PM Modi Returns from US

PM Modi has made a triumphal entry into Delhi to the sound of thunderous applause. There is no doubt that he is now one of the most prominent and popular premiers of the world and, as a result, the country too has gained an international reputation. We had decades of domination by our neighbouring countries, but now we have achieved political domination of them all only because of our Prime Minister’s Charismatic leadership.

'लोक साहित्य में ग्राम्य जीवन'

जुलाई 18, 2019 को आकाशवाणी लखनऊ द्वारा 'लोक साहित्य में ग्राम्य जीवन' विषय पर मेरी एक भेंटवार्ता प्रसारित हुई थी जिसका कुछ अंश निम्नवत है । इसी तरह 'अवधी बोली साहित्य में ग्राम्य दर्शन' विषय पर मेरे द्वारा प्रस्तुत वार्ता की रिकार्डिंग दिनांक 15 अक्तूबर 2019 को होनी है । यह आपको 22 अक्तूबर को सायं 6.20 बजे आकाशवाणी पर उपलब्ध होगा ।
'लोक साहित्य में ग्राम्य जीवन'
आज भी हमारे देश की जनसंख्या का बड़ा हिस्सा परंपरावादी लोगों का है । ये लोग या तो अशिक्षित लोग हैं या अल्प-शिक्षित लोग हैं । ऐसे लोगों द्वारा जो स्वाभाविक साहित्य उत्पन्न होता है उसी को लोक साहित्य कहते हैं । सामान्यतः स्थानीय भाषा में गाये जाने वाले गीत, पचरा, भजन, मांगलिक कार्यक्रमों में प्रचलित सोहर व गारी, विभिन्न ऋतुओं में गायी जाने वाली कजरी, धमाल, बच्चों को सुलाने के लिए कहानियाँ व लोरी इत्यादि हमारे लोक साहित्य के अंग हैं । इस साहित्य में मुख्य रूप से ग्रामीण जीवन का चित्रण मिलता है और हमारी प्राचीन संस्कृति और जीवन शैली को जीवंत प्रस्तुत करता है ।
यूँ तो लोक-साहित्य का प्रचलन केवल गावों तक ही सीमित नहीं है – शहरों में भी यह लोकप्रिय है फिर भी बढ़ती हुई शिक्षा व आधुनिकता को देखते हुए शनैः शनैः यह साहित्य अब ग्रामीण अंचल में सिकुड़ता जा रहा है । आज भी खेतों में काम करते समय किसान सामूहिक गीत गाते हैं, त्योहारों में खुशियाँ मानने के लिए गीत गाकर नृत्य करते हैं, सावन माह में पेड़ों पर झूले डालकर महिलाएँ व किशोरियाँ गा गा कर झूले का आनंद लेती हैं, विवाह, मुण्डन आदि संस्कारों में पारंपरिक गीत गाकर विभिन्न रस्में पूरी की जाती हैं । जहाँ तक शहरों का सवाल है वहाँ ये सारे रश्म व रिवाज काफ़ी हद तक बदल चूक हैं ।
भारत के प्रमुख लोकगीत अंगिका, अवधी, कन्नौजी, कश्मीरी, कोरकू, कुमाँऊनी, खड़ी बोली, गढ़वाली, गुजराती, गोंड, छत्तीसगढ़ी, निमाड़ी, पंजाबी, पँवारी, बघेली, बाँगरू, बांग्ला और बुन्देली हैं ।
लोक-संस्कृति के सन्दर्भ में जहाँ तक उत्तर प्रदेश का सम्बन्ध है तो ध्यातव्य है कि उसमें उत्तर प्रदेश के लोक-संस्कृति का प्रतिबिम्ब हू-ब-हू देखने को मिलता है। यहाँ के निवासियों का रहन-सहन, रीति-रिवाज, खान-पान, तीज-त्यौहार, व्रत-उपवास, आस्था-विश्वास, सुख-दु:ख सभी की अनगिन छवियों का भावन उत्तर प्रदेश के लोक-साहित्य के अन्तर्गत किया जा सकता है।
