Bihar: Legacy of Mahendra Misir | महेंद्र मिसिर: लोक की मिश्री जैसे मिसिर

भोजपुरी लोक साहित्य और संगीत की चर्चा भिखारी ठाकुर और महेन्द्र मिसिर का नाम लिए बगैर अधूरी ही रहती है। समकालीन रहे भोजपुरी साहित्य के इन महान साधकद्वय पर संपूर्ण प्रदेश को गर्व है। उनकी रचनाओं पर आधारित गीतों को गाकर और जीवनवृत्त पर उपन्यास, कथा-कहानी, नाटक लिखकर शोहरत पाने वाले तमाम कलाकारों, साहित्यकारों और प्रशंसकों की चाह बस यही है कि पूर्वी गीत सम्राट महेन्द्र बाबा को वह सम्मान जरूर मिल जाए जिसके वे हकदार थे।

पूर्वी गीत सम्राट

16 मार्च 1886 को सारण जिला मुख्यालय से 18 किमी उत्तर में जलालपुर प्रखंड के काही मिश्रवलिया गांव में जन्मे महेन्द्र मिसिर अपने पिता पं. शिवशंकर मिश्र के पांच पुत्रों में ज्येष्ठ थे। बचपन से ही मेधावी रहे। पहलवानी, घुड़सवारी के शौकीन मिसिर जी ने कथावाचन, कीर्तन के साथ भोजपुरी, हिंदी-उर्दू गीतकार के रूप में समानांतर पहचान बनाई। गीतकार के रूप में उन्हें लोक ने प्रतिष्ठा दी।

यह जनश्रुति है और भिखारी ठाकुर की जीवनी पर आधारित रचनाओं से पता चलता है कि ठाकुर जी के दिल में महेन्द्र मिसिर के प्रति अगाध श्रद्धा थी। वे उनकी रचनाओं के कायल थे। यह भी कहा जाता है कि गीत रचना के लिए ठाकुर जी इस पूर्वी गीत सम्राट से समय-समय पर सूत्र भी लेते रहे और उन्हें उस्ताद माना।

प्रकाशन की आस

मिसिर जी की अप्रकाशित रचनाओं- अपूर्व रामायण और कृष्णलीला में उनका मूल दर्शन समाया है। परिजनों की मानें तो कवित्त, दोहे, सवैये, सोरठा आदि छंदों में समाहित महेन्द्र मिसिर का मूल दर्शन अब प्रकाशन की राह पर है। उनके 70 वर्षीय पौत्र रामनाथ मिश्र बताते हैं कि राष्ट्रभाषा परिषद मिसिर जी रचित अपूर्व रामायण का दो भागों में प्रकाशन कर रही है। इसकी पांडुलिपि विभाग को सौंप दी गई है। कृष्ण लीला के प्रकाशन की स्वीकृति भी मिल चुकी है। स्थानीय पत्रकार और मिसिर जी पर ‘गीत जो गाया न जा सका’ उपन्यास के लेखक तीर्थराज शर्मा कहते हैं कि आने वाले समय में इन ग्रंथों के प्रकाश में उनके कृतित्व का नई रोशनी में आकलन होगा। यह बेहद प्रसन्नता की बात है।

मिसिर जी के गीतों को लोक से किताबों की दुनिया में लाने का श्रेय समीपस्थ संवरी बाजार गांव निवासी हिंदी-अंग्रेजी के विद्वान प्राध्यापक प्रो. सुरेश मिश्र को है। प्रो. मिश्र के संपादन में छपे महेन्द्र मिसिर के दो गीत संकलनों और स्मारिकाओं आदि से पिछले दो दशकों से कलाकार व साहित्यकार लाभान्वित हो रहे हैं।

