Every year brings its own delights, disasters and dreams. What about 2009? In spite of all the political bickering and devastating blasts of 2008, I believe 2009 has the potentials for big changes –changes that will bring cheer and progress. Already we are seeing these changes world-wide.
When America sneezes World catches cold. A coloured president in White House raises our audacious hope.
Worst is over possibly at the World economical front also. In fact, the 2008 gloom may give way to a prudent and distinct optimism. Art and culture are also expected to bloom as they often do in hard times and Hollywood and Bollywood are expected to wheel out some feel good stuff too.
Come may what…let us welcome the new year on a hopeful note. - Shail Agrawal
Friends, once again we are on the threshold of another new year. Let’s celebrate it with great zeal and enthusiasm. But how can we celebrate it with zeal and enthusiasm? We have so many trials, tribulations and challenges. Our environment is deteriorating day by day. Even natural calamities hurt human at its will. Our nature is our true wealth. Nature and wealth are synonymous. Only by protecting it we can truly be wealthy and be protected. By protecting our planet and its environment we can celebrate the New Year in real sense. So let’s celebrate the 2009 with a new pledge, a new firm resolution that we will save the ‘Mother Earth’ from being polluted. It is not an obligation on any one. By keeping the nature intact we will make our lives safe and secure on this planet from being extinct. It is only in our own interest and benefit. In this process we will lead a total different kind of life, a life near to nature with bounty of nature and free from any ailment, tension or other problem. So Dear Friends, don’t be late, act now. The future of mankind is in its own hands.
In the past years the heavy rainfalls causing flood in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra and the untimely heavy rainfalls in Chennai and other parts of southern India only warn us against human errors regarding disturbing the nature to some extent. Tsunami waves, hurricanes and earthquakes in various parts of the world seem to be natural but in this turmoil and turbulence human mind is also involved. The planet and surrounding heavenly bodies react according to the will of its inhabitants i.e. human being. What causes suffering in this world? To answer this question Dr.Deepak chopra says, “Our collective choices influence the field of information and energy in the biosphere, the Earth which is our extended body. When collectively we are turbulent, Mother Nature will also be turbulent; therefore, we may have some participation in the cyclone and other natural calamities that we blame on God. We are not separate from nature. When our inner turbulence settles down on a collective level, it is possible that nature’s turbulence may simultaneously calm down.”
Although every calamity of nature may be of great benefit for humankind but we must tackle the nature with great care, respect and positive mental attitude. Aborigines in many parts of the world have great feelings towards nature and during these natural calamities they remain unhurt. And why don’t we? We can achieve it if we start with a new positive mental attitude. So lets celebrate this New Year with a new mindset towards nature. It will strengthen our bond with nature for help and healthy living.
It does not mean that in the previous years we had not credits to our accounts. The previous years were also full of achievements. Achievements in the field of science and technology; achievements on the economic front and achievements in the field of research and development, achievements in the field of spirituality too. Constantly we are getting more and more awaken and enlightened. We only need to expedite the pace in this field of self-realization so that we can balance our inner and outer growth; the spirituality and the materialism.
Still we are lacking balance, a guarantee for healthy and happy life. We can achieve it only when we are physically fit, mentally alert and spiritually awake. To achieve this we require healthy environment. An environment free from pollution and nearer to nature will help a lot. Without nature we cannot achieve the required state of mind to balance the inner and outer growth.
So to celebrate the new year in a real sense affirm:
1. Nature is our true wealth. I respect, care and protect it.
2. To keep the nature and mankind calm and peaceful I have a total positive mental attitude towards nature and mankind.
3. I maintain complete balance in life. A balance in inner and outer growth. A balance in my body, mind and soul or consciousness. A balance and link between my consciousness and the universal consciousness.
And in this way I wish you a very very happy new year, which we can start in any month, on any day or at any moment.
All day I hear the noise of waters Making moan, Sad as the sea-bird is, when going Forth alone, He hears the winds cry to the waters' Monotone. The grey winds, the cold winds are blowing where I go. I hear the noise of many waters Far below. All day, all night, I hear them flowing To and fro.
Tilly
He travels after a winter sun, Urging the cattle along a cold red road, Calling to them, a voice they know, He drives his beasts above Cabra.
The voice tells them home is warm. They moo and make brute music with their hoofs. He drives them with a flowering branch before him, Smoke pluming their foreheads.
Boor, bond of the herd, Tonight stretch full by the fire! I bleed by the black stream For my torn bough!
The Twilight Turns
The twilight turns from amethyst To deep and deeper blue, The lamp fills with a pale green glow The trees of the avenue.
The old piano plays an air, Sedate and slow and gay; She bends upon the yellow keys, Her head inclines this way.
