Life, Dreams and Reality -- Sohel's Blog

Words cannot be compared with the glistening swords or the mighty guns. A writer can only hope that the words that he writes has meaning, that can inspire human souls to dream for a better world. From the time immemorial, freedom of expression of all forms, in written, in artistic paintings, satirical cartoons, poetry or prose, metered or un-metered, came under incessant attacks from the fringe quarters, sometime from the highly pompous and mighty, and sometime from the alienated and disenfranchised rebels that in many times get exploited and stringed like the meagre pawns on a strategical chessboard.  Violence, the killings of innocents, writer, the cartoonists, the editors, in the name of any religion does not do any good service for that religion or any belief system. Humanity has gone through many cross roads in its restive history, for which only a few thousand years of provable recorded documents exist, many more perhaps could have existed if our ancestors were not involv...

While writing these words, I find myself stumbling, how to say anything on what happened in Pakistan earlier today . Innocent school children in Peshawar and their teachers were murdered. Can poetic words convey the true grief, cries and agonies of souls? Perhaps a gifted poet can, but the ordinary people like me who read or hear this news from near or far find themselves as utterly shocked. How low has the humanity stooped to! These days it is increasingly difficult to get a true picture on what is really happening in the remote corner of the globe like the troubling spots in Pakistan where the lingering battles between the Pakistani government forces and the Taliban and other rebels cost so many lives! Innocent children, women and men are gunned down or blown to pieces almost everyday. As if there are no values left for the human lives! Only remain the boiling anger and vengeance in the name of exploited political and ideological twists. Who is telling the truth and who is not? If o...

Echoing Mulcair's comment on the brutal attacks on Canadian souls earlier today ( http://goo.gl/M5Zwwo ), "These acts were driven by hatred, but also designed to drive us to hate. They will not. We will stand up, we will stand together. We will persevere and we will prevail." Trudeau said, " We will walk forward together, not apart." Harper commented, " While today has been without question a difficult day, I have no doubt Canadians will pull together with the kind of firm solidarity that has seen our country through many challenges." May their wise words for "solidarity", "....walk forward together", "we will stand together" come true without prejudice like John Lennon's immortal song "Imagine": Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to d...

Instrumental music rendition of "Aha Aji E Bosonte". Rabindranath Thakur (Tagore) wrote this song more than a century ago. Bangla Lyrics: আহা, আজি এ বসন্তে এত ফুল ফুটে, এত বাঁশি বাজে, এত পাখি গায়, সখীর হৃদয় কুসুম-কোমল-- কার অনাদরে আজি ঝরে যায়। কেন কাছে আস, কেন মিছে হাস, কাছে যে আসিত সে তো আসিতে না চায়। সুখে আছে যারা, সুখে থাক্‌ তারা, সুখের বসন্ত সুখে হোক সারা, দুখিনী নারীর নয়নের নীর সুখী জনে যেন দেখিতে না পায়। তারা দেখেও দেখে না, তারা বুঝেও বোঝে না, তারা ফিরেও না চায়। আহা, আজি এ বসন্তে এত ফুল ফুটে, এত বাঁশি বাজে, এত পাখি গায় English Transliteration Aha, aaji e basante eto phool phute, Eto banshi baje, eto pakhi gaay, Sakheer hriday kusumkamol Kaar anadare aji jhare jay Kano kache aso, kano miche haso, Kache je aasito se to aasite na chay Sukhe aache jara sukhe thak tara, Sukher basanta sukhe hok sara Dukhinee nareer nayaner neer Sukheejane jano dekhite na pay Tara dekheo dakhe na Tara bujheo bojhe na, Tara phireo na chay My ...

Instrumental music of a Bangla folk song "Holudia Pakhi Shonari Boron, Pakhiti Charilo ke", that translates to: "Yellow bird with golden complexion, who has set the bird free". Abdul Alim and many other distinguished singers including my mother Dilara Alo recorded this song for Bangladesh Radio, Television and performed at the open concerts. Here is the Bangla lyrics of this song in English transliteration: Holudia pakhi shonari boron Pakhi ti charilo ke Holudia pakhi shonari boron Pakhi ti charilo ke Keun na janilo keu na dekhilo Kemone pakhi diya je faki Uira gelo hai chokher poloke Pakhi ti charilo ke Pakhi ti charilo ke  re amar Pakhi ti charilo ke Shonaro pinjira shunno koria Kon bone pakhi galo je uria Pinjirar jora khulia khulia Pinjirar jora khulia khulia Bhainga pore shei na pakhiro shokey Holudia pakhi shonari boron Pakhi ti charilo ke Pakhi ti charilo ke amar Pakhi ti charilo ke Shobi jodi bhule jabi re pakhi Keno tobe hai ...