गायन से जिंदा हैं गीत

महेन्द्र मिसिर के इकलौते पुत्र हिकायत मिश्र, इकलौते पौत्र और इकलौते परपौत्र को गायन में रुचि नहीं रही। पर पांच भाइयों वाले मिसिर जी के एक भाई के पुत्र स्व. गौतम मिश्र आकाशवाणी के साथ विभिन्न मंचों से उनके पूर्वी गीत की विरासत आगे बढ़ाते रहे। वर्तमान में मिसिर जी की चौथी पीढ़ी के गायक अजय मिश्र ने यह विरासत संभाल रखी है। परिजनों से इतर गायक कलाकारों में पद्मश्री शारदा सिन्हा का नाम सम्मान से लिया जाता है। इस कड़ी में स्व. संतराज सिंह रागेश, भरत सिंह भारती, ब्रजकिशोर दूबे आदि जैसे लोकगायकों ने पूर्वी गीत गायन में विशिष्ट स्थान बनाया। नई पीढ़ी के भोजपुरी कलाकारों में भी मिसिर जी के पूर्वी गीत गाने की ललक बढ़ी है। इनमें पुरबिया तान की चंदन तिवारी, मनीषा श्रीवास्तव जैसी युवा गायिकाएं शामिल हैं।

कायम है जादू

भोजपुरी गीत-संगीत की महफिल सजी हो तो कार्यक्रम को परवान चढ़ाने के लिए महेन्द्र मिसिर का पूर्वी गायन अनिवार्य माना जाता है। खासकर ननदिया मोरी रे... मोर सांवरिया हो... अंगुरी में डसले बिया नगीनिया रे... जैसे गीत आज भी श्रोताओं को सम्मोहित कर देते हैं।

मिसिर जी का हिंदी-उर्दू साहित्य का भी एक संसार है, जिससे ज्यादातर लोग अनजान हैं। उन्होंने सैकड़ों ग़ज़लें और कविताएं रची हैं। हालांकि प्रो. मिश्र की किताब ‘महेन्द्र मिसिर की प्रतिनिधि कविताओं’ में करीब दो दर्जन ग़ज़लें शामिल हैं। 16 मार्च को बिहार सरकार द्वारा महेन्द्र मिसिर की जयंती समारोह पूर्वक मनाई जाती है, जहां नामी गिरामी कलाकार उनकी रचनाओं को गाकर श्रद्धासुमन अर्पित करते हैं। इसके साथ ही मिसिर जी के नाम पर शोध संस्थान की जरूरत है जहां भावी पीढ़ी उनके कलम की गहराई के बारे में जान सके। 

- रामेश्वर गोप / दैनिक भास्कर 

My Message on International Women's Day

- Women should stop wearing 5 inches of fake heel and painting their faces to be taken "seriously" in jobs. These are same stuff that "circus jokers" do.

- Our society should start considering "mother-in-laws" also as "women". Just because daughter-in-laws are more famous, they are able to exploit mother-in-laws and get away with it.

- Tech companies should stop giving preferential promotions to incompetent women in the name of "diversity". You are making it worse for everyone including yourself.

- Women should stop abandoning their roles of "mothers" just because they have a career. If nature wanted men to breastfeed babies, it would have given it to men. Stop shunning your duties and blaming men.

- Women should not be shamed for taking a break from career due to maternity. Or even giving up career if they want to. It is counted as "my life, my decision" too.

- Greedy men should stop forcing their wives into jobs, should not ridicule her for taking leaves, should not force her to give more priority to salary than her health.

- Women should stop "body-shaming" other women first, before blaming it on men. 

- Women should accept their share of failure in raising good children, before blaming the way this world is filled with crime and evilness.

- In the end, women should stop blaming men just for being men. It is not a crime to be a man. Have a little gratitude and appreciation for men for keeping this world working, safe and sane.

Rahul Tiwary 

Photography: 'A Shepherd's Turban'

Rahul Tiwary | New Delhi | Feb 2020

Travelogue: Delhi Metro Museum, New Delhi

Rahul Tiwary | New Delhi | Feb 2020

Travelogue: Amrit Udyan near Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi

A few tips for the visit:

1.      The garden opens for public every year for a month in Feb-March. Please check its opening status and timing every year before visiting.