Shy thought and grave wide eyes and hands That wander as they list -- - The twilight turns to darker blue With lights of amethyst.
Her bosom throbbed as she stifled her sobs .Pangs of shiver rushed down her spine as her trembling fingers reached for the corner of her saree to wipe the tears. “ Oh ! My child Nikki,” she gasped, “So much pain in her eyes! She is my youngest, so close to my heart and yet she has chosen to keep such distance!”
Ah! If only she could have looked out of the window and seen Nikki reach for her car! Were there really tears in her eyes? Did she really hate him? Could she be so heartless to …
She let out a deep sigh “ Hai Rabba ,” as she struggled to stand on her feet .Her hands grabbed the arms of the chair as she cried in pain , “Oh , this knee pain!”
Staggering to her feet, she inched towards the wooden cupboard and flung open the door. For a moment she froze to the ground. She thought she saw an apparition. A startling image of Omi hovered over the shirts and suits that hung lifelessly in the cupboard. She thought she heard his laughter, mocking her intentions that she was going to dump all his clothes in the store room or perhaps give them all away in charity .
“No! No!” she wailed, as she clung to the sleeves of the suits, “I have not left you in the cold. I feel your presence in these clothes. Could I forget you even for a single moment? Don’t conclude from how we took each other while you were alive . If only I could tell you how much I need you today …how much I love you …!
“It’s true that I did not want to marry you then. I felt alien in your house. Yes, it was your house … your parents …your everything. There was nothing I could call mine. Not even you!
“And then, you touched me …in more ways than one. My life changed its course from then on. Your touch transformed my body and I felt the barriers melt away. I felt drawn to you and your family, your lifestyle … unwittingly though! Your presence overpowered me and I let you manipulate the strings of my conscience. I let you bask in the glory of being a dominating husband. Ha! Little did you know that all along, my innermost self remained untouched. You gave me precious children who bonded us for life, but you could never touch
my soul ... my innermost desires … my unfulfilled wishes … my secret
thoughts … You were quite oblivious to that realm of my mind.
“We spent our youth together through thick and thin and when the real test of time began with age, you left me alone. It was only when I lost you that I realised your place in my life. I remembered the little things that you did for me, like getting the hot water bottle for my knees and the more serious things like managing the finances for our household. I had become so dependent on you for everything. Without you, each passing day I realise this burden of living.
“We are nothing but mere mortals, living moment by moment unaware of what fate has in store for us. Unaware …of the unforeseen.
“Yes, the unforeseen.
“Were it not so, would Nikki have come back like this unannounced? And wanted her room back, which has your belongings now? Could I ever have imagined that she would come back like this? Could you believe – she said she had left him and she would be shifting back here, with me? She said, she no longer felt compatible with him .Why? Because he treated her like a doormat. He wanted her to cook and clean, give up her work as well as her interests, so that he could concentrate on his goals. She felt he was envious of her growth ... her stature in her profession …The biggest blow was that she wanted to end her pregnancy being three months in it.
“O dear, this Nikki was living with him against the wishes of the entire family. At that time, she had professed that she was deeply in love with him.
“Then why not marry him? - We had argued. And she had got so vehement – Why marry? What is so special that marriage gives to two consenting individuals? Your parents spend a fortune on your marriage and if it fails, you compromise a life of loveless ness for the sake of your children or you drag each other to court! We are independent individuals. We enjoy each other’s company. We grow together and are not in each other’s way.
“What could we say to this logic of hers! Though we had our fears, still we had hoped that someday they might give legality to their ties. One has to grow with the times. And so we had succumbed to her wishes and almost reconciled to their relationship. We knew this had become a trend in the big cities –‘the live–in relationships’. In Gujrat, they had even given it a legal term – ‘Maitry Karar ‘.
“O, my Nikki, at that time, did I ever imagine this fate for her?
“The day she came back, I was shattered. Numb with fear, I asked her –“But child, you loved him, that’s why you were living with him?” “Then what? Do I have to suffer all my life because I loved him once and now its dead? ”, she hissed angrily.
“Dead love? Does love die too?
“I had only heard that love is immortal, that love’s life, even if it was for a few moments, lasts for ever. One only craves for love and attention, never thinking of giving love and see the outcomes there of, my child! Have you ever known what love really is? Have you ever thought of the other person’s feelings and emotions? Does your generation have the time and will to feel the nuances of the feeling that’s called love?
“Oh, my Nikki, how do I make you realise how you have been playing with your life!
“Omi, you know, we had put all our hopes on her, on our Nikki. She was the brightest of all our children and we had wished a smooth future for her. And what did she do with her life! Such a qualified psychologist with so many prestigious degrees … she threw it away with both her hands the day she joined that wretched N.G.O., where she would deal with all sorts of dowry harassment cases, rape and incest cases and whatnot. Our displeasure, our coaxing – nothing had worked on her .She said she wanted to help the less fortunate people and that’s how she would use her higher qualifications.
