It has been a while Rahul Dev Burman aka Pancham da is no more with us. This post is not a event chronology or series of trivia. There are thousands of websites on this maestro where there are very interesting facts. One such website is www.panchamonline.com.
This post is just to reflect my inner respect for this genius. I dont know why since childhood days I was attracted to his style of music. At at time I had no idea who was Pancham / Rahul Dev Burman. As I grew up and I understood that all my favorite music belong to him. What a coincedence? Well, I won't call it so. It was pure love for the music, which always my ears and my heart has loved to listen.
He was perhaps mistaken, misunderstood and misintepreted in many senses, and his disappearence from the music scene in mid 80's was quite a evident of such instances. He perhaps couldnot fight then ongoing 'disco' and 'meaning less' music trends. His failing health also didnot allow him to fightback at that time.
But his last creation was perhaps one of this best. "1942 A Love Story", will be remembered as one of the best RDBurman composed movie. But in mid 70's to early 80's, he was the king. His music has become a cult and in today's remix world 99% music is from his olden melodies.
He had a great understanding of Indian Classical Music (both Hindustani and Karnatak), as well as he had great understanding of Western Music and its trends. He has done lots of experimentations with music instruments, sounds and tunes. He has drawn inspirations from many great maestros from the past.
He had his roots deep into the essence of melody. His creations are always had two phases where he use to compose a song and also use to compose the music arrangement of the song. He had a great sense of orchestration and usage of new instruments.
I can still write 10 more pages on him, but this is just my thoughts otherwise.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Photos from my heart --> The New York Journey!!
T H E N E W Y O R K J O U R N E Y!!
This was the for the first time I was staying in New York. I had been to his melting pot of different world culture before in early 2001 though. This time I had a different eye to look at it.
I was comparing it with SanFrancisco (the city which I really love) and found it to be significatly different in culture and 'attitude'.
This excitment of staying and working i New York actually made me walk thrice from Battery Park to Central Park (phew!! that's a long walk actually about 60 blocks from South to North. Link below will actually show you the map of New York City and the length I am talking about.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=New+York,+NY)
From South - Battery Park
Battery Park is situated well in south of New York. It the place from where you can get ferries to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The Park itself possess lot of fun and frolic. You may find people dressed as "Lady Liberty" and that's their means of earning. They will pose along with you and you can take a picture of him and pay him some money.
The walk along the park is interesting and enjoying, you can see loads of people selling cheap CDS and DVDS, smuggled gold chains, watches, cheap electronics. You may also see several street musicians performing. The picture on the left is of a sleeping vendor. He sells CDS and DVDs whole day. I was in the park on a lazy Saturday, and I caught him napping! Juxtaposed Tired, what I call this picture. I have also posted this one in Trekearth for other people to see.
Then I visited Liberty Island! There stood the Lady which symbolizes the "Liberty" of man kind from all shackles of dictatorship. Please visit the site below to know more about the world's favorite lady. http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/liberty.html
Ellis Island has a museum of
Immigration. It stores all the fact and events occured during immigration of 12 million people during the period of 1892 and 1954. The museum is very big and possess large about of facts, data and pictures during the great immigration. You can find more information about this national monument in the following link:
http://www.nps.gov/elis/
WTC - The Piligrimage
What happened in 9/11 was perhaps one of the worst thing ever happened to the city in the history of man kind. The WTC site is a piligrimage and a resting place for thousands of innocent New Yorkers. The Natural Cross still stands still in the site. It is the symbol of God watching over the sin of mankind and God's eye's on innocent beings.
As I walked past the South Seaport Museum I saw masts of an ancient ship. The contrast of the mast with the evening sky was so amazing that I thought to capture it.
Wall Street and Financial District
New York is definitely the Financial capital of the world. With so many huge skyscrappers, financial institutions;
the Wall Street is the most important street which actually controls and defines world's economy. The Wall Street Financial District "Bull" is a landmark icon in New York City, it is the unofficial symbol of the Financial District. This 7000 pounds bronze bull stands in the Bowling Green Park near Wall Street. It symbolises the aggressive financial optimism and prosperity.
