Friday, March 26, 2010

animal farm around us...







Hi Folks!

What's on?


Responsibility towards the Planet...






Hello Folks

How is life?

Let us ponder as to how much energy we spend in the form of lights or electrical appliances, is it time to switch them off...!

Earth hour is a single day in Human beings' somewhat modern and seemingly complex lives...which encourages us to so and be a little more responsible towards Mother Earth...



Thursday, March 25, 2010

Creation of a Nation...







Hello Folks,

What's on?

Today is a historic date. This day, 26th of March, in 1971 the Liberation War leading to the creation of Bangladesh started... 

Monday, March 22, 2010

lessons of life...

Hello Folks

What's On?

Humour is an essential element in one's life, it is said to drive away negative elements in one's life. Ego, the opposite of it. anger is too what can be called taking a cue from my friend John Basumatary, " birds of the same feather."

My friend John's anticipation in humour is immense and the strain with which he delivers his one liners is similar to a smooth pudding cut into halves!

I may seem to be faking but i consciously try to hurt my ego so that i don't have any. God's best creations it is said are human beings.

We Humans are somewhat hypocrites trying to make believe ourselves into character certificate issuing authorities on every topic, our peers our relatives etc.

We bitch, we gossip, we backbite. Let me say that some stereotyped image of an intellectual man looking for his life partner is portrayed to be finding his like-minded individual which may not be the case...

We humans are also reactionary, quick to jump over conclusions...

Revolutions, Popular movements around the world which have changed the course of history are brought to its zenith by public support. Maybe, with no disrespect towards any such movement at hand , subsequently people tend to erase it out from their memories...maybe i am generalised in my thinking at this juncture...

In the literary world as it is seen ... authors by virtue of their works have created a niche of their own...

To name a few among a host of such writers in the satire world the names of Oscar Wilde and George Orwell comes first...Even George Bernard Shaw ranks there...

George Orwell's Animal Farm is a powerful take on Power Politics and is a classic example to understand human tendencies and behaviour.

We can presume that when we sleep , we are in a state which is near to dead and are sometimes visited by dreams and other hallucinations...

Theology whose text is not to be taken literally says that dreams carry messages for the person concerned...

Folks, when i sleep and dream am sometimes forced to believe on the notion of the worthlessness of human life...

I am not being pessimistic, cynical or something on those lines...These dreams try to tell me how that in one's lifetime an individual holds grudges against one another.

At this juncture am reminded of actor, Shah Rukh Khan's dialogue from the movie.." Main Hoon na..." which reads as " yeh duniya nafrat ke liye bahut choti hain.." ( this world is too small for hatred)

I can't help but feel sympathetic towards individuals holding feelings or the tendencies of envy, jealousy, false-pride, self-important image and a feeling of being clever and cunning...

Taking a cue from Pop-Culture, there was a superhero movie called Spawn based on the comic book series of the same name...its director during a documentary during a documentary based on the movie  stated that " people should read Shakespeare" in order  to understand psychology of individuals...

God's superiority rules..his care for mankind rocks..blessed are humans to be given the status-quo as being his " best creations." 

so long folks

peace, peace, peace...

cheers


Satires Galore...the celebrations!!





Hello Folks,

Back again!!!

Enjoyed the piece, do post your comments...

Well now in the moods for celebrations there is confetti in the air the trumpets blowing the adulations coming ... Dhan-Te-Nan... ( A line from the from the peppy number in Vishal Bharadwaj's Kaminey

This afternoon 3:15 we were ( all Niscortians) were called to the basement hall where all the World Around Programmes take place. This was no ordinary call but a call to reckon with for it was a official call for the students to celebrate the grand celebration of the National seminar...

The mood for the celebrations were made Democratic and participatory with Fr. Dean asking Students to pool in with their feedbacks and inputs.

The room was filled with silence with no student trying to give in their inputs including myself!!

Father Director presumed it to be as if there was something wrong in the event execution and perhaps this was an intelligent tactic to bring in the  talk from the students!!

I stared at Dhananjaya my brilliant partner in the last Documentation i had that somehow created history within this limited radius of Niscort when our PRINT documentation for the first time broke the compliments and adulations usually awarded to the radio spot and the video programme!!