“You know, Omi, how she started preaching us –“Are you people aware of women’s oppression and exploitation in our society? The state of their being, at work and within the family? We through this N.G.O. are making a conscious effort to change this situation .We are working towards the emancipation of women .We are struggling to bring an end of women’s subordination to the male within home , to end their exploitation in the family and at workplace .We are struggling against their double burden in production and reproduction .We are struggling for women to achieve equality , dignity and freedom so that they can control their lives within their homes and at workplace ...”
“Do you know how many millions of women are battered each year worldwide? … How many women become victims of rape each hour? …How many brides are burnt to death for not bringing sufficient dowry, in each state of this wonderful country of ours?” Nikki would ask us, her face burning with anger, “Damned be the scriptures which put us on the pedestal of a Devi.”
“Her N.G.O. would host conferences and debates and workshops in women’s
colleges and arouse animated discussions on the issues concerning violence
against women in various ways. They would often go to the ‘Crime Against
Women’ branches of the local police and assist the women complainants.
“You know Omi! … our Nikki would tell me that in our South Asia region, women and children are sold in hundreds and thousands as sex workers, domestic helps and for other types of exploitative work and then ask me –“Tell me, Mom, when half of the world’s population is living under constant threat of physical and mental violence, can we call ourselves truly civilised?”
“Then suddenly, one day she just left the N.G.O. They were rogues, unscrupulous lot – she said. She was deeply disillusioned. The righteous director of the group was caught accepting bribe from the groom’s father against whom a dowry case was pending in the Crime Against Women Cell.
“What a blessing in disguise it was for us! How happy we were to be rid of that N.G.O.! Let her be unemployed for the time being .We thought she would now get married and settled down in life. She had so many male friends. She only had to tell us who she would like to marry …Or , if she wanted our choice , we could give an advertisement in the matrimonial columns of a newspaper …
“But destiny had other plans.
“Nikki did not remain unemployed for long. Also, she had not given up social work. She was going to the city’s Family Court to give counselling to the needy women complainants. And now, she had got the permanent job of a lecturer in a prestigious college. She was happy that she was getting job satisfaction over there as she was using her vast field experiences in teaching .She was also writing on current burning social issues in the newspapers and magazines .She was often invited for group discussions in the capacity of an expert in feminist issues, by various television channels, whenever there were cases like rapes, incest, bride burnings or other sorts of violence against women in the headlines of the newspapers.
“She had made her life so occupied that it started creating inconvenience for the family. We would grumble at her late nights, at her growing indifference towards the affairs of the family. We earnestly wanted her to get married and settle down.
“But then, what did she do instead! She gave us a near shock. She announced suddenly that she was shifting with a friend to his bachelor’s apartment .What friend? A non-descript artist, ten years her senior. She said that she loved him and that she felt no need for giving justification for it.
“We were both shattered. Our Nikki - so pretty, like a flower and that bearded man! Old to be her father! And without any family background!
“It was only when we met him, that we came to know how wonderful a person he was, despite all his handicaps and shortcomings .We could realise why Nikki found him so desirable. He was somewhat unique in his personality, but only a bit stubborn and egoistic, just like our Nikki. He was a storehouse of knowledge.
He had varied interests like playing chess and watching plays, attending music concerts and writing poems. He loved children. He had even written some plays for children’s theatre. He being an artist and an agnostic, could we believe of the depth of his knowledge of the religious scriptures of the whole world? He recited the shlokas from Geeta with the precision of a pandit. He could quote
widely from the old and new Testaments. He knew much about the Baoddha and Jain religions and had even read Quaran in its English translation. His sense of humour was unique. He had endeared himself to us in no time.
“ Nikki shifted to his flat and lived together with him for nearly four years and never did she let us know how they were both pulling on with each other . And, now she comes back all of a sudden and tells me to create a room for her
in this house because she is going to leave him …! And also get rid of his child
that is growing within her...!
“O God! Our Nikki is unpredictable.
“She had been like this even while she was studying. Totally unpredictable. So different from her siblings. We couldn’t ask her of her whereabouts even at the time when she was in school. She would fret and fume that we had no faith in her .And somehow, we were always found wrong whenever we had tried to find that out secretly. Either she was doing extra classes in the school or preparing for some or the other competition with her likeminded friends. But, were we to be blamed? After all, children go astray if left uncontrolled. Hadn’t we heard of the scandalous cases that were taking places in the prestigious co-ed schools every now and then! How could one leave the children unguided in such strange environs!
