97.BLACK MONEY=FILTHY LUCRE.
DAMN IT !
Can anyone today believe what value it had then?
Queues everywhere, for everything! That was socialism for us!
Those of us who grew up in the Nehru-dominated socialist-planning era learned to live with empty promises and vain hopes: just sound and fury, turned into a tale told by an idiot. And shortages and high prices and black market. We tightened our belts till the belts snapped. Youngsters living in the so called post-reform age can have no idea how many queues we had to stand in for essential things- right from baby food, cycle and scooter tyres, sugar and soap, cooking oil, a simple hmt watch,monthly ration, etc. Standing in the queue was no guarantee that we would get the stuff: it was often the experience that the stock would be exhausted before our turn came.
Beautiful and good range of hmt watches. Done to death by senseless BJP govt which did not know how to revive a very popular and sentimental national brand.
image from:mansworldindia.com. Thanks.
Mad economists justify inflation, and doom the nation
Spit on vulgar shoppers
Thrill of black money
Again, I cannot do justice to the poetic genius of Shailendra in a translation. I just attempt to give the gist.
1. You are round, like the sun. ( ie you reach everywhere)
You are cool like the moon.( you please everyone)
If not pleased, you could cause doom!
Your noise and commotion are everywhere!
There is no one dearer than you.
For us, O darling, you are the dearest!
2.You are the wheel, making the vehicle of this world move.
Your are the thief, and you are also the policeman!
You are the king of kings!
3.You bring youth to the old.
You are the sweetness of childhood.
Without you, even milk is like water!
4. We will float a religion of money and wealth.
We will build a temple for you.
We will worship you, duly seated there!
Your noise and commotion are everywhere!
There is no one dearer than you.
For us, o darling, you are the dearest!
Traditional rich and the new brigade
Well, the current act of demonetisation has hit black money holders hard, It has also reduced us all to stand in the mother of all queues, just for small denomination notes! Many of us are literally left no currency notes in our pockets, though we may have all sorts of cards! That way we are all 'faqirs' now! But this too we can celebrate: those of us who may lack currency notes right now, can claim to possess rich- in fact golden- heart if we appreciate and support the current effort at containing the monster of black money.
Celebrate with golden heart!
Again, Shailendra gives us the golden words to celebrate:
माना अपनी जेब से फ़कीर हैं
फिर भी यारों दिल के हम अमीर हैं
Maana apni jeb se faqir hai
Phir bhi yaro dil ke hum amir hai!
What if I have no money in my pocket!
I am rich in heart!
By the way, all these are fantastic songs with beautiful music. Enjoy them on YouTube.
DAMN IT !
Can anyone today believe what value it had then?
Queues everywhere, for everything! That was socialism for us!
Those of us who grew up in the Nehru-dominated socialist-planning era learned to live with empty promises and vain hopes: just sound and fury, turned into a tale told by an idiot. And shortages and high prices and black market. We tightened our belts till the belts snapped. Youngsters living in the so called post-reform age can have no idea how many queues we had to stand in for essential things- right from baby food, cycle and scooter tyres, sugar and soap, cooking oil, a simple hmt watch,monthly ration, etc. Standing in the queue was no guarantee that we would get the stuff: it was often the experience that the stock would be exhausted before our turn came.
image from:mansworldindia.com. Thanks.
Mad economists justify inflation, and doom the nation
We also experienced how the rupee steadily lost its value. The socialist govt did or could or would do nothing to arrest the slide, but merely changed the base year for the calculation of inflation! There were so called economists who said that there could be no 'development' without inflation. The development was on paper, and we people experienced the effects of inflation in day to day life. These economists occupied high positions in the hierarchy, instead of being sent to the mental institutions. They could propound nice theories on paper but would go nuts when confronted with serious practical problems.
[Around the time India became Independent, the Western nations were just emerging from the ravages of World War II. The European economies were all shattered and in debt, while India emerged Creditor, with Sterling balances. Yet in ten years, Europe recovered and India became a debtor and plunged into deeper troubles! All due to our mad economists and planning!It was only Sir Benegal Rama Rau who as Governor of Reserve Bank fought Nehru, TTK and Co on the issue of inflation. Unwilling to subscribe to bad economics and mad politics, he resigned in 1957. Reserve Bank lost its spine then, and inflation has been reigning since then.]