उत्तर प्रदेश की संस्कृति ग्राम्य संस्कृति है। यहाँ के लोग मुख्यत: खेती पर निर्भर करते हैं। उनके जीवन का केन्द्र और धुरी सब कृषि पर ही टिका हुआ है। यही कारण है कि यहाँ का लोक-संसार हो या लोक साहित्य सभी अत्यन्त सहज है, प्रकृत है। बनावट या कृत्रिमता का कहीं कोई नामोनिशान नहीं है। प्रकृति से घनिष्ठता रखने वाला लोक-मन प्रकृति के हर कोमल-कठोर रूप का खुली बाँहों से स्वागत करता है। पर्वोँ–त्यौहारों के प्रति जो उल्लास यहाँ के लोगों में दिखायी पड़ता है वह यहाँ के लोकगीतों में भी दिखायी पड़ता है।
अवधी के इस लोक गीत को देखिए कि नायिका जितनी चंचल है उतनी ही भोली है :
मैं अलबेली गुदाय आई गुदना
मैं जो गई पानी भरने संग गए अपना
टूट गयी रस्सी लटक गये अपना
मैं अलबेली...
मैं जो गई रोटी करने संग गए अपना
फूल गई रोटी पिचक गए अपना
मैं अलबेली...
यहाँ दूसरी नायिका को देखिए जो कुएँ में जल भरने आई है - अहह कितनी प्रफुल्लित है !
जल भर ले हिलोरें हिलोर रसरिया रेशम की
अरर जल भर ले हिलोरे हिलोर ----
रेशम की रसरी तब नीकी ल़ागे
सोने की गगरिया होय --रसरिया रेशम की
उत्तर प्रदेश में प्रचलित लोक गीतों में सोहर सबसे लोकप्रिय गीत है । ग्रामीण आँचलों में महिलाएँ विभिन्न मांगलिक कार्यक्रमों में इसे बड़े चाव से गाती हैं :
बंसी तो बाजी मेरे रंग-महल में
सासू जो ऐहैं राजा चढ़वा चढ़न को,
उनहूँ को नेग दे देना मोरे अच्छे राजा,
उनहूँ को नेग दे देना मोरे भोले राजा,
मोती से उजले राजा,
फूलों से हलके राजा,
तारों से पतले राजा,
नैनों से नैन मिलाना ,मुखड़े से हँस बतलाना,
रंग-महल में ।
शरद और चैत्र नौरात्रि में गाँव गाँव में देवी गीत के मधुरिम संगीत भला किसके मन को मुग्ध नहीं कर सकता :
देबी दयाल भईं अंगन मोरे होय निसरी
मईया के अँखियाँ आमे कै फकियाँ
भौहें कमान तनी अंगन मोरे होय निसरी
मईया कै दतवा अनारे कै दाना
जिभिया कमल की कलि अंगन मोरे होय निसरी
होली का त्यौहार भी यहाँ बड़े चाव से मनाया जाता है। पूरा गाँव मिलकर होली खेलता है। क्या बूढ़ा - क्या जवान, क्या पुरुष – क्या स्त्री, क्या बाल – क्या वृद्ध सब होली के रंगों में सराबोर हो जाते हैं। ऐसा ही एक चित्ताकर्षी उदाहरण इस लोकगीत में द्रष्टव्य है –
अवध मा होरी खेलें रघूबीरा
कहिके हाथ कनक पिचकारी
केहि के हाथ मनचीरा
अवध मा होरी खेलें रघूबीरा
विवाह गीत का एक उदाहरण :
मोरे पिछवरवाँ लौंगा कै पेड़वा लौंगा चुवै आधी रात
लौंगा मै चुन बिन ढेरिया लगायों लादी चले हैं बनिजार
लड़ चले हैं बनिजरवा बेटौवा लादि चले पिय मोर
अबहीं बारी है हमारी उमिरिया बाबा
डारो शादी की अबहीं ना बेडिया बाबा
मै तोरी बगिया की नाजुक कलिया
डोले फिरूँ तोरे अँगना महलिया
तोहरे घरवा की हम हैं अंजोरिया बाबा
सावन में झूला झूलते समय किशोरियाँ जब इस गीत को गाती हैं तब सभी के हृदय पुलकित हो उठते है और यह अनुभव होता है कि मानों वर्षा ऋतु के रूप में प्रकृति ने मानव को उपहार प्रदान किया है :
झूला पड़ा कदम की डाली
झूले कृष्ण मुरारी नाय ...
अवधी के नकटा का एक विशेष ही आकर्षण है :
हमसे खिंचत न गगरिया कमर मोरी छल्ला मुन्दरिया
वोहि सासू मोरी जनम की बैरनि,
दुई-दुई भरावें गगरिया, कमर मोरी छल्ला मुन्दरिया
वोहि देवरा मोरे बचपन का साथी
काँधे टेकावै गगरिया मोरी छल्ला मुन्दरिया
रोपनी गीत:
रिमझिम बरसे पनियाँ,
आवा चली धान रोपे धनियाँ।
लहरत बा तलवा में पनियाँ,
आवा चली धान रोपे धनियाँ।
सोने के थारी मं ज्योना परोसैं,
पिया कां जेंवाईं आईं धनियाँ।
झंझरे गेरुआ मं गंगा जल पनियाँ,