“But, our Nikki was different .This Nikki of ours! It was a tricky task to define her character! She was a strange entity. She would do nothing according to the accepted norms of society. By the time she reached college, we had resigned to the belief that girls and boys go steady with the friends of the opposite sex. Nikki had hoards of boys who were her close friends, but it was a hard task to guess who was her ‘boy friend’ among them. She would go out with different ones at odd hours and we would get so worried. If ever encountered, she would just put you in place, “Don’t be crazy, Mom, we are grownup men and women. We know where to draw our limitations .Nobody can touch us without our consent. And if we want to go physical with somebody, no one can stop us. We are adults now. Our bodies belong to us and us alone …We have the choice to control our lives and our bodies according to our own wishes…
“I was aghast.
“A woman’s body belonging to her alone and she being the mistress of her own body?
“I was taken aback. Has Nikki gone out of her senses? Did it ever occur to me even once, in all these forty years of married life with you, Omi? I had fought with you on thousands of occasions on thousands of issues, but, could I
ever dare to go against your wishes, especially when you wanted my physical surrender ? I was always given to believe that a women’s body was the personal property of her parents, then of her husband and when he was no more, of her sons. Never had I known that a woman had so much right on her own body that she could enjoy the pleasures of its properties at her own will, without being answerable to anybody else.
“If it was so, I could have …”
She was suddenly shaken out of her reverie.
She quietly closed the cupboard doors and staggered her way to the store,
which was more of a dumping yard, where dusty , weather beaten suitcases stood piled on top of the other . She reached for the giant trunk that was carefully hidden below the suitcases .For four decades this surviving piece of dowry bore witness to the tales of her heart.
She wiped her eyes dry and started lifting the suitcases one by one .Her heart began throbbing as she flung open the lid of the trunk and slid her hand under the piles of quilts and blankets.
It was still there, where she had kept it for all these years .It was the only link to her past. Slowly and gently, she pulled out the red velvet pouch and nervously opened the strings. The handkerchief was intact .The embroidered letters of his name shone through the discoloured piece of cloth –‘ASIF’!
She was lost in a trance again.
Asif! How she had begged him to give his kerchief to her! And how he had laughed,” What will you do with it? “Between uncontrollable sobs, she had replied, “I will keep it with me forever. Till I die. You cannot be mine in this life, but nobody can take you away from my heart. “
Clutching the pale handkerchief between her palms, she said to herself that she had kept her word .All these years, she had managed to keep the pouch hidden from her family. Her mother- in -law never suspected anything. She couldn’t have because the pouch had changed several hidings while she was alive. But now? Even now she was scared – what if Nikki finds out that …? Oh, should she dispose it off? And moreover, how will she keep both of them
together -this handkerchief and her husband’s clothes, in this trunk? If ever it comes to Nikki’s notice?
She wondered if she loved Asif or her late husband Omi!
Or she loved them both!
How could she know!
Love is so strange, such a strange feeling!
“Does Nikki know what love is!” she wondered.
Nikki had left for Dr. Shingari’s clinic in the morning. May be she would have to stay the night there or at least till evening if the doctor decides to do the …
She has to rearrange the room for her ; even empty the cupboard of that room and put Omi’s clothes in the big trunk , though , thinking of her knee pain , Nikki had told her she would do it herself when she is a little better …
“Oh God”, she mumbled – “Could Nikki be so heartless to get rid of the last remnant of the love …”
But then, why were she…? – She wondered.
She tried to recapture the moments while Nikki was leaving for the Doctor’s clinic -
She was sitting morosely in her armchair, waiting with a cup of tea for Nikki. Nikki picked up the car keys hanging on the wall mounted key – holder and took the cup of tea from her.
Looking at her, she had asked suddenly, “Why are you brooding like this, Mama! It makes no difference to me, then why are you bothering so much? Let me get rid of this … and all will be the same again.”
“All will be the same!” – She had quipped, wiping her eyes.
For a moment their eyes had met.
She could not be mistaken. She had seen a glimpse of tears in Nikki’s eyes too. Hurriedly Nikki had left the cup on the side table and headed towards the door with the car keys in her hand.
* * *
Did she really see tears in Nikki’s eyes!
She closed her eyes and prayed – “Then, may be … may be she
changes her mind …”
Clutching the handkerchief to her bosom, she mumbled –“No, she
will never part with it …never... “
She folded the kerchief back to its shape, put it inside the red velvet
pouch and slowly placed it on top of the blankets. “Let Nikki see it,” she
then closed the lid of the trunk and limped back to her room.
Sitting near the telephone, she anxiously waited for a call from Nikki –
A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor’s office.
