Sunday, October 22, 2006

A Belated Diwali Post

Ah, my Beloved, fill the cup that clears
To-day of past Regrets and future Fears –
To-morrow? – Why, Tomorrow I may be
Myself with Yesterday’s Sev’n Thousand
Years.
*

Perhaps it was apt that I was reading the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam on Diwali. I generally end up in school working every Diwali, but this time I decided (on the urging of my mother) to at least have a bit of fun. So in a bout of getting rid of homesickness et al my room mate and I ended up watching Don, which to my surprise was decently entertaining (just please forget about the original Don though). And we walked back home at one in the morning signing "Arre diwano, Mujhe pehchano, Kahaan se aaya… Main hoon Don!" It’s important to have fun like that once in a while.

I also realised why sometimes going along with the rituals of festivals is important. Can you imagine every day being the same drab, boring routine? It’s important to have a day that stands for new beginnings. Well, for me at least. So that I can say, Ok, from today I will do this or that, and at least try to achieve that. I will try and make every day count and at least try to live a slightly more carefree life. Because even though I might fail I can start from scratch again. Its tiresome to just keep on going sometimes.
Oh well, the post was basically to say:
Happy Diwali Everyone! Have a great fun year ahead. Make the most of it.

Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie,
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and - sans End! *

* The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Rendered into English Verse by Edward Fitzgerald.

14 comments:

Panacea said...

ooh, so how was Don? I want to see it! *sigh* I'll probably have to wait for another month till I can get hold of a decent copy of the movie.

Happy Diwali to you too, by the way :)

Tabula Rasa said...

but isn't it much nicer to be able to celebrate whatever you want, whenever the fancy seizes you, on any day of the year?

It’s important to have fun like that once in a while.

uh, yes grandma :\D

Szerelem said...

Pan: Hmmm..ok i really do not like SRK. And was expecting the movie to be bad enough such that laughing at it would be good time pass. But it was pretty decent to watch.I thought it could have been really good (also because I think other than AB the original Don had a lot of scope for improvement) but it falls short, its enjoyable none the less. You should read Roswithas review of it - I agree with it almost 100%.

TR: Yes. I wrote the post in a bout of homesickness. The idea of Diwali not being just any other day seemed very inviting. In any case it is the meaning we decide to give to the day no?
And damn it my life is drab enough already without you pulling my leg about it. I'm really terribly boring =P

Re your comment on Pamuk, I know where you are coming from. Which books did you try to read?
I don't think he is easy reading. In fact his first book I read was Snow, on my second attempt. The first time I left it at 100 or so pages :) I guess a lot has to do with the mind frame you are in when you read his books and it is slow reading as well. But he is one of those authors who is terribly rewarding if you stick on.

Anonymous said...

:) I relate to ur writing like I dont with any other!

Tabula Rasa said...

sorry that my leg-pulling makes your life drabber than it already is :-D i mean, we know you're boring -- that's why we read your blog, to make us feel better about being ourselves :-D :-D

okay, sorry.

the pamuks i tried were red and snow. maybe i'll try again next time i'm in delhi. truth be told, i recently realised i've gone off fiction completely. can you believe i've read only two novels all year? (the kite runner and a translation of srikanta.)

MockTurtle said...

Happy Diwali Szerlem. Don't you think that if Buddha had been a happy old drunkard, he would Omar Khayyam? Same general nihilistic message about the secret to a happy life.

MockTurtle said...

umm.. that's 'He would have been Omar Khayyam'.

Szerelem said...

Chandni: =D ThankYou!!

TR:hmm...you are mean!
About Pamuk...I think Snow is a slow starter but My Name is Red?! Gosh i couldn't put it down at all, it read like poetry.
I went off fiction for a while too. Its a bit difficult to read during term. Its another reason I like Pamuk, because his books were the best fiction I had read in a really long time.
What did you think of Kite Runner? I found it terribly clichéd.

MT: =D
I know exactly what you mean about Buddha and Omar Khayyam!! Isn;t Khayyam brilliant, btw? I wonder if a lot of people would follow a Buddha/Khayyam religion....
seems to me people look for rigidity in religion, so it would probably end up with a lot of do's and dont's anyway.
I mean look at Hinduism. In essence its totally cool and anything goes....but people come and force their interpretation down your throat.

Tabula Rasa said...

thank you! that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. (and they've been saying it for years and years :-D)

isn't it hilarious, i found the kite runner unputdownable. you found it "cliched", i found it "real". maybe there *is* something to this "cliche as metaphor" business ;-)

Szerelem said...

Hmmm....well The Kite Runner was a fast read but I didn't find any novelty in the story. It was so Bollywoodish....you would like Don! =D

Tabula Rasa said...

unlikely - bollywood and i don't have much of a relationship. btw, advance comment on your rai post (a proper comment there after i watch the tracks) -- odeo studio is a very good option if you want to upload music to your blog. i've just started using it.

Anonymous said...

I mean look at Hinduism. In essence its totally cool and anything goes....but people come and force their interpretation down your throat.

Why not return the favour and smack your interpretation down their throat? Actually, just smack them down anyway.

Szerelem said...

Anonymouse: I do actually. Every opportunity I get.
P.S: Do I know you from Roswithas?

Anonymous said...

The one and only anonymouse at your service