Friday, June 3, 2011

Being Krishna.


Please Note: All the three versions of this post, viz. Hindi, English and Hindi-English Transliteration are there in the post. The default visible script is the Hindi script in which it was originally written. To read in English or the transliteration please click on, 'Read in English', or 'Read Transliteration' respectively. If however the sections still don't become visible, the same are provided in the comments sections.





Read in Hindi
जब उत्तराखंड राज्य का जन्म हुआ तब हिमाचल और उत्तराखंड के मध्य की सरहद यमुना जी के बहाव ने आप ही निर्धारित कर दी थी | उत्तराखंड की राजधानी देहरादून से टेहरी क्षेत्र की ओर जाते हुए, यमुना की तीर पर एक गांव है | यहाँ से कुछ मील ऊपर से सपाट भूमि आरम्भ हो जाती है और पानी की गति मद्धम होने लगती है | कृषि प्रधान क्षेत्र होने से, धान और सरसों की भरपूर बिजाई होती है | भले ही दून से समीपता हो, और उत्तर की ओर अचल पहाड़ हों, गर्मियों में यहाँ भी आग बरसती है | साक्षरता का दिया प्रज्वलित हुए अब काफी समय बीत चला है, पर बरसों से चले आ रहे तौर तरीके यकायक ही तो नहीं छोड़े जाते | आधुनिकता का राग सुनना मानो भैंस के आगे बीन बजाना | फिर भी, धीरे धीरे यह क्षेत्र भी बढ़ रहा है | निकट में एक नगर है, जहां के दूध की अधिकाँश ज़रूरतें इस गांव के ग्वाले पूर्ण करते हैं | नदी की कगार पर एक प्राचीन बरगद का वृक्ष है | इसके ठूंठ के चरों ओर एक बड़ा सा चबूतरा बना है | पंचायत की बैठकें पंचायत घर में न हो कर यहाँ होती हैं, जैसे की हमेशा से होती आई हैं | 
देहरादून और अन्य क्षेत्रों के विद्यालय ग्रीष्मकालीन अवकाश के चलते बंद हो चुके हैं | केसर, अपनी माता के साथ थोड़े दिनों के लिए अपने ननिहाल आया हुआ है, इस गांव में | केसर करीब नौ-दस साल का बालक होगा | चंचल स्वभाव, और देहरादून में पला बड़ा | ग्रीष्म काल की लंबी छुट्टियों में परिवार के सभी जन गांव आया करते हैं | परिवार में एकता और स्नेह इसी प्रकार बना रहता है, जब सभी लोग कुछ दिन अपनी व्यस्त दीनचर्या से निकाल कर एक दुसरे के साथ बिताते हैं |
उसकी नानी उसे रोज रात को खाना खाने के पश्चात पौराणिक कहानियाँ सुनती, कुछ पंचतंत्र से, कुछ जताका संग्रह से, तो कुछ हिंद अध्यात्म से चुनी हुई | मामा और मासी के बच्चों के साथ केसर भी इन कहानियों का लुत्फ उठाता | उसे सभी कहानियों में से कृष्ण और प्रहलाद की कहानियाँ बहुत रोचक लगती हैं |
क्रमशः...


Read in English


Read Transliteration

P.S. I had been fiddling with the html code to embed all three versions in one, so the results could be nasty on different browsers. Please do bear with me, I'll revert back to original format if its too troublesome for me too.

P.P.S. Maithili has awarded me with her custom made award for 'Thought provoking Blogger'. Many thanks to you, and here are the answers. The award has been added to the hall of fame. And, the award is lovely. Thank You again.

1. What is your most cherished gift?:          Friends.
2. Which is your favorite color?:                Black.
3. Beach or hillstation?:                             Hill Station.
4. Book you like to read again and again.: Not encountered any yet.
5. When is your birthday?:                        Last day of November.

48 comments:

yasha said...

Anshul this post of yours reminds me of my summer vacation and stories that my Nani used to recite.I still remember some of them.
Congratulations on being awarded.You definitely deserve it.:)

Giribala said...

Looking forward to reading more! मैं उत्तराखंड से हूँ और आप हिमांचल से. आज पता चला हमारे बीच सिर्फ यमुना नदी है...

sm said...

nice photo

Neeha said...

