Happy Diwali to Everyone !

Sikh Significance of Diwali:
In addition to the well known reasons for all Indians to celebrate Diwali (triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance), Sikhs have additional reasons to commemorate the occasion. Diwali marks the anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji being released from the prison at Gwalior Fort. It was on this day in 1619 A D. that The kind Guru ji refused to leave the fort on his own and demanded the release of other 52 Hindu Rajas. The Moghuls decided on a compromise. They said all the Maharajas that can hold onto your Chowla (gown) could walk out free along side you. The Sikhs smartly made a special Chowla with 50 long strips and all the prisoners walked free. Upon their return to Amritsar grand celebrations were held. Harmandir Sahib ji (Golden Temple) was illuminated and fireworks were displayed. Gurbani Kirtan (Hymns) and prayers were performed.

Diwali in ranu-speak:
Lotsa mathyai (sweets). Aloo tikian, fresh hot jalebi...mmm. Lotsa rush at the Gurdwara, divey(diyas), fireworks. Many bollywood blockbusters are released right about now. Flu-shot time... and unfortunately also midterms...Aight people, gtg study. Take care.

Oh yeah, congrats again Mercuitio.

Gale Lipte Hain Woh Bijli Ke Dar Se...

... Ilahee Yeh Ghata Do Din To Barse. (NFAK)

• Regarding Emad's comment to my last blog. I think he's right. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is the best South Asian musician to ever live. I thought maybe Lata would rank up there, but Nusrat was much, much more than a singer and his music crossed many language barriers.
• Unfortunately I don't know much about Ravi Sharkar so I can't really comment about him. All I know is that Shankar puts me to sleep and Nusrat pumps me up. Ravi Shankar has won many Grammy's and this quote about him is impressive: "Ravi Shankar is the Godfather of World Music"- George Harrison.
• Also, I know Nusrat was overweight most of his life but I still wonder how much his passionate live concerts contributed to his early death. I've seen concert videos of him where he'd almost be in a trance for hours. He'd be exhausted yet he'd never ease up. If you've never seen Nusrat live in concert I highly recommend you go rent a movie or DVD of it. He's so overpowering it's unbelievable.
• Regarding Gagan's comment to my last blog....No comment.
• Another note to non-punjabi desis. Often the 'z' sound in punjabi is pronounced as a 'j'. For instance, 'zaada' = 'jaada' and 'sabzi' = 'sabji'. There's a reason I'm telling you this, have patience.
• Some Favorites....Gum - Dentyne Fire. Shoe Brand - Nike. Sport to play - Basketball. Clothing brand - Polo (not Chaps!). Cereal - Raisin Bran (although at around 1 o'clock it doesn't feel all that great, if ya know what I mean). Snack food - Cold grapes or roasted almonds. Sabji - khumba (mushrooms). Soap - Irish Spring (The scent of it kick starts my mornings). Deoderent - Old Spice. Sport to watch - Football (the oval ball one ;) ). NHL Team - Montreal Canadians. Ice Cream flavor: French crisp (Laura Secord). Raptor player (all-time): Antonio Davis. Candy/Chocolate - Small Red Lintdor ball-thingy.
• Okay, maybe you didn't need to know all that. Oh well.
• Jazzy B is an idiot!! He can sing but he needs to take some medication for his "waving his stiff arms in the air and always looking constipated" condition.
• Another pet peave: People wasting food. Throwing out half of a sandwich because they're full. WTF? The worst is when people are wasting Langar in the Gurdwara. I can't understand it! Even adults do it! What a shame.
• Why do punjabi movies always star punjabi singers?
• AWESOME (although many words were too so-fist-tick-eight-ted for me) article on Amitabh Bachchan and his role in Bollywood. BTW, is the critics name a joke? http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/3-4-2005/ab.htm

Akhian udeek diyan, dil waajan marda...

...aaja pardesiya, wasta hi pyar da...aaja tenu akhian udeek diyan...

• ...and on the 7th day God created Tabu so that one day a punjabi Brampton boy named Ranbir could have a dream.
• Gurdas Mann has been around for years. He is hands down the voice of punjabi music for the last 25 years. He has changed along with the times, and at times has even set the trends of punjabi music. When I was 4 years old I attended a concert of his and got to dance with him on stage. I've only seen him live once since then. He's awesome live!
• And no Phil, Gurdas Mann is not Harbhajan Mann's son.
• And for all non-punjabi's...In punjabi 'bh' is pronounced as a 'p'...just a warning for when you hear me say 'pungra', 'Pagat', and 'Harpajan'.
• Pet peave #1: I hate it when people litter.
• Forgot 2 songs from my list earlier: Ek kadki hai (Hum Dono) and Mera rang de basanti chola (The Legend of 'Pagat' Singh).
• BTW, my favorite movies are listed in my profile (at the top right of this page).
• Here's a recipe I think I can lay claim to inventing...I hope. Pop open a can of Heinz breakfast beans and 'thurdka la' it. Yummy, and quick.
• I absolutely love the feeling of getting into a cool bed in a cool room and getting all wrapped up in a comforter. Waking up in the cold however, is not so pleasent.
• You'd think that with technology going the way it has the last 10-15 years that someone could invent a toilet seat heater. Damn!! Sometimes it can take you minutes just to convince yourself to sit on the damn thing this time of year. And I'm a guy....can't imagine the daily suffering of women.
• Pet peave #2: Don't you hate it when you're driving and then all of sudden you get this obnoxious itch on the bottom of your foot.
• Taken away waaay before his time: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Already had the western world awed by his talent and had just stepped into the Bollywood realm. He could have been the greatest musician we had ever seen. Can't believe it's already been 8 years since he died.
• Music lyricists never get their proper due.
• Heard this stat the other day and found it really, really surprising. Sikhs account for 2% of India's population, yet Sikhism is the 5th largest religion in the world. Think about it.
• Regarding my list of fun things i want to accomplish before the age of 30, birthday boy Emad commented, "Get married before 30." While I do intend on doing that before 30, it doesn't qualify as fun at all. All joking aside, the actual wedding itself never seems to be much fun for the couple and the immediate families involved. They all look like stressed out robotic zombies. Punjabi weddings, at least, are meant to be fun for friends and extended family, especially cousins. That doesn't bug me though...I got over 15 cousins :) So what if one day they'll all have a ball at my expense ;) Right Sunny and Monika? (Apparently Sunny and Monika actually have dreams about my wedding day).
• Now if just everyone could convince Tabu to give me a chance.
• "He looks like a man where everyone else is a boy. He looks like he could flatten people with one punch." - Ram Gopal Verma on Abhishek Bachchan.
• Pet Peave #3: I hate it when people start bitching that they have such a horrible life for the stupidest of reasons. Stop complaining. We have all the opportunites in the world where we live. If you're healthy and are just having a few bad days, please don't go on telling everyone how miserable your life is, because it's not. You're just a miserable person.
• Ok, had to get that one off my chest.
• I'm trying to find 2 'pungra' songs. Used to have the cassette but now can't find the songs anywhere: 'Raati Ishqe Di Hoi Barsaat, Sari Raat pijdey rahey' and 'Naachno tho pehla' both from a Hans Raj Hans album around 10 years old. If you have the MP3s, please send :)
• I'm watching Russell Peters live in Mississauga on October 22nd. Can't wait! "Sumbody gonna get huurt...real bad."

