaction within to imagine a new world for us. Our dreams are example of activated mind in the hibernated body. Study of either human brain in biology or psychology of human is not fully done yet. We are still learning about ourselves. Salvation lies within us. But we are trying to study nature without knowing true power of our brain.

Man consistently use his power of imagination to search about working of nature from primitive times. Innovation of Concept of God is the greatest imagination of human race. Fear of unknown destructive power had always haunted us. Darkness and loneliness just increases the panic and fear within.

Belief and Logic are the two tools on which we made our kingdom of imagination. First we make rough estimate of anything and in second step justifies it with our logic. The chaos in our mind makes our imagination more fake than reality. This creates illusion in our mind.But Illusion is first of all pleasures. This human psychology makes us different from anything in the world. Modes of fantasy and series of chaotic event in imaginative world varies rapidly. Sensitiveness of our imagination depends on our emotions and will power. A simple example can be quoted for support of this."Every time we visit a temple,we cannot imagine stone as a god."

Only unimaginative persons have limited resources to perform anything new in this world. Rigidness in thought results due to unimaginative mind. Oscar Wilde remarked that Consistency is the last refuge of unimaginative. For me everything pure is within our mind only. To end my view on imagination, a simple line will be enough. A creative mind will find his Neverland everywhere.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Three Days of Applaud at ITBHU

I am recognized by each teacher in this semester. On 3 days till now, 3 teachers give me full sign of respect and appreciation. There applaud makes my eyes full with tear for them. I was laughing in my heart that "look to whom they are talking". I was affected by their sincere concern to them.I will name them here.They are big guns of my department.

08/08/07
Prof.S.K.Sharma was overwhelmed with my attendance in the July month. He was telling to student low attendance cases in the class. I topped the chart with 0% attendance in 3 subjects mentioned and got to be noticed with top roll number(03 in attendance register) by sir. He bowed his hand and down his head in respect of mine in class for being absent in July month. I hit the chart with 9% attendance and a first day placement in C.T.S.

11/09/07
Prof. V.P.Singh remarked about me after my presentation in seminar. I was expecteing flury of question from his side. But he never speak once in seminar. I was trying hard but the problem lies on their side. In the end of presentation,he remarked that I am big fellow in the department in a sarcastic manner. All the teachers were mocking privately after end of presentation on me due to my reply in most question. I have replied honestly that i don't know in 50% of questions. And i got D in the presentation. But 6 pointer chart is maintained.

11/10/07
Dr. Sandeep Kumar was taking class of CAD. The date is quite correct and well remembered till today. I am man of moral and ethical values. Most of the people in my class went late in the class and read magazines and newspaper in the back seat. I have decided not to cheat and started reading "Lajja" written by Taslima Nasreen. Like the book, the controversy was coming to me. I was deeply involved in the book. Uncle jalan not present that day. Sir asked a simple question and no one in class answered it. Even Junee and shashank were not able to do it. Varun has solved it and siting in next row of me. Sandeep sir came and saw me reading book with great devotion. He imagined that i was ignoring him. Alas!!! book was so good. He did not utter a single word. In the end of class,my name was escaped from roll call. I know the reason why? Fools rush in where angel fears. I stood up and ask for my attendance. Now the awesome 5 minute starts for me.

Hence, the wrath of a silent and calm person was exposed on me. With 5 minutes to go,all the fury was revealed. I was so dumbed that i cannot even stand on my legs. I forgot to say sorry also.2 minutes of anger on me and 3 minute for complete public in class. I have not asked for sorry till now due to lack of courage.

Still for the readers, 3 days of blessings of teachers on me are depicted in short.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Chiranjeevin:Immortal in Hindu Mythology

Chiranjeevins are the eight long-lived persons in Hinduism. The word is a combination of "chiram" (long) and jeevi (lived). This word is often confused with immortality ("amaratva").

1-Ashwathama, a man cursed to immortality and eternal suffering without love from anybody for his role in the murder of the five sons of the Pandavas and his attempted murder of Arjuna's grandson.
2-Mahabali, a righteous demon king who conquered heaven, earth, and the underworld, but was forced to give it back by Vamana.
3-Vyasa, a sage who narrated the Mahabharata, he was also a sage in the epic.
4-Hanuman, who served Rama.
5-Vibhishana, Ravana's brother who was made King of Lanka by Rama.
6-Kripacharya, a teacher of the princes in the Mahabharata.
7-Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.
8-Markandeya, a great sage.

There are several other personages known as chiranjeevins, like Jambavantha (Jambavan). However, in Hinduism, "immortal" does not mean eternal. Even immortal things are dissolved at the end of the universe, including its secondary creator Brahma. The only eternals are Vishnu and Shiva of the Trimurti, i.e. manifestations of Brahman (the Supreme Reality), Sheshanaga (the Eternal Serpent), and the four Vedas.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

On partition

एक आग का दरिया बहा
लकीरें खिंच गए मादरे-वतन पे
उजाड़ ले गए आंधी एक गाँव को
वीरान सा पड़ा,धड़कता रह दिल.
बँट गया कारवां,वक़्त के मार से
मातम मनानें के लिए आंसू भी ना निकले
अब तो यादें धुन्धुलाते हुए आती हैं..
एक मुस्कराहट देखे ज़माना हो गया !!
This poem is dedicated to Qurat-ul-Ain Haider .

Big 3

Study of literature left everlasting impression on me since childhood days. I came across many gems of English and Hindi language. As having a sentimental nature, I had admired these 3 writers. They are inherent in me forever..
P.B.Shelley
Mark Twain
Oscar Wilde
They are mighty ones on whom shoulders, I rose and learned about this place called as world. I will not recommend any masterpiece of them because each individual has its own choice and taste.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Go for Gmail


Anyone finds chicks like these with 1 account on Gmail,then contact me...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

ICC World Twenty 20



Twenty20 has been a real crowd-puller, and not only for the cricket .......

Monday, September 10, 2007

Song of Aragorn


All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

by J R R Tolkien

Remarks on AMU

AMU Sucks!!!! :I was much astonished by reading this blog article about communal ragging in Aligarh.AMU is the one of the best university,the Muslims can boast off.I was thinking of my fellow Muslim students who never faced such a communal ragging due to their religion.
When the world is moving forward in term of tolerance,most educated Muslim minds are behaving like irrational citizens of India.
#I am changing the name of topic as it shows AMU in dark color without ant evidence.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Louis Malle

Louis Malle's Personal Quotes:
1-It is only when memory is filtered through imagination that the films we make will have real depth.
2-The longer I live, the less I trust ideas, the more I trust emotions.
3-I tend to think that I repeat myself, so I try to resist the temptation to return to what I have already explored.
4-I think predictability has become the rule and I'm completely the opposite -- I like spectators to be disturbed.
5-You see the world much better through a camera.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

The Truman Show


The Truman Show (1998)
An unassuming film:
It is thought provoking on so many levels, well acted and thoroughly enjoyable piece of craftwork. This is a deep movie, bound to become an art film. Too few films ask us to question the world around us.
Starting as a comedy, I am always taken by how well the film moves to become more and more interesting but yet never loses sight of those audience members who have come for the basic story. Of course by seeming to tackle so many subjects and issues in such a short running time, the film never really gets its teeth deep into any one of them but this is not a major problem because it leaves us to do that in our heads after the film finishes.We grow to care for Truman and this makes the ending an emotional and satisfying one even if some viewers will bemoan the fact that (to them) it appears 'open ended'. That it is also a very thought-provoking affair is only a bonus, with the satire working on many levels.
I came away from 'The Truman Show' feeling inspired which is the goal of good filmmaking. Jim Carrey (Truman Burbank) was outstanding as Truman, underplaying him, not making him too comic or too dramatic, but giving true sincerity when asked. Ed Harris (Christof) has always been a good actor, but in this movie he's a great actor. He plays Christof with such arrogance and bullheadedness that you don't know whether he's helping or destroying Truman. He and the director, Peter Weir, deserved their Oscar nods. The cast is roundly superb even if the majority of them are in minor roles.