Instrumental music rendition of Rabindranath Thakur's (Tagore) Bangla song "To Ra Je Ja Bolish Bhai Amar Shonar Horin Chai". It was written in 1910. The lyrics in Bangla and English are found in the following location: http://www.geetabitan.com/lyrics/T/tora-je-ja-bolis-bhai.html Song Lyrics in Bangla তোরা  যে যা বলিস ভাই,      আমার     সোনার হরিণ চাই।           মনোহরণ চপলচরণ সোনার হরিণ চাই॥ সে-যে  চমকে বেড়ায় দৃষ্টি এড়ায়, যায় না তারে বাঁধা। সে-যে  নাগাল পেলে পালায় ঠেলে, লাগায় চোখে ধাঁদা। আমি    ছুটব পিছে মিছে মিছে পাই বা নাহি পাই-- আামি   আপন-মনে মাঠে বনে উধাও হয়ে ধাই॥ তোরা  পাবার জিনিস হাতে কিনিস, রাখিস ঘরে ভরে-- যারে    যায় না পাওয়া তারি হাওয়া লাগল কেন মোরে। আমার  যা ছিল তা গেল ঘুচে যা নেই তার ঝোঁকে-- আমার  ফুরোয় পুঁজি, ভাবিস, বুঝি মরি তারি শোকে? আমি    আছি সুখে হাস্যমুখে, দুঃখ আমার নাই। আমি    আপন-মনে মাঠে বনে উধাও হয়ে ধাই॥ Lyrics in Engl...

Do you have the same feeling like me looking at the blank page? Its total and absolute purity, the vast emptiness staring back at you like from the depth of the universe. So much can be written on this blank page, so much sense can be made out of emptiness, filling its each vacant block of space with words of wisdom, comedy or perhaps with the pure gibberish. Writers from the ages immemorial, from the dawn of the civilization looked at the blank page, on papyrus, tree buckle, on curved stone and paper made out of tree, narrated their lives in discreet verses or voluminous texts filled with metaphors and similes, handing down their observations and wisdom to the next generations. Just think about the power of a blank page. It propels a writer to pour out his heart and his feelings on the blank page, creating the thickened plots, rising tension to its culmination point and its gradual receding to a satisfactory ending. We have our contemporary writers, the best selling ones lik...

Instrumental music of a very old Bangla song I heard from my childhood. I could not find who was the original lyricist or music composer of this melodious song. Bangla lyrics আমি মরিয়া হইবো শ্রীনন্দের নন্দন তোমাকে বানাবো আধা বনমালী তুমি পরজনমে হইও রাধা ।। তুমি আমারই মতন কান্দিয়া কান্দিও কৃষ্ণ কৃষ্ণ নাম বদনে বলিও ।। যাইও যমুনার ঐ ঘাটে যাইও আমার রঙ্গটি ছিল কত সাদা বনমালী তুমি পরজনমে হইও রাধা ।। তুমি আমারই মতন জ্বলিও জ্বলিও বিরহ কুসুম হার গলেতে পরিও ।। ঐ প্রেম না করিয়া ছিলেম তো ভাল আমার মনটি ছিল কত সাদা বনমালী তুমি পরজনমে হইও রাধা ।। ভাবিয়া সরোজ কয় ঐ কৃষ্ণ ফদ প্রেমেরও মায়া ডরে বান্ধিও বান্ধিও ।। তুমি বুঝবে তখন ।। নারীর কি বেদন রাধার প্রাণে ছিল কত ব্যথা বনমালী তুমি পরজনমে হইও রাধা ।।

