The Man For All Seasons….
On the occasion of 35th death anniversary of the legendary singer MUKESH,there was a very interesting article in my favourite paper SCREEN in its issue dated 2-8th Sept 2011.
To read the same at length on the website,please go to :
http://www.screenindia.com/news/the-man-for-all-seasons/839736/
On reading the piece,this is what I had written in response to the Editor of Screen :
Dear Editor,
Rajiv Vijayakar’s tribute to Mukesh on his 35th death Anniversary,titled “The man for all seasons”in Screen of 2-8 th Sept 2011,was a very emotional piece that re-connected his fans to this great singer,who has left such an impact on the Hindi film industry that he is still remembered by lovers of great,meaningful and soulfully rendered songs.It may be recalled that Mukesh was such an ardent fan of late K L Saigal,that in his early years he used to imitate his idol. It is reported that when K. L. Saigal first heard the song Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De, he remarked, “That’s strange, I don’t recall singing that song”.What more proof can be there of Mukesh’s versatility ? Hindi films and music lovers of yester years will also recall the incident reported at the time of his death on 27th August 1976.When news of his death reached Raj Kapoor, he had burst into tears, and had remarked, “I have lost my voice,” which is indeed a great testimony to the association of Mukesh’s playback voice with the highly popular songs of Raj Kapoor.Right from his first foray into singing from 1945 in Pehli Nazar to his songs( picturised after his death ) in Satyam Shivam Sundaram in 1978,the journey of Mukesh,has left many milestones on the way, to mark the meastro’s mastery and skill over his unique and mesmerising voice.Several awards like the National Film Awards,Filmfare Awards and nominations and Bengal Film Journalists Association awards, certified that Mukesh’s golden voice was his fans’ delight.One stanza of Mukesh’s famous song “Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan ” goes like this : ” Kal Khel Mein Hum Ho Na Ho,Gardish Mein Taare Rahenge Sada,Bhoolenge Hum Bhoologe Tum,Par Hum Tumhare Rahenge Sada,Rahenge Yahin Apne Nishan,Iske Siva Jana Kahan…” Yes, these words echo the thoughts of miliions of Mukesh’s fans-he is no more but his footprints left on the sands of time, will remain,our cherished legacy.
J S BROCA
NEW DELHI
After waiting till yesterday and seeing that Screen’s latest issue had not published my letter, after a lot of failed attempts, I could post the following abridged version of my comments below the article on the website :
Crime And Punishment…
Author: Jatinder Pal Singh Broca Sep 19Crime And Punishment…This posting is not about Crime and Punishment a famous novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky,which was first published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in twelve monthly installments during 1866 and which was later published in a single volume. This is about a corrupt IAS Officer of Patna, Bihar,who has been the subject of many articles in several media publications.His crime is that he was found to have amassed a lot of wealth through corrupt means.His trial is going on and in due course,he will receive punishment as per the court’s verdict.Meanwhile,pending trial,Nitish Kumar,the Chief Minister of Bihar,has taken a bold initiative of confiscating his huge house and opening a school for the down-trodden sections of the society,in these palatial premises.
I first read the story through an Editorial in Financial Express.To read it on FE’s website,go to :
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/bihar-formula/845115/0 The bold initiative impressed me and in response,this is what I wrote to FE :
Dear Sir, This refers to your eye-catching editorial titled “Bihar Formula” (FE 12th Sept 2011) lauding Nitish Kumar’s bold action of confiscating the palatial house of a corrupt,suspended IAS officer,charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income,even while the trial is on,and shifting a local school from a slum area to the new premises,much to the delight and comfort of the students and teachers. This is a good lesson for other corrupt bureaucrats.Nitish’s formula of punishing the greedy and helping the needy will pave the way for other political leaders to follow the example of confiscating such properties of the “have-s” and using them for the good of the “have-nots”. Let us hope that after Anna Effect , “Nitish Effect” , will help to tackle the demon of corruption, meaningfully.Let us also hope that this is a not a one-time “show” for garnering votes but becomes a new tool for discharging,what can now be termed as PSR (Political Social Responsibility) like the much-hyped initiatives of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) hitherto. J S BROCA,New Delhi
I am pleased to note that my views have been published in Letters to The Editor column in today’s FE,as under :Letters to the editor,The Financial Express,Monday, Sep 19, 2011
Nitish effect :Apropos of the editorial “Bihar formula” (FE, September 12), lauding Nitish Kumar’s bold action of confiscating the palatial house of a corrupt, suspended IAS officer, charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income, and shifting a local school from a slum area to the new premises, is a good lesson for other corrupt bureaucrats. Nitish’s formula of punishing the greedy and helping the needy will pave the way for other political leaders to follow the example of confiscating such properties of the ‘haves’ and using them for the good of the ‘have-nots’. Let us hope that after the Anna effect, Nitish effect will help to tackle the demon of corruption, meaningfully. Let us also hope that this is a not a one-time ‘show’ for garnering votes but becomes a new tool for discharging, what can now be termed as PSR (political social responsibility) like the much-hyped initiatives of CSR (corporate social responsibility) hitherto. JS Broca, New Delhi.
To read my letter on FE’s website,go to :http://www.financialexpress.com/news/letters-to-the-editor/848385/0
I am also pleased to inform my readers,that a similar article was there in BUSINESS STANDARD a few days ago and I had responded to it as usual, with my views on the subject and lo behold,my views have also found some space in the Letters column of BS today as under :