First off, a logical individual knows the whole premise of "The Truman Show" could never happen. So we must look for a deeper meaning to this film. To me, it is a re-statement of the old saw "it is better to be free and risk the perils of life than to be confined and protected in an artificial world." When the lady comes on the bike with the basket, then the dog and then the yellow Volkswagen it reminded me of how repetitive life seems at times, when we think that nothing is going to change and we want changes. The Director was like God, the creator, I think that all of us have questioned God and have been angry at him. Truman's world seemed so "perfect"! Our world seems much like that, everything is a matter of perception.
This movie is also testament that the inquiring mind cannot be contained no matter the inculcation. Truman WANTS to discover new horizons; to think outside his box. When computer glitches alert him to his being watched, it inspires him to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The film wants to take a philosophical look at free will versus a higher power and reality versus fantasy. It doesn't always work as the satire often keeps you from thinking too deeply about the underlying themes and the philosophical stuff keeps the satire from biting as well as it could.
The film's surrealistic nature is frightening when the viewer realizes the legal feasibility in today's society, and it offers a great message about who or what we assume God to be and how He (he?) would react to our personal drives for discovery to challenge a world we treat as an aquarium. Some things to note and ponder: The way the real-life viewers ignore the real lives of their compatriots and customers while focusing on a false life on screen; whose life is more real and whose is worth living?

In the end this film is closer in spirit to psychological dramas and sci-fi movies where a person suddenly realizes they are the pawn in some grand experiment or a prisoner in an alien world than it is to anything in our current "reality TV" obsessed culture. Eventually it touches on a very basic conflict all humans must face: The universe does not revolve around us. In the closing moments we are excited for Truman because he finally realizes there is a whole new world out there to explore, but also slightly saddened because we know all to well that he will never be able to return to that idyllic "childhood" existence.

The paradoxical and disturbing messages in this movie should be examined for decades to come. Instead, the insight aspect of The Truman Show has been catapulted by a society that would more readily watch "reality" than live it. The film raises some interesting points about our fascination with life as seen through the magnifying lens of television, and the morality of real lives viewed as so much entertainment. The audience that watched the Truman Show in the movie was a self-indulgent audience of consumers who wanted to be entertained no matter what the cost to Truman, reminded me of the soaps opera & Paparazzi, of how we like to know about the celebrities, and ultimately of how the product could be the death of someone such as Princess Diana or Truman Burbank.
At times poignant, at times funny, always an undertone of darkness, The Truman Show is a metaphor for the pioneering spirit which cannot be contained; never more apparent than the final scenes .The final scene is a majestic, long-awaited finish to an intellectual movie. Those are the same viewers who prefer slapstick, obvious humor to the subtle layers presented here. This is a thinking person's movie. If you can't see the underlying message here, of course you won't like it!

My Country Awake

गुरुदेव के शब्द

"Where the mind is without fear and the head held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action;
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake."

by Rabindranath Tagore

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

ITBHU chorus

IT Chorus

Hand in hand we go together,
Hand in hand we are singing along.
Side by side we face the music,
Win or lose we always sing a song.

Wave the flag, we’ll keep it flying,
Till the sun shines o’er the land.
If the luck is good we’ll always share the cheers,
If the luck is bad, we’ll gladly bear the tears.

Till the day we turn the corner,
We’ll keep on as long as we are hand in hand.
If you keep on smiling at the rainbow,
You will never mind a shower of rain.

Keep your head on the clouds,
Don’t get lost in the crowds.
Always keep the song in your heart,
And shout hip-hip hurrah.

By- Prof. Charles. A. King
First Principal of theBanaras Engineering College (BENCO)

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Good Morning ITBHU

Old saying ...

Early to bed and early to rise, Makes man Healthy wealthy wise.

I can make only thing sure that, it does not fit to ITians at any time of their stay here in IT-BHU. All of us try to attend the classes but mostly fall short of their plan execution. If every student would start following the same routine of sleeping ,waking up and getting refreshed then our institute would fall short of bathrooms.

It sounds amazing but a true scene of our hostel capacity versus bathrooms provided. Some of us (mostly GMATs) are there sneaking early in the morning air. Most of students (No idea about She-males and females of institute) wake up nearly between 7:05 and & 7:45 AM. Hence they adjust in coming years according to the wake up schedule of each other (Team Work).

Mostly problems faced is in 1st year when every body is hurrying to attend the classes in starting months. Adaption according to the need became the mantra of the ITBHUians in coming years. In 2nd and 3rd year everybody knows the time to kick ass of others for compelling him to attend classes. Problem of attendance is big threat if you are in Mechanical Engineering otherwise not a great deal..

Then comes the age of wisdom and renunciation.
Here is the arrival of 4th year. Last year is bench marked with low attendance and relax mood of 90% of batch. Few stubborn GMATs still maintain their body clock ticking in the same old fashion way. Now, most guys will not stand up at time if there is no call of nature (short or long), such is theirs devotion to sleeping princess of morning dreams..

But chill guys,wake up from your dreams(dry or wet)...These days are limited so just enjoy it!!!
One thing you will surely learn at ITBHU is "how to make your body clock adjustable to cope with each demand and challenges."

Monday, September 3, 2007

The Forces of Creativity: Chaos

While discussing with my mentor about India,a strange dialogue comes between him and me.

Me-- India is a place of high potential but nurturing is not done properly.

Mentor--If migration of Indian talent to America would stop,you can achieve much better.
Mentor--India is a country of high chaos !!!

Me-- Where is chaos,there is high chance of creativity and innovation.

Mentor--Place of high chaos have least stability..
Mentor--Everybody wants to be in equilibrium,dynamic only.

Me--Remarkably true sir.
Too many parameters determine the fate of system,the system tend to be chaotic.
But evolution will take much better in such environment due to stiff competition rather than any other place.

Uff..Darwin just saved my opinion and point of view..

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Vision

"Hesitating to act because the whole vision might not be achieved, or because others do not yet share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress."

It is thought of a beautiful Sunday.
On this day, I have got severe conjunctivitis in my eyes but the futuristic vision has not gone. Let's see what I will achieve in coming tests.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

To Each his Cinema



No body makes a compromise while making a film. All of them make film according to their predilection and their own value to the system. As a filmmaker, you live in the same world as your audience. Time and place are two great parameters to determine a piece of art. Your work will be reflected on scale of faith and reason of yours in object and environment surrounding it.Cinema reflects dreams, aspiration and hidden desires of society.

