The Girl and the Autorickshaw

You Talking To Me? - Taxi Driver

The 20th century's most fascinating sisters

Unity,Diana, Jessica, Nancy, Pamela and Deborah. Or, if you prefer: a Nazi with a self-inflicted brain injury, Oswald Mosley's wife, a communist muckraker, an infamous snob/talented novelist, a muse of John Betjeman turned late-in-life lesbian and the Duchess of Devonshire.

Call the Mitford sisters what you will - and they've been accused of many things - but you could never call them boring.

Since the millennium, there's been a resurgence of interest in these famous aristocrats, from Jan Dalley's biography of Diana to the BBC adaptation of Nancy's Love in a Cold Climate and a biography of the author by family friend Harold Acton. But my interest in the family was piqued by Mary S Lovell's excellent and insightful The Mitford Girls and I've been alternately disgusted and beguiled by them ever since.

This autumn sees a further expansion of the Mitford industry, with the publication of two new books of Mitford correspondence: first, the paperback release of Decca, a doorstop-sized collection of Jessica ("Decca") Mitford's letters edited by Peter Y Sussman, which is a pretty comprehensive attempt to capture the personality of the famous author and rebel. Decca was the Mitford who made the strongest attempts to break free from her background, running away to America, joining the communist party and becoming known in the US as a writer of bold exposés, including her landmark work The American Way of Death.

Also just out is another hefty volume, Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters. Edited by Charlotte Mosley, Diana's daughter-in-law, this book collects together for the first time some of the hundreds of letters between the "girls". The youngest, and only living Mitford sister, Debo - or the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, if you prefer - has given it her seal of approval.

I'm salivating at the prospect of both books.

Not that I endorse many of the sisters' points of view, of course: Unity was such an unrepentant Nazi that she shot herself when the second world war broke out (becoming brain-damaged and incontinent, but by all counts much more placid, as a result). And Diana never apologised for the friendship with Hitler that landed her in jail. But the Mitford sisters are inherently fascinating. Nancy's books brilliantly satirise the strangeness and insularity of their upbringing (even if her sisters never quite forgave her for doing so). And having read Lovell's book plus two volumes of Nancy's correspondence, I know that Mitford letters pull no punches as alliances are established, rivalries strengthened and friendships made and broken, all via the postal service.

But it's not just the sisters' own lives that are so interesting, it's the way their lives often intersected with other important figures of the 20th century. Related to everyone from Winston Churchill to Walter Mosley, with family friends including Hitler, Evelyn Waugh and Maya Angelou, the Mitford sisters were kind of proto-Forrest Gumps, always on the edge of history and sometimes actively involved. Decca, especially, threw herself into civil rights work and Nancy and her first husband helped victims of the civil war in Spain. (Still, during the second world war, Decca wrote to Nancy that she wasn't so much worried about her family dying as of having "a v. narst time in general".)

Totally un-PC, relics of a lost era and sometimes solipsistic to an unimaginable degree? No doubt. But as chroniclers of a large family participating in many of the major political movements of the 20th century, there have never been six sisters more entertaining.

As the Mitfords themselves would say: do admit.

COURTESY:THE GUARDIAN

उड़ान फिल्म से एक कविता

छोटी छोटी चित्रायी आ गयीं, बिछी हुई है लम्हों की लौ में, नंगे पैर ऊपर चलते चलते इतनी दूर आ गए हैं कि भूल गए हम जूते कहाँ उतारे थे,एड़ी कोमल थी जब आये थे,थोड़ी सी नाज़ुक है अभी भी और नाज़ुक ही रहेगी इन खट्टी मीठी यादों की शरारत जब तक इन्हें गुदगुदाती रहे,सच भूल गए हैं जूते कहाँ उतारे थे पर लगता है अब इनकी जरूरत नहीं

If I Were A Rich Man

"If I Were a Rich Man" is a song from the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof. The song is performed by Tevye, the main character in the musical, and reflects his dreams of glory.The song is broken into four verses.Through the first two verses, Tevye dreams of the material comforts that wealth would bring him. Sung comedically, Tevye first considers the enormous house he would buy and the needless luxuries he would fill it with, including a third staircase "leading nowhere, just for show," then the poultry he would buy to fill his yard.

Tevye switches his attention to the luxuries in which he would shower his wife, Golde, in the third verse. He talks of servants to alleviate her workload, fancy clothes for her pleasure, and mountains of food. The music and vocals intensify when Tevye starts lamenting his place in the community as a lowly milkman, and considers the esteem and importance that wealth would bring him.

