My Music Says That I'm Getting Older!

Music mellows you! It truly does. I have really come far from my Heavy Metal and Rock & Roll Days! There was a time when my parents had a tough time controlling the volume of my speakers. In fact, they had to raise their volume to decrease the sound of my speakers.
Somebody really has to find out the direct co-relation between age and the sound of music. Lower the age, higher the volume is the norm!
Like the metal-headed guy that I was, or still am, I do have some residues of that music genre still instilled into me. They usually come out unnoticed especially in some hilarious ways, like the mock head-banging in the airport when you are listening to one of those old Metallica numbers from your iPod, waiting for boarding. Or, the time when I do the same, of course unknowingly, when there is an old Rock number being played by one of the FM channels in my car stereo and the outside drivers stare at you with wide eyes thinking that either you have gone mad or you are having a convulsion!
I just happen to remember a funny incident. It happened during my med-school days, once my father visited my pad which I was sharing with one of my friends and found out that my stereo was playing a Jagjit Singh Album. He couldn't believe his ears when my friend told him that it was indeed me who is the owner of that particular album and I'm also the listener. So, not only you but your music also mellows down with time. Now, I understand why my parents or the older generation don't like that high decibel music.
So, next time when you play that music, just know that you might not like the same music after few years. But there are some music which we love to call 'evergreen music" will always remain soothing to our ears and soul.
Also, many a times we love a particular song because we can co-relate that song to an incident of our lives. And I guess most of the times they are usually sad incidents. Once upon a time I used to listen a hindi number "Tanha Dil, Tanha Safar" by Shaan innumerable times a day. Now, don't ask me when, because I am not going to spill that any-way.
And when you listen to that song after many months or years when you are much sober and well off and has crossed that tough time of your life, you feel proud that you are strong, stronger than you thought you were. You are strong enough to face the same music of life again. Isn’t it?
And the happy songs, means the songs which are associated with happy incidents will always help you re-live those pleasant moments again and again. Those songs will sooth your heart and soul forever. That's why we call music as the food for soul. So, keep eating guys, I mean happy listening!
By the way if somebody is still interested to know what I'm listening these days, this is for them. I'm now into folk and semi-classical music. Now, don't you jump out of the seat! Yes, I'm listening to 'Indian Ocean' these days! You also can try some of their numbers especially the song - Ma Rewa, based on the "Narmada Bachao Andolan", which almost had become the anthem of the ‘Andolan’! This has become significant for me as I'm witnessing the big dam protests in Assam these days! The good news is that Indian Ocean’s latest album is completely free to download from their website i.e., it’s legal. So, Google it guys!
And those who haven’t yet become old unlike me, they can continue listening to the death metals! Happy listening to all of you!

The proxy God and a visit to my hometown!

Although I left my hometown when I was only 16, in fact immediately after my matriculation, but like many others I still have a special soft corner for it. And I yearn to visit it especially during holidays! My hometown is known as Tangla, a small sleepy town at the foothills of Himalayas near the Indo-Bhutan border in Assam, India. Although It’s only about 100 Km away from Guwahati, the capital city, the GPS of my intelligent mobile phone goes crazy in locating it and shows ‘location can’t be found’ most of the times.

If you ask me why I like to visit the place, it’s because of the pure unadulterated fresh air which is a scarce commodity in the concrete jungles where we live and my dear old friends. Although my friends there aren’t as rich and intelligent as my other friends from the city, but they are so pure in their heart and soul that I squirm sometimes realizing how horrible and selfish as a person I have become in due course of my life. Pure air probably cleans your heart too.

Needless to say that this time too I had a blast visiting my hometown as I could meet all of my old friends, and we shared the innuendos of our worthless lives over countless cups of tea.

Now let me tell you the funny story about the picture.
There is a small area in Tangla known as ‘Babupara’, the literal meaning will be the residential area of the ‘gentlemen’. Like every year they also celebrate the Durga Puja festivities with much pomp and fanfare, for which the preparations are made weeks and months ahead. This year also was no difference. But, a tragedy struck them this year. During the shifting of the Idols of the Gods and Goddesses from the sculptor’s place to the place of worship, the Lord Kartik, one of the most handsome Gods, got damaged, beyond repair. And the organizing committee went into a frenzy looking for a replacement. But they were unable to find a spare one. So, they did a very ‘gentlemanly’ thing, they took out the Lord ‘Biswakarma’ idol who was lying idle (with pun intended) in a corner of their ‘Pragati Sangha’ club and replaced the damaged ‘Kartik’ with the Lord ‘Biswakarma’ idol as a proxy! So, in this picture the Lord Kartik is riding an elephant instead of his regular ‘Mayur’(peacock). I don’t know how the organizers made the puritans happy, but they showed that PUJA MUST GO ON. I felt very happy for Lord Biswakarma as usually he is the most neglected of the Gods after the ‘Biswakarma Puja’ gets over and he is usually left by the side of the road or in a secluded place as he is not immersed and the dogs have a field day to do their no. ones. But, in this case he was worshipped twice albeit once as a proxy and he was immersed too along with the Devi Durga! That was quite an unusual incidence!

The Beginning of Moronic Views

Amongst over 90,000 Apps available for iPhone and iPad, there is a great little nifty App called TMT test. Naah..this is not ‘The Treadmill Test’ which we doctors are very fond of prescribing to our patients with chest pain, but ‘The Moron Test’ (and it has sections also.) And I’m deeply anguished to let you all know that this is another test, which I have failed miserably like many others. But, like many of my intelligent, handsome and wise friends I also like to believe that I’m also intelligent, handsome and wise. But I can’t prove that outright as I don’t have the class which they carry. They are socially active, brilliant and always ‘right’ like that wife in that mobile company ad.

So, I have decided, ‘Enough is enough’, this Puja with the blessings of the ‘Annihilator of the Devil’ (BTW, she is none other than our Devi Durga), I plan to improve my intellect. Hey, I do know that only improving will not do in this world of exhibitionism. I have to show it to others also that too successfully. I have to self-market it! So, copying all my learned friends, I’m declaring that I’m starting my own blog from today and hope that when you will be tired and overburdened with the intellectual postings of others , you will visit my blog to have some fun and also to know the views and story on the other side of the intellectual barrier. I’m no writer so don’t ever expect to read any thought-provoking, life changing blogs like the “Cycle of Life”. But, I’m sure you will be able to have some great laughs at the cost of my moronic thoughts. I also wish that you visit me regularly as after learning about my ‘Daur’ to the ‘Masjid’ (Mullah ki Daur Masjid Tak), my real friends will surely abandon me and I’ll be friendless and pitied. Till now I was relatively silent in this virtual world following the principle of “if someone is mum, either he is an intellectual or a dumbo”. Unfortunately, this time has come when my dear intellectual friends are beginning to doubt my silence and thinking that I’m the Mumbo Dumbo type only. So, to prove and ‘show’ them wrong I’m starting this brand new fresh as a cucumber blog of mine. Do visit my blog and give only intellectual comments as I’ve reserved the right to give the moronic comments myself. Happy Puja to all the visitors and please do pray for me for an intellectual change!