'Parallel' was initiated because true artists could not find there voice in mainstream. New wave had started because previous was becoming typical and stagnated. It was like revolt (mutation) not reform(evolution) against the old system of values. Most of the parallel cinema in India told of inequalities in society and the endeavor to change the system.

Changing times bring change in society and content of cinema. Now aspirational side is more credited in cinematic piece of work than emotional reverberation. Strong moral basis of heroism mentioned in mythologies has became a thing of dead past. Reaping commercial benefit is primary concern of films. There is moral blurring in the society. On the name of entertainment, humor is replaced by nonsense.

There are universal human emotions and core value are attached to social relations. Compassion and care of fellow human being is everywhere in world. Place and orientation of watching a cinema may change but not its message and beauty.

One makes a film because he derives joys from the performances. But one should always remember that social engagement is an important part of work as individual identity.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai

Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai
This is a famous song from Film 'Pyaasa' directed by Guru datt.
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhiyanvi.
Anurag Kashyap is making a film, Gulaal dedicated to this song.

"यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है"

यह महलों,यह तख्तों,यह ताजों कि दुनिया,
यह इन्सान के दुश्मन समाजों कि दुनिया,
यह दौलत के भूखे रिवाजों कि दुनिया,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है।

हर एक जिस्म घायल, हर एक रूह प्यासी,
निगाहों में उलझन, दिलों में उदासी,
यह दुनिया है या आलम-ए-बदहवासी,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है.

यहाँ एइक खिलौना है इन्सान कि हस्ती,
यह बस्ती है मुर्दा परस्तों कि बस्ती,
यहाँ तो जीवन से है मौत सस्ती,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है.

जवानी भटकती है बदकार बन कर,
जवान जिस्म सजते हैं बाज़ार बन कर,
यहाँ प्यार होता है ब्योपार बन कर,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है.

यह दुनिया जहाँ आदमी कुछ नही है,
वफ़ा कुछ नही, दोस्ती कुछ नही है,
यहाँ प्यार कि कद्र ही कुछ नही है,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है.

जला दो इसे, फूँक डालो यह दुनिया.
मेरे सामने से हटा लो यह दुनिया,
तुम्हारी है तुम ही संभालो यह दुनिया,
यह दुनिया अगर मिल भी जाये तो क्या है?

Monday, August 27, 2007

Young Minds & Teachers

Americans have traditionally maintained a romantic, love-hate relationship with the notion of nonconformity. Deep down, they each cherish an iconoclastic image of themselves. American movies and literature are full of rebel heroes and heroines who reinforce that image, At the same time (as these characters attest), we sure do resent it when other people don't behave the way we think they ought to -- that is, "like everybody else". I was amazed to watch "Dead Poet's Society" movie from this perspective.I want to express my feeling about upcoming Teacher's day on 5th September before writing anything more. It will pass from the calender like any other day. I just want to give some words not in praise but only in search of true teacher.

From the moment we enter in the premises of the school, we are taught to sit in a row, be quiet, do not ask questions, do not interrupt the class and on and on. This proves wonderful training for when the young minds leave formal education behind and enter the work world, where we are encouraged to sit quietly, not ask questions and do not interrupt. To have the opportunity to learn from someone who believes that education is more than rot memory and regurgitating facts is indeed spectacular, potentially life-altering and unfortunately rare. Those who cannot learn, teaches to the next generation.

A teacher inspires the value of individual thought, life, and beauty, and his students in return show their understanding, love and respect in the desk scene in the end. How many of us mentally revolted at the dissection of poetry when we were in school?

Young minds all over the world are just waiting to be filled; take care what you fill the with. Back when you are young, you never really stop to think what in the world you are doing with your life. You simply live for the day, hope your grades will be enough to pass, and that's it. Long term thinking involves maybe flirting with a girl. Nothing more. What this film showed me was that we have the responsibility and the joy of being alive in this planet. That we are dust, and we will go back to it, so we have precious little time to make a difference. That we have a moral obligation to "seize the day, and make our lives extraordinary" (my favorite quote in all movie history).

That the world, basically is ours. That the only limitations are within ourselves, and that we owe it to us to fight, to rebel against conformity, to change what we hate and keep what we love. That living in this world is a beautiful responsibility, and that only cowards dare not to change it for the better.The fact that the cast was basically my age, and was passing through the same dilemmas and situations .

I view it as a tribute to the profession at its best...teaching not merely the subject but also the person, and having a lifelong impact on students' lives.A teacher should not only teach but also learn from his students.As the time passes by experience will count with their learning ability.

# The above image is of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on whose birthday, Teachers day is celebrated in India.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

O Captain! My Captain!


O Captain! My Captain!
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up - for you the flag is flung - for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths - for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Hear Captain! dear father!
The arm beneath your head!
It is some dream your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shore, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

-WALT WHITMAN-1819-1892

O me! O life!

O me! O life! of the questions of these recurring.
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish.
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd.
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer That you are here--that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

-WALT WHITMAN-1819-1892

To the Virgins,Make Much of time

To the Virgins,Make Much of time

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying,
And this same flower that smiles today,
To-morrow will be dying।

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting।

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse and vorst
Times still succeed the former।

Then be not coy, but use your time,
and while ye may, go marry;
For having lost just once your prime,
You may for ever tarry।

-ROBERT HERRICK1591-1674

Yajñopavītam - the "Sacred Thread"

Yajñopavītam - the "Sacred Thread"

The hallmark of having gone through the Upanayanam ceremony is the wearing of the Yajñopavītam (Sacred Thread) on the body। The thread is circular, being tied end-to-end (only one knot is permissible); it is normally supported on the left shoulder(savya) and wrapped around the body, falling underneath the right arm। The length of the thread is generally 96 times the breadth of four fingers of a man, which is believed to be equal to his height. Each of the four fingers represents one of the four states that the soul of a man experiences: waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and knowledge of the absolute.

Ancient texts refer to the wearing of the Yajñopavītam in three forms:

One is Upavītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm। This is for Gods. Upavītam is also called savya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra &c.).

The Second is Nivītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn around the neck and over the chest। Nivīta form is to be used during Rishi Tharpana, sexual intercourse, answering the calls of nature etc. (-Shadvimsha Brahmana, Latyayana, etc.).

The third, Prachīnavītam is where the Yajñopavītam is worn above the right shoulder and under the left arm. This is for Spirits. Prachīnavītam is also called apsavya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra, Manusmriti, &c.).

Friday, August 24, 2007

A memorable day..


I have finally rejected to attend interview of BPCL.Hence the success rate of my appearance in interview in any company continues anyway.I have attended presentation and seen a guy justifying government sector with full statistics and data.I have also learned from last night experience about core mechanical subjects for preparation of interview.

Puneet(chammo) was really unlucky for his myopic reason and i hope best for his(her) future.
Srikant Bhaiya,another gem of supplement mines has got his job in TCE and its a happy moment to rejoice in a long day.Yesterday was the birthday of Neha...so only remembering her memories is now my reason for existence....

Thursday, August 23, 2007

22 years of my life

Looking yesterday, it feels a long time has passed. I have completed 22 years of my life just normally by inhaling oxygen from atmosphere. It is a poor joke putting headache on few of mine blog readers. I do not feel really great on my birthday except a beautiful birthday card from my sister.

Nothing new happens here in the changing world but it is a jolly place to live.