After his check up, the doctor called the wife into his office alone. He said, “Your husband is suffering from a very severe stress disorder. If you don’t do the following, your husband will surely die.”
Each morning fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant at all times. For lunch make him a nutricious meal. For dinner prepare an especially nice meal for him. Don’t burden him withchores. Don’t discuss your problems with him, it will only make his stress worse. No nagging. If you can do this for the next 10 months to a year, I think your husband will regain his health completely.”
On the way home, the husband asked his wife, “ What did the doctor say?”
When the old and wise father was dying he called all his seven son, so he could give them something really valuable. Boys came running when he called them individually by the name. ‘ Yes ,Father! Did you call us?.’ Hand folded in respect, they asked their dying frail father.
‘ Go and collect some twigs from the forest’ , father asked. Happily they went and collected lot of dry twigs. ‘ May be he is cold and want us to make a fire so he can get some warmth!’ they thought. No, but he didn’t ask them to make a fire. Instead he asked them to pick up a twig and break it. That was easy . Immediately they broke their individual twig. They could not understand what their father was trying to tell or prove by engaging them in such a trivial task.
Father understood the impatience in their eyes. Next minute he asked them to take out seven twigs and bundle them together. Then tie up the bundle with one long thread. They did as asked to. Then he ordered his sons to come forward individually and break the bundle.
But it wasn’t easy. None of them could do it.
Old man smiled at their helplessness. He told them, ‘ This is the strength of unity. If you could stay together, tied up to each other with the thread of love , It will be difficult for an enemy or jealous outsider to do any damage to you. But if you fight and remain scattered, it is child’s play for any one to destroy you.
They all understood him immediately and shook hands together, vowing to stay together all their lives. Old man also departed the world happy and in the satisfying knowledge, that he had given their sons something very precious and valueable.
( बगदाद में बुश पर जूतेः लोकतंत्र में एक सबक यह भी)
-नरेन्द्र नीरव
अभी हाल-फिलहाल में मुंबई के लोगों ने वहां के राजनेताओं को खासी नसीहत दी। आतंकी घटनाओं के बाद प्रबल विरोध के कारण ही केन्द्रीय गृहमेत्री शिवराज पाटिल, विलास राव देशमुख और महाराष्ट्र के गृहमंत्री को इस्तीफा देना पड़ा। संजय निरुपम सड़क पर जलील हुए और शहीद उन्नीकृष्णन के पिता ने केरल के मुक्यमंत्री को धक्के मारकर भगा दिया। भाजपा के नेता मुख्तार अब्बास नकवी ने लिपिस्टिक लगाकर मोमबत्ती जलाने वाली स्त्रियों पर व्यंग्य किया। केरल के मार्क्सवादी मुख्यमंत्री अच्युदानन्द ने कहा कि शहीद का घर नहीं होता तो वहां कुत्ता भी नहीं जाता। वे शर्मिंदा हुए। नेपाल की जनता ने राजशाही खत्म कर दिया। पाकिस्तान में मियां मुशर्रफ निर्वासित कर दिए गये। आर्थिक मंदी के पतनशील दौर में पूरा विश्व राजनीतिक संकट झेल रहा है। बाजार के सामने लाचार और नाराज लोगों का तनाव तरह-तरह से व्यक्त हो रहा है। कल बगदाद में अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति जार्ज बुश पर एक प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में दो जूते फेंके गए। टी.