Rodevra Republic

Gitanjali Aiyar, one of the most recognisable faces of early Doordarshan news This takes us back to the time when Doordarshan began its broadcasts in the 1970s. I was reminded of those years by the recent passing of Gitanjali Aiyar. She was 71. In an interview in 2020, she spoke about how, from the age of six, she was deeply drawn to the voices on radio. At home, the family would stop everything to listen to the news, with her father insisting on complete silence. She was influenced by the clarity and diction of newsreaders like Pamela Singh and Surajit Sen, and this gradually shaped her love for the medium. She went on to study drama, trained at the National School of Drama, and eventually followed her dream into broadcasting. At that time, her children were very young and barely understood what their mother did. For them, it simply meant that she had gone out to work. Outside, however, she became widely recognised and much admired. The Doordarshan studios of those days were very simp...

The Piper still plays — only the music has changed, and the crowds have grown larger With his beautiful music he led the children to the top of Koppelberg Hill, where he took them to a beautiful land. He then made them walk into the Weser river as he did with the rats, and they all drowned. The story is no different today. Millions of amateur investors (as children of Hamelyn) are being lured to the market with the wonderful music they hear.  Going uphill (as with the rise in their equitiy valuations) gives them a unique thrill and what they see there is a beautiful land where they think they can camp forever. Seeing their happy faces and merrymaking the onlookers all join in for fear of missing out. But alas, they are unknowingly led to the river and they all drown.  Interestingly in the story, only three children are saved. One was lame and could not follow quickly enough, the second was deaf and therefore could not hear the music, and the last was blind and therefore unable...

The White Rabbit — always in a hurry  Beginning 22nd January, the Chinese zodiac marks 2023 as the Year of the Rabbit — more specifically, the Year of the Water Rabbit. The rabbit is considered the luckiest among the twelve animals and is associated with gentleness, thoughtfulness, and a tendency to act with care. The Year of the Rabbit is said to bring a more peaceful and patient energy. The element of water adds another dimension — encouraging reflection, inner wisdom, and trust in one’s instincts. Together, the Water Rabbit suggests a year that favours relationships, diplomacy, and the building of bridges, both personal and professional. Those born in Rabbit years — 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, and 2023 — are believed to be particularly aligned with these qualities, and may find the year especially favourable. With this sense of gentle optimism, I am reminded of another rabbit — from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . The White Rabbit, who appears re...

Some lives do not merely succeed — they quietly redefine what is possible . This is the story of one such individual, a scientist whose journey reflects not only intellectual brilliance but also a deep sense of purpose and commitment. He went on to become one of India’s most eminent scientists, holding leadership positions in the country’s foremost scientific and research institutions. He served as Director General of CSIR, chaired several high-powered national committees, and was closely associated with India’s innovation movement, including his role as Chairman of the National Innovation Foundation. His work earned him global recognition. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), one of the highest honours in science, and has also been elected to prestigious academies across the world. Over the years, he has received numerous awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. More than forty universities have honoured him with honorary doctorates. Yet, what makes h...

Kintsukuroi: broken pottery repaired with gold, made more beautiful by its fractures I had received a New Year greeting with the word Vorfreude . This German word is unique and has no exact English equivalent. It comes from the words vor ("before") and Freude ("joy") and means something along the lines of "joyful anticipation." Germans mostly associate Vorfreude with the feeling of anticipation before Christmas and New Year. Every language has its own flavour, shaped by the culture of its people. As a result, there are terms or expressions that are unique to it and do not easily lend themselves to equivalent English translations. Sometimes, when one wants to express an emotion at a deeper level, certain languages already have a ready word for it, a word that may be rooted in the ethos and culture of that society. In this sense, the Japanese come to mind, especially with the importance they give to striking a balance within themselves and with Nature ...