In the final verse, Tevye softens as he further considers his devotion to God. He expresses his sorrow that the long working hours he keeps prevents him from spending as much time in the synagogue(It is the center of the Jewish religious community: a place of prayer, study and education)as he would like, and how wealth would allow him to spend less time working and more time praying and studying Torah(The books of Jewish scriptures and other sacred Jewish writings)

A repeated phrase throughout the song, "all day long I'd bidi-bidi-bum," is often misunderstood to refer to Tevye's desire not to have to work. However, the phrase "bidi-bidi-bum" is a reference to the practice of Jewish prayer, in particular davening.

Here is the lyrics

"Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor.
But it's no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear.
(Insert)Squawking just as noisily as they can. (End Insert)
With each loud "cheep" "swaqwk" "honk" "quack"
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say "Here lives a wealthy man."

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man's wife
With a proper double-chin.
Supervising meals to her heart's delight.
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood she's in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night.

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
"If you please, Reb Tevye..."
"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!

And it won't make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you're rich, they think you really know!

If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.

Lord who mad the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.








.

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है…

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है,
कहीं मंदिर की परछाई, कहीं मस्जिद का साया है,
न तब पूछा था हमसे और न अब पूछने आए,
हमेशा फैसले करके हमें यूं ही सुनाया है…

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है…

हमें फुर्सत कहां रोटी की गोलाई के चक्कर से,
न जाने किसका मंदिर है, न जाने किसकी मस्जिद है,
न जाने कौन उलझाता है सीधे-सच्चे धागों को,
न जाने किसकी साजिश है, न जाने किसकी यह जिद है
अजब सा सिलसिला है यह, जाने किसने चलाया है।

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है…

वो कहते हैं, तुम्हारा है, जरा तुम एक नजर डालो,
वो कहते हैं, बढ़ो, मांगो, जरूरी है, न तुम टालो,
मगर अपनी जरूरत तो है बिल्कुल ही अलग इससे,
जरा ठहरो, जरा सोचो, हमें सांचों में मत ढालो,
बताओ कौन यह शोला मेरे आंगन में लाया है।

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है…

अगर हिंदू में आंधी है, अगर तूफान मुसलमां है,
तो आओ आंधी-तूफां यार बनके कुछ नया कर लें,
तो आओ इक नजर डालें अहम से कुछ सवालों पर,
कई कोने अंधेरे हैं, मशालों को दिया कर लें,
अब असली दर्द बोलेंगे जो दिलों में छुपाया है।

किसी ने कुछ बनाया था, किसी ने कुछ बनाया है…

~ प्रसून जोशी

humanity,ethics and photgraphy

The photo is the “Pulitzer Prize” winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine. The picture depicts stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away. The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat him. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken. Three months later he committed suicide due to depression.

A Funny Song Ridiculing US

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

America so free I am dying to see
Disneyland and Statue Liberty
Choose between Coca-cola or Pepsi
Home made prison with colour TV

America so strong with nuclear bomb
Big one, small one and one long
Vietnam napalmed, Afghanistan bombed
America decide what is right what is wrong

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

America never sad, only go mad
Blame someon say the world is bad
First communist, then terrorist
If not this maybe some other list

America friends all over the world
Fanatics dictators and murderers
America so sad for the world to see
Bin Laden is paid to be an enemy

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

If you have might everything is right
While you bark, you also bite
Killing everyone, best way to manage
Then tell your friends collateral damage

Saddam you scoundrel where are the weapons
These inspectors instead of eyes have buttons
Now we'll show how everyone is wrong
Saddam your belly is actually a bomb

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

America has a package for every country
First CIA, World Bank and MNC
If bribe don't work, destroy the whole place
Put puppet regime with UN First Aid

We can see thru American tactics and tricks
Armament deala and oil politics
World War III no need to worry
God save us from American peace and liberty

America, America, American War Paar Da
War, War, War, American War
American War Paar Da

Charlie Chaplains Greatest Speech

I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an Emperor - that's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if possible -- Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another; human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there's room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful.

But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

To those who can hear me I say, "Do not despair." The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass and dictators die; and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

Soldiers: Don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel; who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don't hate; only the unloved hate, the unloved and the unnatural.

Soldiers: Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written, "the kingdom of God is within man" -- not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you, you the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power! Let us all unite!! Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie! They do not fulfill their promise; they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people!! Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise!! Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness.

Soldiers: In the name of democracy, let us all unite!!!

“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” Martin Luther King Jr Last Speech.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.