Celebrated birthday by sleeping next morning and missing all the classes.....

Rajjo Rocks !!!!

When placement gets tough,then six pointers of mechanical are rocking the institute.Rajneesh Tiwari (RAJJO) has cracked down a lucrative job offer from the KPO industry.It was a tough competition( only 7 selected in B.R. field) and his grades really rocked ITBHU like mine.Both of us have grades below 6. 5 in Mechanical Department and rank in the prestigious last 20 of our college grade wise.Hence, both of us not eligible in many core companies.He danced at the perfect tune of chance in this company facing 4 round for qualification.I really congrats him not only in real world but also in virtual web world for his success.

His success is really slap on the face of teachers and kick ass on GMAT's who claim that grades justify the potential within the person. Long live the six pointers and mechanical saga of supplementary examiners...

Friday, August 17, 2007

CSC



My 2nd job was in CSC.

I have got job in a company which is not mass recruiter but class recruiter. I had not attended the pre-placement presentation of the company. Only Tintin was one of the few guys from mechanical department who had attended the presentation.
In the evening, there was huge rumor or information that it is a good company offering little money but a great career ahead. I was not informed about this news till evening. Then, Hathi forced me to go for CSC. I first rejected his views on this topic. I was having knowledge of loops only in C programming and was waiting for Evalueserve. When Tintitn told CSC had acquisition of Covansys, then I was ready to try my luck. In the night, chandan and hathi convinced me fully to sit and grasp this opportunity as most of the companies are closed to me due to grades limit.

Next day was a big day; it was my father's birthday. I just went in the exam hall and gave test for non-circuit branch. Before declaration of result, I was sure enough of my qualification to next level. I have achieved it without help of any dummy. Then me and Srikant bhaiya were in same G.D. group. Our G.D. took first due to clever strategy of murali. I just wobbled in starting but finished nicely. Srikant bhaiya was best in the whole group and concluded nicely. In the evening result was out and most of guys from mechanical were selected. Mine interview was rocking one and will be part of unforgettable experiences. I was asked reason for my low grades and any breakthrough achievement. I explained to him briefly some fattas but he was not fully satisfied. Then he asked about arrears and i replied politely about 2 supplementary exams. He asked which subject and reply was MODS. He asked Dr. V P Singh taught you this subject. Then I asked him how do you know him? Surprise! He was alumni of 98 mechanical batch with CGPA of 8.47; After few more question about my abilities and change of field, the interview was over. I was more aggressive in interview trying to defend mine grades with full potential. He was bit impressed but interview was over in 10 minutes. I was thinking that interview was over for me and hence doors of company were closed.

After interview, I was discussing the encounter with Murali. He became confident and told me that I was selected. Me was not quite sure at that moment also. After 15 minutes, I was called to sign at a document for joining. I took out pen before the lady asked for it. She laughed beautifully and I just had smile of success. In short, I was selected in CSC. And a gift to my father on his birthday;

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

60 years of Independent India



On the eve of this event,no words can justify emotion within us.We are not only independent country now but a nation having democratic past of 60 years.To recall the struggle for independence is quite memorable but mammoth task at this small blog..'Unity in Diversity' is now our symbolic representation and future also.A good example to remember this red letter day is to present lines of a great spokesman of independent India.

Tryst with Destiny


This speech was delivered to the Constituent Assembly of India in New Delhi on August 14 1947 Jawaharlal Nehru.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

First Job Interview

CTS was the first company visiting the campus this year. Last year it has recruited 201 people from the campus including M.Tech. and M.C.A. The day began with end of a bad sleep. I slept 6 hours but could not get thinking about placement from my head. Presentation was at 9 am. I was well prepared for it and reached in time. I was accompanied by Hathi, bond, chandu, chammo and shukla. I have reached G-14 and occupied a seat. All of us started doing BC for time pass and presentation started near 10:15 AM. Presentation was good with emphasis on good working atmosphere and no bond on joining.

A question of dollar depreciation was raised but not paid attention as they convinced no. of intake would not be affected by it. It was followed by aptitude test and all of us just sit together. Whole of ITBHU was on the verge of hope for placement.Future was uncertain but looked charming till declaration of result. Out of 370 including MCA and MTech, 250 were selected for interview. Toppers of each branch were called directly for interview. I was now shortlisted for the interview session.

My interview was at 3:30 in Room 8 of the Alumni guesthouse. I was accompanied by Chandu to the guest house. It was a nervous situation for me. The interviewer was not impressed by my computer proficiency and communication skills (satire here). I was able to solve 2 out of 3 questions asked by him.It was relief until he asked my hobby. I bluntly replied writing poems.He asked me to recite one of my creation.From nothing, I produced a messy and prose style English poem. Then the interview was over. I was not sure of the result.

Whole 4th year was sitting for this interview of 1st company. Hence expectation were high. The result was delayed till night. I was walking with hathi,chandu and bond on the lanes of college. All the supple guys were more happy for their clear result than this interview. Only 150 of B.Techs were selected. Me, agp, chandu, bond, shukla, rajjo and puneet got job in this company. Srikant Bhaiya, gupta, tripathi and hathi were not selected. I was stunned from the result. Cake was brought by CTS for mass celebration. Cake tasted never sweet like that. It was the story of my first job.....

Pre-Placement Preparation.

I was running to controller office to get my result out just a day before.I have got my result with 6.22 CGPA in hand on prior evening of placement. Now on the verge of placement, I was standing in front of mighty mechanical department waiting for our HOD to sign our Training and Placement Office (T.P.O.)form. Result of waiting was slightly vain but time had slipped off. Everybody was giving the sharp edges to their aptitudes, communication skills and me just talking to Kunal after being tired from a long day. After getting supplementary result, I have to rush to department for registration and then to T.P.O.;

Then comes the mammoth task of taking job in a IT business solution providing company.
Knowledge of my programming language is beyond the imagination of anyone. Just have handy information on loop in 'C'. Only knowledge of movies as a strong point of my resume. Watching thought provoking cinema was the best line of of my resume. Visit to Germany, also a good point in my resume. But since Cognizant was mass recruiter company, I was hoping for my selection. I was little nervous and my concentration was distracted and depressed those days. I am a happy man always but was not happy at that time.Talk to Srikant Bhaiya helped me lot in boosting my confidence previous to CTS.

A mock interview with murali was just better than average, but not good enough for selection.Hence,to improve English was a major task previous placement. Life was not easy to me as running for candidate of CTS. I was working on these lines written by me to inspire myself ---

"A wild hope is better than tamed desire."---Himanshu Rai

Thursday, August 2, 2007

I got my first job....


I have got job in my pocket.A great satisfaction of mind in professional world comes from the bucks in your purse.I cannot talk about credit cards from this moment only...

I cannot recall moment by moment events that had happened in last 24 hours,but it was molding of me in new avatar.I have got potential in me to get a job in a mass recruitment company after unsuccessful stint in academic life w.r.t. grades.It does not matter to me what the package,this IT company offers. I have got the required boost in first attempt and it will inspire me for future.

I will now also say some words of thanks to my parents,sonal,bhaiya,friends and especially to ITBHU.I know the success makes you humble but its just a starting...

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Goodbye Kalam


A.P.J. Kalam is not our president anymore.His tenure of 5 years have completed like a dream to all of us. We, Indians have seen many philosophers,thinkers and leaders acquiring the post of president but none was as popular among people like Kalam.