I am not good at hindi...
So no comments on that part..
But you surely deserve the award.Congrats:)

Prateek Bagri said...

अंशुल आपकी लघु कथा ने मुझे कई सारी पुरानी यादें याद करा दी | मेरी हिमाचल में बिताई हुए छुट्टियाँ | हिमाचल की सुहावनी हवा, सूर्ये की किरणों की पहाड़ों पर गिरना, गांव में खेल रहे छोटे-छोटे बच्चों का उधम मचाना |
नानी की कहानियां बचपन की याद दिलाती है |

नवम्बर के आखरी दिन का में इंतज़ार करूँगा............:P

Angel said...

Writer,translation please, heard about Krishna and i liked her traits.
This post must be so nice but i only knew few Hindi words..

Angel said...

Writer, congratulations ! it's expected for you are such a brilliant writer , an exceptional in this field! More power, move that hands always..

Chandana said...

I still have all my old Panchatantra and Jataka Tales books. I think they are the best start for any child who is interested in reading....

Waiting for the continuation :)

Red Handed said...

Hindi... :( Its a shame actually that i dont like reading it. Boo on me..

rainboy said...

nice one

take care
the smell awaits you

Anita Jeyan said...

Just wanted to leave a comment...that if I try to read Hindi it could take an entire day...;)

Alka Gurha said...

I have taught Hindi to kids and appreciate anyone who is keeping it alive in todays English speaking generation.

Tanvi said...

Some rare known facts... :) Nice read Anshul and a different post yet again :) :)

Cheers,

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Yamuna served as a natural boundary dividing Himachal and Uttarakhand when Uttarakhand state was born. On its banks, while en ‘route to Tehri region from the capital city of Dehradun is a small village. A few miles from here into the interior, Yamuna hits the plains and sheds its turbulence becoming more quiet and mellow. Primarily being an agrarian society, paddy and mustard are planted in abundance here. Despite of its proximity to the Doon valley, summers are marked by simmering heat. Literacy mission reached here long ago, but the people are still reluctant of letting go of the yoke of the traditions that they have been carrying from ages. Any talk of modernization of the methods falls on deaf ears. Still, the village is progressing, though slowly. Change takes time. The village is one of the primary suppliers of dairy products; milk primarily, to the nearby town. On the banks belonging to this village, there stands an old banyan tree, magnificent in size and age. A platform for resting has been made around the wide trunk of this tree. Panchayat sessions are convened under the shade of this tree, just like it has been since ages.

The schools in the state have closed owing to summer holidays. Kesar has come to his grandma’s place along with his mother for a few days. He must have been around 10 years old, brought up in Dehradun, mischievous and full of energy. Most of the family members come to the village at this time of the year. This is how the harmonious relations are maintained in the family even though the joint family system gave way to nuclear families a long time ago. Every night after dinner, all siblings gather around their grandmother to listen stories. Grandma narrates stories taken from Panchtantra, Jataka Tales, or the tales from Indian mythology. Of all these, Kesar likes the stories of Krishna and Prahlaad in particular.
To be continued…

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Jab uttarakhand ka janm hua tab himachal aur uttarakhand ke Madhya ki sarhad Yamuna
ji ke bahaav ne aap hi nirdharit kar di thi. Uttarakhand ki rajdhaani Dehradun se tehri kshetra ki or jaate hue Yamuna ki teer par ek gaon hai. Yahaan se kuch mile oopar se sapaat bhoomi aarambh ho jaati hai aur paani ki gati maddham hone lagti hai. Krishi pradhan kshetra hone se, dhaan aur sarson ki bharpoor bijayi hoti hai. Bhale hi doon se sameepta ho, aur uttar ki or achal pahaad hon, garmiyon mein yahaan bhi aag barasti hai. Saaksharta ka diya prajwalit hue ab kaafi samay beet chala hai, par barson se chale aa rahe taur tareeke yakayak hi to nahi chhode jaate. Aadhunikta ka raag alaapna maano bhains kea age been bajana. Phir bhi dheere dheere yeh kshetra bhi badh raha hai. Nikat mein ek nagar hai, jahaan ke doodh ki adhikaansh jaruratein is gaon keg wale poorn karte hain. Nadi ki kagaar par ek pracheen bargad ka vriksh hai. Iske thoonth ke chaaron or ek bada sa chabootara bana hai. Panchayat ki baithakein Panchayat ghar mein na ho kar ke yahaan hoti hain, jaise ki hamesha se hoti aayi hain.