But the Rupee still had some value. The Rs.100 note in 1978 did not have the same value as it did in 1950 or 1960,or 1970 but it still did buy things. The same Rs.100 is valued at Rs.1400 at present! [That is, Rs. 100 today has as much value as Rs.7 in 1978!] So we see how devalued today's currency is! No wonder, the 500 and the 1000 Rupee notes had become the currency of common usage. Demonetisation has suddenly sent them out of circulation and once again we realise the need for smaller notes for day to day transactions. Small has suddenly become beautiful, and useful!
Black money and vulgar show
Black money and vulgar show
The unrestrained run of black money in our economy was made fashionable by Indira Gandhi. It has rendered our public life vulgar and ugly. Money has always been valued in our Hindu system, but the vulgar show of it was hated. The very idea of treating money as Lakshmi was to confer dignity, and enforce restraint, and a certain deference in its handling. No Hindu would normally give or receive money with his left hand! But the neta-babu dominance made money vulgar, and its use ugly, and its show shamelessly open. Money buried even manners and morality.
Celebrating money in song!
Celebrating money in song!
I remember a couple of Hindi movie songs where this was captured beautifully by our great poet Shailendra. In 1957, he wrote this beautiful song "Mini mini chi chi" for the movie "Kathputli".
मीनी मीनी चीची – 2
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज हैं (कितने हसीं) – 2
उतना ही सुन मेरे भैया दिल को लुभाए रुपैया
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज हैं (कितने हसीं) – 2
उतना ही सुन मेरे भैया दिल को लुभाए रुपैया
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
रुपयों का चश्मा चढ़ाओ ये दुनिया दिखेगी रंगीली
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
रुपयों का चश्मा चढ़ाओ ये दुनिया दिखेगी रंगीली
सारे नशे इसके नौकर ये है चीज़ ऐसी नशीली
ये चम-चम इसी की छम-छम इसी को गाए इसी को गवैया
ये चम-चम इसी की छम-छम इसी को गाए इसी को गवैया
मीनी मीनी चीची
चीची
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
सारे नशे इसके नौकर ये है चीज़ ऐसी नशीली
ये चम-चम इसी की छम-छम इसी को गाए इसी को गवैया
ये चम-चम इसी की छम-छम इसी को गाए इसी को गवैया
मीनी मीनी चीची
चीची
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
सपनों की रंगीन रातें जैसे कि आई दीवाली
कल का भला क्या भरोसा रहेंगे मालिक या माली
हँस के रुलाए रुला के हँसाए यही ज़िन्दगी का रवैया
हँस के रुलाए रुला के हँसाए यही ज़िन्दगी का रवैया
मीनी मीनी चीची
चीची
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
कल का भला क्या भरोसा रहेंगे मालिक या माली
हँस के रुलाए रुला के हँसाए यही ज़िन्दगी का रवैया
हँस के रुलाए रुला के हँसाए यही ज़िन्दगी का रवैया
मीनी मीनी चीची
चीची
दुनिया में चाँद-सूरज …
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
duniya me chand-suraj hei kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya me chand-suraj hei kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya mein
duniya me chand-suraj hei kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya me chand-suraj hei kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya mein
rupayo ka chashma chadao ye duniya dikegi rangili
sare nashe isake naoukar ye hai cheez aisi nashili
ye cham-cham isi ki cham-cham isi ko gae isi ko gavaiya
ye cham-cham isi ki cham-cham isi ko gae isi ko gavaiya
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
duniya mein chand-suraj hai kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
sare nashe isake naoukar ye hai cheez aisi nashili
ye cham-cham isi ki cham-cham isi ko gae isi ko gavaiya
ye cham-cham isi ki cham-cham isi ko gae isi ko gavaiya
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
duniya mein chand-suraj hai kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
sapano ki rangin ratein jaise ki ayi divali
kal ka bhala kya bharosa rahenge malik ya mali
hans ke rulae rula ke hansae yahi zindagi ka ravaiya
hans ke rulae rula ke hansae yahi zindagi ka ravaiya
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
duniya mein chand-suraj hai kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya mein
kal ka bhala kya bharosa rahenge malik ya mali
hans ke rulae rula ke hansae yahi zindagi ka ravaiya
hans ke rulae rula ke hansae yahi zindagi ka ravaiya
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
mini mini chichi chichi mini mini chichi chichi
duniya mein chand-suraj hai kitane hasi kitane hasi
utana hi sun mere bhaiya dil ko lubhae rupaiya
duniya mein
Translation bringing out the poetic beauty of this song is beyond me.That only another poet could do! I will just give the gist.
