Hospitals are not supposed to be likeable places, no matter how grand they appear, or how many snazzy fast food chains they may sport within their premises they still reek of sadness. So I was at a "Super Specialty" Hospital few days back waiting to meet a friend who was recovering from his operation and they had this small corner of the waiting room converted into temple with people sitting and praying and others reading Hanuman chalisa and other spiritual text. At first it seemed little bit filmy to me, people praying for their dear ones in a hospital sitting on ground, all devoted, ringing temple bells ,but the intensity and desperation made it hard for to me to mock them or even question the public display of faith. For spending time there made me realize how much people mean to each other and how much power and energy you get sitting in front of god, even if it is in gloomiest of places.
The gesture reminded me of this hair raising scene , the song, signifying the daredevilry and spirit of the sikhs is from tv movie Tamas, based on a short story by Bhisham sahni set in the time before independence depicting the widespread communal riots and all the politics that govern them. This particular scene just leaves you awestruck. Uttara Baokar after seeing male members of the group go to fight against the rioters who have surrounded them , starts singing this battle cry by herself and inspires the rest of ladies to join her and in a way prepare them for the big sacrifice, knowing that the rioters would get better of the group's men she arouses the whole group to go ahead and jump into well and die rather than get molested by the rioters. Every time I watch this scene I find myself speechless, awed by the strength shown by the group of ladies.Though initially while watching it I felt queasy and funny for the gravity of the situation, people fighting and killing each other outside & this maniac lady starts to get on with the song rather than prepare to attack or even help the men. Slowly as the scene unfolds you see the magnanimity of the act and the helplessness. And for a moment when you start to think it's a silly short story about which you are getting so sentimental about and then you hear the director confirming that these acts were actually performed by a group of ladies in Rawalpindi making it really bitter.
Talk about Jewish holocausts and other western mishaps that are terrible to talk about even today, somehow I feel the above marked tragedies qualify for same kind of respect and retrospection but end up hardly ever being talked about globally .
The gesture reminded me of this hair raising scene , the song, signifying the daredevilry and spirit of the sikhs is from tv movie Tamas, based on a short story by Bhisham sahni set in the time before independence depicting the widespread communal riots and all the politics that govern them. This particular scene just leaves you awestruck. Uttara Baokar after seeing male members of the group go to fight against the rioters who have surrounded them , starts singing this battle cry by herself and inspires the rest of ladies to join her and in a way prepare them for the big sacrifice, knowing that the rioters would get better of the group's men she arouses the whole group to go ahead and jump into well and die rather than get molested by the rioters. Every time I watch this scene I find myself speechless, awed by the strength shown by the group of ladies.Though initially while watching it I felt queasy and funny for the gravity of the situation, people fighting and killing each other outside & this maniac lady starts to get on with the song rather than prepare to attack or even help the men. Slowly as the scene unfolds you see the magnanimity of the act and the helplessness. And for a moment when you start to think it's a silly short story about which you are getting so sentimental about and then you hear the director confirming that these acts were actually performed by a group of ladies in Rawalpindi making it really bitter.
Talk about Jewish holocausts and other western mishaps that are terrible to talk about even today, somehow I feel the above marked tragedies qualify for same kind of respect and retrospection but end up hardly ever being talked about globally .
2 comments:
Brave are the Sikhs and are never supposed to bow down before any kind of aggression or injustice.I being a Bengali,salute them as they ,even at cost of sacrificing their lives never succumb to fear, greed or unfair temptations.Jo bole so nihal Sat Sri Aakaal.
Yes that part of the series is burnt into my memory. What a powerful experience to watch it
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