Friday 16 December 2011

Legend of 5AB - Kuldeep Manak

1st Dec 2011
Gurgaon

“You are not Kuldeep Manka…… You are Kuldeep Manak” These were the words of then Chief Minister of Punjab Sr. Partap Singh Kairon. That’s from where the name of this legendary Punjabi folk singer originated. Manak which means Standard and it suits perfectly for Kuldeep Manak Sahib who set high standards in Punjabi singing which will never be matched. His original name was Latif Mohammad, later he got converted to Sikhism and acquired the name ‘Kuldeep Singh’.

Kaliyan da badshah is no more’, the whole village ‘Jalal’ went in deep sorrow when this news arrived. He was being treated at DMC hospital in Ludhiana after suffering kidney problems. He had been admitted into hospital last week after contracting pneumonia. And after a prolonged illness the music legend passed away yesterday, 30th Nov 2011.

Born on 15th November 1949 in the village of Jalal district Bathinda, Manak was a member of musical family. Manak was of the tradition and caste of entertainers, known as Marasis. His ancestors were the hazoori raagis of Sikh religious songs for Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha.
Kuldeep Manak was the jewel of Punjabi music industry. From recording his 1st song at the young age of 17 in 1968 ‘Jija Akhiyan na maar…..’ to his final collaboration with Jazzy B for the album ‘Maharajas’ Manak was known for his powerful voice and perfect key.

I still remember the day when I 1st saw his performance during a kabadi competition in our village. The love and affection of people for him and his ‘kaliyan’ is unmatched. In a village of mere 1000 population the gathering for his performance was near about 10000. ‘Tere Tile ton…..’ was an amazing performance at the event, which is my favorite also and I sang it once in our college fest.

He left behind a huge legacy of Punjabi folk music which will inspire every singer to be like him. There will never be another singer, performing anywhere close to his benchmark performances.

 “MANAK haad muka geya nawiya kaliyan di……….”

Monday 12 December 2011

Once upon a time in a Police Station


25th Feb 2011
Sector 9, Gurgaon

It’s been a week my car was stolen. And I am here again, in police station to get my copy of FIR. I reached police station at around 6:00PM after calling concerned person hundreds of time for it.

An Inspector was giving instructions to a group of people at the gate. Some of them had bandages over their heads and some were with broken plastered arms, few had bruise marks over the face. By their talks I understood, they had a fight over the farm waters. And after a big fight they came here for the compromise.

I got warm welcome from the SHO who was sitting in lawn under a Guava tree. He ordered for a chair to his fellow junior for me and I joined him with two of his colleagues. He then ordered a boy to bring my FIR from inside, and then asked him to get a photocopy of the same to keep it in records. He went out and I had to wait for him to return.

Meanwhile an old lady came to the police station. She was there because her son ran away with her neighbor’s daughter. From their chat I came to know that it was not the 1st time that his son ran away with a girl and that too with the same girl. She was talking so comfortably with SHO about the incident like that it’s a routine for her.

“I can’t do anything…… They will come back after some time” SHO replied to her requests for some action.
“But the neighbors are threatening me of unfavorable consequences if their daughter doesn’t returns home…… From where can I bring them?” She said smilingly.
“Then what should I do? Last time also you brought them back…… This time also you can do that” SHO was stiff.
“They will break my head and you are saying you can’t do anything” She replied to his ‘can’t do anything’ attitude but the SHO was firm on his part that he won’t move from his chair.
She continued for some time and finally gave up and moved out with a smiling face, the way she entered. 
On the backdrop a police vala was shouting at a girl, a boy was accompanying her.
“Do your parents know this?”
“Sorry Sir, We were just coming back from our tuition” She replied with her eyes filled to the brims.
“Then what were you doing there……. Behind the railway track?” He was shouting aloud. May be he caught them in some compromising position from somewhere. I noticed that he has already slapped the boy. And now he was asking for their parent’s phone number.

I asked for where about’s of the boy who went for a photo copy of my FIR and SHO asked the same from his junior but nobody has any clue about that.
Meanwhile a lady came to SHO and started crying before saying anything. She told her story with more than needed tears. Her earlier landlord was threatening her. They had a doubt that she had stolen their jewelry while leaving for another home. And one can easily judge from her face that she was innocent. She wants SHO to send somebody with her to talk to her landlord. I was feeling pity for the poor lady but our SHO was still the same.

“We can’t go with everybody like this on such small complaints. Otherwise who will sit here, there is already a shortage of manpower. Go inside and give a written complaint. Write everything that you told in it” He ordered her to go inside without changing his instance.

At the backdrop that inspector was still shouting, but this time on that girl’s mother. “Can’t you control your children…… Don’t you know where they are going….. You people are responsible for all the shit happening around and then we have to take the blame if some thing wrong happens……. You can’t control a child then expect us to control whole of the city” He continued and the lady was just standing there with her head down.

After waiting for almost an hour at last that photocopy boy was back. And I thanked to SHO for the FIR and that entertainment before moving out. That girl and her mother was walking ahead of me while coming out, girl was walking 10 steps behind her mother to save herself from the burn. 

The police vala’s were still sitting there proudly. Don’t know for what? Either they did a great job in handing over my FIR copy, or listening to that ever smiling lady or not helping that poor Tenant or showcasing their power on a little girl and her mother.


Thursday 8 December 2011

The Monk Sold His Ferrari for us


It’s the best inspirational book among all I read and I think it’s a must read by everyone. If you don’t have much time to read this book then I have penned down few lessons it taught us……


  • Everything happens for a reason.
  • I can’t love you if I cannot love me.
  • When the student is ready, the teacher appears.
  • Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make.
  • I am an artist at living – my work of art is my life. (Suzuki)
  • Your I can is more important than your I.Q.
  • With one eye fixed on the destination, there is only one left to guide you along the journey.
  • Find out what you truly love to do and then direct all your energy towards doing it.
  • Everything is always created twice, first in mind and then in reality.
  • Imagination is more important than knowledge. (Einstein)
  • There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self. Run your own race.
  • Every second you spend thinking about someone else’s dreams you take time away from your own.
  • Only those who seek shall find.
  • He who serves the most reaps the most.
  • The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
  • If you can’t laugh at yourself who can you laugh at?
  • Never regret what has happened in the past.
  • Kaizen – This Japanese word means constant and never ending improvement.
  • Life favors the prepared mind.
  • I am more than I appear to be, all the world’s strength and power rests inside me.
  • Life is too short to make every mistake on your own. Try to learn from others mistakes often.
  • The Ten Rituals of Radiant Living –
  1. Ritual of Solitude – ensure to include a mandatory period of peace in daily schedule
  2. Ritual of physicality – As you train your body, train your mind also
  3. Ritual of Live Nourishment – Good Diet
  4. Ritual of Abundant Knowledge – Knowledge is power
  5. Ritual of  Personal Reflection – Know yourself (Your Talent)
  6. Ritual of sunbath – Wakeup early
  7. Ritual of Music
  8. Ritual of the Spoken Word – Mantras work
  9. Ritual of a Congruent Character – Take daily, incremental action to build your character
  10. Ritual of Simplicity
An A4 printout of these lessons is gracing my office cubicle. It will be great if I will be able to implement few of them in my life.
Thanks Mr. Robin S. Sharma