2.      It is a free public park with no entry ticket

3.      Avoid carrying any items including water bottles. If you are carrying any item, you will have to deposit it in cloak room. You can take your cellphone inside

4.      Avoid visiting on weekends since the crowd is too heavy

5.      There is a single lane which goes inside and once you are in, you can’t turn back. Hence be sure before entering

6.      There is free drinking water just after entering the garden. Do not miss it since there is no next water station until you come out of the garden

7.      After exit of the park, there are several stalls selling snacks and fast food

8.      The visit may be a hassle for small kids and old people and hence be sure if they are fit to visit

9.      Visit would take minimum 1 hour inside and would consist of walking on foot for about 1 km

10. There is a very long queue at the entrance especially on the weekend

- Rahul Tiwary | New Delhi | 2020

Nature Photography: 'Dog Yoga'

Rahul Tiwary | New Delhi | 2020

Movie: Love Aaj Kal 2 - Beautiful Love Story

‘Love Aaj Kal 2’ is a beautiful movie. As its name suggests, it is a love story. It is a story of two couples: one is Kartik Aaryan and Sara AliKhan who are playing roles of young people living a cosmopolitan lifestyle and second is Randeep Hooda’s past love story where Kartik once again plays the part of young-Randeep and Aarushi Sharma. Randeep Hooda (who has played his character really impressively) narrates his life story (a romantic tragedy) upon seeing Kartik since young Kartik reminds him of himself. 

All actors have played their parts beautifully. Randeep and Aarushi Sharma’s past love story is very touching. The life as it was during two decades earlier has been captured very well in the movie. And Kartik and Sara both have acted superbly. Contrary to the skeptic opinion doubting Sara’s talent, she has come out very well and the character in this movie suited her personality perfectly. Kartik has the “charisma” of a super star – he has played funny, hilarious, romantic, angry, confused, sad – all types of situations very well in his role. 

Songs in this movie are also amazing and also pictured very well.

Love Aaj Kal 2 is a lovely movie made with lot of heart. All actors have played their roles beautifully. It is definitely a recommendation.

- Rahul 

Photography: Some Nature Pictures (Part 7)

Rahul Tiwary | New Delhi | 2020

Made in India: Original Goan Almonds and Dry Fruits

I used to buy almonds and dry fruits mainly from Big Bazaar since their prices were always most reasonable as compared to local shops. Then I found out that most of their dry fruits were “imported”. For example, almonds are imported from the USA. I was disappointed by this and hence tried to do a bit of research. I was able to find many almonds for which “Country of Origin” was India. Although these were a bit costlier than others.

As per reports, the USA is the biggest almonds producer in the world. USA produces 80% of world’s almonds production. 33% of this is consumed in the USA while 67% is exported. And hence a lot of Indian retailers sell imported almonds. But India also produces almonds. Almonds are mostly produced in the Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Apart from these, almonds are also produced in Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP, UP, Kerala, TN, WB, Gujarat and Rajasthan (Source).

But almonds imports are very high in India. As per a 2018 report, India has become the world’s biggest almonds importer (Source: The Hindu BusinessLine) and we imported almonds worth Rs 3640 Crores in the year 2017-18. Here (Source: Business World) is a very good report which gives details about the industry. But as per this report, out of total almonds produced in India, not all is sold. I am not sure but being costly may be the reason for this.

So far, I have found one seller which is present in online shopping portals like Amazon and Snapdeal and sells good local almonds. It mentions “Country of Origin: India”. As per its name, it seems it sells almonds produced in Goa.

Original Goan Almonds on Snapdeal: Link

Original Goan Almonds on Amazon: Link

I have been buying almonds from this source for many years. I feel happy about buying local almonds and hence helping local farmers and producers. These almonds are a bit costlier than the imported almonds, but these provide me with happiness while the “guilt” which would come with buying imported almonds would be worse for me.

If you like to buy local products, try out above seller. If you have also found other good local almonds brands, please share the details in the comments section!

Wishing you good health and good almonds!

- Rahul Tiwary

History Behind Mhatre Bridge in Pune

There is a busy bridge in Pune called Mhatre Bridge or Mhatre Pul joining Sarasbaug to Deccan area. Everyday, it is traversed by thousands of people, but few know or care that the bridge is named after an unsung Indian hero, Shri Ravindra Hareshwar Mhatre.