Midtown Madness - Times Square - the Square of the World
This was the for the first time I was staying in New York. I had been to his melting pot of different world culture before in early 2001 though. This time I had a different eye to look at it.
I was comparing it with SanFrancisco (the city which I really love) and found it to be significatly different in culture and 'attitude'.
This excitment of staying and working i New York actually made me walk thrice from Battery Park to Central Park (phew!! that's a long walk actually about 60 blocks from South to North. Link below will actually show you the map of New York City and the length I am talking about.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=New+York,+NY)
From South - Battery Park
Battery Park is situated well in south of New York. It the place from where you can get ferries to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The Park itself possess lot of fun and frolic. You may find people dressed as "Lady Liberty" and that's their means of earning. They will pose along with you and you can take a picture of him and pay him some money.The walk along the park is interesting and enjoying, you can see loads of people selling cheap CDS and DVDS, smuggled gold chains, watches, cheap electronics. You may also see several street musicians performing. The picture on the left is of a sleeping vendor. He sells CDS and DVDs whole day. I was in the park on a lazy Saturday, and I caught him napping! Juxtaposed Tired, what I call this picture. I have also posted this one in Trekearth for other people to see.
Then I visited Liberty Island! There stood the Lady which symbolizes the "Liberty" of man kind from all shackles of dictatorship. Please visit the site below to know more about the world's favorite lady. http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/liberty.htmlEllis Island has a museum of
Immigration. It stores all the fact and events occured during immigration of 12 million people during the period of 1892 and 1954. The museum is very big and possess large about of facts, data and pictures during the great immigration. You can find more information about this national monument in the following link:http://www.nps.gov/elis/
WTC - The Piligrimage
What happened in 9/11 was perhaps one of the worst thing ever happened to the city in the history of man kind. The WTC site is a piligrimage and a resting place for thousands of innocent New Yorkers. The Natural Cross still stands still in the site. It is the symbol of God watching over the sin of mankind and God's eye's on innocent beings.
The NJ - NY Path Train connects NJ to NY and it carries millions of commuters daily. During the tradegy the station was totally destroyed thus commuting between NJ and NY became a big problem. The Port Authority of NJ and NY rebuilt the station and the adjoing areas in a record 3 months time to get the life back to normal. The effort is enormous and really appreciated.
As I walked past the South Seaport Museum I saw masts of an ancient ship. The contrast of the mast with the evening sky was so amazing that I thought to capture it.
Wall Street and Financial District
New York is definitely the Financial capital of the world. With so many huge skyscrappers, financial institutions;
the Wall Street is the most important street which actually controls and defines world's economy. The Wall Street Financial District "Bull" is a landmark icon in New York City, it is the unofficial symbol of the Financial District. This 7000 pounds bronze bull stands in the Bowling Green Park near Wall Street. It symbolises the aggressive financial optimism and prosperity.Midtown Madness - Times Square - the Square of the World
The Times Square in New York is the square of 
the world. As soon as you land up in the square you feel you are surrounded with lights, tall skyscrappers, News Broadcasts, Video Shows and traffic from all sides. I felt I am in a land of billions of stars, dazzling and glorious and exciting.
You really cannot decide which side you will look at. Everywhere there is some kind of activity and things happening. I believe I was confused and mesmerized as soon as I reached there. Even at 2.00 AM in the morning the place is crowded and musical opera shows going on every where. It is a place where one must visit atleast once in a lifetime.
And it snowed
Come Febuary, It was snowing badly and it recorded the worst snowfall in the century. It was all white and white everywhere, and whenever sun came out it dazzled and blinded me almost. It was severely 
cold and the weather had 
become really difficult. I saw homeless shivering on the footpaths, the snowfall had taken their shelter away. Snowfall also brought a lot of joy to the younger ones as they all were singing "Let it snow", creating snowman and throwing snowballs to passerbyes. We also threw snowballs to each other. It was a different experience all togather.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Maa Saraswati does'nt live in America!!!