In the 21st century. We are looking for youths to lead India as a world power. But youth of this country also needed a visionary icon to follow.This chance was provided by Kalam to youths of nation. I can only say from the feeling of good bye to Kalam "Dream a dream to live a dream". A intresting link on his personality is here.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Religious Intolerancy

"God does not speak; it does not mean anyone can do anything in the name of religion."
This line just shake me from a long sleep of religious attachment. Religion is a personal thing rather than group subject.

Acc. to wiki- 'A religion is a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people, often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law.'

I differ from this statement from the point of view of common beliefs of group of people. Each people can have different religion and faith in the same society. A religion must be tolerant enough not sticking to a yardstick principle. Tolerance is lacking in religion in terms of tradition but intolerant enough in raising war with each other.

Now after so much blood is shed in the name of religious conflict, non of the religion holds true for a human being. When universal compassion and human emotions does not matter to man in front of materialistic world, no religion is capable enough take that place.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Thinking Big

Time of placement in ITBHU has come for our batch. I am preparing for it with writing blog instead of studying any computer language. But looking at the plight of fellow students give me more pain than enjoyment at placement scenario. Most people (70%) do not have any idea about company and nature of work. They are having short term vision about money. Money prevails over profile. But choosing good job at college will help to save some years in longer run. I want to give real suggestion for dreamers.

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.If you aspire to the highest place, it is no disgrace to stop at the second, or even the third, place."

Daydreaming is good till it becomes a nightmare.
Aspiration and cool head will help you in long run business as life. Other skills and results are the secondary things in the life. Marching ahead to future is not just time passing by, but a journey of life going on with caravan of emotions.

Supplement is Compliment

This semester started with the supplementary examination. I have got arrears in MODS (mechanics of deformable solid) and Fluid Mechanics in 5th semester. It was a fatal blow for me but time is great healer. I continued my routine work without any idea of preparation for supplementary exam in 6th semester. In the summers, I was hoping to get 1 more supplementary in DOMS but luck was on my side. I cleared 6th semester without any back paper ingenious way. Now after returning from Germany, fear and lack of preparation was on my side. I reached Varanasi on 7th night with a good feeling to meet other back loggers. I was welcomed by Hathi, arvind, naidu, srikant bhaiya, rajjo, tripathi and chandu in raghu room. It was like meeting of warriors before a long battle. No strategy of study was planned yet. Night was welcomed by watching "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Movie was nice and many of our fellow sleep in same room due to lack of rooms. In short hathi, rajjo, naidu, birla, tripathi & me were sleeping in same room.

It is truly said "Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them. "

Next day,8th July: was Sunday and many of Friends were arriving with full enthusiasm. We were now in a slow process of changing hostel and allotting rooms. Whole of the day just passed by with taking energy from our body. Date of supplementary exams were still unknown.

Next day was 9th July: Rush to department had started as supplementary exams were held from 12th July. So less time,so much to do.Our struggle against the system had started for change in date of exams. But it appeared fruitless in the beginning to bargain with them. But if god & hod is in your side, who might be against you? Hence after much negotiations led by srikant bhaiya and hathi with our huge moral support, date of exams were shifted. Now they were starting from 17th July.

Hence when all of ITBHU was studying for their placement,we were studying for our careers and life. Tough days were they...

Mockery of luck was played on one of our colleague and he became failed in elective subject of energy management. He was none other than Guptajee. One more player into the ring had entered with courage to cherish this exam. Truly said by me only - Supplement is complement.

Take inspiration from famous Iqbal couplet: “Girte hain shahasavaar hii, maidaan-ee-jang men, voh tiphl kyaa gire, jo guthno ke bal chale”.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

The mask of Anarchy

I was moved by reading the poem "The mask of Anarchy". It is a period of time in Germany that I feel sad about events happening in India and the globe around it. But this poem just expresses my thoughts out of mind in the poetic form. This poem reflects the true face of anarchism and a sadistic beauty of poetry by eminent poet P B Shelley. The link of poem is given here.

Encounter at Canteen

I was in Rajputana hostel in 1st year. Just 4 days have passed from our day of admission and we feared from our seniors (3rd comp. sci. and 4th pharma.); Because of this fear, no body goes to hostel canteen. If not ahead but I am always involved in breaking silence. So 3 guys went to the Canteen with intuitions "jo bhi hoga dekha jayega!". Two guys were from Room no. 28: Himanshu Rai & Ankit G. Pandey. One guy from Room No. 52: Arvind Jain. I know Arvind from my Kanpur days. He was really a guy with big mouth and good heart. Also, I have no contribution in widening his mouth!!! All of us marched towards canteen to eat something. It was a hot & humid day and rays of sun were piercing the body.

I still remember the orientation of ours in that galaxy of canteen. Just sitting on a same table,  AGP was between me and Arvind. Senior guys were amazed to see our courage to drink tea with them without rag in same canteen. They were of the 4th pharma. We ordered 3 pastries,2 tea and 1 cold drink. Then, it start the attack of the front line bowlers(seniors question only..).We were asked separately about our knowledege in various aspect of coaching, institute, girlfriend and at last porn. I was facing two guys of 4th pharma and AGP and Arvind were facing Joshi Bhaiya. I don't know there name but remember there faces till today.

Mine interview was rather easy from the perspective of acquired knowledge at Kanpur coaching mandi. Speaking abusive words was like speaking hello for me. So all things happen smoothly till this point and then a fact just vibrated me. I was shocked by the sentence of seniors that half of the guys become gay till 4th year due to shortage of girl in institute. Then, they ordered me to come with them to their room. I was in disastrous state. Gays and Lesbian are not topics largely discussed with friends before joining the institute. I was not not in state of protesting them at that moment. They pay for my bill and we move forward to their rooms. My legs were not with me at that moment and heartbeat increased rapidly. I pleaded them to let me go to my room. I was standing in the front of their room without any sense of external environment. That homosexuality fact was more fiction to me in the mind but terror had prevailed in my heart.Suddenly, he just said OK to me after observing a face full with terror. I silently walked to my room (One cannot run in lobby of the seniors). I waited for Ankit in ours room.The whole drama took place in just 10 minutes. So fast and full with horror...

Shifting the narrative to the other protagonists of story, that part is more hilarious. AGP and Arvind were facing tough questions from Joshi Bhaiya. It was more easy for Arvind to answer these question than AGP. AGP was completely lacking this kind of sex education in his schooling days. (Guy is from Lucknow); I was there for few minutes to watch the scenario before leaving canteen. AGP was asked about good places to visit in Lucknow. He told all about Immambadas and zoo etc type of things that senior did not want to hear. Further, he was asked that he visited these places alone or with some body. Poor chap replied - with parents; He was right but they are expecting description of a dude with a GF in private moments. After this, all the stuffs of pornography were asked and Arvind replied it smoothly.

I left the place at this juncture of time and moved to my destination. Now, both of them were asked to dance on the canteen table. AGP first hesitated but a warning to put bottle of ketchup in his ass had done the trick. The canteen boy just provided them bottle with Arvind to volunteer to put bottle in the hole.