Ravindra Mhatre was brutally killed by Kashmiri terrorists at the age of 48 while he was serving as a diplomat in the Indian Embassy in Birmingham UK. He was abducted and killed in an attempt to negotiate release of terrorist Maqbool Bhat of the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

Yes, the same #MaqboolBhat, in whose name separatist slogans were raised in JNU.

Mhatre was kidnapped as he was stepping out of a baker's shop after picking up a birthday cake for his daughter. Mhatre's daughter was only 14 when he disappeared forever from her life. Her father's body was found three days later on a side-street in Birmingham.

The then PM Indira Gandhi had refused to negotiate with the terrorists and Maqbool Bhat was hanged to death days after Mhatre's body was found.

In an emotional story, Mhatre's daughter talks about how her father's murder changed her life forever.

The Kashmiri terrorists haven't forgotten Maqbul Bhat, but perhaps we Indians have forgotten Ravindra Mhatre.

[Taken from writeup by Devarshi Sarkar]

News: Delhi Male Cop Shoots Woman Cop

In a breaking news from Delhi, a woman cop has been shot dead by a male cop who was her batchmate during police academy. The male cop was her jilted lover and committed suicide after killing her. It seems irrespective of education or profession; jilted lovers behave similarly.

One reason for this social evil is that parents and society do not teach boys and girls about how to handle relationships. Young folks mostly take advices from their peers which is too risky. They learn about relationships from movies while movie industry is full of bad people.

I remember that while watching movies I would often notice that often the lead actor or actress would behave as if they were orphans. When faced with crisis they would either take advice of friends or else break down. Why don't you turn to your family for guidance?

Taking advice of peers is as stupid as it can go. No one in 20s is wise enough, even if one sounds so. And no one has friends of diverse ages these days; our friends are mostly mirrors/copies of ourselves.

Had the male cop in this case been in a healthy family or society, he won't have done this. Sacrificing two young lives and ruining their dependents' is simply madness. If he did not know how to handle this situation, he should have been guided by others to do so.

- Rahul

Movies: Shikara Review

I read the review of movie 'Shikara' on Rediff. It mentions that the movie "questions" the "politics" around Kashmiri Pandit's exile in 1990. It questions the genuineness of other Hindus who support KPs and are sad and angry with (Cong party) govt for why it did not protect KPs.

It kind of mentions that most people who support Kashmiri Pandits cause on "social media" are plain trolls who have "never met a KP" and never seen a "refugee camp". This is such a negative and skeptical view of the reality.

Quote: 'Sir, he has never seen a Kashmiri Pandit'. That's the note on which Shikara concludes.

Well, I have known many KPs from my college days. And I know about KP's refugee camp in Pune; our office colleagues used to go there to donate food items.

It seems this movie is a kind of "propaganda" film; which will do more harm to the KP community than benefit. I read that Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a Kashmiri himself. Perhaps he wanted to make a movie on Kashmir to satisfy his inner demons. But he did not have the guts to show truth.

To some extent Shikara is then like the movie Aarakshan (2011) which was supposed to be a movie on anti-reservation movement but became a rant against coaching centers. It was made by Prakash Jha who comes from the community which suffered due to caste quota. And hence Aarakshan became such a disappointment; despite having big stars like AB, Manoj Bajpayee, etc (and it flopped on Box Office too). Therefore, due to the dishonest work by movie makers, Shikara too seems to be going to be a flop.

It was better if movie-makers did not make such movies on sensitive topics which mock the subjects and ridicule people who genuinely believe in a cause.

I will of course not watch it.

- Rahul

Television: Anil Kapoor on Bigg Boss Show

Recently Anil Kapoor appeared on Bigg Boss show for promoting his movie Malang. I was shocked to hear him addressing Salman Khan as "aap" and Salman did not mind it.

I checked their age. Anil Kapoor is about 10 years older than Salman.

I still can’t digest it why would Salman prefer to hear “aap” from a senior star like Anil Kapoor.