the Swirling Dervish i am
What I'd initially intended to write about was my personal reflections from Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven... But before that,
Been musing on why I endear myself so to music (Indian, usually) and literature, only to rediscover its purpose, as to drown the dollops of sorrow and pain that this life so regularly deals out - a bit like alcoholism, oui.
But then, I now reserve a measure of respect for these notions of old - of wine and song with old images of love/death, since my encounter with the beautiful Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (transl. by Edward Fitzgerald). It took a gd while to figure out the metaphors and such, but it's a magical rendering of mystical poetry, which also happens to be one of my trusted (Tagorian) balms.
So, I guess that's how I see references of this wine = love/death/life = raison d'etre, silvern universe and the appreciation for songs of such exquisite (lyrical) gay abandon in Chalak Chalak (Hindi, from Devdas) and even the mildly intoxicating (pardon the pun) Ramta Jogi (Hindi, from Taal: Though I like both the Tamil & Hindi versions of the song, I can't quite identify with the film, with the exception of Nahin Samne Tu [or the Tamil Kalaimane, from Thalam] & the music).
So, back to...
On how Albom (2003: 37-8) suggests that heaven - is not quite the idyllic haven of the common imagination but rather the place "to understand what happened in your life. To have it [all] explained" ... Just these lines:
"... THERE ARE FIVE people you meet in heaven... Each of us was in your life for a reason. You may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for.
... Some you knew, maybe some you didn't. But they all crossed your path before they died. And they altered it forever."
It's interesting how all of us, in our personal quests on this mortal plane, seek our solutions in such diverse routes eg. by amassing wealth or power, whilst others see their identities in surrounding themselves with loved ones or - antithetically, by relinquishing all material bonds and seeking solace in solitude...
As the swirling dervish (with a pilgrim soul) - a Beautiful expression Urs truly learnt from Pico Iyer - I am, I guess I seek an allegiance with a mixture of both the latter forms within this rediscovered identity that seems to rest so often in the eye of a vortex of pain, suffering and fleeting golden moments with kindred souls.
Wishes all, Minerva*
p.s. And as for songs of panacea for pain, there's nothing like Hariji's Oru Poiyavathu (At least A Lie) or Nila Kaikirathu (The Moon is Shining) from the Tamil films Jodi and Indira, respectively. *Cheers all.
Afterthought: Was listening to the the Tamil version of Ramta Jogi earlier -- Kaadhal Yogi, and realised it hints at diff. things (perhaps, 'cos of diff. target audience?). Still, am amused by how Ramta Jogi (or 'Wandering Yogi') seems a beautiful parallel to this 'whirling dervish', hmm?
Been musing on why I endear myself so to music (Indian, usually) and literature, only to rediscover its purpose, as to drown the dollops of sorrow and pain that this life so regularly deals out - a bit like alcoholism, oui.
But then, I now reserve a measure of respect for these notions of old - of wine and song with old images of love/death, since my encounter with the beautiful Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (transl. by Edward Fitzgerald). It took a gd while to figure out the metaphors and such, but it's a magical rendering of mystical poetry, which also happens to be one of my trusted (Tagorian) balms.
So, I guess that's how I see references of this wine = love/death/life = raison d'etre, silvern universe and the appreciation for songs of such exquisite (lyrical) gay abandon in Chalak Chalak (Hindi, from Devdas) and even the mildly intoxicating (pardon the pun) Ramta Jogi (Hindi, from Taal: Though I like both the Tamil & Hindi versions of the song, I can't quite identify with the film, with the exception of Nahin Samne Tu [or the Tamil Kalaimane, from Thalam] & the music).
***
So, back to...
On how Albom (2003: 37-8) suggests that heaven - is not quite the idyllic haven of the common imagination but rather the place "to understand what happened in your life. To have it [all] explained" ... Just these lines:
"... THERE ARE FIVE people you meet in heaven... Each of us was in your life for a reason. You may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for.
... Some you knew, maybe some you didn't. But they all crossed your path before they died. And they altered it forever."
It's interesting how all of us, in our personal quests on this mortal plane, seek our solutions in such diverse routes eg. by amassing wealth or power, whilst others see their identities in surrounding themselves with loved ones or - antithetically, by relinquishing all material bonds and seeking solace in solitude...
As the swirling dervish (with a pilgrim soul) - a Beautiful expression Urs truly learnt from Pico Iyer - I am, I guess I seek an allegiance with a mixture of both the latter forms within this rediscovered identity that seems to rest so often in the eye of a vortex of pain, suffering and fleeting golden moments with kindred souls.
Wishes all, Minerva*
p.s. And as for songs of panacea for pain, there's nothing like Hariji's Oru Poiyavathu (At least A Lie) or Nila Kaikirathu (The Moon is Shining) from the Tamil films Jodi and Indira, respectively. *Cheers all.
Afterthought: Was listening to the the Tamil version of Ramta Jogi earlier -- Kaadhal Yogi, and realised it hints at diff. things (perhaps, 'cos of diff. target audience?). Still, am amused by how Ramta Jogi (or 'Wandering Yogi') seems a beautiful parallel to this 'whirling dervish', hmm?
posted by minerva | 11:30 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home