एक मैफ़ल स्वप्नातली..

तिन्हीसांजेची वेळ होती आणि पं.हरीप्रसाद चौरासीया ह्यांच्या बासरीतून पुरीया कल्याण रागातील सूर मोहून गेले. तासभर सर्वजण शांत चित्ताने बासरीच्या सूरांत तरंगत होतो. हा बासरीच्य सूरांचा प्रवाह असाच चालू रहावा असे वाटत असतानाच पं.शिवकुमार शर्मा ह्यांच्या संतूर वादनाच्या सूरांच्य नावेतील प्रवास सुरू झाला. तबल्यावर संगत होती उस्ताद झाकीर हुसैन ह्यांची. त्या संतूर-तबल्याची अनोखी पेशकश सर्वांना अनोख्या विश्वात घेऊन गेली . दूसरे काही विचार मनाला शिवण्याचा प्रयासही करत नव्हते. मन एखाद्या स्वच्छ तळ्यातील संथ पाण्यासारखे निर्मळ आणि शांत झाले होते.

वीज कडकडावी तशी राजन-साजन मिश्रा आणि परवीन सुलताना ह्यांनी मैफ़िलीत "जान" आणली. परवीन सुलताना ह्यांचं "रसिका तुझ्याचसाठी.." लोकांची मनं जिकून गेलं.

आणि मन सप्त-स्वरांत गूंतत चाललेले असतानाच अचानकपणे "बोलावा विठ्ठल.." हे स्वर कानी पडले. किशोरी आमोणकर ह्यांनी स्वर मंचाचा ताबा घेतला होता. पुढे "ज्ञानोबा माऊली तुकाराम.." ह्या गजराच्या तालावर आम्ही नकळतपणे डुलायला लागलो होतो. गजर वेग घेत होता आणि आम्ही "भान हरपणे" काय असते हे अनुभवत होतो.

आता सर्वांना पंढरीच्या दर्शनाची ओढ लागली होतीच. आणि स्वरांच्या माध्यमातून ते दर्शन घडवणे केवळ एकच व्यक्तीला शक्य आहे - पं.भिमसेन जोशी ! "देव विठ्ठल तिर्थ विठ्ठल.." हे शब्द कानी पडले आणि निर्मळ मनाला एक अनोखे पावित्र्य लाभले. पांडूरंगाच्या सांन्निध्यात वेळेचे भान हरपले. "ईंद्रायणी काठी..", "माझे माहेर पंढरी..", "जाता पंढरीसी सुख वाटे जीवा..", "काया ही पंढरी आत्मा हा विठ्ठल.." हे अभंग आम्हा सर्वांना पंढरपूरला घेऊन गेले. खरं सांगतो, मनाला एवढी शांती या आगोदर कधी मिळाली होती का याचा मी विचार करत होतो.

त्या निर्मळ, पवित्र तळ्यात उगवत्या चंद्राचे प्रतिबींब दिसावे आणि काही वेगळाच आनंद व्हावा.

Abhipraay, full of emotions...

In almost all the programs we find a book placed at the counter, mostly at the exit, with these tags "feedback" or "अभिप्राय" in Marathi. Having enjoyed the program, people, full of emotions, go on adding lines in this book as if they will be paid one rupee per word. If it's a charity program then you won't imagine the kind of feedback these people scribble in.

"We would donate by any means for the cause."
"I am a Charted Accountant. I have links with many financial organisations. I can lend a helping hand. I may be contacted @ #$$%%## "
"The program is really worth appreciating. We dont get to see such kind of events quite frequently. Such events are really enjoyable and you people should organize such kind of events every year, if not, every semester."

And when the needy organisations approach these, for any means it may be, not to mention the financial help, one would be surprised to see the statistics of the helping-hands. I need not mention it in figures for if you have worked or are associated with any of the social organisations, you might have the exact understanding of the scene these people create.

What is it that gives them the courage to make such roobish, irresponsible and never-to-be fulfilled statements?

38/2 Elgin Rd., Kolkata

I am traveling to places in and around Kolkata from my few weeks stay here.

I had been to Netaji Bhavan two weeks back. It's one of the heritage sites in Kolkata. What surprised me was the way things are preserved here.

On the first floor they have Subhash babu's and Saratchandra's (Subhash babu's elder brother) room and also Subhash babu's office from where he used to operate. On the second floor they have a museum portraying different phases in Netaji's life. The museum features Netaji's military attire and other costumes that reflect his personalilty - not to mention his aggression! Also on display are things used by him in the day-to-day life - the marble plate and bowl used by him while having his dinner on the last day in 38/2 Elgin Road - his place of residence, now known as Netaji Bhavan. One can see the car through which he made “the great escape” on 16-17 Jan 1941 mid-night in the verandah just oppposite to the Bhavan entrance.

Having read "Mahanayak", a book on Subhashchandra Bose by a renowned Marathi author Vishwas Patil, I was able to revocate a few significant incidents in Netaji's life while passing through the evidences of those incidents. One of the photos showing the then Congress president, Subhashbabu, bedridden at the AGM at Haripore, recalled the incident of Mr.G not feeling it important at all to take a note of his health, moreover he also didn't care to ignore Nehru's phone call trying to depict the scene at the Haripore Congress AGM and the rapidly declining health of the Congress president. I feel pity when people call him (Mr.G) Maha-atma.

On the other hand people are losing memory of the real hero, except for a few local political parties who make an attempt to use his name and in turn gain some votes for their party.