Dehradun aur anya kshetron ke vidyalayon grishmkaleen avakaash ke chalet band ho chuke hain. Kesar, apni mata ke saath thode dino ke liye apne nanihaal aaya hua hai, is gaon mein. Kesar kareeb nau-dus saal ka baalak hoga. Chanchal svabhaav aur Dehradun mein pala bada. Greeshm kaal ki lambi chuttiyon mein parivaar ke sabhi jan gaon aaya karte hain. Parivar mein ekta aur sneh isi prakaar bana rehta hai, jab sab log kuch din apni vyast deencharya se nikal kar ek doosre ke saath bitate hain.

Uski naani use roz raat ko khaana khaane ke pashchaat pauranik kahaaniyan sunati,
kuch panchtantra se, kuch jataka sangrah se, to kuch hind aadhyatm se chuni hui. Mama aur mausi ke bachhon ke saath kesar bhi in kahaaniyon ka lutf uthata. Use sabhi kahaaniyon mein se Krishna aur prahlaad ki kahaaniyan badi rochak lagti hain.
To be continued…

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Now, getting back to the comments:

@Yasha
Thank You ma'm :)

@Giribala
Someone has said that truth should not come in the way of a good story. I cannot presume the adjective though, but rest of the part holds here too.

@sm
Googled.

@Neeha
Thank you, the translations and transliterations were already in place. You might have missed the links. They aren't much highlighted owing to the present theme, I understand. Well they are here now.

@Prateek
अभी दिल्ली दूर है दोस्त |

@Angel
It's strange you know. Krishna being called 'her', its quite uncommon. But Krishna was Radha once.

@Chandana
And I think they inculcate the best virtues we could instill in a little child before he/she sleeps.

@Red Handed
We don't boo people here, and no self deprecation please. It's never late to learn, and I don't know your native language either. But I ain't booing myself. English version is for you then. :)

@Rainboy
What, smell?

@Anita
You'll never know until you'd actually tried whether it was worth it or not.

@Alka
Thank You.

@Tanvi
:) Thank You.

Angel said...

Writer ,i have interchange Krishna and Radha..sorry for that got little of Indian Literature.

Suruchi said...

Hi Anshul,
It is amazing how you are comfortable with any kind of genre that you pick up to spread like brilliant colours flashing on this page:-)

Sounds like one of the lessons we used to read in our hindi text books, the descriptions, the setting-u make sure u'll take us there...now if only they were half as interesting n made you anticipate for more:-)

rainboy said...

by smell i meant my blog...
smellofearthafterrain :)

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

@Angel
Never mind. :)

@Suruchi
Genres? I never really thought about it that way. Thank you Suruchi.

@Rainboy
Oh, I get it now. :P

Jyoti Mishra said...

true said
In spite of nuclear families the traditions and fun of enjoying together with relatives, grand ma and grand pa in summers act as the filling gap b/w nuclear and joint families.

Post reminded me several holidays I had spent at my dadi'd and nani's place.
I miss those days so much !!!!

AM said...

interesting blog... great writing.. glad to have stopped by..

tarunima said...

that was lovely,just like one of those school chapters:)
im all nostalgic now,whoa i miss school:(
we somehow miss all these gyan vardhak lessons in college,thank God for blogs like yours, my engineering mind is not totally dead:P
btw thanks for commenting on my blog:)

Alcina said...

I will be waiting eagerly for the continuation :) ..It is going to be interesting it seems..
I loved the way you have described the place first and then coming to kesar :).."Grishmkalin avkaash" i don't know but reading it makes me happy :P
Waise ye kahani kesar ki hogi ki nani ki sunayi hui ek kahani panchtantr ya jatak sangrah ya hindi adhyatma se chuni hui?

Wow i just so much feel like i have been thrown back in time and waiting eagerly to read ahead..
The write-up in Hindi is damn interesting and i don't have any pains in reading and understanding it so i didn't go for the English.

P.S.-After a longtime i drop by your space, feeling have missed so much.. :(

Unknown said...