Instrumental music of Rabindranath Thakur's song "Purano Shei Diner Kotha". Quite possibly this is more than a century old song. Bangla lyrics পুরানো সেই দিনের কথা ভুলবি কি রে হায়। ও সেই চোখে দেখা, প্রাণের কথা, সে কি ভোলা যায়। আয় আর একটিবার আয় রে সখা, প্রাণের মাঝে আয়। মোরা সুখের দুখের কথা কব, প্রাণ জুড়াবে তায়। মোরা ভোরের বেলা ফুল তুলেছি, দুলেছি দোলায়-- বাজিয়ে বাঁশি গান গেয়েছি বকুলের তলায়। হায় মাঝে হল ছাড়াছাড়ি, গেলেম কে কোথায়-- আবার দেখা যদি হল, সখা, প্রাণের মাঝে আয়॥ English Transliteration Purano sei diner katha bhulbi kire haay | O seichhokher dekha, praner katha, se ki bhola jaay | Aayaar-ektibar aayre sakha, praner majhe aay | Morasukher dukher katha kabo, pran jurabe haay | Mora bhorer bela phul tulechhi, dulechhi dolaay – Bajiye bansi gan geyechhi bakuler talaay| Haaymajhe holo chharachhari, gelem ke kothaay – Abar dekha jodi holo tabe praner majhe aay || English Translation Golden those days gone for ever, gone for ever, dear Glancing eyes wh...

My instrumental rendition of a Bangla folk song. Many singers sang this song including Abdul Alim, Alamgir and Ayub Bachchu. Bangla lyrics in English Transliteration: Dol Dol Doloni Ranga Mathar Chiruni Ene Debo Huut theke Maan Tumi Korona Dol Dol Doloni Ranga Mathar Chiruni Ene Debo Huut theke Maan Tumi Korona Notun Notun Khopati Tule Ene Dopati Ranga Fitay bedhe debo Man tumi korona Dol Dol Doloni Ranga Mathar Chiruni Ene Debo Huut theke Maan Tumi Korona Cheye Dekho Dalim Fuley Oi Jomeche Mou Bou Kotha Kou Dakche Pakhi Koyna Kotha Bou Jhun Jhuni Mol Payete Goyna Shonar Gayete Aro Debo Naker Nolok Man Tumi Korona Dol Dol Doloni Ranga Mathar Chiruni Ene Debo Huut theke Maan Tumi Korona Chander Shathe Nitto Rate Taray Kotha Koy Apon Jona Por Hoile Taoki Prane Shoy Ektu Khani Hasho Na Kache Eshe Bosho Na Ene Debo Reshmi Churi Man Tumi Korona Dol Dol Doloni Ranga Mathar Chiruni Ene Debo Huut theke Maan Tumi Korona Rough En...

Instrumental music of a Bangla folk song. Bengali pioneer rock and roll singer Firoz Shai sang this song and it was the very last performance before his untimely death. This is the second version of instrumental. I recorded it last year but today recorded it again with different variations.

Instrumental music of a nostalgic Bangla song that the legendary singer Sabina Yasmin sang many years ago. This song is dedicated to all mothers who lost their children in meaningless brutal wars.

Instrumental music of an old folk song of Bangladesh. Legendary singer Runa Laila sang this song in many memorable live performances. Many other singers performed this song.

Robin Williams' sudden death today I find to be disheartening. One actor amongst many he was but curved his unique place by his natural talent in acting that felt so genuine and sincere. What has shocked me more is the eerie resemblance of his demise with the theme of an unforgettable movie of 90s call What Dreams May Come. Pre Netflix era, in now defunct Blockbusters and other movie rental places I used to search for movies that had Robin Williams. So many remarkable movies he was in, making us cry and laugh, directing us questioning our own bigotry and perhaps stoking the subdued goodness. He was there with his larger than life laughter, poetic soliloquies, as an inspiring doctor in Patch Adams or as a loving father in Mrs. Doubtfire, as a therapist in The Good Will Hunting and an unorthodox poetry professor in The Dead Poet Society. Robin Williams gave it all portraying these and many other characters, making them part of our life and consciousness Rest in peace Robin Willi...

1. When my son was born , for the first few minutes he was absolutely silent. No outburst of crying, no movement and eyes closed. The attending doctor and nurses were busy trying to find out why he was so silent. My wife was still on the operating table, drowsy and recovering from one of the most painful experiences of her life. I stood there, near the small table where the specialist was doing all kinds of procedures on my new born son, putting long tube to clear out the air passage in his mouth and nose, holding him upside down, rolling him sideways, from one side to another, checking his bright pinkish bare chest with a tiny stethoscope. No one took my pulse that day but I can assure you it was racing and increasing in every second. The dreadful thoughts flooded my mind. Was he okay? Would he breathe? I only knew my son for a few minutes and the normal worries of a parent has already started. And then a tiny voice let the world hear his first cry. So low the voice was that ...

