22 October
2016
22 October
2016
Friday night decompression…
Today’s featured song is one from Kabir. Kabir was a 15th century mystic poet from India. The song is sung by Nirali Kartik and Mooralala Marwada (under the aegis of the group Maati Bani). This is a song of the Banjaras – the tune is typical of them. The original nomadic tribes that started from Arabia eventually reached various parts of the world – the ones that went to Romania and now Europe are often referred to as “gypsies”. The ones that made it to India are often called (among other names) “Banjara”. Banjara also refers to the distinct (folk song) music they sing to.
“Chakki chal rahi, Kabira baitha royee
Dono pud ke beech me saajha na nikle koi
Chakki chal rahi Kabira baitha joye
Khoonta pakdo nij Naam ka, to sajha nikle jo soyee”
Chakki refers to a millstone (used to grind grains). It metaphorically refers to the grindstone of Time.
Khoonta refers to the middle hub (axis) of the hubstone that does not move.
Dono pud – this refers to the two stones in a millstone. Metaphorically, it refers to the Heaven and Earth
Roughly translated (adapted from somebody else)
…
The millstone (of Time) grinds on, Kabir weeps (watching the inevitable)
Between the two stones (wheeling heaven above and turning earth below) no one escapes unscathed (like the grains between the millstones)
The millstone grinds on, Kabir still sits there watching
Grab hold of the hub (of the millstone) of the name (soul) that is yours, (for) that is the path to your deliverance.
22 October
2016
Side effects of internet getting hacked down?
21 October
2016
Royters News: Now what do we do?
A massive DDOS attack (from of a hacking attack) has brought down a lot of social media as well streaming sites like Netflix, Spotify in the US. On a Friday evening! No less!!
Now people have been left with no choice but to (gasp!) talk to each other. Unfortunately, most of their sentences so far have been constructed with the words – “Like”, “Retweet”, “Share” and “Pound Sign” :-)(Apparently some did not get the memo that it is called HashTag 🙂 )
https://www.cnet.com/news/internet-outage-dyn-ddos-attack-twitter-spotify/
21 October
2016
New vineyards and a new friend
This week started very early and then continued with a feverish pitch. Somewhere, lost in the blur of all those meetings, I remember being in Washington DC, Dallas, TX and then Portland, OR. By Thursday evening, I felt I was justified to go visit a new vineyard. Being in Oregon helps!!
Grabbed Anand who has recently moved his family from Dallas to Portland and went to Cooper Mountain Vineyards which was about a 10 mile drive from his house. Got to try out quite a few Pinots while there. But more importantly, made a new friend in Barbara Gross whose family owns the place. Both Anand an I got to learn a lot about the history of Oregon wines and quite some about growing grapes from Barbara.
Also, Jean and Annie, I totally threw in your names as my friends to come across as somebody knowledgeable about Oregon wines 🙂 🙂 Which, as all of us agree, innumerable bottles later, sadly, I am indeed not 🙂
21 October
2016
Tried a unique cocktail – Tamarind Ginger Tantra
16 October
2016
From the bartender’s corner – Rusty Nail
While various predecessors of this drinks – BIF, D&S, Little Club 1, Mig-21 to name some – existed since the 1930s, the final formulation of a Rusty Nail is credited to the bartenders at Club 21 in Manhattan in the early ’60s. And this got the final seal of approval when it was mentioned in New York Times by the chairwoman of Drambuie Liqueur Company.
This very traditional cocktail comprises of Scotch and Drambuie (which itself is a Scotch based liqueur very rich in herbs, honey and spices).
16 October
2016
“Haradhoner teenti chhele” (and then there were three)
16 October
2016
From the bartender’s corner – Vieux Mot
15 October
2016
Weekly decompression
This week’s featured song is “Baisara Beera”. It is a Rajasthani song; like every other Rajasthani song, it has a lovely haunting tune. And like every other Rajasthani song, I am clueless about the meaning of the words. I think here the lady is addressing her husband and asking him to take her to her father’s house because she is missing him.
In fact, I think “Baisara Beera” is one of the traditional ways of addressing your husband in Rajasthan. This is long time back when a woman would not address her husband directly. “Baisara”, I believe is sister in law. And “Beera”, I know is brother. So she addresses him indirectly – “My sister in law’s husband”! I remember my grandfather used to address my grandmother similarly indirectly – like “Manju-r Ma”!! (Manju is my mom’s name – and Ma means mother).
Going back to the song, while it is a Rajasthani Song, it is sung by two Assamese singers – Angarag Mahanta (Papon) and Kalpana Patowary. and later in the song, they mix in some Assamese folks songs too.