Hmmm... waiting..

Rek Sesh said...

A slice of mythology woven in a modern day tale...very nice.
Traditional families still have these bedtime stories and then there is Amar Chitra Katha for a visit(even if distorted)...
Krish used to be my favourite of Gods as he was closest to an erring human...life has changed me into a neutral agnostic but; I dig these rich traditions I first heard from my Patti(mom's mom)...
Look forward to Kesar's (a name I normally associate with girls) journey.

Enjoy your week. :)

P.S I noticed how quite a few people mentioned Nani not Dadi...Are we always closer to mom's side of the family?

Ritika said...

I am lucky enough to stay with my dadi, and she still narrates me some of her childhood stories.

Congratulations. :)

Take care.

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

@Jyoti
:) I am glad.

@Lines and Shades
Thank You.

@Tarunima
My engineering mind isn't dead either :P

@Alcina
ab ye to aane wali kahaani hi bata payegi ki kya hoga :P

@Ankita
:)

@Rekha
Krish? Wasn't he a bollywood superhero? Or a progeny of mutation rather. :P
You just modernized and shortened the name of Krishna? LOL
About the name, Kesar khaaya jaata hai ya jaati hai?
Actually Dadi was in the original script, but Nanihaal is a word I couln't find a suitable substitute for from the other side of the family tree.

@Ritika
Thats great :)

Unknown said...

enjoyed reading the post - your versatility is amazing! :)
Congrats for the award!

Zeba said...

It's been a while since I last read anything in Hindi. I struggled through it. But liked what I understood. Now for the English version..

Ree said...

cannot wait for the next. seriously.

maithili said...

well i m late to comment! waiting for this tale and more abt this land!
thanks for answering and yes no one deserved it more than you :)

Anonymous said...

bahut khoob bhai

Akshitaa (Pakhi) said...

Its nice to explore ur blog. Its very interesting. U r welcome on my blog also.

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

@Mehak
Thank You.

@Zeba
:)

@The wandering Minstrel
Soon.

@Maithili
Thank You again :)

@Chirag
Thanks.

@Akshita
Sure, I'll try.

⁂ܓVållῐ ⁂ܓ☺ said...

Good post...:)
Even I enjoy listening to Krishna's stories like Kesar <3

Rià said...

Congrats on the award. Aap ki likhavat humein bahut achchi lagti hai. :)

(ex)camwhore said...

firstly congrats on the award. it's true, you're one thought provoking blogger. I always enjoy reading your posts and the emotions your words stir inside me.

will be looking forward to the continuation.

-Mary :)

PhilO♥ said...

Congrats on your award :)

While reading the post, the pictures so clearly floated into my mind :)
That is how clear your writing is!
And then you go about telling me not to call you a writer :) I'm sorry, but I won't stop! :D

Looking forward to read more. Take Care.

Ph_ said...

Award truly deserved :) Congratulations.
By the way good to know you are a Saggitarian :D

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

@Valli
:)

@Ria
Dhanyawaad ji.

@Maria
I will try to live up to the expectation.

@Juhi
:P Thank You

@Princess
You saw it now? :O
Are you a Saggitarian too?

Alcina said...

Take up the tag > Here

Ph_ said...

Yup am a Saggitarian too :D I saw it on your profile too in the beginning.

Samadrita said...

This piece of writing has a certain rustic Ruskin Bond like flavor to it. Reminds me of Bibhutibhashan's Pather Panchali too in a way, the way Apu would listen to his mother reciting passages from Mahabharata! Looking forward to the other parts.

Beyond Horizon said...

Nostalgic, nostalgic!!!

Nicely described the on going evolution of rural places.

P.S. How could you not choose hill station! :)

Unknown said...

reminds me of katha sagar.

cherished gift: friends ! liked it.

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

@Alcina
Will, sometime soon :)

@Princess
Yay

@Samadrita
Thank You :)

@Poonam
hehe thanks :)

Someone is Special said...

Anushul, I am glad I stopped by 'Being Krishna'.. The Other Day I stopped but I have a bad habit, If I read something I wish to read it fully, So I left the place but now after 3, I would like to share my views..

part ! ***** to you.. Awesome man.. and your translation and transliteration part is great.. Now to part 2..

Someone is Special

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