Brought out one of vinyl records I got from Deval and played this evening. Some of the songs were new to me but her renditions are timeless.

Brought out the vinyl record I had gotten earlier this year from Kolkata and cleaned it. Unfortunately, there are some spots still that messes up the first song. While the movie was released when I was one year old, I had not heard the songs till I went to college.

My favorite song from this movie is: “Tu husn hai mai ishq hoon, tu mujhme hai mai tujhme hoon”

If you know this movie, what is you favorite song?

Currently reading a book on Morality (where does morality come from? why are we so bitterly divided in religion or politics?) The following quote from the eighteenth century Chinese philosopher Sen-t’san hit a chord with me…

“The Perfect Way is only difficult
 for those who pick and choose;

 Do not like, do not dislike;
 all will then be clear.

 Make a hairbreadth difference,
 and Heaven and Earth are set apart;

 If you want the truth to stand clear before you,
 never be for or against.

 The struggle between “for” and “against”
 is the mind’s worst disease.”

The furniture is here and so is my chair to sit in the corner and listen to music. I need to get rid of the white Bose speakers and get something in black that blends with the rest of the room.

Started with the two set LP records of Lata and Mukesh in Albert Hall

The vinyl record of PremRog channeled thru a blue tooth transmitter to this speaker masquerading as an evening candle as I stare at the USPS mail truck pull up and drop the daily mail at the post office opposite us…

This one is from 1982. The most famous number was “Main Hoon Prem Rogi” For the first time, I had heard the voice of Suresh Wadkar. Turns out this was his major breakthru in Bollywood world!

First time I listened to the cassette of Betaab – right after finishing my tenth grade exams, I remember being struck by the pronounced sound effects of thunder in this song. Not one to watch movies much, I did not have the visual backdrop. That did not quite matter much, since I loved the tune of this song. And every other song of this movie. No wonder it became the biggest hit of that year.

Folks who grew up at that time listening to the songs of Betaab, did you have a favorite song? The others were “Jab Hum Jawan Honge”, “Teri Tasveer Mil Gayee”, “Tumne Dee Awaaz”, and “Apne Dil Se Badi Dushmani Ki”.

Got this vinyl from Kolkata when I was in India in March.

The furniture for the sound system has not arrived yet. I have so far just jammed it in my letter writing room. The first record played in this house is officially “Qurbani”. This 1980 Bollywood movie was known for its songs. I heard them first in my ninth grade and am still a big fan of the music and the instruments in every song. Very difficult to choose a favorite song from the Qawwali “Qurbani, Qurbani” by Kishore, the pop style “Aap Jaisa Koi” by Nazia Hasaan, the haunting “Hum Tumhein Chahte Hain” or the jivey “Laila ho laila laila”…

(The following is what I have learnt from different internet resources. I do not understand either of the languages)

This poem is written in Persian and Brij Bhasha. Brij Bhasha is a Dehaati Zabaan (country tongue) and a dialect of Hindi. In the first verse, the first line is in Persian, the second in Brij Bhasha, the third in Persian again, and the fourth in Brij Bhasha. This particular rendition I listened to was by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Zehaal-e-miskeen makun taghaful,
Duraye naina banaye batiyan.
Ke taab-e-hijran nadaram ay jaan,
Na leho kahe lagaye chatiyan.

Translated… (again, not my translation)

“Do not overlook my misery,
by blandishing your eyes and weaving tales,
My patience has over-brimmed, O sweetheart!
why do you not take me to your bosom.”