I travel for 2 hours everyday in New York City's Subway. New York City's Subway is very interesting and you can see lot of stuff in it. Sometimes I feel half of the city lives here. I really cannot explain what all kinds of people I observe everyday.
Today I saw something and which really made me write this blog.I saw a good looking hot chic sit just opposite to me. She saw me for a while then she started looking at the other side. Suddenly I saw there was a page of morning newspaper (AMNEWYORK) lying near her feet. She pulled the paper with her feet and held it between her feet and started reading it. She never picked it up to read though. The paper lay down on the floor in between her leather claded high ankle boots.
I thought where is Maa Saraswati here(Goddess of Knowledge according to Hindu Religion). Is'nt she getting angry and cursing this hot chic? Where is she and what is she doing? Ever since I was small I was always told, never touch a paper with your foot, even if it did touch my mistake always ask for mercy to Maa Saraswati by picking it up and touching it to your forehead. Well this was well cemented culture in me. I was feeling odd and it was funny thinking about this while I saw this good looking hot chic holding the paper with her feet while reading it.
So an open freaky question is there no Hindu Gods in America? Are'nt they getting angry? Furious? Where are they?
I travel for 2 hours everyday in New York City's Subway. New York City's Subway is very interesting and you can see lot of stuff in it. Sometimes I feel half of the city lives here. I really cannot explain what all kinds of people I observe everyday.
Today I saw something and which really made me write this blog.I saw a good looking hot chic sit just opposite to me. She saw me for a while then she started looking at the other side. Suddenly I saw there was a page of morning newspaper (AMNEWYORK) lying near her feet. She pulled the paper with her feet and held it between her feet and started reading it. She never picked it up to read though. The paper lay down on the floor in between her leather claded high ankle boots.
I thought where is Maa Saraswati here(Goddess of Knowledge according to Hindu Religion). Is'nt she getting angry and cursing this hot chic? Where is she and what is she doing? Ever since I was small I was always told, never touch a paper with your foot, even if it did touch my mistake always ask for mercy to Maa Saraswati by picking it up and touching it to your forehead. Well this was well cemented culture in me. I was feeling odd and it was funny thinking about this while I saw this good looking hot chic holding the paper with her feet while reading it.
So an open freaky question is there no Hindu Gods in America? Are'nt they getting angry? Furious? Where are they?
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Of Batman - the Dark Knight...
Ever since I had started reading, I was always attracted to images and pictures rather than text. Comics thus became my favorite past time friends. I began reading comics in early 80's, and I loved reading Superheroes. I started out reading Superman, Green Lantern and finally I read Batman. I don't know what attracted me to this "dark knight".
Batman - as told in the stories and also in the latest and perhaps the best Batman movie ever made "Batman Begins", is a tale of a orphaned billionair - Bruce Wayne whose parents were murdered in front of his eyes. Bruce was a little child then and his able and trusted butler Alfred took care of him until he was "Batman".
Batman never had any Superhero powers likes power to fly, nor he is the strongest man, or the fastest man, or any lasers nor he is a mutant. He is a simple human being who utilised Science at the best to become "Batman". He is the mysterious, he is alone, he is night the "Dark Knight".
He is one of the favorite subject for the Hollywood directors. It started with Adam West starring as the Cape Crusader in the Television Series "Batman and Robin" in 1960s. Then the most valiant effort came from Tim Burton is 1980s, when he directed Micheal Keaton as "Batman". Micheal Keaton doned the Batsuit and looked great. It was dark and mysterious with superlative performances from Jack Nicholson as the 'Joker'.
Tim Burton continued to portray Batman as Dark Knight and again Micheal Keaton doned the batsuit. The film "Batman Returns" was not as good as its predecessor but definitely was better than its two successors - "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin".