वी चैनेल ‘ अल बगदादिया‘ के संवाददाता मुंतजर अल जैदी ने अपने बूट उतारकर बुश के मुंह पर मारे। बुश तो बच गए लेकिन सर्व शक्तिमान राष्ट्रपति की यब बेइज्जती सारे संसार में प्रसारित हो गयी। घटना के बाद बुश ने अपने बयान में कहा कि-" स्वतंत्र समाज में यह हरकत संभव है'' राष्ट्पति ने स्वयं इस मामले को हल्का बनाने की कोशिश की, लेकिन चूंकि यह जूता अमरीकी झंडे को भी लगा है इसलिए मुंतजर अल जैदी को इसकी सजा भी मिलेगी। वहीं झंडा अपमानित हुआ, जिसे सद्दाम के बुत पर ढककर क्रेन से ढा दिया गया था। भारत की तरह इराक में भी जूते मारना अपमानजनक माना जाता है। पत्रकार का मकसद भी यही था। यदि अमेरिकी शासन प्रेस की आजादी में विश्वास नहीं करता तो यह घटना नहीं होती। चीन की भांति नरसंहार को भी छिपा दिया जाता। इसे हम लोकतंत्र का साइड इफेक्ट मान सकते हैं। फिर भी यह सवाल उठेगा कि अपने दूसरे कार्यक्रम के मात्र 37 दिन पहले इराक की अंतिम राजकीय यात्रा पर हुआ यह अपमान क्या इशारा करता है। जाहिर है यदि पत्रकार के पास बंदूक होती तो गोली मार देता। यूरोप-अमेरिका के देशों में संविधान को सर्वोच्च नियम माना ता है। वहां विधायिका ही समाज व सत्ता का केन्द्र है। भारत में संविधान प्राणहीन है और विधायिका सर्वग्रासी। अमेरिका ने ने इराक के संविधान व शासन को रौंदकर कब्जा कर लिया। वहां की जनता एक आक्रमक देश की सत्ता के विरुद्ध है। भारत में जनता अपने ही देश के नेताओं के विरुद्ध है। ये व्यवस्था के प्रबंधक ही नहीं, मालिक भी बन गये हैं। इसलिए इन्हें सबक लेना चाहिए। बुश को मारा गया जूता लोकतंत्र में सत्तामद को मारा गया ता है। यह किसी भी नेता को, किसी भी वह से कहीं भी लग सकता है।
वरिष्ठ फिल्म समीक्षक अजय ब्रह्मात्मज ने कहा है कि सिनेमा हमें बहुत कुछ सिखाता है। लोगों को घर-परिवार और समाज में कैसा व्यवहार करना चाहिए इसकी शिक्षा हमारे स्कूल-कॉलेजों में नहीं दी जाती। यह सब सिनेमा ही सिखाता है। श्री ब्रह्मात्मज आज प्रथम हरियाणा अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह में दर्शकों को संबोधित कर रहे थे। उन्होंने हिंदी सिनेमा की बदलती अर्थव्यवस्था पर विस्तार से चर्चा की। साथ ही समाजीकरण में सिनेमा की भूमिका विषय पर भी व्याख्यान दिया।
श्री ब्रह्मात्मज ने कहा कि सिनेमा विश्व का सबसे नया धर्म है। यह इतना सेकुलर है कि इसमें कोई खुदा नहीं होता। हर दर्शक अपना खुदा खुद चुनता है। फिल्मी गीत ही भजन का काम करते हैं जो आप अकेले में गुनगुनाते हैं। जब हम प्रेम करते हैं तो हमारे भीतर किसी न किसी फिल्म स्टार की छवि होती है। हर कोई फिल्में देखना तो पसंद करता है, लेकन फिल्मों पर बात करने में संकोच करता है।
उन्होंने प्रथम हरियाणा अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह के आयोजन की सराहना करते हुए कहा कि इस इलाके में इसकी बहुत जरूरत है। क्योंकि मुंबई फिल्म इंडस्ट्री ने हिंदी क्षेत्रों की परवाह करना छोड़ दिया है। अब फिल्में उन्हीं के लिए बनती हैं जो अपनी जेब से पैसा खर्च करके सिनेमा हॉल पहुंचते हैं। अब हिंदी सिनेमा में गांव-कस्बा और छोटे शहर गायब हो गए हैं। अजय ब्रह्मात्मज ने कहा कि यदि हिंदी इलाके के लोग चाहते हैं कि सिनेमा उनकी परवाह करे तो उन्हें हॉल में जाकर फिल्म देखने की रवायत फिर से शुरू करनी होगी। उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसे समारोह हमें सिखाते हैं कि अच्छा सिनेमा क्या होता है। जब तक हमें अच्छा सिनेमा देखने को नहीं मिलता तब तक हम बुरे सिनेमा को ही अच्छा सिनेमा मानकर देखते रहते हैं।