My Favorite Hindi Songs

A lot of you have complained that I tag too many songs as being my 'favorite song'. So a couple weeks ago I started this list. Although the rankings are not precise, I have made some attempt at listing them in order. Make sure to 'comment' if you think I might have left something out. Give your 2 cents.

1. Abhi zinda hoon (Naajayaz)
2. Mere Khaabon mein jo aye (DDLJ)
3. Dekha Ek Khaab to (Silsila)
4. Chaiyan Chaiyan (Dil Se)
5. Salaam-E-Ishq (Muqaadar ka Sikandar)*
6. Mujhe naulakha manga de ra (Sharaabi)*
7. Tere dard se (Deewana)
8. Aaj mausam (Loafer/Monsoon Wedding)
9. Kajra re (Bunty aur Babli)
10. Neela aasman so gaya (Silsila)
11. Ramta jogi (Taal)
12. Rang Barse (Silsila)
13. Satrangi re (Dil Se)
14. Yeh jo mohabbat hai (Kati Patang)
15. Mera jevan kora kagaaz (Kora Kagaz)
16. Jis din suraj ki pehli kiran (Sir)
17. Kariye Na (Taal)
18. Jo guzar rahi hai mujh par (Mere Huzoor)
19. Khamoosh Raat (Thakshak)
20. Jaane Kaise Kub kaha (Shakti)
21. Mann Ki Lagan (Paap)
22. Chingari koi bhadke (Amar Prem)
23. Manzilen apni jagah hain (Sharaabi)
24. Ae Ajnabi (Dil Se)
25. Dil ki tanhai ko (Chahaat)
26. Yeh kahan aa gaye hum (Silsila)
27. Suraj Hua Madham (K3G)
28. Pag ghungroo bandh (Namak Halal)
29. Kuchh to log kahenge (Amar Prem)
30. Yunhi chala chal (Swades)
31. Hume tumse pyar kitna (Kudrat)
32. Inthea ho gayi, intezaar ki (Sharaabi)
33. Yaari Hai Imaan (Zanjeer)
34. Teri meri kahani hai (Shor)

*: I really only like Kishore Kumar's (A.B.) half of these songs.

Newcomer Ranulal final lead in Krisnamurty's 'Rusgulay'

Tinku Gonzalves – A.P.
Oct/09/05
After months of deliberation K.K. Krisnamurthy has cast Ranulal Swamikumar in his next venture, ‘Rusgulay’. This fourth (and last casting) is being publicized 2 months after Krisnamurty had already announced that Mohanlal, Arvind Swami, and Ajith Kumar would play the other 3 leading roles in his film.

Interestingly however, Ranulal had not actually formally auditioned for the role. Word has it that Ranulal, originally from Toronto, Canada, was spotted by Krisnamurty in a Madras bazaar. Ranulal addresses this for us.

“Yes, this is true. I was vacationing throughout India and came to Madras to meet up with some friends. One evening we decided to go out to the bazaar. Some horseplay between my friends and I led to my upper lip being covered with chocolate ice cream. As I was walking to the washroom to cleanup I was approached by 3K-ji. It was very embarrassing! When you’re on foreign soil and you don’t really fit in because you’re a little overweight, and then on top of that you’re approached by a celebrity while you’ve got ice cream on your face, it’s quite embarrassing you know,” Ranulal said laughingly.

As it turns out, his weight and the ice cream stain that night is what has Krisnamurty believing that Ranulal will be the next great South Indian actor. “He is a great find for me. Ranulal has grown a mustache and put on another 10 pounds at our request. He has already changed his name to adapt to his new surroundings and so we’re confident that we can successfully launch him into superstar stardom with my next release. He is exactly what the public wants. What the audience here loves,” stated Krisnamurty.

So far so good. Krisnamurty's forecast is proving to be quite accurate as Ranulal posters are already appearing in the bedrooms of many teenage girls throughout the southern states.

Although very little is known about ‘Rusgulay’ itself, word has it that that the film will be made in black and white, and will not star any leading ladies.