Ya it was disgraceful for a good guy but its a part of engineering life and a lesson to freshers. With lot of abuses said to them, they never agitated. Both of them danced in full enthusiasm. After the whole programme, a party was given to them by seniors. Now, they always tell me 'hey it was laughable stock of the past'. Arvind remains attached to joshi Bhaiya till now.

Thinking of those moments just cherishes the memory of me as fresher and the counter of these types makes you a real engineer.

About Me

It is very hard to write on yourself with a view of inspection. Any ordinary person always judges him as a good man living a simple life. The deeper introspection will reveal the character inside a person.

I want to write on myself but find very hard now to discover any word. There is always error in my judgment about myself. And to judge yourself publicly takes guts. Also, I am not so heroic in nature. I am a highly infected by obsolete thoughts. So this blog is a platform for me;

Technically speaking: Online Available Journal to Everybody.
This is a mere attempt to put forward my choices and taste in front of web world.

Welcome in my world Monsieur and Madam!!!!!!....

Friday, June 22, 2007

About Free Thinking

In this section, I will either take material from the Internet or just take a topic from any source material and mention it. Mentioning the source material is not sign of honesty but just respect of intellectual property of the creator of the source.

It is not good for me to justify my action before any reaction of readers. But prevention is better than cure. When you accept the fault, people can crucify you depending on your level of ingeniousness. Now it becomes easier to do fault again and feel happy to chatter about imperfectness. It is a rare event that passion and glory comes in same line but it happens sometime to me...

What the hell/heaven is original thinking?

I have to explain to many people what is the difference between taking others thoughts and speaking in their tongue without thinking. THINKING is really a different thing from eating, sleeping and various activities performed by human. It involves the mind only. The velocity of thoughts are faster than light and goes beyond space.

Original thought is construction of my own thoughts. They came in mind. It can be absurd or extraordinary but cannot be normal. You cannot expect a normal thing from insane person....

Here, they are just crappy but sometimes funny ideas are born in my mind. I just nourish them through my bad grammar but enthusiasm of writing. Wase bhi, nothing is impossible. So, I do nothing. Hence thinking by default only...

Thursday, June 21, 2007

From past appears a hero,

This is the photo of Subhash Chandra Bose in Germany. A rare moment is tribute to these beautiful and historical archive;

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Dead Poet's Society

Dead Poet’s Society (1989) There are certain films that get under your skin, never to come out. They change your life, subtly altering your perceptions of reality, almost always for the better. Dead Poets Society is one of those few films. Dead Poets Society is, to use a cliche, a cinematic masterpiece. Dead Poets Society was a movie that took some in-depth realization. It's an intelligent film, both gripping to watch and thought provoking afterward. Engaging plot, memorable characters, meaningful theme, wonderfully done scenes and atmosphere... Dead Poets Society has it all. Special kudos to the cinematography; clearly, it should have won an Oscar for the final scene alone. However, every time I mention this film, I can gladly say that this movie went far and beyond the 80s, and the power and inspiration of the message can be felt every day.

Any film about any sort of greatness faces one particular challenge: how to depict that greatness. For example, to write a great film about a great poet, would you also need to be able to write great poetry? In fact, 'Dead Poets Society ' is a film about not a great poet, but an (allegedly) great teacher.

'Dead Poets Society' is a beautiful movie from start to finish. The setting is Weldon Academy, a very traditional New England boys' prep school in 1959. The 'four pillars' of the school, "Tradition, Honor, Discipline, Excellence display the foundation of the system." Robin Williams plays Mr. Keating; the English teacher who brings warmth, passion, and an endearing quiet humor to the role. The "Dead Poets Society", and the boys on which Mr. Keating has such a profound impact, include an interesting mix of characters : Neil Perry (the passionate young man at odds with his father's clearly defined expectations for his son's life), Todd Anderson (the classic shy adolescent, through whose eyes we view the unfolding drama), Charlie Dalton (the quintessential rebel), Knox Overstreet (the teen with whom most viewers can identify, deep in the throes of first love), and Richard Cameron (the mindless conformist). Then we have the performances. Robin Williams continues in stride as one who has to-date remained the most touching, heart-wrenching, awe-inspiring comedians with inarguable acting talent.

John Keating is a man who embodies every professor who you thought was cool and respectable, every person who taught or enlightened you in something out of the ordinary. In fact - dare I say it? - He teaches something EXTRAORDINARY! And, although Williams' name appears above the title, he's not really in it very much. The picture is really about the boys, who get most of the screen time. And each of them is given a character trait, more or less In a sense, this movie is really Todd's story, his best scenes are sometimes when he has no dialogue at all. Your heart will ache for him. The best thing about Keating's classroom technique is the way he analyzes his students until he can determine their needs and see through their defenses. Keating sizes up the boys' attitudes and problems and then openly teases the kids about them. In the process, he disarms them, helps defuse their hang-ups. And in these moments, we see what makes him a valuable teacher. But Keating's noble ideas about passion and beauty are stifled as much by the movie that contains him as by the school that employs him.

Robin Williams did a fantastic job depicting individualism and how to walk on your own. He realized that these young men were going to be shaped in either a bad way or could shape themselves into the type of men they wanted to become. Sure, everyone around them was jerks and stiffs but that is the environment of the school. People just didn't go up against all odds, and everything was OK. That is exactly what Dead Poets Society was showing. Even though there were consequences to the boys being inspired and re-forming "Dead Poets Society" they still learned to march to their own drummer. They could be boys and go for their own dreams. Standing on desks may not make everything better, but it shows the real meaning of the movie. These boys had been taught to conform and put their beliefs aside, but Williams opened up their hearts and made a lot of people, whether they liked it or not, realize that tradition is not always the way to push your children.

An older, more experienced teacher questions whether 15- to 17-year-old kids are really ready yet to handle Keating's brand of freedom. This smells like the set-up for a promising battle of philosophies, but Keating's sympathetic intellectual sparring partner promptly drops out of the movie, reappearing only occasionally and then as a mere background figure. Needless to say, Mr. Keating's unorthodox approach meets with obstacles from his fellow teachers, from the school's ultra traditional Headmaster, from Neil's overbearing father and the other parents, who are depicted as a conservative, status conscious lot.

The direction by Weir is great. There are some really beautiful sequences such as the winter ones and when the boys go out in the dead of night for "society" meetings. Incidentally Dead Poets Society is the boys getting together in a cave late at night and reading poetry or telling tall tales to each other. Sounds strange, but it works in the context of the movie.

This is a must-see movie, for everyone ... not only but a certain phrase from a Walt Whitman poem will take on incredible meaning and be remembered forever."Carpe Diem, lads! Seize the day! Make your lives extraordinary!" as he fosters individualism in a school environment of total conformity, endeavoring to teach these young men both the beauty of the English language and the importance of living life to the full. I don't want to give the plot away, but Dead Poets Society has the most powerful ending I've experienced in the cinematic world. I could watch it over and over, and tears would either come to my eyes or virtually stream down my cheeks every time. I watch it at all; I did. And yes, I feel I changed a bit from there on.

A web link for English Teachers and Poetry lovers..

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Superman vs. Super heroes

This topic is a fresh thought of the brain, not any preview analysis. I was thinking that why i admire superman more than any other superhero/super heroine ? It was a big question for me. It took me long time to think answer of this question.