Freedom sometimes feels like being born again You may have heard the famous song from the film Guide , with lyrics by Kaviraj Shailendra: ओ-ओ, काँटों से खींच के ये आँचल तोड़ के बंधन, बाँधी पायल ओ-ओ, कोई ना रोके दिल की उड़ान को दिल वो चला आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है आज फिर मरने का इरादा है What is intriguing is the line “आज फिर मरने का इरादा है” , which appears to stand in direct contrast to the preceding line “आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है.” Why would Shailendra place these two powerful yet seemingly contradictory lines together? The answer perhaps lies in the opening lines themselves. They capture a woman’s exhilarating sense of freedom: “काँटों से खींच के ये आँचल…” In the film, Waheeda Rehman as Rosy has been pulled back from the brink of despair. Encouraged by Raju (Dev Anand), she buys herself a pair of payal from the village market. That small act becomes the spark that reignites the dancer within her, allowing her to break free from a stifling and oppressive domestic life. The joy a...

Walk alone. The destination is within. A film song that quietly echoes the Advaita idea: the seeker and the sought are one Notwithstanding the controversies surrounding the film Laal Singh Chaddha , it contains a gem of a song that is worth reflecting upon. While the English subtitles provide a literal translation, the deeper meaning of the lyrics, to my mind, resonates strongly with the principles of Advaita . This couplet captures the essence beautifully: तू आपे सवाली है, आपे ही पयम्बर है तू खुद है तमाशा भी, आपे ही कलंदर है You are the seeker, you are also the messenger. You are the spectacle itself, and you are the one who watches it. The next couplet is equally meaningful: बेकार तलाशे तू, दरगाह में शिवालों में जिस यार को तू ढूंढे, वो तेरे ही अंदर है You wander in vain in shrines and temples. The one you seek is already within you. The idea is familiar to anyone who has encountered Advaita. The Divine that we search for outside is, in truth, within ourselves. The song also touch...

Here is a story at the end of which you may ask yourself: Who is the real saint? There was once a saintly man who crossed a river every day, as his ashram was on the other side. A poor boatman ferried him across daily. Out of respect for the holy man, the boatman never charged him anything. In any case, he thought, where would a saint have money? The boatman was simple and innocent. He had no knowledge of shastras or scriptures. Yet during their daily journeys across the river, the saint would often speak on spiritual matters. He spoke about God and about how one should relate to Him in everyday life. The boatman listened with deep attention and complete faith. One day the saint invited the boatman to visit his ashram. When they arrived, the saint said to him, “At one time I was a very successful merchant and had earned enormous wealth. But an unfortunate incident took away my wife and children. With no family left, I wondered what use all this wealth was to me. I decided to renounce e...

A moment of quiet release — from the song “Ja Re Ja Re Ud Ja Re Panchhi” Would you believe that the song “जा रे, जा रे उड़ जा रे पंछी” can convey such depth of meaning through the simple image of a bird in flight? Just look at the words: जा रे, जा रे उड़ जा रे पंछी बहारों के देस जा रे यहाँ क्या है मेरे प्यारे क्यूँ उजड़ गई बगिया मेरे मन की जा रे ... ना डाली रही ना कली अजब ग़म की आँधी चली उड़ी दुख की धूल राहों में जा रे ... मैं वीणा उठा ना सकी तेरे संग गा ना सकी ढले मेरे गीत आहों में जा रे ... Majrooh Sultanpuri uses the image of a flying bird to express something far deeper than a simple farewell. On the surface, we see Mala Sinha urging Dev Anand to move away from her life. But the song seems to suggest something more — a quiet realisation to break free. That realisation comes after a certain barrenness, an emptiness in existence. The pain strikes like lightning — perhaps a sudden flash of awareness. When one can no longer align with one’s inner harmony, and life’s song fad...

A different lens — how Awara was seen beyond India Today’s song is “Awara Hoon” from the Raj Kapoor film Awara (1951). What is remarkable is the film’s immense popularity outside India, particularly in regions such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Turkey. In Turkey, the film was released in 1955 and went on to become a major success. It was screened and re-released several times until 1962. The song itself was played on national radio on important occasions — a measure of how deeply it had entered public memory. Raj Kapoor, the showman, had an instinctive ability to connect with audiences across class, language, and geography. Whether through his style or his themes, he found a way to reach people. The Turkish poster (see above) is an interesting example — it presents a more rugged, almost macho Raj Kapoor, and a more sensuous Nargis, both looking outward, perhaps toward a different horizon. What made the song so widely loved? Was it the chemistry between Raj Kapoor and Nar...