jai ho Facebook maiyyaa kee!

Schools reopened after the summer break last week. Kiddo started in a new school. Middle school is somewhat different from elementary (primary) school, so parents had more than the usual number of questions after school in the evening. Kiddo had more elaborate answers than his typical range of "Good", "Fine","Yes" and "No" as well.

The topic turned to his Maths class. He said that the teacher had given out a difficult puzzle. More questions elicited the information that only one kid out of about 27 had solved it (kiddo was not the one).

Mom: So, what was the puzzle?

Kiddo: Well, we had to figure out the number of squares.

Dad: Was the answer 40?

Kiddo (wide-eyed): Yes, how did you know?

Dad: Did most of the kids get 26 or 28 as their answers?

Kiddo (laughs): Yes.

Mom now wide-eyed.

jai ho Facebook maiyyaa kee!! ;-)

Music Director Ravi - R.I.P.

This morning, I learned about the passing of octogenarian Music Director Ravi today via Vividh Bharati. True to its moniker of vidhva bharati (bestowed by a hostelmate of mine a quarter century ago), the station is playing tear jerkers all morning (night in India) long. I would rather celebrate Ravi's life. Here are some of my favouirite songs composed by Ravi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJqkdDo3OrE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4iqCY8ChWs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2EznrCj7kU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoHFPA90hqI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op5_FgMM_sk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1l52x3wXYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVxCAwqONcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBVccX9dSkU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avx1Rij2bkI

For a more exhaustive – but still by no means complete – list of songs by Ravi, please go to <a href="http://www.giitaayan.com/search.asp?s=Ravi&amp;browse=Music">giitaayan</a>.

Aaah! vividh bharati!!

Thanks to a friend on FB, I have been able to tune in to <a href="http://www.voicevibes.net">vividh bharati</a> after quite a while. The songs played on that station are still similar to those that used to be played three decades ago. After a week of intense catching up listening :-), I have rediscovered a few old favourites that I had forgotten.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgfqlWhP43Q">नींद कभी रहती थी</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTNR9rhHoqM">यूँ ही दिल ने चाहा था</a>

Not only that, I rediscovered a few songs of somewhat dubious quality (hidden among some more gems) as well. These songs I like - without prejudice against the dubious ones - as they remind me of India of that time, an era when I used to be glued to the SLBC while studying for the plethora of entrance examinations right after Class 12th. Without much ado, here they are, good ones interspersed with the couple of dubious ones. I won't say which I consider dubious - YMMV! ;-)

<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlmmnb_laila-tu-jo-kahe-to-radha-banoon-re-tu-jo-kahe-lata-mangeshkar_fun">तू जो कहे तो राधा बनूँ रे</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5mRql46SC8">गंगा तोहरे घाट पे</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6cmpgWgKDU">और नहीं बस तुम से कहना, जीवन साथी</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0MS3Pruos">मैं ने ये फ़ैसला कर लिया है</a>