Batman is best combination of bat and man;
Similarly, Spider-man= Spider+ Man and Cat-woman= Cat+Woman;

Superman is the best among all of the super heroes. He has superb qualities of men. Hulk, The thing and spider-man are converted into superheroes by some accident but superman is born with it. He does not possess any quality of another animal like spider, bat or even dog...

The final clouds of suspension settles after watching end scene of Kill Bill-2. Read the paragraph for getting clear picture:

"I'm quite keen on comic books. Especially the ones about superheroes. I find the whole mythology surrounding superheroes fascinating. Take my favorite superhero, Superman. Not a great comic book. Not particularly well-drawn. But the mythology... The mythology is not only great, it's unique. Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."

Hence by this disoriented article, I would prefer that reader behave as dumb ass and conclude with the fact that Superman is really mightiest superhero. Personally, it is like believing and fighting for fiction stuff that do not even exist in reality...

Monday, June 18, 2007

Shawshank Redemption



The Shawshank Redemption is not just a motion picture for entertainment and enjoyment, but as an amazing experience to move and astound the viewer. Not many films besides this one have that quality, and the movies that do have that quality are all regarded as some of the best films of all time. The Shawshank Redemption is based on the short story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by the best-selling author of all time, Stephen King. King was put on film after the many mediocre horror movies based on King’s Novels. The entire film is basically told from Red (Morgan Freeman)'s perspective, and much of the film is revolve around the theme of observation, perception and seeing - especially Red's observation of the other main protagonist, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins).

Andy has been accused of killing his wife, so he is sent to the Shawshank Facility and his experience in this prison would change his life forever. This film recounts Andy's almost twenty years in the prison as he meets friends like Red and enemies like the Warden, Mr. Norton. However, the most amazing thing about Andy's prison stay is his unconventional status in the prison. He is different from fellow prisoner and the first impression of the Andy on red was that he looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over. Andy makes many friends over the almost twenty years of his time. Despite this, roll call is being taken in the morning when something spectacular happen involving Andy which baffles all the prisoner workers (and the warden). This moment reveals the true magic of The Shawshank Redemption, as well as sets a new standard for emotion that all movies to follow would eventually be compared to. Simply put a life in this film.

As this film has its uplifting moments and also heart-wrenching dramatic moments. There is not a scene throughout the whole movie that is not enjoyable in some way. You will definitely find this to be true as you watch the movie, but you will only fully realize it after finishing the film .The Shawshank Redemption illustrates the unbend-able human spirit. Even a wrongful imprisonment, a corrupt warden and enemies within Shawshank can not get the best of Andy Dufrane or any man as long as hope never dies. The Shawshank Redemption is an incredible movie and if you do not watch this film sometime during your life, you will miss out on a cinematic experience you would have enjoyed . This line will set a pattern of the film which we can view in the end.

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Sparsh



Sparsh refers to the sensation and feeling of touch upon which blind people rely in the absence of sight. Sparsh is partially a love story depicting the blindness in the society with psychological analysis of characters:The sweetness of movie covers its minor flaws and make it enjoyable for viewers.

It is a sensitive movie, with intense performance by Naseeruddin Shah in the role of a self-respecting visually-impaired principal of a blind school, who hates and become enraged on the society for pitying handicapped people. He works towards making his students self-reliant and full with honour. Shabana Azmi plays a social worker who has a troubled personal life supporting him as a volunteer. The movie depicts the relationship between the two. The pride of the man and the sympathies of the woman are the cause of turbulence in their relationship.

Kavita (Shabana Azmi) is a depressed widow living alone. When she accidentally meets Anirudh (Naseeruddin Shah), a rough but charismatic a visually impaired man who runs a nearby school for blind children.He works towards making his students self-reliant and hates the society for pitying people like him. He offers her to teach in his school, also her close friend Manju (Sudha Chopra) urges her to re-join society . Reluctant at first, Kavita eventually joins the school and begins reading to the boys. Kavita is enjoying the company of the blind children and begins to welcome warmth and happiness back into her life.

As Kavita spends more time at the school, she begins forming a friendship with Anirudh. A affectionate relation flourishes between them with time and they get engaged; But their personalities and feelings are different. Anirudh is of strong character: he firmly believes that the blind need help not charity.
Kavita, recently sorrowful, looks to the school (and Anirudh) as an ideal way of sacrificial service and hospitality. However, after some time the romance sours when Anirudh gets hint of this, and assumes Kavita is simply seeking to fill the void in her life with this form of assistance. Due to some incidents, Anirudh begins to fear that Kavita accepted the proposal not out of love, but for care of a hapless handicapped man. Now Anirudh starts having doubts whether this marriage is going to succeed. He feels he is being humiliated by the aid of Kavita, and hence breaks their engagement. He even tells Kavita not to come to school anymore. Will Anirudh realize her passion and take her for what she is or left her alone sidelined from his life? A well-wisher has to step in ultimately to bridge the gap.

The Touch is representation of feeling of blind people in the world.They learn the surroundings and persons mainly by touch.The movie focuses on characters as individuals rather than representative of blind and sighted. Two main characters are handicapped with blindness and heartbreak. This disability first help them in coming together ,then bonding them and then tears them apart. They are hard in their characters but fragile also. Anirudh is proud, and that pride makes it hard for him to let Kavita care for him. Kavita, for her part, is eager for a way out of her loneliness but not quite ready to move beyond her husband's death. They are fortunate in discovering each other, both are devastated by society and need a lot of time & work to overcome. They are both navigating strong emotions, but they are also both uncertain in their thoughts to other. The reserve nature of both characters makes it difficult for them to mingle with each other. It makes the characters warm, sympathetic, likable to us.

Anirudh forms a life-affirming relationship with Kavita, left a lasting impression. They yield a very muted tone love, with few outbursts of emotion. There are some engaging scenes between characters and also with the kids. The sequence where Anirudh describes his sensitivity of Kavita's beauty in her fragrance, the sound of her voice, the softness of her touch. This scene deserves special laurel for its poetic situation.

Sai Paranjape's films always deal with situations and characters, which one can easily identify with and unify with it. Sai Paranjape made a sincere attempt to tell both sides of the story with a rare unsentimental equilibrium. Story line deals with the complexes and rigid thoughts rooted in the minds of both the characters. The psychological view of two protagonist with help of blind children makes it a beautiful movie.

The film upholds an important principle that the disabled want to live independently, to be accorded the dignity and respect other sectors of society are granted. They don't want sympathy; rather they want and need normal behaviour towards them.

Both Naseer and Shabana excel in their performance and a must watch film. This film is better and gives mature treatment to subject like blindness than a drama like "Black".

Friday, June 15, 2007

Abre Los Ojos

A Spanish Matrix:Abre Los Ojos (Open your eyes)
From there Amenábar launches into a romantic thriller developing into illusion mixed of thriller-mystery and finally verging on science fiction drama, in which real life becomes inter-meshed with programmed dream-life.
Ingenious, imaginative film keeps you guessing until the end. Although the plot is confusing at times, a second viewing helps to untangle and resolve the complicated story about dreams and reality. Most of the time, I was not sure if what I was watching is really happening or whether it is a intensely disturbing nightmare. The ending is tense, mysterious and it keeps you guessing to the last what really the truth is.

