100. The shadow(s) of life

It only occurred to Alexander the Great when he accosted the Greek philosopher, Diogenes. Lying in the sun, standing near him with his shield-bearing guards, Alexander wondered if the destitute wiseman had ever desired anything in his life. Ready to part away with his enormous wealth, the response was anything close to it. Diogenes instead wanted the monarch to pull way his shadow from himself "stand a little out of my sun." Dismayed to hear the request, Alexander thought it for a while but at the end admired the haughtiness and grandeur of the man.

What if the monarch's shadow was not present or he didn't have any of his own? Though shadows are known to be useless, but it did help Alexander the Great fulfil a desire. Come to think of it, shadow may not do anything substantive, but it extends unconditional support even as one ventures out or is in the company of others. It is true that people all have shadows with them, whether or not they liked, in different shapes and sizes during the day. Diogenes tried to disassociate the monarch from his shadow, and in doing so made it worthwhile for himself. Alexander was unconscious of his shadow, till he was made conscious of it.   

For psychologists, shadow is a sub-conscious aspect of the personality that one cannot even consciously get rid of so easily. Only once life is bereft of its shadows, one really understands that shadows do carry their own weight. One needs to feel the weight because in reality there might not be any. In the same way as gravity seems part the planet and for reasons is often taken for granted. Same holds good for a shadow, without doubt an essential companion like a faithful canine. One can't step outside without a shadow, especially when you've spent so many years together with it and grown up close. 

However, for a shadow a day is too long for extending an incessant company. Need it be said that a shadow to move along with a body during the long day may be tiring. Therefore, it needs to take a break. And it does so when it is completely dark, the shadow takes complete rest with the body. A person and his shadow are never pulled apart, both merges as one but that the merger is indeed a period of loneliness. It is a common human experience that can affect people of all ages and backgrounds.     

Shadow poses many possibilities. If shadow has only abstract meanings, then why doesn't everyone get rid of it? The trouble is that they don't know how to. But even if they did, I doubt anyone would discard their shadow. Simply put, because people are used to them whether it serves any purpose or not. And if our shadows are allowed to separate from us, shadows will continue to exist without any control. Hard to believe it.

But if it was to separate from the body, it would be hard to imagine how it might I look like. It might be like a pair of discarded old shoes.       

99. The town that was..

It was not a big town, but rather a small one that has been significant enough to remain in memories. It is worth revisiting those vivid, hazy images that reflect the past in detail. Springs emerged at many places that evoked life; streams encircled the town like arteries; bridle pathways connected clusters of houses; small paddy fields dotted the landscape; and sprawling tea gardens adorned the slopes. There was an unwritten harmony in the system.

Over the last few years, the town underwent unimaginable transformation. Five decades have radically altered the town. Many springs have dried up and disappeared; bridle pathways have been replaced by concrete passages; waste-laden streams struggle to flow; and tea gardens have become sparse. The small town has expanded its boundaries and grown as much as it could. There is nothing noteworthy to write about its expansion from a small town to a big one.

The town under reference is Palampur, located in Himachal Pradesh and situated about 4,000 feet above sea level, overlooks the mighty Dhauladhar mountains, which aren't snow-clad year-round. Fans and air-conditioners, once unseen, are now common. With many concrete structures and an expanded road network filled with fuel-guzzling automobiles, this change is neither dramatic nor unexpected.

Local food security is no one's concern as little grows here, or rather, is allowed to grow. Packaged food in colorful plastic bags is everyone's favorite. With the net sown area in the state shrinking from 19.07 percent to 11.81 percent over the last ten years, such a shift, against the backdrop of erstwhile small paddy fields, was expected. Weekend tourists bring their consumptive needs and leave waste for the locals.

The decline in the net sown area is glaring; land once used for farming has been repurposed for non-farm use. In the last decade, non-farm use of agricultural land in the state has increased from a low of 3.55 percent to as high as 16.44 percent. Developmentalists see it differently, viewing it as presenting new challenges and opportunities. Statistics can be misleading, often hiding more than they reveal.