The director Joel Schumacher tried to carry the legacy of Dark Knight but failed to keep the tempo which Tim Burton had created. These movies had portrayed Batman as 'Cape Crusaders' rather than being a 'Dark Knight'. Also these movies had also introduced 'Robin'. Val Kilmer was the Batman in the movie "Batman Forever" and I thought he was a better Batman than Micheal Keaton but the storylines had lot of loopholes which made the movie flop.
Later George Clooney doned the Batsuit in "Batman and Robin" and had a average performance as Batman. This movie was never made for serious batman fans and was childish. It bombed heavily.
Then in 2005 the director Christopher Nolan directed "Batman Begins". Christian Bale was the Batman. This movie brought back the Dark Knight again. This is darker and mysterious than all the previous Batman Movies. It is perhaps the best Batman Movie ever filmed. Christian Bale was superlative as Batman. This story goes back into the past when Bruce Wayne was a child and what made him Batman. His agony, his fears, his pains, and his weaknesses all are shown. This movie also tells us a tale of a human behind the mask and at times how weak he can be.
Batman is my superhero and I think he will always be.
Ever since I had started reading, I was always attracted to images and pictures rather than text. Comics thus became my favorite past time friends. I began reading comics in early 80's, and I loved reading Superheroes. I started out reading Superman, Green Lantern and finally I read Batman. I don't know what attracted me to this "dark knight".Batman - as told in the stories and also in the latest and perhaps the best Batman movie ever made "Batman Begins", is a tale of a orphaned billionair - Bruce Wayne whose parents were murdered in front of his eyes. Bruce was a little child then and his able and trusted butler Alfred took care of him until he was "Batman".
Batman never had any Superhero powers likes power to fly, nor he is the strongest man, or the fastest man, or any lasers nor he is a mutant. He is a simple human being who utilised Science at the best to become "Batman". He is the mysterious, he is alone, he is night the "Dark Knight".
He is one of the favorite subject for the Hollywood directors. It started with Adam West starring as the Cape Crusader in the Television Series "Batman and Robin" in 1960s. Then the most valiant effort came from Tim Burton is 1980s, when he directed Micheal Keaton as "Batman". Micheal Keaton doned the Batsuit and looked great. It was dark and mysterious with superlative performances from Jack Nicholson as the 'Joker'.
Tim Burton continued to portray Batman as Dark Knight and again Micheal Keaton doned the batsuit. The film "Batman Returns" was not as good as its predecessor but definitely was better than its two successors - "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin".
The director Joel Schumacher tried to carry the legacy of Dark Knight but failed to keep the tempo which Tim Burton had created. These movies had portrayed Batman as 'Cape Crusaders' rather than being a 'Dark Knight'. Also these movies had also introduced 'Robin'. Val Kilmer was the Batman in the movie "Batman Forever" and I thought he was a better Batman than Micheal Keaton but the storylines had lot of loopholes which made the movie flop.
Later George Clooney doned the Batsuit in "Batman and Robin" and had a average performance as Batman. This movie was never made for serious batman fans and was childish. It bombed heavily.
Then in 2005 the director Christopher Nolan directed "Batman Begins". Christian Bale was the Batman. This movie brought back the Dark Knight again. This is darker and mysterious than all the previous Batman Movies. It is perhaps the best Batman Movie ever filmed. Christian Bale was superlative as Batman. This story goes back into the past when Bruce Wayne was a child and what made him Batman. His agony, his fears, his pains, and his weaknesses all are shown. This movie also tells us a tale of a human behind the mask and at times how weak he can be.
Batman is my superhero and I think he will always be.
Remembering the good ol' days....
Remember .... What was the first film ever you saw in your life? I remember it very clearly and distinctly. It was "Kartavya". It starred Dharmendra and Rekha. It also had Vinod Mehra. What I still remember is it had lot of wild animals in it. The story was about poarching. I loved the movie.