César (Eduardo Noriega) has been left rich by his restaurant owning parents. When he meets the beautiful Sofia at a party he uses her as a way to escape his jealous ex girlfriend Nuria. After a night of talking with Sofia, César is picked up by Nuria who crashes her car deliberately killing her and horribly disfiguring him. With surgery limited as to what it can achieve César despairs at his loss (his looks, not Nuria) and tries to pick up with Sofia. However, when surgery returns his looks he thinks everything is solved – but his dreams become more vivid blurring his sense of reality. In flash forwards we also see César talking with a psychiatrist in a guarded mental hospital where he waits trail for murder . César is wearing a mask because he thinks his face is still messed up. The psychiatrist tells him that his face looks normal, he asks him if he remembered anything. He tells his fragmented story to a psychiatrist. His life in shambles, Sofia beyond reach, and virtually a freak of nature, he decides to take one last step in regaining his lost life... and here is when the film becomes something totally unpredictable.

The last act, in which everything gets explained (or does it?), is truly inspired. As Cesar finally understands the implications (this bad dream is one he himself has invented) the film becomes truly impulsive. It's a deranged but entirely gripping climax to a movie which takes one unpredictable turn after another. At the level of writing, you have two friends, one the protagonist, the other his conscience. The protagonist deals with two girlfriends, one affirms his self-image, one destroys it; Towards the end of the film, we are presented with two alternating theories of what is going on.

One is that the hero is living in a virtual world that he can only be revived from when he "dies" in it, and the other is that people who want access to his money want to con him into making that happen, only for real. The final act of the film is a constant struggle between these two theories that the viewer is only made aware of when they both teeter on the edge of victory.

Only when mystery gets "explained" to him does he realise how ridiculous it all is. Thin line between dream and reality disappear. He tries to achieve realistic (or illusionist) death in the end and then the nightmare starts again. It would appear that in the world of "Abre los ojos", anything is possible.

This review is impossible without mentioning Vanilla Sky .I mean not only is it a remake of ALO(Abre Los Ojos) but it's almost scene for scene the exact same movie .In fact Penelope Cruz in the exact same role as the original! The ending of Vanilla Sky pretty much explains everything. Abre Los Ojos leaves most of it up to interpretation and the viewers' imagination.

The acting is very rich, believable and many times raw with emotion and character. The visual imagery is absolutely stunning at certain points. A scene that takes place in a park when Penelope Cruz and Eduardo Noriega meet for the first time after his accident is incredibly beautiful and emotionally devastating. There is quality photography in the film: The rain in the park and before that the reflections of foliage flashing in the car windows with glimpses of tense faces. This surrealist fantasy from Spain is a unbelievable piece of cinema. Despite pain of watching it with subtitles, Open Your Eyes is a tale of beauty.

1st Lecture

Going through lanes of memory, I find ITBHU so heartwarming that it always cheers me to love this college. 1st lecture was the best of all the lectures attended by me in ITBHU till today.

Our college had started after all the formalities and this was the first day. Most daring guy was Kapil aka Sandoo. He was 6 foot tall and heavily built, so he roamed and surfed Internet on HG without any fear of rag on previous evening. Now we had planned to move to the class together at 7:30 only to attend the class of 8:00 am. It was the first decision (and i think last also) that the whole batch supported in one chores. In our batch movement, 3 guys were in front of the line: Guptaji, Bhadwa and Sandoo.

Now,we were going to our classes in the morning with getting good/cuss words from the seniors passing beside us on bicycles. They were strictly trying to make a queue of our batch.The good words were in the Hindi language bit slightly in different dialect and word power was quite good .That language,I call now as Chatra Bhasha. I saw my friend Pulkit Srivastava who was in 2nd electronics then passing by with a sardar sitting on his cycle; But i did not call him and just keep moving ahead with my batch of Mech-08. Then there was a call from a senior to give him a way on the path and my batchmate vijay got his nickname, Hathi.............
After all these obstructions, we finally managed to reach in our class before time.

That 1 hour class was disastrous and held at ground floor(G5 i think). Problem was that at ground floor classes of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical department (off coarse seniors only) take place. We entered in the class calmly and more relaxed after such a long march. What happened after was really hilarious and also memorable. Due to mistake in our timetable, both 3rd Mech. and 1st Mech. were in the same room. Hence, there was entry of 3rd Mech; Daduu log aa gaye. So starts the PDP(Personality Development Program).

They started catching us first by distinguishing us from the cities from which we have arrived. Kanpur(G####ur) was the name of my city told to me by the seniors and all cities were given new name under it. Kota (kothaa) and Jaipur(ja###r) were the other two most popular cities. I was then told that 50% Delhi wale Lund hote hain (Not my humble opinion, sorry all Delhites). I was getting the full idea of my background of Kanpur and seniors asked me to say few words in the praise of my colleague sitting next to me. Then, I used my vast knowledge (yet marginal in compared to engineering guys but enough for school going teens) and just speak flawlessly the versatile Kanpuriya slangs. I think words were coming out like bullets because of my experience in Kanpur Coaching Mandi. Then, a senior remarked "Aa gaya ek aur sala Kanpuriya". That was said in praise of me as Kanpur was ill famous for its guys who can speak fluently and innovate any new abusive phrase.

Scenario of the whole class was more entertaining than my personal encounter at that moment. We did not have to look in eyes of seniors and also to give our INTRO. It was bit difficult for some guys to whom it was unexpected. Intro was prepared by us in English but it was argued (not correct word here) by seniors that as we study in Hindu university so our intro should be in Hindi: Cultural Language. That was not easy for me also, but rather was impossible for rest of the class.

I was then ordered to ask the name and native place of some people sitting in a row: I do not remember the name of persons whom i asked about him(no her) in chatra bhasha only. Since my colleagues could not raise their head, they did not know even today (till now) that i was that guy with foul words, not any seniors. Varun Murli was there surely there because no one comes in our batch from down south Trivandrum. I was really happy till that moment. In a flash, I viewed the whole condition of the class. It was laughable. I think 3 persons(AGP was sure in them) were there on the Teachers desk throwing bombs on the enemy. They had not just to throw bombs but also to give the music effect of explosion. Dance shows (not angara dance) but sapera and nagin dance was going on superbly in the space between front row and blackboard. Performance of Muzzra was also a major attraction in the classroom. Contradictory to our dashing performances, studies were going in next classroom. Our seniors shows us, how things can be handled easily or we can a say a lesson on Management. They just mingled between us and ragged (sorry, its banned word) pdpied us without disturbing the other parallel classes.

Outside of our class, now came a senior professor just on his way to somewhere. On seeing freshers with 3rd yearites, he shouted "what the hell is going on here?" Till this time none of the teacher of both batches had arrived in class. Gopu at the last moment was throwing a brick outside our class when professor comes in. He was not leaving the brick till a senior took his brick and throw it away on arrival of two teachers.

I forget to mention that there was only 1 girl in our batch and their batch, what a wonderful resemblance!! Some of us have to go to our Daadi(Pooja Shukla) and give his intro also. A Railgadee game was also played in just front of them. Somewhere Ninety maarna process was going on till late moments. We tried to laugh by seeing our batch mates position but were silenced by the mighty seniors. If anybody laughed then; MUSKI process was implanted to him thoroughly. All of this end with the lectures when some teachers disperse us and seniors. But now a bond has been made between us, seniors and this Institute which will be with us till our last breathe.