When the question of the production of 20 err...16 mins by Niscortians being in vogue with the speech and talk of the moderator ( Mr. Amit Sengupta)  and the panelists for the day was raised Mridushmita Chaudhury ( i guess i spelt the name correct, i don't want brickbats please!!) was quick to answer that the talk was diverted from what it was directed to that is Regional resurgence and media responses.

Actually Albert Abraham, a genius NISCORTIAN in terms of all work's skill had set the mood for this answer...

He had remarked that the moderators and the panelists were shifting the focus of the talk by being reportedly what he meant as ( the speakers) symbolising the Maoists issue that the nation is facing at large...

Then followed what were redundant phrases and lines and cliches from the Dean's talk trying to bring forward as many inputs from the students part...

What seemed the best was that the Student staff relation crew on an amicable terms with Father Jackson the Registrar of the institute reportedly saying that the reason for the student's silence is because the students themselves were in the dark as far as the preparation and other formalities leading up to the event...!

George Orwell, Oscar Wilde could have saved the day of these ridiculousnesses, absurdities, kind of mud slinging and an celebration gone wrong with a reverse of " poetic justice" which can be coined as literary justice.

Albert Abraham lent some timely comic relief to the celebrations monotony by quipping, that due pain was taken by the girl students in wearing the traditional and ethnic attire, whereas he didn't even get time to shave and had to spent 80 Rs. for one in the process, i guess in the club premises itself !

Father Dejus was at his sarcastic best by starting with his much loved strains of laughter and stating that  he was startled when seeing the credits of the video programme at the end had his name whereas, he hadn't seen the actual and final product...!!

Actually as a matter of fact the students for the video production were burning the midnight oil and pooling in their expertise in video editing, shot selection and had the final video ready complementing the theme of the seminar...  

The climax to the celebrations were added with Brother Gervasius who was the brain behind in the making of the registration cards design and earning the bouquets for it...

Thereafter followed the official recognition of the other contributing students as the documenting members of the event taking the pains to stand at the camera, courtesy Anand, Dhananjaya, Fr. Vineesh and not to forget Gargi and Fr. Andrews as the compeers for the event...

The icing on the cake were the Samosas and Ladoos and tea served to the students as an appreciation for their hard work and participation...!!


Confetti, Glitterati, Champagne come one and all for there is celebration time

Dhan-Te-Nan...


with Apologies towards one and all

God Bless You all...






 





Satires galore...





Pics: from top,  popular culture artwork from the offwork series on Seminars and last but not the least the Dilbert comic features on the same, courtesy, Google Images...




Ole Folks

How is life?

How were the weekends...

Well  just back from The National seminar held at the Constitution Club at new Delhi this Saturday( 20-3-10) a grand event which every Niscortian was anticipating...

The Theme just to give in some details was the Regional Resurgence and Media Responses ...

Will be a writing a chronicled report on it soon..do go through it all...

Well picked some amusing observations from the event, was forced to jot it down...Here goes...

I had not slept for quite a good number of weeks and was feeling drowsy at the event ..OK, let me shake off my slumber and not bore you all with my narration of these sicknesses...!

Did know that i will get bored at the event but that feeling shook up after an explosive speech by Mr. Amit SenGupta , a no-nonsense Journalist who had started his reporting career at 19 years of age covering the Anti-Sikh riots at Delhi after the assassination of Indira Gandhi . 

Well in the morning was flipping through the pages of George Orwell's classic satire, " Animal Farm. " I am not intellectualising but felt an urge to equate the events at the beginning of the Seminar running on the lines on Orwell's  genius work.

My legs are too small for the author's boots...!

The students, boys especially were looking their grand best with formal executive shirts and trousers...with our institute being a home to people from all across the country, some of the girls belonging to the North Eastern region were in their traditional attires...

The night before the seminar there was quite a hullabaloo in the boys hostel with some of the boys ironing their best shirts and trousers and some going as far as buying new shoes, accessories as well as shirts...

I too was swayed by the event with earning a slightly better physique compared to my earlier avatar went for the brand i am addicted to Levis Strauss Signature ( a Green Polo Neck T-shirt) and accesorised myself with a new converse shoes ( which must say got for a good deal in the mall nearby our institute)

I walk a lot and my unputdownable KILLER canvases were worn out!!

The Girls were in loud makeup...with no disrespect meant to their styling ways, appeared to be living advertisements of cosmetic brands !!