Now why I asked you all to tell me about your first movie because there is a very funny story about this incident. My aunt had gifted me a toy rifle. The film had a sequence where Dharmendra was fighting the Tigers with the Rifle butt. I was a kid about 4 years old I started to enact the same sequence. The Bed was the Tiger for me, I started hitting it with my toy rifle butt and finally I broke it into two.
The rifle was my favorite toy then and since it was broken while enacting a movie sequence, I still remember it till today.
By the way you can view the details of the movie in the following link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359544/
Then I think about after 1 year I saw the second film in my life. I was mesmerised, and believe me or not I still love to see the movie again and again. The movie was
"Shaan". It had my favorite actor - Amitabh Bachchan and my most favorite Music Director - Rahul Dev Burman. It was a great movie though many scenes where taken from various Bond Films especially from the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me". The film had a memorable acting by Kulbushan Kharbanda who enact the role of "Shakaal" to the perfection. I believe 'Shakaal' was a iconic villian after 'Gabbar Singh' from the path breaking "Sholay" until 'Mocambo' from "Mr.India" became more famous in mid 1980s.
"Shaan" and "Sholay" was directed by Ramesh Sippy. "Shaan" had good music - "Pyar Karne Waale", "Yamma Yamma", "Janu Meri Jaan". R D was at his best. The movie opens with a solid husky voice of Usha Uthup "Doston se Pyaar kiyaa...Dushmano se Badla liya..Jo bhi kiya Hum ne kiya..Shaan se..." along with kind of Bond movie starring atmosphere. I love this movie and is my all time favorite.
You can find more details about this great movie in the following link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081491/
The details of RD's brilliance can be found in the following link:
http://planetbollywood.com/Music/Shaan/
I believe you all must have some good memories of the first movie you saw in your life. Come on tell me, its fun you know.
Remember .... What was the first film ever you saw in your life? I remember it very clearly and distinctly. It was "Kartavya". It starred Dharmendra and Rekha. It also had Vinod Mehra. What I still remember is it had lot of wild animals in it. The story was about poarching. I loved the movie.
Now why I asked you all to tell me about your first movie because there is a very funny story about this incident. My aunt had gifted me a toy rifle. The film had a sequence where Dharmendra was fighting the Tigers with the Rifle butt. I was a kid about 4 years old I started to enact the same sequence. The Bed was the Tiger for me, I started hitting it with my toy rifle butt and finally I broke it into two.
The rifle was my favorite toy then and since it was broken while enacting a movie sequence, I still remember it till today.
By the way you can view the details of the movie in the following link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359544/
Then I think about after 1 year I saw the second film in my life. I was mesmerised, and believe me or not I still love to see the movie again and again. The movie was
"Shaan". It had my favorite actor - Amitabh Bachchan and my most favorite Music Director - Rahul Dev Burman. It was a great movie though many scenes where taken from various Bond Films especially from the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me". The film had a memorable acting by Kulbushan Kharbanda who enact the role of "Shakaal" to the perfection. I believe 'Shakaal' was a iconic villian after 'Gabbar Singh' from the path breaking "Sholay" until 'Mocambo' from "Mr.India" became more famous in mid 1980s.
"Shaan" and "Sholay" was directed by Ramesh Sippy. "Shaan" had good music - "Pyar Karne Waale", "Yamma Yamma", "Janu Meri Jaan". R D was at his best. The movie opens with a solid husky voice of Usha Uthup "Doston se Pyaar kiyaa...Dushmano se Badla liya..Jo bhi kiya Hum ne kiya..Shaan se..." along with kind of Bond movie starring atmosphere. I love this movie and is my all time favorite.
You can find more details about this great movie in the following link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081491/
The details of RD's brilliance can be found in the following link:
http://planetbollywood.com/Music/Shaan/
I believe you all must have some good memories of the first movie you saw in your life. Come on tell me, its fun you know.
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