उन्होंने हिंदी सिनेमा की अर्थव्यवस्था के इतिहास पर विस्तार से बात करते हुए कहा कि फिल्म स्टूडियो के दौर के खत्म हो जाने के बाद फिल्म निर्माण में स्टार सिस्टम आया जो आज के कॉरपोरेट दौर में भी चल रहा है। इसने जानबूझकर फिल्म निर्माण को इतना महंगा बना दिया है, कि कोई प्रयोगशील निर्देशक फिल्म बनाने की हिम्मत नहीं कर सकता। इससे सिनेमा की दुनिया में आर्थिक भ्रष्टाचार बढ़ा है। झूठे आंकड़े पेश किए जा रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि इस समय जो आर्थिक मंदी आई है, उसके कारण फिल्मों का बजट 40 फीसदी कम हो गया है। उन्होंने सिनेमा के व्यवसाय में पैसे कमाने के नए –नए तरीकों के बारे में भी जानकारी दी। उन्होंने बताया कि एक नया तरीका फिल्म के रिलीज होने के एक दिन पहले पेड प्रीव्यू शो का चल निकला है। इस शो की टिकटें आम दिनों से तीन-चार गुना महंगी होती हैं। उन्होंने आमिर खान की नई फिल्म गजनी का उदाहरण देते हुए बताया कि देश भर में इस फिल्म के 650 से भी अधिक पेड प्रीव्यू शो हुए। इससे फिल्म के रिलीज होने से पहले ही निर्माता को लगभग 7 करोड़ रुपए की कमाई हुई।
इस अवसर पर गर्ल्स कॉलेज की प्राचार्य डॉ. सुषमा आर्य ने तकनीकी निदेशक श्री अविनाश वाचस्पति को महाविद्यालय का प्रतीक चिन्ह देकर सम्मानित किया। समारोह निदेशक श्री अजित राय ने श्री वाचस्पति को तकनीक का महारथी बतलाते हुए कहा कि इनके योगदान के फलस्वरूप विदेशों तक इंटरनेट पत्रिकाओं के माध्यम से प्रथम हरियाणा अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह का समाचार विदेशों तक अविलम्ब पहुंच रहा है। उन्होंने यह भी बतलाया कि श्री वाचस्पति व्यंग्यकार हैं और उनके व्यंग्य देश के राष्ट्रीय समाचार पत्रों और इंटरनेट पत्रिकाओं पर प्रकाशित होकर प्रशंसा पा रहे हैं। श्री वाचस्पति को प्रचार, संपादन और कंप्यूटर तकनीक की नवीनतम जानकारी है और वे फिल्मोत्सव समाचार के लिए अपना बहुमूल्य योगदान दे रहे हैं। उनका ब्लॉग www.avinashvachaspati.blogspot.com 60 से भी अधिक देशों में पढ़ा जा रहा है। हिन्दी लेखक श्री पवन चंदन को भी प्राचार्य द्वारा इस अवसर पर पुष्पगुच्छ प्रदान कर सम्मानित किया गया।
श्री अविनाश वाचस्पति ने समारोह के सफल आयोजन पर अपनी प्रतिक्रिया देते हुए कहा कि इस समारोह का अवलोकन करने पर ऐसा लगता है कि यह पहला नहीं व्यवस्था की दृष्टि से पांचवां अथवा सातवां समारोह है। इसके लिए उन्होंने प्राचार्य, समारोह निदेशक, प्रतिभागियों को अपनी शुभकामनायें दीं और कहा कि भविष्य में इसका और उन्नत रूप सामने आयेगा।
प्रथम हरियाणा अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह में पांचवें दिन आज सुबह के सत्र में न्यू वेव दौर के महत्त्वपूर्ण फ्रेंच फिल्मकार ज्यां लुक गोदार की ट्रेंड सेटर फिल्म ब्रेथलेस दिखाई गई। यह फिल्म अपनी खास शैली के लिए दुनिया भर में चर्चित रही है। इस फिल्म ने फ्रांस में फिल्म निर्माण की दिशा ही बदल दी थी। सुबह के सत्र में ही दिखाई गई ऑरसन वेल्स की अमेरिकी फिल्म सिटिजन केन हॉलीवुड की पहली सुपर हिट फिल्म मानी जाती है। यह फिल्म एक मीडिया किंग के जीवन और अंतर्विरोधों पर आधारित है।
शाम के सत्र में आज चार्ली चैप्लिन की मशहूर फिल्म द मॉडर्न टाइम्स दिखाई गई। 1936 की इस फिल्म में चैप्लिन ने पूंजीवादी मशीनी सभ्यता की अमानवीयता के कई गहरे चित्र पेश किए हैं।
फिल्म समारोह में आज एक खास आकर्षण फिरोज अब्बास खान की फिल्म गांधी माई फादर रही। इस फिल्म को दुनियाभर के कई फिल्मोत्सवों में काफी सराहा जा चुका है। यह फिल्म राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी और उनके पुत्र हरिलाल के तनावपूर्ण संबंधों पर आधारित है।
कल समारोह के अंतिम दिन सोमवार 29 दिसंबर को सुबह का सत्र हरियाणवी सिनेमा को समर्पित किया गया है। इस सिलसिले में हरियाणा की पहली सुपरहिट फिल्म चंद्रावल का विशेष प्रदर्शन किया जाएगा। इस अवसर पर इस फिल्म से जुड़े कलाकारों का सम्मान किया जाएगा। इस फिल्म के निर्देशक जयंत प्रभाकर थे। इसमें मुख्य भूमिकाएं उषा शर्मा, जगत झाखड़, अनूप लाठर, रामपाल बलहारा और दरियाव सिंह मलिक, नसीब कुंडू, राजू मान, ओंकार सिंह तिवेतिया आदि की थीं। इसकी निर्माता उषा शर्मा हैं, जो इस समय हरियाणा कला परिषद की निदेशिका हैं। फिल्म की कहानी देवीशंकर प्रभाकर की है।
