May 7th 12 noon, I frantically wake up. Distraught.
"Wahan kaun hai tera, musafir, jayega kahan.
Dum le le ghadi bhar, yeh chhaiyaan, paayega kahan"
[Who is waiting there for you, oh backpacker, where will you go?
Why don't you just take a breather, you won't find a shade, a resting place like this]
There are songs that have a strange personal connection to your childhood. Out of the thousands of songs I'd heard growing up, a few hundred have found their place in the deepest corners of my heart.
"Mat khel, jal jaayegi, kehti hai aag mere mann ki" (Don't play with the ambers of my soul, you'll get burnt)
I really understood the true depth of these lyrics much later in life. It's euphoric when a song you've heard innumerable times growing up, suddenly finds new meaning years later.
Credit to mum for always playing beautiful songs in the house. The rickshaw would stop at the house, we'd climb up the stairs and faintly hear Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh singing -
"Dil ae naadaan tujhe hua kya hai. Aakhir is dard ki dawaa kya hai"
(Oh, innocent heart of mine, what has happened to you? What is the cure for this pain?)
It was just a little more than an exquisite melody, beyond the comprehension of a 10-12 year old. But I could feel that my soul felt comforted. Probably because the emotions conveyed through the melody, the lyrics were real.
Back to present day
I usually wake up, military style and just start moving.
Fasted cardio takes a more elegant shape and I prepare for my future tiktok style dance videos.
10 minutes, my body was loose and relaxed, I was warmed up. I was fully committed to giving it my all for the next 40 minutes. And then suddenly I wasn't.
"Aati Honda mein, Audi mein jati tu khisak
Suck.. suck..Baby what the Fu.."
(She comes in a Honda and goes home with someone else in an Audi..the rest of the lyrics don't need to exist, forget translation)
If you haven't really developed an interest in poetry, you're really missing out on something
"Poetry takes everyday occurrences and shines a soft rosy filtered light on it."
When you're so conditioned to finding meaning, beauty in everyday things, the little annoying niggles become glaring green slimy monsters.
So maybe I am over-exaggerating and I apologise.
"Chand mera dil, chandni ho tüm, Chand se hai door, Chandni kahan"
(Moon is my heart, you are my moonlight, how far can moonlight be from the moon)
"Tere chehre se nazar nahi hat-ti, nazaare hum kya dekhein"
(I can't take my eyes off of you, how will I see the scenic beauty of the land)
Now, if THIS is my world.
AND then I hear
"Aati Honda mein, Audi mein jati tu khisak
Suck.. suck..Baby what the Fu.."
It causes massive turbulence inside.
But do we care about lyrics today? Do we care about competence?
Do we care about what message we are sending across as artists, as creators?
Do we feel responsible for shaping, re-shaping our culture?
As listeners, are we aware of what we're dancing on?
Are we in control or being controlled?
Do we have the right taste in music?
I believe that there is ABUNDANCE of music in every language, every genre, every style, every streaming platform.
For me, it's important that I listen to and promote the right artists which is why I keep away from pop charts.
What I've listened to and continue listening to is what shapes me as an artist.
But then again, nobody cares about the things I care about. At least not in the same order.