Sumedha Mishra Madam, faculty of MABJ in our institute ( Master of Broadcast Journalism)   group and my teacher in the 1st and second semester looked grand in a bottle green Saree, thanks to her Kashmiri descent...

Well it gave an impression that the boys seemed to be faking their busy attitude at the run up to the seminar !

They were everywhere around the place and why not for its a big day as  far as NISCORT is concerned ...They were frantically running up and down the lobby with  some holding group discussions at the pretty three chair tables at the lobby itself.

The management staff seemed to give an air of impression that they were rejoicing at the glory of the work done !  The Dean seemed to be smiling and walking briskly while brushing everybody aside in the process!

The nearest case would be ... as said in Media parlance, Infotainment...this event didn't bracket itself only as a forum meant for " Grey cell " rejuvenation but also provided one the giggles in this way! 

The ghosts of the event didn't die even when the event was over with students in the responsibility of the food, transport and finance handling at the event taking turns to explain the finance nuances and other formalities much to the harassment of students who sprung up the question or the curiosity to know about the details, for instance booking of the hall for the event so on and so forth...( i was also given the honour of being in the same department!!)

Some students started intellectualising in the bus what insights they were provided with at the seminar, well for me was lucky to grab a copy of Mr. Amit Sengupta's work " Colour of Gratitude is Green " and had it autographed by the great man himself...

The positives from the seminar was that it will carry on Niscort in good stead and give it improvisation, focus and exposure to keep its chips burning 


So long folks

Life is a playground for exploration, discovery, creativity, openness of ideas, constructivity et al...

Be happy and let others also do the same...!


God Be with you all


Cheers !

 


 




 






Saturday, March 13, 2010

flight runs in the family...!





Pics: from top, Movie poster of the 1984 super hero production Supergirl followed by a publicity photograph autographed by actor Helen Slater herself, a still from the movie and its DVD cover 

Hello folks

What's on?


Licensed to Kill...





Pics:  As seen from top, an artwork of author Ian Fleming's famous creation, James Bond followed by Hoagy Carmichael on whom this fictional M16 spy is said to have been modeled upon and two scans of the author Ian Fleming himself.

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What's on?

Friday, March 12, 2010

Satire withstanding time...



Pics: Author George Orwell and followed by the modern day cover of  his classic satire, Animal Farm.


Hello Folks

How is life?

Peace, Love and Music



Hello Folks

How is life?

performer,entertainer of generations...




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What's on?

The verdict for women...





Hello Folks

What's on?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Universal Prophet...



Pics: The Family Tree of Prophet Mohammad ( Peace be Upon Him) followed by a message


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What's on?

classic case of rhtym and melody...



Pics: from top, the poster of the movie, Sound of Music that generations have grown up watching followed by a still from the production with Julie Andrews as the Music teacher


Hello Folks

What's on?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The Parliament beckons...








Hello Folks

What's on?

Well the week has been quite hectic ( a weak and stereotyped word, i suppose!!) loaded with skill furnishing assignments and a issue based Presentation programme.

Phew, like they say an idle mind is a devil's workshop, won't trouble you all with these valuable yet oft repeated cliches ! 

Today( 10 /3/10) Niscortians visited the Rajya Sabha of the Parliament or Sansad as it is popularly referred to in Hindi comprising of the MA AVC group( Audio Visual Communications), MA BJ( Broadcast Journalism) and last but not the least the seemingly unglamourous and dry MA MJ( Master in Journalism) !



 

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Egos Galore...!




Pics: From Top Cartoon on the Human element of " Ego " from Cartoon stock Images, followed by a painting from surreal art and another sketch from the site Taskboy


Hello Folks..

How is life?

Ego, a small word is inevitable in a Human being's entity and psyche. It is said in theology ( Though i am no authority in religion or Spirituality) that Prophets of the Semitic religion didn't posses it for they had the Almighty God's Light which is reffered to as Noor in Muslim culture.

The Saints who in traditional renderations and narratives as it is told, gave symbolic expression for instance by way of dialogues.

Here we can take up the case of Delhi's Patron Sufi Saint Hazrath  Nizamuddin Aulyia( just for information sake, Auliya means plural for direct friend of the Almighty God) when he stated that "Dilli Hanoz Doorust" which means that Delhi is still faraway in reply to the invading party still on the way of the then Muslim ruler , miraculously the troops got killed on the way including the ruler.