Money is so attractive! So attractive!
It is as beautiful as the sun and moon, and seduces our hearts and mind just as well!
Look at the world through the spectacles of money, and the world appears colourful!
All the intoxications become its slave, it is so intoxicating!
It is so attractive, it is such a melody sung by all!
It makes us enjoy our dream nights, as if it is the eve of Diwali!
Enjoy now, for who knows whether one will remain the master on the morrow! What is the guarantee?
Life makes you laugh, it makes you cry! So, enjoy while you have money!
Spit on vulgar shoppers
We say 'people shop as if there is no tomorrow'! We see ceaseless advertisements on line and in newspapers , inducing people to spend senselessly on all sorts of things. Every social occasion or religious festival is made a ground for mindless spending on things totally unconnected. And the possession of black money, or loose income, induces such a frenzy! They have the additional thrill of having cheated or got clever of the system! Our political system has allowed such people to have such a long run with ill-gotten loot! Spit on them.
In 1960, dear Shailendra came up with another gem of a song in the movie Kala Bazar. As the name shows, it was about black markets. And the thrill of black money [though the amount was paltry here] is intensely captured in this song.
1. You are round, like the sun. ( ie you reach everywhere)
You are cool like the moon.( you please everyone)
If not pleased, you could cause doom!
Your noise and commotion are everywhere!
There is no one dearer than you.
For us, O darling, you are the dearest!
2.You are the wheel, making the vehicle of this world move.
Your are the thief, and you are also the policeman!
You are the king of kings!
3.You bring youth to the old.
You are the sweetness of childhood.
Without you, even milk is like water!
4. We will float a religion of money and wealth.
We will build a temple for you.
We will worship you, duly seated there!
Your noise and commotion are everywhere!
There is no one dearer than you.
For us, o darling, you are the dearest!
Traditional rich and the new brigade
Money has always been valued by society. But society has also looked upon the wealthy with some suspicion, or silent disapproval.Some stigma always attached to wealth.So wealthy people tried to ease their conscience, and please the public, by acts of charity. In the olden days, traditionally wealthy people did not make a wanton display of their wealth. But the culture of nouveau riche, promoted by the political and business class has crossed all limits of decency and sense of shame , not to speak of refined taste, in acquiring and spending money. They have made a religion of money, and cult of worshipping it. On the one hand it invites jealousy and hatred; on the other, it also inspires people to get rich quick.
Well done, demonetisation
Well done, demonetisation
Well, the current act of demonetisation has hit black money holders hard, It has also reduced us all to stand in the mother of all queues, just for small denomination notes! Many of us are literally left no currency notes in our pockets, though we may have all sorts of cards! That way we are all 'faqirs' now! But this too we can celebrate: those of us who may lack currency notes right now, can claim to possess rich- in fact golden- heart if we appreciate and support the current effort at containing the monster of black money.
Celebrate with golden heart!
Again, Shailendra gives us the golden words to celebrate:
माना अपनी जेब से फ़कीर हैं
फिर भी यारों दिल के हम अमीर हैं
Maana apni jeb se faqir hai
Phir bhi yaro dil ke hum amir hai!
What if I have no money in my pocket!
I am rich in heart!
By the way, all these are fantastic songs with beautiful music. Enjoy them on YouTube.
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