इसी तरह बाल-गीत, जाँत गीत, विदाई गीत, रोटी गीत, निर्गुण आदि आज भी पूरे मस्ती में गये जाते हैं ।

PM Modi Addressing to UNGA

PM Modi gave an impressive speech at UN today. He focused on his policy on cleanliness, welfare schemes, protection of the environment and peace and harmony. He raised his concerns about terrorism, indicating that it is a collective responsibility to combat it. He said, “I come from that country which has given Buddh to the world instead of Yuddh.” He talked of India’s Motto: “Public welfare through public participation” and “Inclusive growth by collective efforts". A big crowd of Indian Americans gathered outside the UN Headquarters, chanting Modi, Modi !!! At the same time, a large and excited crowd of Baloch people protested against Pakistan’s inhuman treatment of them.

Howdy Modi!

PM Modi visits America where he is warmly received by the top American officials; a red carpet has been laid out from his plane door to the car waiting for him. Now when PM Pakistan, Mr Imaran Khan arrives at the American air port, he is received by his own men only with a doormat treatment. This is the difference between a civilized community and an extremist community. The whole world is excited to see the Prime Minister at NRG Stadium, Houston. It is the mark of our prominence, excellence and strength that we have developed under PM Modi’s leadership. We are proud of him and of this grand 'Howdy Modi!' celebration, promoting our friendship with America.

A Poet Studies Man

A scientist studies nature and a poet studies man. Science finds out an easier way of life whereas poetry discovers how a better life can be lived. However, both of them revolutionize human society. As knowledge evolves and people assimilate new ideas, techniques and information, beliefs and social order change. Read Snippets of Life Music and see if it updates you on a better way to a successful life.

A computer connected by the Internet is not friendly to our eyes and mind. We often lose patience to read a serious book on the computer or mobile phone. But a paperback edition always feels pleasant and helps us enjoy a book to the full. Find a copy of #SnippetsofLifeMusic and see how it soothes and refreshes your tired mind with delightful and exotic ideas. Let me also assure you this book will not only repay the small amount of money you spend on it but also give you something which money cannot buy.

Those who love money too much do not think of anything else as much as they think of making and saving money. Generally, teachers are penny-pinching by nature, but if a professor develops to be frugal, you do not expect him to do some research. Read Snippets of Life Music and enjoy a wealth of exotic thoughts presented in a very entertaining way.

Get What Twenty Novels can Offer

A novel is a long story about some imaginary events and therefore takes up a lot of your time. If it is one that stimulates your curiosity by its early pages, you are sure to keep reading whatever lies ahead. But in the end, it is not certain that it will pay off. #SnippetsofLifeMusic is a collection of twenty short stories: each a few pages long but with contents of a wholesome novel. By reading this single book, you are going to get what twenty novels can offer. Just try on and you will be amazed to see it is not an exaggeration.

If you cast a cursory glance at the stories in Snippets of life Music, you are going to find them quite simple. But if you read them carefully, you will be amazed to get something exciting and interesting. The deeper you go, the more you will enjoy the different shades of meaning, connotations and subtexts. The book does not have conventional stories with some accounts of how something happened or descriptions of some invented events aimed at entertaining people. They are serious and of lasting value: likely to be numbered among the masterpieces of classical literature. So it is recommended that you read the book multiple times. You will understand a story at a much deeper level and catch more subtle and finer nuance of views and emotion, each time you read one.

Just form an association of hundred people and you will see each one having fondness for different things: someone would love to cook, some to serve, some to enjoy delivering speeches, some to sing, some to manage people, some to arrange meetings, some to report on the events – now your association is complete with its limbs, head, mouth, eyes and all other parts of its body. Read Snippets of life Music and know the secrets of a symbiotic relationship and also of society.