However, the transformation of hilly towns across the hills is a compelling narrative of change and adaptation. Once characterized by pristine natural beauty and self-sustaining communities, these towns have witnessed rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and shifting lifestyles in last few decades. The evolution of Palampur serves as a poignant example, showcasing how the delicate balance of nature and tradition is being replaced by concrete structures and modern conveniences. 

First published in www.raagdelhi.com, and The Tribune dated Nov 27, 2024.

98. Don't let 'creativity' slip away

'Yeh dil tum bin kahin lagta' 
(Dharmendra & Tanuja)

Howsoever disturbing it is, break up between couples-could-be is the new normal. In the so-called fast-moving world, break-ups have emerged as another opportunity to ‘celebrate/creative’. Come to think of it, it may not be a bad idea. Why plunge in misery when one can explore new opportunities? This approach to life justifies the immense popularity of Pritam’s composition मेरे सैयां जी से आज मैंने ब्रेकअप कर लिया from the movie ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. But there is more to it, that is often ignored.

Outwardly, it may seem a sane action, but I suspect it cannot be without a psychological cost being paid by affected parties. How such suppressed emotions end-up playing up with life could be anybody’s guess? In past, such emotive moments led poets and shayars to come out with their creative best, heartfelt reflections on the mental state. Cinema used such moments to enhance melancholy, evoke moving moments on screen.

Anand Bakshi expressed such moments as lost opportunity of making things work out - मुझे तेरी मोहब्बत का सहारा मिल गया होता, अगर तूफ़ाँ नहीं आता किनारा मिल गया होता in film ‘Aaye Din Bahar Ke’. Hasrat Jaipuri imagined himself in the situation when he wrote तुम मुझे यूँ भुला ना पाओगे, जब कभी भी सुनोगे गीत मेरे संग संग तुम भी गुनगुनाओगे for ‘Pagla Kahin ka’ (1970). Rather than letting pass the moment, poets worked to give words to suppressed emotions. 

Majrooh Sultanpuri could not accept separation and instead sought to invoke compelling feelings in ‘Pyar Ka Mausam’ - तुम बिन जाऊँ कहाँ,  के दुनिया में आके कुछ न फिर चाहा कभी तुमको चाहके. He went further to assert that रह भी सकोगे तुम कैसे, हो के मुझसे जुदा, ढह जाएंगी दीवारें, सुन के मेरी सदा. For lyricist S H Bihari being in love is the ultimate human vocation है दुनिया उसी की, ज़माना उसी का, मोहब्बत में जो हो गया हो किसी का in ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’. Noticeable in all these compositions is the creative genius of writers who were supported by highly talented composers of those days.

Moments of separation on screen helped poets to give expressions to their personal tragedies as well. Sahir Ludhianvi’s verse ये दिल तुम बिन, कहीं लगता नहीं, हम क्या करें; तसव्वुर में कोई बसता नहीं, हम क्या करें is one such enduring composition from ‘Izzat’. My submission is that even the most disturbing moments of life could spur imagination, something that celebrating break-ups miss out. In a market economy, even emotions are ‘products’ worth trading for. Tragic!

Someone might say that we are a bunch of emotional fools, but for me it is the creative-imaginative aspect in such situations that is important. I leave you with a Rajendra Kishan-Laxmikant Pyarelal composition जो उन की तमन्ना है, बरबाद हो जा; तू ऐ दिल मुहब्बत की किस्मत बना दे from ‘Inteqam’. Noticeable is the fact that actors had to come out with their best in such performances, making it a complete display of embedded emotions.

(Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Rajendra Kishan, Anand Bakshi, S H Bihari, and Hasrat Jaipuri have been accomplished Hindi poets/lyricists.)

First published in www.raagdelhi.com