Amitabh Bachchan's Official Blog

DAY 1706

Jalsa, Mumbai Dec 17/18, 2012 Tue/Wed 12:48 AM

I did write some thoughts in verse without much … they were not restrained or practiced .. they came as did the time in putting them together .. flowing I would have imagined in some form and culture …

But it needs to be said : The translation into Hindi by Abhaya Sharma is simply phenomenal … thank you Abhaya .. your translation is better than the original .. many congratulations ..

here for all to see and read in case they missed it :

वह लघु निद्रा जो अक्सर मंडराती आती
प्रियजन की यादें है जो मन में भर जाती
हम मान समय का सदा यहाँ है रखते आये
खोने को जो है पास ध्यान हम वहां लगाये
मन में कोई नहीं भय किसी बदलाव का
यह तो जाल नियति की नई नित चाल का

हम यहाँ है
हम वहाँ है
समझो लगभग सभी जहाँ है

औ जो एंठन मंद होती चाल में है
टेढ़े मेढे कोण जिसकी ढाल में है
न डिगा पायें कभी अपने इरादे
दर्द कितना हो भयंकर हो छलावे
जिस्म में वह गर्मजोशी है हमारे
जोड़ देगी टूटते है जो किनारे
पथ सुबह का हर हमारी नई सुबह का
कर चुका है पार अब तो हर दखल का

अब तो जीवन बस नियम पर एक चलता
आ गया है बेअदब से दूर बह कर ये निकलता
मार्ग की सब भीड़ भरकम से निकल के
अनमने औ अटपटे से बच बचाके

खेल जो खेले थे हमने, खेले हम जी जान से
कल के खेमे, या कि सदियों की जलन के
एक अवसर पा गए है आज फिर से लड़ते जीते
काम कुछ कर जायेंगे इससे कि पहले पलक झपके
और जो मुझको सहारा था किसी का आज बनना
बस थामना चाहूँगा मै गिरते हुए उनके पतन का

ऊंघ पर है नींद की अधिकार किसका जो क़तर दे
क्या हुआ गर कोई से भी हो किसी ने वस्त्र पहने
आज कोई फिर से आ मुझको जगा दे
और ज्वाला को बुझा वह प्रेम रस फिर से पिला दे

वस्त्र आभूषण विवाहोचित हो या फिर हो पुस्तकों से
है अहम् यह बात, हूँ कैसा मै दिखता देखने में
प्यार कितनों से मिला है चित्र भी कितने निराले
पीढियों के संग कैसे फिर आज मै पहुंचा किनारे

ये घडी बेला है ये शुभ आज की कितनी मनोहर
है सहायक दूर करती दुःख बन मेरी धरोहर
आँत में हलचल मचाती जो भी भीतर यंत्रणाये
बंद होती या कि खुलती कर रही कुछ मंत्रणाएं

और मैं फिर बढ़ चला अपने सफ़र पे सब से मिलने
फिर विमोचन एक पुस्तक का चला था आज करने

मुस्कान मुलाकातों मस्ती का दौर रहेगा
सम्मानित करने उनको न मिल पाया जिनसे बरसों से
भाषण शब्द कहे जायेंगे प्रेम का भी होगा अभिसार
यह सब मुझको नहीं लगता अब इतना भी दुश्वार

अब यह सब देखा भाला जाना पहचाना लगता है
पीठ के पीछे कोई कुछ भी बोले अब सब चलता है
वापस आता हूँ अब यह शांति काल की बेला है
घर का भोजन, खाना पाकर मन मेरा अलबेला है

जो कुछ भी वे करते है निश्चित ही वह अच्छा है
रोने धोने से लाभ, क्या तू अब तक भी बच्चा है
सही समय अभ्यास का अब जब आन पड़ा है
लिखा इतना बुरा है मानो लेखक पूरा नौसिखिया है

दिखाई दे रही है बिस्तर पर सुन्दर रंग की हरी चादरे
और अनगिनत कोमल तकिये भरे पेट का स्वागत करते
शुभ रात्रि शुभ रात्रि मेरे परम प्रियों
डरना मत गिर जाओ अगर नींद में ख्बाव देखते !

अपने इस अद्भुत परिवार को मेरा सदा प्यार और अभिनन्दन !
अमिताभ बच्चन

(अनुवाद अभय शर्मा)

And here the original in English … in case you missed it :

That little sleep that wanders in

Among the trudgings of our kin,

We are forever keeping time, of lost possessions amongst the grime,

Be not afraid of variant changes, they come adorn and revolve round hinges.