A Cornucopia of Unexplored Ideas

Generally, people do not risk purchasing a book which is not popular, whereas a book receives a quick boost not because it is better than others but because it has been advertised very heavily or the author has excited comment by passing some controversial remark. One day I happened to meet a book vendor who was selling novels and other sorts of fiction books. I asked him to sell my book, Snippets of Life Music. He took no time to reply and said, “Babuji, nobody will buy it until it is well-known like those by great authors.” Well, you wait, I reflected, you’ll be selling it second-hand. Good wine needs no bush: the book is exceptional – it may take time but will need no ad campaign.

Big publishing houses today avoid accepting a work by some new author, however remarkable and impressive it is; rather, they prefer a potboiler or a manuscript by some famous person no matter how below par it is. Generally, science students are so busy with their studies that they seldom find time to understand people and the tricky situations and, as a result, often fail to show diplomacy in dealing with them. #SnippetsofLifeMusic is not of poor quality aimed at earning money quickly. The short stories in the book are different pictures of society and cover a few of the most important aspects of society. It is therefore the book is a must read.

The book, Snippets of Life Music, has many distinguishing features, but what make it exceptionally rare are diverse topics that it covers. If a story unfolds against a background of legal system, there is some other based on business affairs or political activities. You will find examples of many different technical terms like: scientific, business, social, medical, political, communicative, spiritual, legal, administrative – all in one book.

Snippets of Life Music is neither a collection of comments on some mythology nor of pieces of writing taken from some old books – it is a cornucopia of unexplored and strange ideas. It is a wonderful collection of short stories, which are based on heuristics. 

You will read it today or tomorrow. So why not get your copy today. 

Good Stories Inspire Children

Art and music appeal even to infants. Play a sweet music or sing a melodious song – you will see it responding to it. Let it grow a little older and its cognition be a bit sharp; the child will listen to your stories, mulling over events. Slowly they will start to imitate their hero in the story. A good story helps children build up their confidence, gain good habits and develop an inquiring attitude to learning. 

Once mothers used to tell stories or sing soothing lullabies to their young children to help them go to sleep. These children, inspired by the stories, grew up to be respectable, courteous and disciplined. Tolstoy’s stories have the power to change one’s view of life; Aesop’s fables can make its reader a perfect man. Now with people having a casual attitude towards literary books and sociological studies, the society has been led astray and uncontrollable children grow into young criminals. 

Read SnippetsofLifeMusic; it caters for all levels and each one is sure to find their favourite story.

Feedback from my Readers

The following is some feedback from the learned readers of my book, Snippets of Life Music:

Suresh Kr Pandey I read it last night,very beautiful story. About ‘The Girl’

Bill Adkins I enjoyed the Fantasy read!!

Julie Tu Ramesh, FANTASTIC! A riveting read; wonderfully crafted. My hair's name is Makiko and that's exactly the type of fear she inspires in men. LOL! : )

Pawan Kumar just read two stories from the link. You are great sir. You should get these published as a book.

Sanjay Singh: Read ur article,fantastic way to express in indian context, keep alive spirit,let the world know tiwari ji from Bahraich can turn the table of writers .

Chitra Lele A nice play on words---depicting the tug of war between emotion and reason (y) best wishes Ramesh Tiwari Sir (Walls of Hesitation) Your book is certainly a melting pot of wondrous tales. I can't wait to read it Ramesh Tiwari Sir.

Pramod Srivastava धन्यदाव तिवारी जी।
कल आपकी कहानी पढ़ी थी।
बहुत अच्छी लगी, प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं की तैयारी करने वालों को और मेहनत करने की प्रेरणा देगी, साम्प्रदायिक सौहार्द का नायाब नमूना... The Power of Prayer.

English teacher, Sri Amar Singh Vishen I got #Snippets_of_Life_music,a beautiful collection of short stories by Ramesh Tiwari , This book, as its subtitle states, is a classic. I own it, and I still am moved by the introductory chapter in which the author explains why using precise language is vital to protecting truth in society. This would make a great gift for the readers.I am really thankful for providing us such great creation.

Julie Tu Ramesh Tiwari, thank you. Just remembering your excellent essays and short stories!! I am glad you are on FB. We learn so much about India from you. Indeed your viewpoints are really realistic and worth sharing.