फिल्मोत्सव में कल सुप्रसिद्ध निर्देशक फिरोज अब्बास खान मुंबई से खास तौर पर शिरकत करने आ रहे हैं। वे समापन समारोह के मुख्य अतिथि होंगे। कल फिल्म कोर्स का भी समापन हो रहा है। इस सत्र में हरियाणा सरकार के कैबिनेट मंत्री श्री ए सी चौधरी मुख्य अतिथि होंगे।
२००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आँख में हसीं एक में नमी दे गया
उपलब्धियों के उजाले मिले बहुत अपने भी हमारे दमके बहुत ओलंपिक के इतिहास में चमका एक तारा रिकार्ड के पन्नो पे लिख गया नाम हमारा अभिनव जो सोने का तमगा जीत गया सपना था जो कल वो सच हो गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
टाटा ने किया कुछ यूँ व्यापार बना ही डाली लखटकिया कार जो चाहा वो कर दिखाया कब मानी इन्होने हार खरीद लीं जो विदेशी कम्पनियां तो मान हमारा भी बढ़ गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
उडान भरी तो कुछ यूँ हमने के चाँद पे तिरंगा लहरा दिया सफलता के मोती उज्जवल धरती से शशि तक बिखरा दिया हुआ चंदा यान का सफल परीक्षण भारत विश्व मंच पर छा गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
सुख की सुनहरी धुप में गम के बदल भी चले कुछ मिले तो कुछ हम को छोड़ चले समय का शिकंजा कुछ यूँ कसा बी आर चोपडा ,अशोक मान ,मन्ना दे हेमंत करकरे ,इस्मत सिंह और बाबा आमटे का साथ हम से छीन ले गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
मुंबई ,गुजरात ,अहमदाबाद के धमाकों से खुशियाँ अचानक रो पड़ीं मानवता घायल हुई इंसानियत बिलख पड़ी पिता के कांधे पे बेटे की अर्थी बेटे के कांधे पे ,जनाजा बाप का इस से भरी भोझ हो सकता नही और किसी बात का ये क्रूर कृत्य घर घर अँधियारा कर गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
मुम्बई पे आक्रमण भारतियों पे कुशाराघात है सोचना है के क्या आतंकियों ने दे दी हमें मात है कई सिपाही कई जवान इस में शहीद हो गए ममता मरी सुहाग उजडे बच्चे अनाथ हो गए रोया देश कुछ एसे के दर्द का बादल चंहु ओर छा गया २००८ क्या ले गया क्या दे गया एक आंख में हसीं एक में नमी देगया
कुछ गम के कुछ हर्ष के पल दे ये वर्ष बीतने को है उम्मीद का नया आदित्य उदित होने को है जो हुआ फ़िर न वो होने देंगे स्वयम पे ये विश्वाश धरें गत वर्ष से ले सीख नव वर्ष का स्वागत करें पलक उठा के देखो तो सवेरा नई किरण फैला गया
Every year brings its own delights, disasters and dreams. What about 2009? In spite of all the political bickering and devastating blasts of 2008, I believe 2009 has the potentials for big changes –changes that will bring cheer and progress. Already we are seeing these changes world-wide. 
A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor’s office.
They all understood him immediately and shook hands together, vowing to stay together all their lives. Old man also departed the world happy and in the satisfying knowledge, that he had given their sons something very precious and valueable.
Vividha
इस अवसर पर गर्ल्स कॉलेज की प्राचार्य डॉ. सुषमा आर्य ने तकनीकी निदेशक श्री अविनाश वाचस्पति को महाविद्यालय का प्रतीक चिन्ह देकर सम्मानित किया। समारोह निदेशक श्री अजित राय ने श्री वाचस्पति को तकनीक का महारथी बतलाते हुए कहा कि इनके योगदान के फलस्वरूप विदेशों तक इंटरनेट पत्रिकाओं के माध्यम से प्रथम हरियाणा अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह का समाचार विदेशों तक अविलम्ब पहुंच रहा है। उन्होंने यह भी बतलाया कि श्री वाचस्पति व्यंग्यकार हैं और उनके व्यंग्य देश के राष्ट्रीय समाचार पत्रों और इंटरनेट पत्रिकाओं पर प्रकाशित होकर प्रशंसा पा रहे हैं। श्री वाचस्पति को प्रचार, संपादन और कंप्यूटर तकनीक की नवीनतम जानकारी है और वे फिल्मोत्सव समाचार के लिए अपना बहुमूल्य योगदान दे रहे हैं। उनका ब्लॉग 
रचना श्रीवास्तव
