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 | Of Milk and metro-sexuality; Asa Ram’s prophecy |
 Long,
long time ago, when grand ambition of Nehru had not seen the light of the day,
when what now is Chandigarh was just an arid piece of land, dotted by hamlets;
long before the partition of India, when the need to set up of capital of East
Punjab was felt fore and long before Le Corbusier’s cubism had found
recognition in the world, there lived a mystic, Asa Ram, at Sohana, a village
that stands to the south-west of the City Beautiful. Around
Asa Ram, who lived in the earlier part of the twentieth century is woven a lot
of folklore, myths and legends. Very proud of his Puadhi (Ambala
–Patiala region marked by a dialect by the same name) antecedents, Asa Ram
would coin bolis and chandds (verses and couplets)
impromptu and regale the audience with histrionics. Even today an annual jalsa
is held in his memory where his devotees sing his paens while liquor flows
freely in the congregation.
In
one of his mystical trances the patron saint of Sohana had prophesied in chaste Puadhi;
How true is his words have come true today. Sohana lies in the heart of the
upcoming swanky, futuristic GMADA. How true his words are told when milk is
being sold in cartons, pouches, bottles (Vita, Verka, and Amul variety) and
metro-sexual looks and, cross-sexual dressing of the youth of the tri-city
leaves the old timers guessing about the gender of the individual! How
prophetic were Asa Ram's words.
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Posted by sandeeps on Friday, August 27 @ 02:06:10 EDT (9 reads)
(comments? | Score: 0)
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| Kairon and the hare |
S. Partap S. Kairon, the chief minister of Punjab, was moving on a highway with his entourage. While his car was negotiating a curve, a hare tried to cross the road and mid-way decided against it, but by that time it was run over by the car. The chief minister asked the driver to stop. The rest of the cars also came to a grinding halt. As his officers and secretaries drew near to know what had happened, Kairon had a question, ready for them. “Tell me,” he enquired, “How did the hare die?” “Sir it was run over by the car,” said one. “Don’t state the obvious,” Kairon shot back. “Sir, it chose the wrong time to cross the road,” said another. “Sir, may be the hare was trifle too slow to cross the road in time,” echoed the third . “None of you could reach the heart of the matter,” said a not-so-amused Kairon. “The hare died in a dilemma,” he said sagely. “Young men, while in the middle of the road, the hare decided to turn back and got crushed. Never be in a dilemma. If you decide to do something, do it right way or else stay away from it.” Such were the ingenious methods, Kairon employed to tutor his subordinates. |
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Posted by sandeeps on Wednesday, July 22 @ 09:05:33 EDT (73 reads)
(comments? | Score: 4.5)
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| Sarmukh Singh DIG |
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The story dates back to 1960s, when a tall, well-built sardar, Sarmukh Singh of village Sarhali, Distt. Amritsar was serving as a DIG in the railway police. Sarmukh Singh, who wore a large moustache, was very proud of his career achievement. He would stand in front of the mirror, gloating over his success, fondly rubbing his moustache. He would say to himself: Wah bi Jatt de puttara, tu tan suhage te chaddea maan nahin see, hun ta tun DIG ayeein. Jithe marzi rail gaddi khadi karwan lewein! (Oh you son of farmer, as if it wasn't enough for you to ride the ox driven land levelling planck, that you have become a DIG and can stop a train in its tracks, wherever you want). Of course, Sarmukh Singh's self-aggrandizing wisdom was inspired from a Punjabi proverb, which says that the farmer gets a kick, riding the ox driven wooden planck that levels his fields.
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Posted by sandeeps on Friday, July 17 @ 21:08:53 EDT (176 reads)
(Read More... | 2 comments | Score: 4.5)
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| Sassi-Punnu |
My friend, Sarabjit Singh Ghuman, is brimming with stories from the cultural heritage of Punjab. Each conversation with him is a new chapter of learning. Yesterday, a long talk with him, veered around to Junoon's Sayeeo nee. I asked him about the connotations of the song. According to him, the song portrays the longing of Sassi for her beloved Punnu. It so happened that Punnu--a Baloch fell in love with Sassi--a Gujarati kudi. It transpired that the kinsmen of Punnu, who didn't approve of the relationship, carried him away in an enbriated state after a session of drinking and merry-making. Sassi, torn asunder by the separation ran after the Balochs, but by that time they had covered much distance. Unable to bear the heat of the desert and sorrow of parting, Sassi fell and died. It is said that the soul of Sassi still looks for her Punnu in those rough terrains! However, what was new to me in the story was that Sassi, in fact, was a corruption of the name Shashi--a hindi name for the moon. Of course, it seems very natural for a Gujarati girl to have the name Shashi...So this was the fable of Shashi-Punnu.
It left me wondering whether the song Dil Laigi Kudi Gujarat Di also refers to the tale of Shashi Punnu!
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Posted by sandeeps on Tuesday, July 14 @ 13:00:05 EDT (242 reads)
(Read More... | 4 comments | Score: 4)
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| Lexus |
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sandeep writes "Perhaps, the biggest challenge Toyota has ever faced is when they set-out to make a luxury sedan, all on their own. The Toyota management refused help from any of the famed luxury car manufacturers. Sarcastically, they named their car, Lexus--shortened form of 'Luxury US.' It took five years for the project to finish. And when they were done; they wanted to showcase their prowess in a unique manner. 15 goblets full of wine were placed on the bonnet of a Lexus in the pyramid shape. The car was made to accelerate from 0 to 40 miles an hour. And lo, the pyramid stood intact, not a goblet moved, not a drop of wine was spilt--so silent was its engine, so smooth the ride, and so good were the aerodynamics. Japanese after all are Japanese. And Americans are Americans!"
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Posted by sandeeps on Tuesday, July 14 @ 12:09:44 EDT (84 reads)
(comments? | Score: 2.5)
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| Kairon and the Das Commission |
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Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, chief minister of Punjab, was not only a successful administrator, but also a master of wit and repartee. In 1964, he had to submit his resignation, in wake of his indictment by the Das Commission, on charges of financial irregularities. Right after the press conference, in which he announced his resignation, a man stood up and bowed to the wily politician. Kairon, tired from the grilling by pressmen fumed, “There now, who are you?” “I am your Das (servant)”, the man replied obsequiously. Kairon retorted, “One Das has scr**** me up, and what does the second one want”.
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Posted by sandeeps on Monday, July 13 @ 00:03:04 EDT (149 reads)
(comments? | Score: 4)
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