A Judas

Read my latest short story under the title ‘A Judas’ that I wrote the month before last and that has just been published in the leading journal Criterion. See how a person whose job is to persuade people into buying a service or into giving their support often shows a lack of conscience and does not hesitate to act in a dishonest or immoral way in order to get what they want. It is not because they are fundamentally unscrupulous but because evasive and unpredictable people compel them to be.

The Universe Obeys God

Nobody can make one do anything devotedly unless one is inclined to do that, and this is why it can be said that the universe obeys God. Even lifeless things do as they are told by Him. In 'Snippets of Life Music' there is a story of a father who tries his best to bring his children up as he wanted them to be but ultimately fails. Thus the story conveys how God manages and controls the world and how He is concerned about all sorts of jobs, both good and bad, as either of them helps the world running. Here is an excerpt from the story:

Lost in the daydream, Dayanand reached home earlier than usual, but as he found his sons in the bed, he started to suspect that they had always been sleeping till late in the morning. He also remembered that he had found them watching TV when one day he came home from work earlier. Perhaps his sons did not dedicate themselves to their studies, he thought. All he dreamed about them was mere his dream and it was not going to come true.

He, however, woke them up gently and started to coax them into rising early and reading their books, but the boys listened to him quite listlessly. After they had padded into the bathroom, he decided that he would stay at home to watch their every move as it was a Sunday.

The children made their way into the dining room for breakfast and sat at the table for over an hour waiting for their father to leave home as they wanted to go out to enjoy their holiday with their friends. But when their father did not budge from the house, they got up, disappointed, and walked over to their desks. They pretended to flick through their books for a few minutes then they slowly slipped out. One of them sat by a plant in the courtyard, looking worried, watching its leaves. The other one leaned agonizingly over the gate and started to watch people coming and going in the street.

When Dayanand came out of his room to see if his sons were doing their stuff, he found them absent. He made for the courtyard. But as the boys heard him coming, they soon bestirred themselves and started watering the plants in the garden. The father turned back without saying a word, thinking that they were doing something useful and would soon be back to their desks.

After they had finished that job, they came in under the impression that his father was not going out that day. Shrestha, the elder of the two, went to his mother and reminded her of the out-of-town vegetable bazaar which is held on every Sunday morning. ‘Oh yes,’ his mother said, ‘you’d better go there and buy some fresh vegetables and fruit.’ .......

Mobile Phone

Mobile is much more harmful than what it gives to the world. It has become a threat to normal family life, to the dynamics of the social system and also to the ecosystem. The coming generation will read in the books “once there were birds that used to sing sweet songs in the morning” or “family members would sit together in the evening to enjoy idle gossips”. Constant use of mobile brings on a headache and leads to feelings of depression and fatigue. The time is not far away when we will end up becoming a robot or losing our civilization. There is an exquisite story about birds in my book, Snippets of Life Music – read it. Here is an excerpt from the story:

I was a little late because of the pause, so I made straight for the backyard from where a short and high-pitched sound of contact calls was coming. “What? The warblers have arrived first?” I said to myself as I hurried towards the veranda. The regular guests of mine were drifting along the platform, flying and landing frequently, then whirling around to have fun. I became very happy to see them, then glanced up at the parapet to see what Drut was doing and found him glaring at the birds below with an aggressive call as “Cheii-cheii-whittei-chirrr-it-it”. I was amazed to see his belligerent gesture and, before I could think of anything else, he dived at one of the tiny birds which went into a skid. His unexpected attack scared away all the birds. “Oh, birds too!” I exclaimed in wonder.

Exasperated with Drut, I went to the chair on the veranda and sat down without paying any further attention to him. He came jumping near me but I still took no notice of him, whereupon he started flying up and down in front of me. Now I could not help myself – I had to look at him. He finally went back to the floor.

“You mean you don’t want other birds to join you?” I said to him fretfully, leaning over him. “Look, I love all the birds that come here and have enough things to feed them all. Besides, birds cannot drink all the water in the well, however large be their number. If you think you’re going to share something with them, you’re very much mistaken. In future, make sure no one is discriminated against.”

When he inferred I was not pleased, he flew up and sat on the table facing me, now warbling in a sweet voice. “You’re sorry perhaps?” I continued, but soon realized that he can communicate his present feelings only.