I sometimes surprise myself by my own silence. But the silence in the face of brazen inhumanity is indeed tantamount to be a passive accomplice. I didn't want to write a single word about the bombed apart children and their mothers, fathers, grandpa and grandma, mangled and shredded, and of course thoroughly dehumanized in the eyes of the "civilized" world too busy celebrating the world cup soccer victory or grieving about the loss of a game or chitchatting the musings of cel ebrities and their lush lives, and going about their livelihoods, listening here and there what is happening in that faraway land that is portrayed in palatable decorum, but hesitate to speak out against this and other outrageous brutality. But not everyone is like me tongue-tied. People from all walks of life have started to come out to the streets, without caring about the all so not pleasant consequences of being put under perpetual suspicion and never ending surveillance. When I hold my new ...

Donna Tart's The Goldfinch, a meticulously written novel, describes various famous painters and their paintings. For art novice like me, it is a welcoming part along with reading her main story plot. She describes an artist whose name is Adriaen Coorte. He was a Dutch golden age painter, lived from 1665 to 1707. Donna Tart says this painter is nature morte, meaning he and other artists left secret messages in their paintings, giving hints to the temporary nature of this existence by including a butterfly hovering over an apple that is slightly rotten or has small dark spot. Here is a link to one painting: - http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adriaen_Coorte_-_Three_Medlars_with_a_Butterfly_-_WGA05210.jpg I will write more notes on these painters.

Instrumental music of a Bangla song that the rock and roll legend Azam Khan performed in the decade of 1980s.

Instrumental music of a Bangla song "Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano Ekushe February". The lyricist of this song was Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury and the original music composer was Altaf Mahmud. This melodious song commemorates the memories of 1950s Bengali language movement (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_Language_Movement). Bangla Lyrics: আমার ভাইয়ের রক্তে রাঙানো একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি আমি কি ভুলিতে পারি ছেলেহারা শত মায়ের অশ্রু গড়ায়ে ফেব্রুয়ারি আমি কি ভুলিতে পারি আমার সোনার দেশের রক্তে রাঙানো একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি আমি কি ভুলিতে পারি।। জাগো নাগিনীরা জাগো নাগিনীরা জাগো কালবোশেখীরা শিশু হত্যার বিক্ষোভে আজ কাঁপুক বসুন্ধরা, দেশের সোনার ছেলে খুন করে রোখে মানুষের দাবী দিন বদলের ক্রান্তিলগ্নে তবু তোরা পার পাবি? না, না, না, না খুন রাঙা ইতিহাসে শেষ রায় দেওয়া তারই একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি একুশে ফেব্রুয়ারি। সেদিনও এমনি নীল গগনের বসনে শীতের শেষে রাত জাগা চাঁদ চুমো খেয়েছিল হেসে; পথে পথে ফোটে রজনীগন্ধা অলকনন্দা যেন, এমন সময় ঝড় এলো এক ঝড় এলো খ্যাপা বুনো।। সেই আঁধারের পশুদের মুখ চেনা...

Instrumental music of a Bangla rock song "Chand Tara Shurjo Nou Tumi". It was originally composed and performed by one of the most revolutionary rock bands from Bangladesh called "Miles" sometime in the decade of 1990s. Song lyrics in Bangla and English: chaad tara shurjo nao tumi (You are not the moon or the sun) noy pahari jharna (nor the water falls of the mountain) jodi boli phool tobuo hobay bhool (If I say flower then still it will be wrong) tomar tulona hoyna (No comparison exists for you) tumi na alay, ai prithibi amar (If you don't come, this world of my) harabey aapon thikana (Will lose its own address) judi duray raow, shapnagulo amar (If you stay afar, all the dreams of mine) bhengey jabey janona (Will break down, don't you know) tomar kotha, bhebey ami, (Thinking of you, I) golpo kabita aar kabbo lekhi (Write stories, poems and long poems) tomar chokhay cheye thekay (Looking at your eyes) shundor amar prithibi dekhi (I look at ...