Egos it seems apparently creates a stumbling block in an individual's life. he/she becomes limited  in the prowess one possesses.

The main objective in  life as it progresses is seeing beyond the obvious not again compartmentalise by labeling as he/she is philosophical in his/her mindset.

One should try to laugh upon oneself and also the silly, ironic events in one's life. Psychologists suggest many feel-good techniques in this era of Information Explosion and constant dream of a success being measured by the so-called hallmark of money, gold, diamonds and other precious/semi-precious metals or stones.

Everybody has some sort of pride instilled inside him/her. We can say that in the ideal sense, that is in Christianity, the seven dreaded sins are: Not to kill, Not to steal, Not to engage in Adultery, Not to be Proud, Jealousy, Dissatisfaction, Lust/gluttony ( Ten Commandments Source) Coming to the Bible, it is Strife, Envy, Jealousy, Lust, Pride, Gluttony, Adultery.

Speaking of Gluttony, I remember having read in  a moral science Textbook while in the 6th standard about a rich person owning a mansion who used to eat like a glutton but a beggar used to arrive at his gates very hungry, trying to eat the thrown and wasted food outside.


My grandfather( Maternal) is a role model for me . He was a constant driving force and vitality behind me and my younger brother's life. 

A little bit about his background...He was the second son of Ghulam Sarwar Khan( My Great Grandfather ) , Commander-in-chief of the Royal Afghan Army who had crossed over to India with 5 more Military families ( one of them i remember by what my mother told me, settled in Dehradun) after a military coup in Afghanistan) 

My Grandfather did his education in Dhubri district of Assam, studied his degree in Persian at Calcutta University acquiring the gold and silver medals for toppling the score of the Arabic student as the course programme guidelines had proposed.

The Medals were from the family of Tipu Sultan of Mysore ( 18th Century Ruler and staunch opponent of Colonialism) .

My grandfather was appointed the vice-principal of Cotton college Guwahati, Assam. Coupled with these, he was a follower of the Chistiya Tarikha( Chistiya Order or branch) of Sufism belonging to the order of Khwaja Garreeb Nawaaz Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer, Rajasthan. His Spiritual teacher was from Jaipur who also had a dynastic business of precious Stones. 

I got some more inputs today to add to my note and show off myself as a wannabe intellectual.

Yesterday Evening at the Library of Our institute something which was very shameful, if told in the crudest sense...

Today i.e., 5/3/10 is the presentation programme on the theme of Naxalism at the basement for which many weeks of hard labour has been put into but most amusingly the day before an indifferent participant turns up and dictates points of alteration in the text format of the programme and also a change of the paper to be presented by specific students.

The student is Albert Abraham, a brother( a Christian post from the Seminary) before attaining Priesthood. he is a 2nd year student from Master of Arts in Audio Visual Communication( MA AVC). It seemed he was throwing  his attitude around and misbehaved with the teacher, Nidhi Anand who was the guide of this particlar group presenting Naxalism as their theme.

I would like to know from you all folks what he said that doesn't it tantamount to verbal abuse at a woman...

Pointing his finger towards her when she told you were not involved in the contributing process why are suddenly dictating terms... to which he replied i don't need to call you a teacher, you are not a Faculty Member...added to these was his uttering of the word, fool...he told her " You Fool!"

As far as i am correct he is a gold medalist from kerala in economics before he was sent to NISCORT.

I don't know why people have such an air about themselves, it's funny...maybe a buffoonish trait too...

Believe me folks swearing in the Almighty's name, i want to consciously crush my ego...it seems that its nothing but volunteered " self destruction..." it kills from within...limits an individual's thought process, his ability to learn while on the move, in every step of his life... 

A person's work speaks for itself...Sachin Tendulkar the highest run getter in One day internationals says that i let by bat do the talking...the rest is history

The recent ruckus of Shah Rukh Khan with the Shiv Sena over his alleged comment for Pakistani Cricketers included in the coming IPL tournament.

Maybe it can be a publicity exercise from the superstar but from one angle it can be interpreted this way that it is a moral victory of the Superstar over the Sena with his refusal to say sorry for his comment and he accidentally becomes a " National - Icon !"

One should try and laugh upon one self, how foolishly one tries to have a high regard for himself/herself.

Keep Loving, Living and enjoying the Life that comes only once and literally broom aside the negatives....

God bless all