We are here

We are there

We are almost everywhere ..

That spasm of the limiting walk ;

Crooked and angled away from balk.

Determined we are to pursue the cause, in heavy pain and all its flaws ..

Working up the body warm,

Neutralizing all of it thats shorn ;

The ridden route all day and morn

Has now become worthy of such scorn,

That following discipline, follows alone

The others so ill mannered that flown

In and around the congested path,

Are but the tidings of unwanted wrath ..

The games that play with deep concerns,

Of future camps, and ageing burns

Has given us a fighting chance, to be of use without much glance ..

Were I to hold a torch to them, I would encourage not to rot the stem

But slumber sleep is seldom shorn, irrespective of what was worn ;

Come take me down

Come slobber me up

Come perish a frown, and soup me cup ..

Dressings own for marriage and book,

Its important how I look to look ,

Love of many, pictures galore

Rushing off with progeny and shore ..

It is the auspicious time and day, of those that helped and to alay

The complications of the gut, switched on and off in that..ched hut

And on again on journey more, to releases of the written chore

Smiles and meetings, laughs and more

To honor that which hibernates for sure ..

Speeches, word and loving care,

I have no reason to despair

For they are just a friendly front

Behind of course they rant and grunt ..

Back from it all to calmer climes,

Of home and food and khana times ..

They are the best at what they do

Best left alone to grunt and croo ..

The best of times is now in practice

Writing the worst , worse than a novice ..

Looking forward to the green sheets bed,

Soft pillows aplenty for the stomach well fed …

Good night good night my dearest all ..

Be not afraid when in your dreams you fall ..

My love and admiration to this wonderful family …

Amitabh Bachchan

It is a talent that surpasses all other, when the copy betters the original ..

In times of comparison, often the impression of that which came before remains longer and with great space. It is a rarity then to find and we a witness to that which came after and beterred the one that first presented itself ..

Many a family, particularly so of celebrity, often hope and expect the tradition to be carried and improved upon. A legacy is not something that enamours me. My children must be human and in principle and discipline. That would be the best translation that anyone could offer …

My Father’s words resound ..

“मेरे बेटे

बेटे होने से मेरे उत्तराधिकारी नहीं होंगे

जो मेरे उत्तराधिकारी होंगे वो मेरे बेटे होंगे ..”

“My sons

just because they are my sons, shall not be my successors or inheritors,

those that are my successors or inheritors, shall be my sons !!!”

The Father holds the little finger of his new born, when it takes its first steps, to walk along in support, in care, in its guidance. When Father’s and Mother’s grow with age, can we not hold their little finger and help them to tide over their last years, with support and care ??

There comes a delegation this afternoon of publishers of repute the world over, to suggest to me the desire to publish my auto biography, to put together in book form this very coveted and almost pious to me, Blog. My response may have seemed disappointing to them.

My Blog is my personal communication with my extended family .. one that I sit across each evening to share discuss and debate. If it shall be converted to book, it will incur cost and economics. Is this what I had envisioned for the Ef when we first started ? No !! Moreover, if commissioned I would feel handicapped in writing further DAYs, for then it would forever play in my mind that someday what I write shall be converted to book and sale !!! It would rob me of the freedom that I exercise when I am with you .. a consciousness would forever creep in on the content and text of my expressions ; knowing that one day it shall become worthy of being published !! Err … no … that would be disturbing for me !!

Auto biography ?? Not worthy enough for any kind of documentation of my life myself. Impressions of others is more than welcome, but not in the first person.

The argument is that, even the Blog has moments of the ‘I’ which prevails !! Right, it does ! But this is conversation, the other would be an unchallenged aberration ! Besides, in the presence of the mammoth anthology of my Father’s works, it would be impertinent to think that I would want to indulge in something that even remotely resembles what is commonly known as ‘writing’ … !!!

Discussions throughout the day continue … and continue on similar vein … not of writing but of recitation, much like the Lincoln Center, New York or the Theatre du Champs Elysees, Paris. This I like and must do. The how and where and when is now under planning. It would be a joy, a satisfaction, an ode to the greatness of my Father’s works. And perhaps one that shall hopefully enthral others too, that show love for the finer elements of literature and poem.

There is discussion too on film and future project. All of which now urges to fall into place. Of the future association with KBC and Tv ..

So much to do … and so little time …

But must prod along regardless, see that minimal opening in the doorway, pushing our foot into it and allowing it to remain there … until … the door opens wider to our needs and inputs and our contributions … !

Till then, in hope and prayer ..

Amitabh Bachchan